Thanksgiving Review

THANKSGIVING 2012

     Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer stopped by the mission and shared his support, greeting many of our clients and volunteers, wishing them a happy Thanksgiving. This picture below shows Mayor Fischer with Nina Moseley(left) and Linda Stith, Hotel Louisville's General Manager.

 

     Former Jefferson County Judge/Executive Rebecca Jackson, her husband Ralph and volunteers from Mercy Academy volunteered to run the KID'S ZONE, a temporary holiday play area for children whose parents are staying at the mission.

 

     Sullivan University Systems donated over half of the food for Wayside Christian Mission's Annual Thanksgiving Day meals. Sullivan is partnering with Wayside by providing program support and developing educational opportunities for clients and staff in a number of areas, including hospitality, culinary arts, accounting, early childhood education, renovations, banquet development, CPR training and health education. The school's nationally recognized culinary arts program prepared a number of sheet cakes for the day and were responsible for the donation of 70 turkeys, rolls and stuffing. Below Hazel Sullivan started volunteering at 6 AM and worked most of the day. THANKS SULLIVAN!

 

     Volunteers and staff worked through the night smoking turkeys and cooking "chitlins". Their efforts are paying off at this moment as our residents are being served the traditional Thanksgiving sides, plus barbecued pork, "chitlins", and smoked and oven cooked turkeys.

 

Caption:  News personality John Boel and family receive volunteer orders in the kitchen.

--
Tim Moseley M.Div., MSSW
President/CEO
Wayside Christian Mission
502-582-2241/502-584-3711

tim@waysidechristianmission.org - www.waysidechristianmission.org
Hotel Louisville Campus -120 West Broadway Street, Louisville, KY 40202
Jefferson Street Campus - 432 East Jefferson Street, Louisville, KY 40202
Mailing Address: PO Box 7249, Louisville, KY 40257-0249

Thanks Sullivan University

Thanks to Sullivan University!

     Thanksgiving 2012 has passed, but our gratitude remains to the many individuals, businesses, churches, and schools that made Thanksgiving at Wayside Christian Mission a very special holiday.  The day before Thanksgiving, we received a large food donation from Sullivan University that included cakes, turkeys, dressing, and dinner rolls among many other delicious food items.  And on Thanksgiving Day, Hazel Sullivan arrived at the Mission to serve as a volunteer worker!  Hazel has been instrumental in organizing a number of service projects involving various departments within Sullivan University.  She also arranged for the production of a video (the link is on this website) through Transform Media that tells the Wayside Christian Mission story!   We are indeed thankful for good friends like Hazel Sullivan who support our work! 

Mission News: Deacon Reaches Out

Deacon Michael Layman Reaches Out to Those in Need

      By his own admission, Michael Layman grew up in church, but for many years, church attendance was little more than a weekly ritual.  After many long years of casual religion, Michael felt that God was challenging him to enter into a meaningful and purpose-driven relationship with Jesus Christ.  Michael accepted God's lofty challenge, returned to school, and was later ordained a deacon at St. Albert the Great Catholic Church in the Westport Road area.  These days, Deacon Michael Layman can be found sharing the good news of God's love with prison inmates or with those bound by drug and alcohol addiction.  An avid supporter of AA and Al Anon, Deacon Michael recently spoke at Wayside Christian Mission's Monday evening chapel service.  His message was well-received, for he knows how to communicate with those who have "hit rock bottom," so to speak!  Good job, Deacon Michael!  Thank you for sharing a message of hope and redemption with the women and men God has placed in our care.

