News Archive - 2005
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November 15, 2005
- Celebration of Hope Banquet is a HUGE success
On Saturday, October 29, 2005, the
Upper Arlington Lutheran Church, Mill
Run Campus, was transformed into an elegant dining hall thanks to many
volunteers and the direction of Denise Kern, Event Planner for UALC.
Tables were set, hors d'oeuvres ready, and wait staff prepared to provide
the attendees with an unforgettable evening of dining, fun, and
celebration.
All told, the event raised nearly
$20,000 for the work of Lower Lights Ministries, Inc. and the
Lower Lights Christian Health Center.
- It's the Great Pumpkin, Franklinton!
On Sunday, October 23rd,
Lower Lights Ministries and Bellows Avenue Church of the Nazarene
partnered with Columbus Northwest
Church of the Nazarene and Mount Vernon
Nazarene University to offer the children of Franklinton a great
alternative to the typical Halloween event with our “It’s the Great
Pumpkin, Franklinton” event. Although the weather did not accommodate
our original plans to construct a pumpkin patch in the middle of the inner
city, we transformed the Bellows Church into a fun place for the whole
family – complete with a giant inflatable that we had to move into the
sanctuary!
Tom and Cookie Stivison, members of
Northwest Church of the Nazarene and owners of
Columbus Equipment Company,
provided over 100 pumpkins, straw for decorating, and great goody bags for
the children who attended. Andi Hansen, also of Columbus Northwest, was
key in coordinating the event that resulted in an estimated 185 people
coming to Bellows Avenue. Bellows Avenue and Lower Lights provided food
and games with the help of some Mount Vernon Nazarene University students.
This is the second of many events whereby Columbus Northwest, Columbus
Bellows Avenue, Columbus Equipment and Lower Lights have partnered.
Earlier this summer, the groups worked together with a community cookout
and school supply give-away that resulted in over 90 children receiving
school supplies. Since that time, Lower Lights has distributed over 300
more bags of school supplies thanks to a special grant from Columbus
Equipment.
October 3, 2005
- Rachel's House receives $12,000 grant from Harry C Moores
Foundation
In the midst of a slow summer of funding,
it was a tremendous blessing for Rachel’s House to receive a
$12,000 operating support grant from the locally-based Harry C. Moores
Foundation. Harry C. Moores was a founder of Ross Labs and began a
foundation that would benefit the city in Columbus by supporting community
organizations that make a difference. It is a great encouragement to be
honored by such a well respected organization, and serves as another
reminder that Rachel’s House is serving a special need in our city
and making an impact on the lives of women.
September 1, 2005
- Summer Children's Outreach Leads to Community
Throughout summer vacation, Lower Lights
and Bellows Avenue Church of the Nazarene hosted many events, including
one week of children's outreach each month. During the weeklong
events, children were fed nutritious meals, interacted with many adult
volunteers, and learned about God's love in very practical ways.
To end the summer of end, the Columbus Northwest Church of the Nazarene
sponsored a community cookout on Sunday August 21, 2005. Over 150
community residents enjoyed hamburgers and hot dogs with all the
trimmings, interacted with the Bellows community, and over 85 children
received school supplies. Supplies were donated through the Hilliard
Community Church of the Nazarene, and
Columbus Equipment who
donated $1,500 for school supplies for Franklinton children. The
remainder of these funds will be used throughout the school year to
partner with students in need of supplies. * Columbus Equipment also
provided monies to insure that children have hats, gloves and coats this
winter, totaling $8,500 in monetary support.
-
Rachel's House
partners with FASTEN to provide resources to offender reentry programs
In August, Jan Ruark, Director of Rachel's House collaborated with other
faith-based reentry practitioners to develop "best practices" in the area
of reentry for
FASTEN, a non-profit organization that develops tools for
organizations. The results of that project are expected soon, and we
trust they will lead to more faith-based organizations engaging in
prisoner reentry.
July 25, 2005
- Youth Mentoring - A new step at Lower Lights Ministries
Lower Lights is pleased to announce that
we have received a grant from the Kiwanis Club of Columbus Downtown
Chapter. This kind support was used for structural repairs on one of our
Rachel’s House properties. Due to the age of the homes, the
structure of the chimneys had become a safety issue, and with the help of
the Kiwanis Club and several volunteers, the chimneys are now fixed! Thank
you Kiwanis!
