2nd Annual Kids in Motion Event

Teaching children the value of giving back to their community has a long reaching impact. Involving our children at an early age in charitable organizations instills valuable characteristics: Sympathy, Generosity, Kindness, Compassion, Confidence, and Self Realization. For these reasons, Gail Graves, DBL’s past president implemented a new committee called the Minor League. Under the exceptional leadership of Laurie Dickson and Stacy Hays, DBL hosted their first Kids in Motion event in January of 2011 for the children and grandchildren of DBL. The kids were all asked to bring a non perishable food item to donate to the Denton Food Bank. They had a wonderful time making picture frames for the residents of Cumberland Presbyterian Children’s Home and cutting out Dog Biscuits for the Denton Animal Shelter. All the children involved created a thumbprint bowl that was later auctioned off at the annual DBL Charity Ball. While the children made their crafts, they were serenaded by the Children’s Childbloom Guitar Ensemble. The very talented Polly Maynard wrapped up the event with a private performance for all the children.

As successful as the event was, there was one thing missing- more children! This year our current president, Jacqueline Jackson would like to extend this opportunity to all the children in our community. “ DBL has a great opportunity to teach all children the importance of giving back to our community.” Our 2nd Annual Kids in Motion event will be held February 4th from 10:00 to 11:30 at the Center for Visual Arts. Once again, Time to Kiln has graciously donated an item for the children to put their thumbprints on. We will be creating another craft to take to Cumberland Presbyterian Children’s Home. They can make blankets for the animals at Denton Animal Shelter. Finally, they have the opportunity to bring a smile to the face of a resident of Dogwood Estates by creating a hand made Valentine’s Day card. Children will have a further opportunity to directly see the impact they have had by signing up for afternoon field trips to take place throughout the month of February to deliver their wonderful creations.

This event is completely free. We simply ask each child to bring a new or gently used book. Although we have yet to identify the ultimate beneficiary, we see a need to help towards the solution of ending illiteracy in our community. As Dr. Seuss once said, “a person’s a person no matter how small.” This is an excellent opportunity to get our children involved with helping others in the community. Even a small child can make a huge impact.

For more information regarding this event or to make a reservation, please contact Lucy Huff at lucyfhuff@hotmail.com or 940-566-5955. We do request a reservation is made by January 20th. We want every child who wants to have the opportunity to be involved in all the crafts.

With a mission to provide the quality care, training and support to adults with special needs, Day Stay for Adults is focused on giving opportunities for clients to succeed in life, family and the community.  Most of the clients served have a developmental disability.  These challenges include Autism, Down syndrome, Cerebral Palsy and intellectual disabilities, while others have multiple physical disabilities or confined to wheelchairs or other aids.  There are senior adults, who may have had a trauma, or a chronic disease such as Alzheimers or Dementia, or who have debilitating injuries from accidents or military service.  Many of the younger adult clients are just out of high school and will be transitioned from the special education system to continue their development, learning, and training to become productive members of the community.

Families are supported by assistance in their loved one’s development, making them a stronger family member, and by providing a positive and safe environment for the care provider to bring their family member during the day.  The fundamental goal is for the parent/care provider to have the ability to continue on with their lives at work, home and in the community. Professional nurses and staff work directly with and provide for clients throughout each day. Developmental services are provided to individuals with disabilities and special needs in areas including vocational, educational, medical care, personal life skills, health and fitness training, and therapeutic services in art, music, pets, recreation, technology and many more.

There are an estimated 55,000 plus people with developmental disabilities and other special needs in the Denton County area alone.   This population has some of the greatest needs for society’s support, acceptance and inclusion, yet most often it is the most neglected. Awareness and education is key.  Understanding will lead to tolerance, tolerance will lead to acceptance, acceptance will lead to inclusion, and inclusion will lead to a significant increase in more productive citizens that contribute to and help strengthen the community.

Day Stay for Adults is a registered non-profit 501(c)3 charitable organization. As with many charities, they rely significantly upon donations of services, goods, supplies, and financial support. They are very appreciative for gently used items to add to the centers to help make them ‘home’. Many of the clients are low income and/or unemployed.  Day Stay strives to keep fees and expenses as low as possible. There are very limited funds for Medicaid clients, and the day to day minimally required operations are costly to provide the medical and social care to the clients. Please see our website for a Wish List of donated items needed.

