Oh, So Much to Be Grateful For!

A Message from Director of Education, Deseree Stanfield

Dear West End Center,

I loved you before I knew you... because some of my best friends attended and they always talked about the FINE boys that went there. Finally I was enrolled and got to grow up in the program. Attending the center meant having opportunities and adults to talk to when I could not find that at home. It meant finding people that really saw me. When I graduated from college I was lucky enough to work at the place I grew up, and was able to give back to the community that raised me. A huge bonus was watching my college friends fall in love with the place that loved me.

West End, you're so special. You mean so much to the community, to the attendees, to lives you've helped shape. I'm lucky to work alongside people committed to enhancing lives and so fortunate to work with some of Roanoke City's shining stars.

Forever a Center Kid,

Deseree

For many of us, November may be a chance to reflect on the last 11 months and to show our gratitude. I am eternally grateful for our supporters, our families, and for the awesome chance to work with some of the best kiddos in the Star City.

We Are So Grateful to Our Partners!

We Are Grateful for Our Badge Buddies Program!

On November 1st our Badge Buddies program wrapped up their season with a cookout for everyone. THANK YOU to our amazing partners who have helped make this this program!

WEC students run with local law enforcement during the summer/fall on the Roanoke River Greenway to train for the annual Spooky Sprint 5k.
The program brings the community together all while fostering a healthy lifestyle.

We're already looking forward to next year!

A special thank you to: RunAbout Sports, Roanoke City Police Department and Roanoke City Sheriff's Office

Donor Spotlight

Ralph K. Baker

Ralph K. Baker has been a dedicated monthly donor to West End Center for 20 years! As a Roanoke native, Ralph has enjoyed seeing the impact of West End Center throughout the community. He has always enjoyed watching the West End Walk to the Grandin Village in the summers. Ralph is a retired veteran after serving 25 years in the Army and worked 13 years with R&K Engineering. You can find Ralph most days at Black Dog Salvage where he continues to support the staff on a daily basis.

Next time you find yourself at Black Dog Salvage, be sure to say hello!

Thank you, Ralph!

Partner Spotlight

United Way, Strengthening Youth Opportunities for Success

We are so grateful to be a part of United Way of Roanoke Valley's Strengthening Youth Opportunities for Success collaborative. Local youth throughout the Roanoke Valley are served each year through this collaborative. United Way also facilitated a donation of several bikes to our students. Thank you, United Way of Roanoke Valley!

Junior League of Roanoke Valley

Thank you, JLRV for including West End Center as a community coffee partner during the 35th Annual Stocked Market! We enjoyed connecting with the community and being a part of the fun!

JLRV is generously collecting new coats for our students for the holiday season. You may donate through the wish list through December 8th:

Amazon.com - coat drive wish list

Spooky Sprint 5k

We saw a record number of participants come out to sprint/run/walk (mostly in costume) in the warm weather. It was such a fun morning! Thank you to everyone who came out to support.

A special thank you to Amber Perdue Photography! All photos are free to download and share. Be sure to tag Amber (@amberperduephotography) when sharing. We are so appreciative of the memories she captured.

2023 Spooky Sprint Photos

Upcoming Events

Join us for the 8th annual Grandin Holiday Lights Extravaganza- a family-friendly fitness festival taking in the sights and sounds of beautiful Grandin village small businesses and residences. Register the whole family for this fun walk (run-optional) and support our friends at the West End Center for Youth! Tickets are $8 and include hot cocoa and goodie bags for all registered participants after the walk!

Grandin Holiday Lights Extravaganza 2023 (runsignup.com)

Interested in impacting local children's lives?

Volunteer to tutor or mentor students.
Help plan or volunteer at an event.
Follow us on social media and share our posts with friends to spread the word about the work we do in our community.

If you want to talk about any of these opportunities or are a business who would like to work with West End Center, or you just want to learn more, contact Karen Pillis, kpillis@westendcenter.org.

Thank you for supporting West End Center!

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