Mission News: Thanksgiving Music Gift

Adam and Rachel Give Gift of Music

     The husband and wife musical team of Adam and Rachel Dzagulones is no stranger to Wayside Christian Mission, but when the busy couple and proud parents to a toddler and a small baby set aside their Thanksgiving plans to provide high-energy contemporary Gospel music to the thousand or so homeless people who enjoyed their holiday meal with us, recognition is certainly in order!  Many of our resident clients were already familiar the music of Adam and Rachel, but for other guests, their uplifting contemporary Christian entertainment was a pleasant surprise!   Adam, a big man with a big heart, was all smiles as he said, "This has been the best Thanksgiving Day of my life!"  Thank you Adam and Rachel for making this Thanksgiving a special holiday for many of Louisville's homeless citizens! 

Mission News: Coats Collected

Busy Realtor Collects Coats for the Needy

For many of us, our closets are stuffed to overflowing with warm clothing for the cold winter months, but for Louisville's homeless population, a warm coat is a luxury that many do not enjoy.  Once again, Century 21 Joe Guy Hagan Realtor Wanda Cheek arrived at Wayside Christian Mission on Thanksgiving Day with over one hundred-fifty warm winter coats that were distributed among the needy who celebrated the holiday with us!  As homeless women and men selected coats from Wanda's inventory, the busy Realtor explained that many of the donated coats were brand new and had never been worn.  As children are also among Louisville's homeless population, Wanda had many smaller sizes on hand.  A legion of homeless people has Wanda Cheek to thank for the many warm coats that are being worn today--and we want to thank Wanda for standing with us as we battle the ills of homelessness in our community! 

Mission News: Thanksgiving Moe Better

Moe Licious Made Thanksgiving Moe Better

Maurice Day, a retired military veteran, is an artist in the truest sense.  No, you will not find his work on display at the Speed Museum, for his medium is not paint on canvas; rather, Maurice works with charcoal, smoke, and his own secret marinade. Maurice is the owner and operator of Moe Licious BBQ and his talents went a long way in making Thanksgiving Day at Wayside Christian Mission!   Mr. Day brought his over-sized smoker to the Mission and prepared forty hams and a dozen or more turkeys for the enjoyment of the hundreds and hundreds of hungry people who feasted with us on Thanksgiving Day.  Hungry diners were visibly delighted by the tantalizing aroma and savory flavors of slow roasted hams and turkeys--but do not waste your time asking Mr. Day about his marinade, for the recipe is a closely guarded secret!  Like we said, Maurice Day is a BBQ artist and a good friend of Wayside Christian Mission!  Thanks, Maurice, for making the holiday dinner a smokin' success!    We are nominating you to the BBQ Hall of Fame! 

Mission News: JCTC Mitten Tree

JCTC Mitten Tree 2012

     For seven years,  Jefferson Community and Technical College's Respiratory Care Program Director Peggy Spears-Davis MSRRT has led the "Respiratory Remix" event designed to expand the vision for Respiratory Care Practitioners.  Calling upon greater community involvement, participants are encouraged to bring a pair of mittens, gloves, a cap, or a hat that will be donated to Louisville's needy.  Last year and once again this year, the donated winter clothing items will benefit the women, men, and children of Wayside Christian Mission.   This is become quite a festive tradition!  A representative from Wayside was once again invited to the kick-off as students began collecting warm winter clothing while raising money through an on campus bake sale!  Later, about thirty JCTC students toured the Mission's Hotel Louisville so as to learn how homeless women and men are gaining new skills that will help them enjoy success upon completing the recovery program.   Back on JCTC's downtown campus, clothing was collected and money was raised and it was all in good fun--and the needy continue to benefit from JCTC's generosity and good will!  It is no secret that Wayside Christian Mission enjoys a special relationship with Jefferson Community and Technical College.  There have been countless student and faculty led service projects and a number of the Mission's women and men are enrolled in classes at the downtown campus!  We are more than neighbors--we are partners in the battle against ignorance and want! 

