A Vanceburg View
An Update From the Director of Glenmary's Volunteer Office

February 2005
New Things in the New Year

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and that you've been able to catch up on the work you left undone during the holidays. Things in Lewis County certainly have been busy this holiday and post-holiday season.

Project Merry Christmas was a great success this year. The local ministerial association sponsors Project Merry Christmas every year as a way to provide food and toys for people in need in Lewis County. Farm and other volunteers have the privilege of organizing and running the event, which is a great opportunity to share fellowship with people in the county and it's also a fun opportunity to return to childhood!

For years, Project Merry Christmas has been held in an abandoned hotel that in 2005 will be renovated into a visitor center for the city of Vanceburg. (I'm asking those of you who participated in the tradition of sleeping over in that cold, musty hotel the night before Project Merry Christmas to help us think of a new tradition for 2005.) In 2004 we provided over 375 people with toys and food vouchers. Thanks to the Morehead State University Newman Center and past Farm volunteers and managers for their help with Project Merry Christmas 2004.          

The Boys Club and Girls Club of Lewis County , located in the Clarksburg Christian Church outside of Vanceburg, officially opened on January 17, 2005, Martin Luther King Day. Now that some transportation issues have been resolved, the club attendance averages about 150 kids a day. The Farm managers and I had a good time spending a day volunteering at the club. The club is well structured and the kids seem to be having a great time. Thanks to all you volunteers who had a hand in the renovation of the meeting place for the club!         

New Farm Manager. I would like to welcome a third Farm manager. David Turner has come to us from the San Francisco area to volunteer at the Farm for a year. David is a graduate of San Diego State University and has a master's from Michigan State University. He came to the Farm with the group from Mount Saint Mary's University last October and enjoyed the experience so much that he offered a year to serve those in need in Lewis County.  

Family Farm Week at the Glenmary Farm will take place June 25-July 2, 2005. This week is open to entire families who are interested in coming the Farm to serve and to reconnect with the community--and with their family! If you are interested, please call 606-796-3421, or email jgrosek@glenmary.org . If you're still into snail mail, it's Joe Grosek, Glenmary Volunteer Director, P.O. Box 7, Vanceburg KY 41179.

Peace and God bless!

Joe Grosek
jgrosek@glenmary.org

And if you missed previous Vanceburg Views, check them out.

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