-
Help Blooms in
the Midst of Summer Heat
The coming weeks are a special and exciting time of blessing to us. As
always, our mission is to the Franklinton neighborhood and how we can best
serve the people living here. But for the next three weeks, we will have
many special groups who will make very long treks to come to Columbus,
Ohio to serve us. Four Nazarene youth groups from Chelsea, MI, Grandview,
MO, Vero Beach, FL and Valparaiso, IN are surrendering some of their
vacation to work in the hot Ohio sun! They come to minister to the ladies
of Rachel’s House, the elderly of Franklinton, the children in our
community, members of our church, and our staff. We are so blessed to
have many diligent workers!
- From the Fruit of the Spirit to the African Serengeti, Franklinton
Kids Experience the Love of Christ Through VBS
This year, Lower Lights has added two
Vacation Bible Schools to our usual week of fun and spiritual enrichment
for the children of Franklinton. It has been a jammed packed summer! We
have had the opportunity to meet many new kids and more importantly we
have encountered their families as well. There have been amazing helpers
along the way to make this summer one we will never forget. A special
thank you to Chris Berestecky from Powell Grace Brethren and the
Marysville Church of the Nazarene Youth - not to mention the
amazing, diligent helpers of Bellows Avenue Church of the Nazarene
(especially the faithful teens!).
May 3, 2005
- Youth Mentoring - A new step at Lower Lights Ministries
In April 2005, Lower Lights began a new
youth mentoring program in order to impact future generations in
Franklinton. Throughout our years of serving the Franklinton we have
discovered that while ministering to adults is important, lasting change
happens best when children and youth are impacted early in their
development as citizens. As a result, Lower Lights launched a new
youth mentoring program, in which mature adults meet with teens on a
regular basis to instruct, encourage, and when necessary, offer
correction.
-
Rachel's House
receives grant from Nationwide Foundation
Lower Lights Ministries, Inc. announces that it received a grant of $5,000
from the Nationwide Foundation. The grant will be used to make vital
improvements on properties used for the Rachel’s House female
prisoner re-entry program in the Franklinton neighborhood, particularly
improving fire safety and increasing energy efficiency.
"Nationwide is pleased to support the facilities and important services
provided by Rachel's House," said Chad Jester, vice president of
corporate public involvement and president of the Nationwide Foundation.
"Rachel's House gives its clients tools and resources to help them make a
positive contribution to society. These services are of great value to our
community."
The Nationwide
Foundation is an independent corporation funded by contributions from
Nationwide companies. Since 1959, the Nationwide Foundation has worked to
positively affect the quality of life in communities where its associates,
agents and their families live and work. Nationwide, based in Columbus,
Ohio, is one of the largest diversified insurance and financial services
organizations in the world. For more information, visit
www.nationwide.com.
- Lower Lights secures funding through the Governor's
Office of Faith-based and Community Initiatives
In April 2005, Director Krista Sisterhen
announced the winning proposals for the Ohio Compassion Capital Project.
Lower Lights was one of only 28 faith-based and community organizations to
receive support in the entire state.
The Governor's Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives
awarded the Rachel's House program $4,019.25 to purchase technology that
will assist us in accurately monitoring program participants, which in
turn will assist us in securing additional funding. We look forward
to continuing to partner with our state to discover new ways to serve
ex-offenders.
- Lower Lights Christian Health
Center releases 2004 Annual Report
Dr. Dana Vallangeon and the Lower Lights Christian Health Center
enters its third year of serving the medically-undeserved in Franklinton
and surrounding communities. Click here to read the
2004 LLCHC Annual Report.
February 4, 2005
- Rachel's House receives funding from many foundations
As we enter 2005, several key financial
partners have awarded timely grants to sustain our women's re-entry
program as it enters its third year. As in the past,
The Columbus
Foundation will be supporting Rachel’s House in 2005 with a
$10,000 operating grant from the Lewis K. Osborne Fund. In
addition, the Columbus-based Beck Foundation has renewed their
commitment to Rachel's House with a $250 grant.
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Additionally, three foundations have
begun a partnership with Rachel's House by awarding operating support,
including a $1,000 matching grant from the National Christian
Foundation, a $1,500 grant from the Henry W. Bull Foundation,
and an operating grant of $10,000 from the
Women's Fund of Central Ohio. We are thrilled to work
with these valuable partners as we seek to transform the lives of
female ex-offenders.
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- Despite recent break-ins, Christmas in Franklinton is merry!
The holidays are a very special time at
Lower Lights Ministries and Bellows Avenue Church of the Nazarene. Together
with the tremendous support of area churches and families, LLM had the
opportunity to serve over 100 families in the Franklinton Community, both
materially and relationally.
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