Left to right, Ed Kegley of Brown's Food Service and the National Wild Turkey Federation, Brenda Curry director of Fallsburg Family Resource Center, Rotary member Barbara Hall, and Lawrence County Clerk Chris Jobe have their hands full of turkeys after Thursday's regular Rotary meeting. The Rotary in conjunction with the National Wild Turkey Federation, and the Family Resource Centers, are ALL giving away the turkeys and fixings and will deliver the turkeys to those families that need them next week at Fallsburg and Blaine. Happy Thanksgiving. Lazer photo by Danielle Adkins
ROTARY NEWS (Nov 19, 2009):
“Family Resource Center”
Brenda Curry, Coordinator, of the Fallsburg Family Resource Youth Center, shared with the Louisa Rotary club what the Resource Center is trying to accomplish. They currently have 80-100 students signed up for this year’s Angel Tree Program, where children of all ages will receive presents, clothing and assistance for the Christmas holiday. If anyone is interested in helping out with this project, please contact Ms. Curry.
“When you have a family that barely makes ends meet all year long, the holiday season can be harder on them, with Christmas presents to buy,” says Curry, and then added, “We just try to give them a little something to let them know someone cares about them.”
The center has also implemented a Backpack program where underprivileged children receive an extra special treats, on the weekends that are placed in their backpacks to go home with them. They have 74 students involved in this program. They have seen a 100% attendance improvement, since this program started.
Terrific kids program is another program the center has, where children receive an award and treat, based on their attendance, work to their ability, and obedience to the rules.
The center is always in need of clothes. The clothes can be new or used, as the center will wash them, before they are distributed. Sweatpants and tennis shoes seem to be their greatest need. The clothes and shoes are given out, based on a personal need, or if something has happened during the school day, as in they may simply just need a pair of proper shoes or clothing to play at recess/gym.
This past year, Curry has done at least 35 home visits, in order to give her a better idea of the type of homes the children live in, see what their needs are, and how can she better help the families. She tries not to be an “enabler” or “handicap” the families in two ways: teaching them to reach for their own resources (friends and family who might could help) and attempting to get them to give back to their community, by allowing them to come in and volunteer their time, in the resource center.
She closed, encouraging everyone to take time to thank at least five people we know, this season by way of a card or letter. She also said, the center can use all donations, and for more information about the program she can be reached at 606-686-3200.
After the meeting, Ed Kegley, of the Wild Turkey Federation, Barbara Hall of the Family Resource Center in Blaine, Cris Jobe, Rotarian and County Clerk, and Bill England, Rotarian, and Brenda Curry, were availabe for photos, representing the turkeys that will be given away to local families in the area by the Blain and Fallsburg Resource Centers.
