Community Gathering is Building Hope

One of the highlights from 2016 was the completion of the Children’s Home Pavilion last April.

gathering

Jim Sigmon, Jim Kurt, STVCC CEO Andrea Seyka, Gene Russell, Mitch Dobrzelewski and Nancy Passanante at the 2016 Guardian Society Thank You Event.

Providing a valuable gathering area for children and staff, the addition of the pavilion is yet another piece of the facility that helps set St. Vincent Catholic Charities apart as a valuable resource to helping the least in the Greater Lansing area.

“We now have a safe gathering place outside for our children that we can utilize for most of the year,” said Children’s Home Program Director Alysia Christy. “More importantly, it helps to create memories, like the summer formal dance that we hosted last year for our kids. A value can’t be placed on creating those types of experiences. Thank you to everyone who helped to make it possible.”

Some of the events already hosted this year include:

• Summer Formal – This formal dance was held at the end of the school year to offer a Prom styled event to the older teens at the Children’s Home. The kids dressed in their best as they enjoyed a formal evening into the summer twilight.
• Poetry Slam – Poetry is another outlet that helps our children cope with their experiences. Last summer each child was able to share their works in front of their peers.
• Kiwanis Club BBQ – Each summer the Kiwanis Club of Delta Township organizes a BBQ at the Children’s Home. This year the pavilion provided the perfect amount of shelter and shade during a hot day.
• Field Day – Barnes Aerospace put together their yearly Field Day for the Children’s Home, with the pavilion serving as a great meeting space and staging area for breaks and refreshments.
• Guardian Society Thank You Event – Besides playing host to our annual Guardian Society Thank You Event, the pavilion was dedicated and blessed by Father John Klein of St. Gerard Catholic Church.

The two individuals who deserve special recognition for making the pavilion possible are:

Dr. Mitch Dobrzelewski
St. Vincent Catholic Charities Board Member and member of the Stotenbur Knight of Columbus, Mitch saw the need for the Children’s Home Pavilion and mobilized support with local Knights of Columbus councils.

Nancy Passanante
Out of the goodness of her heart, Nancy made a significant contribution to the project that provided the necessary funds to make it happen.

 

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