With two campuses, one in Corinth and one in Lewisville, volunteers are needed on a daily basis, both young and old, individuals or small groups. Supporting people with special needs is one of the most rewarding ways to contribute time to your community and learn more about acceptance and social change.  Clients look forward to making new friends, and enjoy interactions with new people. There is a variety of ways you can get involved, and you don’t need specific experience.  Some of the activities include: arts and crafts, games, office support, reading, exercise/fitness or pet therapy.

With the holidays approaching and the charitable gift-giving season, please consider those at Day Stay for Adults. It is the community support and individual giving that allows Day Stay to serve persons with disabilities and their families.

For volunteer opportunities, contact Davita Goodall, Denton Campus at 940-383-8371
or Helen Gaffney, Lewisville Campus at 972-317-1515;  www.daystay.org

Denton County Friends of the Family

Denton County Friends of the Family (DCFOF) was founded in 1980 and began with a staff of two, 32 volunteers, a 900 square foot shelter, and $10,000 in funding. In thirty years the agency has grown to a staff of 50, hundreds of active volunteers, a 4,400 square foot shelter, and over 1.5 million dollars in funding. Denton County Friends of the Family is dedicated to providing compassionate and supportive services to those impacted by relationship violence and sexual assault while partnering with the community to promote a society free of violence.

Throughout the years, the agency has remained true to its purpose and mission and operates a variety of programs and services to meet the needs of those seeking assistance. The agency serves over 7,000 individuals a year through the following programs: 24-hour crisis line, 32-bed protective residential shelter, adult counseling program, child and adolescent program, structured community education, violence intervention and prevention, outreach advocacy, legal advocacy and accompaniment, thrift store, hospital accompaniment and involvement in the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) program. Several thousand children are educated each year through our community education programs.

Today, DCFOF is the sole provider in Denton County of shelter and free outreach services to those who have been affected by relationship violence and/or sexual assault. DCFOF receives funding from federal, state and local government agencies, the United Ways of Denton County and Lewisville, corporations, foundations, groups, and individuals. The agency looks forward to carefully designed expansion of existing programs and new initiatives to increase awareness of DCFOF services and to help end the generational cycle of violence.

Community Education is a big part of DCFOF.  They offer programs about the prevention of relationship violence and sexual assault to all parts of the community.  From the Bumbles presentations with children as young as kindergarten-aged to Media Literacy presentations for adults, DCFOF covers the whole spectrum of education about relationship violence and sexual assault.  To schedule a presentation, call 940-387-5131.

Counseling Services are provided free of charge to adult, adolescent, and child victims of relationship violence and sexual assault. There are also services for adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse, and significant others and family members of sexual assault survivors. While group counseling is always available, individual counseling will be considered on a case by case basis.

The staff of DCFOF is doing everything in their power to stop family violence and heal the wounds of sexual assault. But, they cannot do it alone. They need YOUR help. Volunteers play a vital part in the delivery of services from rocking babies, painting shelter rooms and helping at the Thrift Store. Volunteers are one of the largest assets Friends of the Family has.  They encourage both groups and individuals to look into volunteering, whether you can give an hour a month or several hours a week. For additional information contact volunteer@dcfof.org or call 940-387-5131.

See page 29 for a special event Head Rush Salon is hosting for Denton County Friends of the Family.

Back-to-School Assistance

The Apple Tree Project was created by Condell Garden, Executive Director of Interfaith Ministries and is a Denton ISD approved Adopt-A-School Program that works closely with school counselors and staff to equip children in need with essential items needed for school. Currently, over 41% of children enrolled in Denton ISD live in poverty as defined by the Federal Poverty Guidelines. That’s over 9,908 children who may not have the basic items like clothing, shoes, and supplies needed for school.