JCTC Open Doors of Opportunity

JCTC Opens Doors of Opportunity

     Chanda Rodski knows the value of a good education.  The Louisville native who graduated from Assumption High School, Jefferson Community and Technical College, and Murray State University returned to her community college seventeen years ago, not as a student, but as an employee, and is now a Senior Admissions Advisor.  Her job is to help students in selecting from the school's numerous degree programs while leading them through the enrollment and financial aid process.  In her own words, Chanda seeks to "remove the fear of the unknown" in college enrollment.  Recently, Chanda brought her vast knowledge to Wayside Christian Mission where women and men in our recovery program learned they, too, can brighten their future prospects through post-secondary educational opportunities offered by Jefferson Community and Technical College.  Interestingly, Chanda's husband Pete teaches mathematics at the school.  They have three boys and a new black lab puppy.  When asked about hobbies, Chanda laughed saying, "With three boys, I have no time for hobbies!"  In the meantime, the women and men who heard Chanda's presentation now know they have another option to help them achieve success in life.   Once again, JCTC has partnered with Wayside Christian Mission for the benefit of the homeless women and men in our community!  We all win when we work together!  Thank you, Chanda, for doing your part!  

Mission News: Eagle Scout Project Is By The Book!

  Eagle Scout Project Is By The Book!

 

     Boy Scout Peter Vawryk of Troop 308 is on his way to achieving scouting's highest honor—becoming an Eagle Scout!  The sixteen year old Ballard High School junior who belongs to St. Bernadette's Catholic Church in Prospect collected over eighty boxes of books for Wayside Christian Mission's new library!  With 4,755 books in tow, Peter, his father Tim (who is also the troop's assistant Scout Master), his mother Liz, and his sister Laura presented the mammoth book collection at the Mission's Family Shelter on West Broadway. 

 

     Peter explained, "I thought this project would be beneficial to Wayside Christian Mission because I knew there was a need and I had heard Wayside collected donations from a variety of people.  It was a great opportunity to do this service project because I could help the less fortunate by giving them something to read.  It made me realize how fortunate I am and I hope it helped a lot of people!  It was a pleasure to do this project!"

Peter's family has many reasons for being proud of this bright and ambitious young man!  Good job, Peter! We are grateful! 

 

M-News: Ralcorp employees making a difference.

"I Feel More Alive When I Am Helping To Serve!"

 

     The name Ralcorp Frozen Bakery Products may not be familiar, but chances are very good that you've enjoyed their biscuits and pancakes which are, by the say, served in all fifty states.   The Louisville based firm also encourages its employees to engage in volunteer work—and on a recent Saturday morning, a legion of employees accompanied by spouses and children arrived at Wayside Christian Mission's Family Shelter ready to work!  Organized by Scott Revels and joined by operations managers Tony Abell and Mac Reed, the Ralcorp team baked cakes, prepared food, and tackled a number of cleaning chores—some pretty grimy—with plenty of enthusiasm and good will!

 

     Scott Revels explained, "This has been a great time!  I feel more alive when I am helping to serve!  It gives me a sense of pride that the team members responded in such a large turnout (nearly sixty volunteer workers)!  We would do just about anything for Wayside Christian Mission.  They are doing such great work!"  Scott also wanted to publicly thank our hard-working chef, Kevin Nelson, for leading his crew in the kitchen! 

 

    Mac Reed said, "Thanks for letting us come down!  We appreciate all the great things you and your whole staff are doing to educate and service our community!"

 

    Tony Abell added, "First of all, I am very proud of the Ralcorp team members and their families that volunteered their time today.  Chaplain Mike's explanation of what Wayside Christian Mission does and the number of peoples' lives they touch was much bigger than I imagined and made me realize how many special people there are in the community that help and how much more help is needed."

 

     We were honored having the Ralcorp team and their families serving at Wayside Christian Mission.  When we all pitch in and work together, amazing results happen!

