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From Our Executive Director
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| Building Relationships Builds Community |
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1 Corinthians 1:10 I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.
I hope that all of you have had wonderful summers with friends, family, and loved ones. At Vashti, this summer has felt like such a season of fellowship. We have had countless groups visit over the summer, and the sounds of fun and hard work have echoed across our campus.
Some groups came to work, others to spend time with our youth, and some to do both. The common denominator for each group was that they all arrived with hearts to serve.
One of the greatest blessings that children can receive is to feel loved and connected to their community. When we are able to welcome groups to spend time with our youth, it fosters some of the core values of our mission - nurturing hope and healing through fellowship.
If you find it on your heart to be in fellowship with your community in a way that positively impacts children, then I encourage you to spend time volunteering at Vashti. You can do a service project on campus, have a cookout for our residents, or you can sign up to become a mentor for one of our resident youth.
We are also excited about the upcoming school year and are making sure that our kids have everything they need to get the new school year off right. If you would like to help us out through school supplies, check out our website.
Thank you all for your support of our mission at Vashti. God encourages us to follow His word by taking care of one another because through this connection we can experience a deep sense of fellowship and community. I feel so fortunate to be part of an organization that is connected to our community in such an incredible way.
Blessings,
Elijah
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| RECAP: Mental Health Day 2019 |
Our 2nd Annual Children's Mental Health Awareness Day was a resounding success! Music filled the air as folks made their way to our covered basketball court. Blue Bell Ice Cream was handing out ice cream to kids (and adults!) of all ages. Not only was the ice cream a big hit, but we had members of the GA 501st Legion volunteer crew to bring extra fun and smiles to the morning.
There were 12 different agencies and organizations on site, ready to answer questions and provide information.
Many thanks to:
- Georgia Pines
- DBHDD
- Leadership Thomas Class 36
- The Gathering Place
- South Georgia Autism Center
- Boys and Girls Club of Camilla
- Peachstate Healthcare
- Treehouse Advocacy Center of Thomas County
- Georgia 501st Legion
- Thomasville Police Department
-
Ventures & Connections
- The Heritage Foundation
Our grill was fired up by our local police department, and hot dogs were ready to go in no time. Thank you to Officer Jabar Dunbar for not only his grilling expertise, but also his dedication to being in the sun all morning!
Thank you to all who visited, represented their agency, or volunteered. We had a great turn out and can't wait for next year's event!
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When you make a legacy gift through your will, trust, or by beneficiary designation, you demonstrate your commitment to Vashti Center's mission to bring healing, hope and transformation to some of the most vulnerable children and youth in southwest Georgia. Your gift becomes a lasting investment that will ensure the continued vitality and growth of Vashti's ministry, now in existence for more than 100 years.
For information on how to make a legacy gift to Vashti, call Susan O'Neal, Development Director, at [email protected] or (229) 226-4634.
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RECAP - UMW Vashti Fun Day 2019
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Another summer and another UMW Vashti Fun Day is on the books!
Our campus was flooded with United Methodist Women, all ready to have a great morning with our residents. There was bingo (with prizes!), sno-cones, and arts and crafts. Our residents were partnered up with their own personal "Grandma" for the morning, and we aren't sure who enjoyed it more - the teenagers or the ladies!
We concluded our adventures with a devotion and a performance from Rachel Jowers as a testimony to her growth in her faith.
We had such an excellent day, all thanks to the hard work of Lois Duncan and the women of the Southwest District. We'll see you next year!
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Wear Vashti With Pride
We believe that in order to help our community become better and stronger, we need to make sure we're talking about our mental health needs. Our new apparel helps open that conversation with your friends, neighbors, and community members. Let's make taking care of our mental health a normality, and not something we keep in the shadows.
Hat: $20
T-Shirt: $25
If you'd like your own hat or t-shirt, swing by the office or contact Liz Williams at (229)226-4634 or [email protected].
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| New signage at the campus entrance |
If you've driven by our campus recently, you may have noticed some new pops of color! We have updated our campus signage, and couldn't love it more.
Thank you to Linda Lawson and her amazing work. For more photos, visit our
Instagram or
Facebook pages.
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| The School Bell is Ringing |
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Summer is coming to a close, which means that it's time to go back to school! Parents will rejoice, kids will groan, and teachers will be waiting by the doors to welcome everyone back.
Just as you're shopping with your kids for new backpacks, fresh pencils, and that just right pair of new shoes, we'll be doing the same with our residents. We'll be braving the crowds gathering up all 3-ring binders and packs of paper we can find. We'll be stuffing their new backpacks with pens right out of the box and that fancy calculator they'll need for math class.
In order to make sure our teenagers are fully outfitted from head to toe, we need your help. Every dollar you give helps us make sure that they're ready for their first day of school, just like you would for your own kids.
If you'd like to help us equip our residents with all their back to school needs,
click here
. Feel free to specify for Back to School or the General Fund by entering your donation in the corresponding box.
For more information on giving to Vashti, contact Susan O'Neal at (229)226-4634 or [email protected].
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| Save the Date - Dinner on the Bricks 2019 |
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| Avalon United Methodist Church's youth group after a morning of hard work on campus. |
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Blue Bell Ice Cream was a great treat for Mental Health Day!
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| It was great to see old and new friends at the UMC District Conference. |
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| Thomasville Kiwanis Club made their annual visit to our campus. |
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| Mental Health Awareness Video 2019 |
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It seems like just yesterday when you could
hear the last school bell ring,
letting you know that summer had officially begun.
Students
traded in backpacks full of books for
free time, lazy mornings and extra sunshine.
But now
our
summer vacations have come
and gone. Within the next week,
schools will open their doors to welcome
students
back for another
school
year!
Even though I am looking forward to what
a
new school year brings, I am thankful for the memories I made with
our
residents here at
The
Vashti Center. This summer we had many church groups volunteer on campus. We enjoyed cook-outs, outdoor games, bowling, movies and trips to Wild Adventures. We said our good-byes to our seniors who graduated, and welcomed many new faces into our care here.
Summer can be a time of growth, both literally and figuratively. With the rain and warm (read: sweltering hot) temperatures, flowers pop up, and grass seems to take over the front yard overnight.
Fun t
rivia Fact: The Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, can "grow" over six inches taller during the season when heat causes its iron to expand.
Youth
will
often
start the new school year having grown inches and outgrown all their shoes. Scientists even think your nails grow faster during the summer months.
I have enjoyed the slower pace of summer for the extra fellowship with all our residents. I
may be their leader and teacher, but these
kids
have taught me so much.
I
hope they return to school having grown in their faith, courage, and hope!
I continue to encourage everyone to be in prayer for all students and teachers who will be returning over the next week. It takes a village to raise a child. As a flock of God's people, we are to look after each oth
er. Do whatever you can to help the young people you know transi
tion back to a new school year!
Blessings,
Rev. Amanda Messer
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With God as our cornerstone, we foster healing, hope, and transformation to empower and promote resiliency in children, families, and communities in Georgia.
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Vashti is in a covenant relationship with the United Methodist Women national office.
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