It's Time to Say Good Bye!

It’s time to say good bye to the year of 2010. For those of you who have supported Village Child this year, I personally want to say thank you. I could go down a long list of supporters who have donated their time, money, work, and so much more yet it would not reflect the gratitude that I have for you.

You see, Village Child started out 33 years ago when a child named Mary Anderson was brought into this world. Her first 5 years of life was spent with her mother, brother, sister, grandmother and grandfather in a little town called Huntington, West Virginia. Unfortunately, like many children who experienced hardship in the home, she was torn away from her family.  At such a young age Mary thought that this would be the end, instead it only proved to be the beginning of one of the many God given purposes of her life. Village Child is a program that is based upon the concepts, ideas, morals, values, and support system Mary received from community members throughout her life.

As Village Child embarks upon a new year, expect to hear more about our founder, our programs, and our purpose.  Yet as we move forward we ask each of you to ask yourselves how can you make Village Child a better program? For some of you it may be volunteering time by tutoring a child. For others it may come in a form of mentorship, what you are doing now may be the answer to a troubled child or adult’s life. For others help will come in the form of an in-kind donation or monetary value.  Just remember every one of us has had someone invest into our lives and as a result, we are all “Village Children”!

Wishing you a Happy New Year,

Executive Director and Founder

Mary Anderson

Welcome!

Anyone who has ever started a non-profit knows that it can be challenging. For Village Child, we know this first hand. However behind every great organization you will find a few faithful individuals such as Aaron Hickman, Stacy Kimbrough, and Calvin Buchanan.

 Aaron Hickman, who serves as the Chairman of the Board for Village Child, brings a rich wealth of experience, knowledge, and connections. Mr. Hickman, who has recently relocated back to Minnesota from California, has an extensive background in Corporate America and Volunteerism. With a degree in Business Management His experience working in a law firm has taught him the value of public policy, order, and the significance of knowing your rights. Since childhood, Mr. Hickman has volunteered by giving his time and service to the communities in which he has lived. Taking time out to mentor youth, donating his own personal money, and helping to produce such shows as “Don’t Believe the Hype”, and “Hoop Dreams Reunion”, Aaron Hickman exemplifies the true meaning of “Village Child”.

Stacy Kimbrough, the Treasurer for Village Child, has a Bachelors of Science Degree in Construction Management and currently owns her own business “Stacy Cakes”. Stacy has worked in the financial industry for the past 8 years serving as a tax consultant, mortgage under writer, loan closer, and personal debt manager. Mrs. Kimbrough has done pro bono work, volunteered her time, and made both in kind donations and financial contributions to organizations such as Village Child, Sanctuary Covenant Church, Girl’s Scouts of America, and victims of Hurricane Katrina. Stacy’s humble attitude and willingness to go the extra mile is just two of the many assets’ she brings to Village Child.

Calvin Buchanan currently works for Christiansen: Creative, is a father of two and a husband of one. Mr. Buchanan has designed for companies such as: Penumbra Theatre, Fraser, SVC and much more. Mr. Buchanan has won many awards, such as the 2009 American Graphic Design Awards, and 2009 Platinum Marcom Award. Calvin Buchanan has done an exceptional job in his line of work and has donated his time to design the logo and website for Village Child. For a closer look at Mr. Buchanan’s work please visit www.designandcalvin.com.

Our team here at Village Child is growing, and as you can see what we have is nothing less than extraordinary. Please join me as we welcome Aaron Hickman, Stacy Kimbrough, and Calvin Buchanan!

Preserving Our Heritage

There is a saying “you don’t know what you have until it is gone”.  About 2 ½ years ago this saying became real to me. Born in West Virginia, I relocated to Minnesota during elementary school. I remained in Minnesota during my childhood, yet somewhere along the way I began to resent the state I now call home.

 Although I had very vivid memories of West Virginia, I truly did not know what to expect as I prepared to move back to Huntington, West Virginia.  Without going into details, as soon as I moved, I realized that Minnesota was a prized jewel that I had mistakenly thrown away. There was not a day that went by  I did not dream of the festivals, ethnic foods, and the diversity that proudly makes up the Twin Cities area. In fact there are so many diverse activities in Minnesota, I think we have grown numb to the significance that these customs bring.

Take for instance this month, can you tell me one activity that is going on in your area surrounding Hispanic Heritage Month? Most people are not able to answer this question, or know that  September  15, 2010 started National Hispanic Heritage Month. This celebration has been around since August of 1988. The purpose of the 30 day celebration is to celebrate "the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America". With 5 days into Hispanic Heritage month, the remaining 20 days I will attempt to Blog about Hispanic Heritage. In the mean time, why not stop by and support a local event in your neighborhood? If you are in the Minneapolis area the Hennepin County Library will be hosting a number of events. The performances will showcase Latin American Folkloric music, Aztec ceremonial dance, and metal tooling for kids just to name a few.  For more information please visit www.hclib.org or call 952-847-5669. Another great option is to stop by the Afro-Brazilian Capoeira Association in Minneapolis. Capoeira is an art form that combines martial arts, music, dance, and cultural tradition that was created by African slaves in Brazil. I personally want to try this class myself!  For more information, visit www.abcapoeira.com.  You can also share this blog with an individual who may not have known about Hispanic Heritage Month.

You may not participate in the activities I have suggested, and that is OK. All I ask is please do something for Hispanic Heritage Month. After all you don’t know what you have until it is gone!

Source- Cited source was taken from the National Hispanic Heritage Month web page,  (www.hispanicheritagemonth.gov/about/ ).