 

 

 

Paws with Purpose

Paws with Purpose Show Off Their Amazing Dogs

     Paws with Purpose is a not for profit organization that provides assistance dogs to children and adults hindered by physical disabilities or those have other special needs. For nearly ten years, Paws with Purpose has been partnering their specially trained dogs with people in need of a faithful four-legged friend!  Most of these amazing dogs spend two years in training and are taught, in part, by female prison inmates; when graduation comes, these dogs can perform a host of useful chores including opening and closing doors,  helping with laundry, retrieving dropped items, carrying articles, assisting in clothing removal, walking next to wheelchairs, and helping disabled persons with balancing.  They are well behaved and provide a lot of companionship, too!  Recently, a group of volunteer trainers from Paws with Purpose brought four of their clever canines to Wayside Christian Mission's transitional living shelter during a University of Louisville's Resilient Families Program session.  The Wayside kids and their parents were delighted as these expertly trained dogs showed off their tail-waggin' talents!  We are grateful to Paws with Purpose for giving our Wayside kids and their moms and dads a fun learning experience!

Mission Update: OT Project Amazing Results

Joint Student Project Yields Amazing Results

   

     After weeks of diligent planning and hard work, a small group of occupational therapy students from Jefferson Community and Technical College and Spalding University completed a major joint service project for the benefit of Wayside Christian Mission's Work Therapy Program. These four students approached the group assignment with serious determination and, in the end, their efforts exceeded our expectations! 

 

     As preparing women and men for society as sober, self-supporting citizens is one of the Mission's primary goals, JCTC students Erin Wright and Kelley Conde and Spalding University students Amanda Mercadal and Matthew Baumann produced five occupation therapy training videos and edited a rather thick binder of written lesson plans for use in the training of women and men who staff the Mission's Hotel Louisville.

 

     For weeks, these amazing students worked together as a highly-focused team to produce a substantial quantity of top shelf training materials that will help our resident clients in realizing their potential upon leaving our care.  As occupational therapy students, they were able to put their education to good use; furthermore, the four directly engaged our resident clients in as many projects as possible.  So what did they have to say about their experience at Wayside Christian Mission?

 

"Being at Wayside has opened my eyes to the good in the world.  I have enjoyed working with the clients and I will treasure what they taught me forever!" --Amanda

 

"I have enjoyed exercising the client-oriented approach to occupational therapy.  Understanding people's backgrounds and different contexts is how one treats clients.  I have had a wonderful experience while here at Wayside!"--Erin

 

"I truly enjoyed creating a program with the wonderful staff and residents at Wayside Christian Mission over the past six weeks!  I could not have asked for a better learning experience!" --Matthew

 

"I have loved establishing meaningful relationships with the residents at Wayside!" --Kelley

Mission Update: Volunteer gives years of service

Anna Richardson Recognized for Years of Faithful Service

      Anna Richardson is amazing in a number of ways.  For starters, she has lived in the same house for over seventy years.  No one could rightfully accuse Ms. Richardson of being a wandering nomad!  But more remarkable is that this eighty-six year old saint still makes time for helping those in need.  Anna Richardson has been a faithful Wayside Christian Mission volunteer for more years than she can remember!  Recently, she was recognized for her many years of service at the Mission's Hotel Louisville.  When asked about her long years of volunteer service, she spoke of her joy in "being able to serve people who are hungry and cold."  A member of Harrods Creek Baptist Church were her son, the Rev. Jess Brooks, is an associate pastor, Ms. Richardson sees that her church's kitchen is as clean and spotless as the kitchen in her own home.  For the record, her friends rave about her legendary sour cream cake!  Besides her son, Ms. Richardson has been blessed with three grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.  When asked if she spoiled them, she replied, "Not too much!"  Accompanying Ms. Richardson at the celebration were Ella Eaves, Vernice Brooks, William Woodard, Joyce Stover, and Barbara Bishop.  Wayside Christian Mission is truly grateful to Anna Richardson for her many long years of service to the homeless!

