FOSP MEMBER NEWS | DECEMBER 2020 |
|
Dear Friends,
During this season of gratitude, we want to let you know how especially grateful we are for you. Your faithfulness allows us to continue to serve the St. Philip's community during these unprecedented times. Though we often find ourselves needing to alter plans, we appreciate your flexibility, creativity, and constant willingness to support our school and neighbors. Friends' members are amazing!
|
|
Our membership drive continues. Thank you to those who have already renewed, and a warm, grateful welcome to our many new members! Please continue to share the Friends' mission with others.
|
|
We are excited to announce the addition of Friends t-shirts. Show your FOSP support while volunteering or out and about by wearing these fun shirts designed by FOSP member Kris Bradford. The shirts are available to purchase online for $25 here. Proceeds benefit FOSP outreach. |
|
|
EXPANDING OUR GENERAL BOARD |
|
Are you looking for a way to get more involved with Friends and SPSCC? We would love to have more Friends join our General Board. The General Board meets casually four times a year in homes (or via Zoom currently) for coffee and Friends updates. Along with being an advocate of the Friends’ mission, General Board members assist with planning and implementing faculty and staff appreciation events, and support membership recruitment and retention initiatives. We also welcome the leadership of at-large members who want to learn more about Friends and/or be involved in the development of the organization.
In addition to General Board members, we are seeking a special someone to join our Executive Board as Volunteer Coordinator. The Volunteer Coordinator will serve as a liaison between Friends and the SPSCC volunteer coordinator and share volunteer information at monthly Executive Board meetings.
For more information or to join the fun, email Paula Mitchell. |
|
BINGO, BBQ, and the BLUES |
|
RESCHEDULED!!!
MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW FOR
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2021
Edison’s – 1724 Cockrell Ave., Dallas
For more information email Martha Johnston |
|
FACULTY & STAFF APPRECIATION |
|
In conjunction with the leadership team at St. Philip's, Friends has committed to assist with " Wellness Wednesdays," a new program launched this school year to enhance the wellness of faculty and staff. Each Wednesday, faculty and staff receive an email containing motivational thoughts, healthy recipes, and ideas for wellness activities. Friends carry out a project each month to support the designated theme. For October's "Quiet/Meditation," faculty and staff received a video link to participate in a 30-minute yoga session led by former St. Philip's parent, Georgette Dunn. November was the month of "Gratitude." Every faculty and staff member received a Gratitude Jar to help them reflect on things they are grateful for in their lives.
Throughout December, Faculty and Staff will enjoy a "Shout Out Board" located in the much-traveled hallway outside the cafeteria. The display will feature brightly colored sticky notes and markers for employees to write a note of thanks or appreciation for others—and share the good news.
For Christmas, Friends will give Target and Walmart gift cards to all employees, instead of a party or meal, to keep everyone healthy for the upcoming holidays.
|
|
Big thanks for the incredible show of support for our book drive in partnership with Interabang books. Through the generous support of many Friends, we provided approximately 280 books to clients and families of Aunt Bette's Community Pantry. Interabang Books cultivated a list of books specifically for our St. Philip's community, which were purchased by Friends and other St. Philip's supporters.
Last month, Friends of St. Philip's hand-delivered the books in the pantry drive-through where clients enthusiastically made selections to take home and share with their families.
We are honored to collaborate with Interabang Books to bring literacy opportunities to the St. Philip's community.
|
|
CHRISTMAS STORE - SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19 |
This year's Christmas Store will be reimagined as an outdoor marketplace, allowing participants to continue the tradition of self-selecting generously donated holiday gift items. The Store, which serves approximately 175 families each year, is staffed by generous volunteers. Help spread the joy of Christmas by donating an item(s) from the wish list to this year's Christmas Store on Saturday, December 19, 2020. To coordinate donations, contact LaSheryl Walker (community@stphilips.com or 214-421-5221, ext.140) |
|
THANKSGIVING BOX GIVEAWAY |
|
Traditionally, St. Philip's hosts a festive sit-down Thanksgiving feast for our neighbors. This year, due to COVID-19, Thanksgiving came a little early as we distributed frozen turkeys, large produce bags, and boxes of nonperishable goods to 300 friends on November 14. The Thanksgiving food was provided to St. Philip's, along with many other ministries in the City of Dallas, as part of the Pastors Turkey Box Giveaway 2020.
The distribution event at St. Philip's was a service project of the Dallas Spurs and Liverpool Supporters Soccer Clubs of DFW. Though we were disappointed to be unable to serve in the traditional way, we were pleased to bless our neighbors with a meal they could prepare and serve at home.
Special thanks to Candace Winslow, FOSP Lifetime Member, for arranging for St. Philip's to receive 121 additional turkeys from The Storehouse of Collin County, where she serves as Executive Director. This incredible gift allowed St. Philip's to bless even more neighbors who had not already received a turkey from the pantry or our Thanksgiving event.
|
|
|
AUNT BETTE'S COMMUNITY PANTRY |
|
The pantry continues to serve an increasing number of neighbors each Monday and Wednesday morning. A limited number of volunteer opportunities are available. COVID-19 safety measures are in effect as we distribute prepackaged boxes of food and bags of produce, dairy, and frozen meats in an outdoor drive-through operation.
We are very excited to have our new refrigerated truck, thanks to a generous grant from the Tom Thumb/Albertsons Foundation. The truck will be used to transport surpluses from current partners Super Target, Kroger and Eden Green Technologies and allow us to engage with new sources. If you have any leads, please email us.
The pantry needs rolling bags to provide clients without transportation a way to take their groceries home. To donate, you may drop off at the pantry during regular hours (Monday and Wednesday 8-11 a.m.) or email for alternate locations and times. |
|
BENT TREE COUNTRY CLUB TENNIS HOSTS FUNDRAISER FOR AUNT BETTE'S FOOD PANTRY |
|
Bent Tree tennis pro Barbora Vykydalova was looking to help the community and provide safe exercise opportunities during the ongoing pandemic when she came up with the idea for some friendly tennis competition for a cause. Players donated money to take part in the weekly matches, raising $3,210 for Aunt Bette's Food Pantry. Barbora learned about the pantry through several league participants—who are also Friends' members. We thank Barbora and the ladies of Bent Tree Tennis for their compassion and generous support! |
|
FOSP FUNDRAISER – SAN FERNANDO FARMS HONEY |
Friends of St. Philip's was the sweet recipient of a recent "Honey Sale," hosted by Alcuin School junior, Erik Spafford, son of Friends' treasurer, Annelise Pedersen. For the past four years, Erik's family has been beekeeping in their Forest Hills backyard, ultimately developing their own brand, San Fernando Farms Honey, derived from their street name. As their hives grew in number, so did production and the neighborhood buzz. After numerous requests for refills and returned empty jars, the Spaffords began holding regular honey sales, with proceeds benefitting a designated organization. October's event raised $500 in support of FOSP. Our deepest thanks to the Spafford family! |
|
|
Feel free to reach out to any board member if you are looking for more ways to get involved with FOSP:
Helen Bond Riney, Communications (email)
Martha Johnston, Bingo, BBQ, & Blues (email)
Annelise Pedersen, Treasurer (email)
Christy Singhania, Secretary (email)
Tina Stansbury, Faculty/Staff Appreciation (email)
Breanna Turnley, SPSCC Liaison (email)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