The Apple Tree Project  is a holistic resource for back-to-school assistance. Our primary goal is to promote success in education by equipping economically disadvantaged children with the essential items needed in order to start off the school year on a competitive level with their peers. The Apple Tree Project is set up similarly to the Salvation Army Angel Tree. Low income families with children in Denton ISD can register their kids to receive a complete set of school supplies, 2 sets of school clothing, a new backpack, and a $25 gift card for new shoes. Each child is represented as an “Apple” that people can pick out and sponsor by purchasing 2 sets of school appropriate clothing. Cash donations will be used to purchase school supplies, backpacks, and shoes in bulk. The children will receive these items on August 20th, in preparation for the start of school the following Monday.

We bring organizations together in a collaborative effort to help more children and reduce service duplication. In 2010, we partnered with twenty businesses, twenty-three churches, nine civic groups, and five foundations to assist 1,224 children with essential items needed for back-to-school. With the community’s help, the Apple Tree Project hopes to assist over 1,300 children with their essential school items. Providing school essentials to children in need is an investment in their educational and overall success.

Families are also invited to participate in a Back-to-School Health and Safety Fair at the First United Methodist Church in conjunction with the supplies distribution. Free services such as immunizations, vision testing, haircuts, and more will be available to Denton County families.

If you would like to donate to the cause, adopt an Apple, or learn more about how you or your organization can get involved, please contact Ann Pape at Interfaith Ministries of Denton, Inc. annpape@ifmdenton.org (940) 566-5927.

One in four children has vision problems that affect their learning. Students struggle to learn or even become disruptive in class because they can’t concentrate… all this because they cannot see properly. As the economy has slowed and programs have been cut, the need has gotten greater and greater to help children who can’t afford glasses. Only limited help is available from Medicaid and other agencies.

Dr. Kelby Trusty, and his wife Shari and the staff at Total Eyecare & Eyewear Gallery established this charity in an effort to help underprivileged children who are challenged in life and the classroom with vision problems. Dr. Trusty presently gives numerous vouchers to area rural school nurses and to Communities in Schools in Denton for free eye exams and glasses. He also works with Interfaith Ministries and Catholic Charities to help with exams and glasses and the local universities, UNT and TWU athletic department to help those students with vision problems. However, the need grows daily and they want to help as many children as possible feel confident in the class room. Many times as a child’s vision diminishes, they do not realize they are not seeing normally because of the gradual decline in their vision. Good vision is imperative to success in the classroom.

Children’s Vision for Tomorrow provides vision services for needy school children, ages pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.  Students, referred by their school nurse, will receive eye exams, frames and lenses from participating eye doctors.  Benefits will be provided to area schools through a voucher system as funds are available. Through your donations you can help this local charity provide much needed services right here in Denton County.

Our goal is to raise money to provide vision services to 888 school children in the next year.  It is estimated a contribution of $88 will change a child’s sight and open up opportunities for success in the classroom and success in life.  We raise money by hosting events in the area throughout the year.

You can help Children’s Vision for Tomorrow by:
•    Being a golfer at our inaugural Golf Tournament on May 16th at Oakmont Golf and Country Club, sign up at glasses4kids.org
•    Joining us as a tournament sponsor
•    Donating auction items for our silent auction following the golf tournament
•    Joining us as an ongoing business partner supporting our local students
•    Volunteer in bringing services to the schools and success at our events
•    Going to our website at www.glasses4kids.org and making an online contribution

Please join us for the Mexican Supper and Silent Auction benefiting Denton Christian Preschool. Event will be held on Friday, March 4th from 5:00 – 8:00 pm at the Erwin Hall Gym, First Presbyterian Church, 1114 W. University Drive.  The Mexican Supper is catered by El Guapo’s and dinner music will be provided by the UNT Mariachi Band.  Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for children, and available for purchase at Denton Christian Preschool. You can also reserve tickets through the school by calling 940-383-3332. Take out will be available.

Denton Christian Preschool

The School That Love Built

Founded in 1970 by a group of concerned Denton citizens, representing 17 different churches who believed that the first few years of a child’s life are the most important. Since then, a group of dedicated professionals and volunteers have taught, fed, loved, and nurtured three and four year olds who are considered to be at-risk for succeeding in public school without early intervention.

Denton Christian Preschool was founded on the belief that by preparing at-risk children for public school, we could help break the cycle of poverty.  And after 40 years of service, the statistics support this original premise.