Mission Update: Mercy Academy Girls Bring Fun to Wayside Kids

Mercy Academy Girls Bring Fun to Wayside Kids

 

There are some older people who think the younger generation has gone to seed, so to speak, but these aging cynics have never met the steady stream of youthful volunteers who give their time and their talents at Wayside Christian Mission.  Take, for example, the students who attend Mercy Academy; nearly every week, Mercy Academy students are engaged in volunteer activities that benefit the women, men, and children in our care. Recently, Morgan, Megan, and Carissa hosted a cookie decorating party for the Wayside kids.  Besides the cookie decorating, the girls engaged our kids in fun-filled games and playtime activities!  And our kids loved every moment of it!   Morgan and Megan are seniors.  Carissa, by the way, is a seventh grader from St. Rita.  She was pinch-hitting for another Mercy Academy student who was unable to attend.  So here is what our three young volunteers had to say about their day of volunteer service at Wayside Christian Mission:

 

"The evening we had at Wayside was a lot of fun! I had a lot of fun with the kids!"—Morgan

 

"I loved working with the kids here!  They were a lot of fun and full of energy!"—Megan

 

"I had a great time playing with all the kids!"—Carissa

 

One of the mothers whose little boy was engaged with the student volunteers commended the girls for their efforts in seeing that the children were having a good time!  "My son is typically shy, but he is busy playing and having the time of his life!"

 

Good job Morgan, Megan, and Carissa!  You demonstrated the unfailing love of Jesus Christ to God's precious children! 

 

Mission Update: Asbury Social Work Student Serve

Asbury Student Says, "God Is At Work Here!"

 

Dr. David Cecil, an Associate Professor in the Master of Social Work program at Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky is a good friend and supporter of Wayside Christian Mission. Once again, he brought a number of his amazing students to the Mission for an overnight stay that included a performance by the Down by the Wayside Choir, testimonies from our homeless clients, the viewing of an educational video on homelessness, and a much anticipated service project in which the students treated our ladies to manicures, pedicures, and facials.  With so many ladies and teenage girls in our care, it came as no surprise when the Asbury students were literally surrounded by eager "customers" wanting the complimentary beauty treatments!  It was all in good fun and the students had much to say about their overnight stay at the Mission:

 

"It was a blessing to serve such beautiful, grateful people!"—Sarah

 

"I couldn't imagine a better way to spend my day!  It was such a joy to let these beautiful people touch my life and bring a smile to my face!"—Emily

 

"Being able to get to know the people here was such a blessing!  I would do it again in a heartbeat!"—Kayla

 

"Thank you for blessing us and allowing us to bless you!"—Nate

 

"I am so grateful we could come and enjoy the fun morning with everyone here! Thanks so much for letting us come!"—Stephanie

 

"The happy faces seen were powerful and such a blessing!"—Cody

 

"It was a very humble experience and such a blessing getting to know and to serve all of these people!"—Adam

 

"This has been a blessing!  These people are a joy to work with! God is at work here!  You can feel His love!"--Taylor

 

"I've been so blessed by the time I've spent here!  The people are open and joyful and the love of God is so evident in them!"--Macaira

Mission Update: The Choir at Calvin Presbyterian Church, Zelienople PA http://www.calvinchurchzelie.org

Hi Tim -

 

We haven't met, but I stayed at the hotel this summer with Bruce Smith and our mission trip.  We had dinner with Nina and your baby, I believe you were on your way to or from Alaska.

 

As I'm sure you've already heard, the concert last night was fantastic!  It is truly a blessing to hear the members' personal stories and to hear such talented voices lifted up in praise.  I am also very impressed with your Hotel Louisville project - offering your clients hands-on training and translatable job skills while they work through the recovery program is very cool.  If Kenneth, Margo, and Miss Vicky are any indication, that program is definitely a success.

 

At any rate, below is a link to a video I took at last night's concert at Calvin.  It certainly isn't the highest quality, but please feel free to link to it or add it to your youtube videos of the choir.

 

I hope to meet you soon!

 

A M

Calvin Presbyterian Church

 

http://youtu.be/fMmJdbZe_lg