Village VoiceSummer 2014 Newsletter

SOS Class of 2014 Looking Forward To GreatnessThis year our family celebrated 25 graduations - 3 kindergarten, 7 elementary school, 8 middle school, 5 high school and 2 college! Our house parents and case managers encouraged their efforts along the way and cheered them on at each ceremony.

Our high school and college graduates have big plans as they move on in their lives. Your support has helped them reach this point and dream big.

Cheyenne is already spending her summer at FAMU for her first semester at college and working toward becoming a veterinary tech.

Rebecca is starting Miami-Dade College with the hopes of transferring to UCF in two years to study the field of Health Sciences.

Jessica is heading to Miami-Dade College. Her field of study is still undecided.

Thanesia is already at boot camp after joining the U.S. Army and will be attending college part-time when she returns.

Chante is already attending Sheridan Tech for cosmetology classes.

College Grad Marc is continuing his education at FAU after completing his AA degree at Palm Beach State.

College Grad Sonny has moved back to south Florida and is eager to enter the workforce with his degree in Social Work.

Pictured left to right : High School Grads Cheyenne, Rebecca, Jessica, Thanesia and Chante

954-420-5030 • www.sosflorida.com

Check Out Our Changes Next Time You Visit

Last Spr ing , we announced plans for ProjectRenovate, an exc i t ing new project making some major renovations and updates to the Vi l lage. Work is scheduled to begin

in early fall and you’ll see lots of changes taking place over the next year and a half.

You’ll be able to watch the work in progress and see the transformation happen through our digital media. If you’re visiting the Village or meeting with staff, please be sure to check for new directions and instructions.

Phase one is expected to begin sometime in September when our Weicholz Family Administrative Building will be temporarily closing for renovations. Our administrative

staff is relocating to new office space in Coconut Creek, not far from the Village.

Guests who are visiting staff or children should check in at our Program Office, house # 3651 (the fourth building on the left), until work on the administrative building is complete.

While renovations are getting underway, we ask that you please call ahead if you have donations to deliver so we can direct you to the correct location. Storage space will be limited during this time.

Rest assured that we are making every effort to ensure there is no disruption in the quality of care to our boys and girls during the work and, when our renovations are complete, our Village will be bigger and better than ever.

How I Spent Summer VacationWe went to Summer Camp... Day Camp, Sports Camp, Miami Dolphins Camp, Sleepaway Camp.

Summer at SOS is about more than just keeping kids busy and out of trouble. Generous support gives our boys and girls the opportunity to explore who they are, build confidence as they bravely try new things and create memories at camp.

This summer’s calendar included five boys spending two weeks at Miami Dolphins Football Camp, 32 of our kids experiencing the thrill of a week at sleepaway camp and almost all of our kids doing daily activities at a variety of other local camps.

What did they walk away with? Happy memories, new skills and great friends.

Nine-year-old Calvin spent a week at Camp Wewa in Central Florida.

He became fast-friends with another camper, bonding over fun and activities. Sleepaway camp has ended and Calvin has returned home to attend a local summer camp, but this special friendship continues.

As it turns out, his newfound friend lives right here in Coral Springs and their family has already reached out to keep the boys in touch and spend time together.

Summer is almost over, but camp will stay in the hearts and minds of our kids for a lifetime. Special thanks to the Boca West Foundation, Colston Family Foundation, SCOPE, Chatoff Charitable Foundation, Rubin Obstgarten Foundation, Jacob Zweig Foundation, Children’s Opportunity Group, Billi Marcus Foundation, John Knox Village and all our friends whose support helped make summer great.

Main Photo: Shawn in training at the Dolphins Football Camp. Inset: SOS kids were adventurous at Camp Wewa

Renovations begin in the fall at the Weicholz Family Administrative Building.

Our phone numbers and

mailing address will remain

unchanged.

Name(s) ______________________________________________________

Address ______________________________________________________

City/Zip _______________________________________________________

Phone ______________________ E-mail ___________________________

Checks may be made payable to: SOS Children’s Villages - Florida

Please charge my VISA MC Amex Discover

Card # _____________________________ CCV ________ Exp _________

Signature_____________________________________________________

My GiftI will get an SOS Child Back to School & Ready!

□ $250 □ $150 □ $75 □ $50

□ $25 □ $10 □ $ ______

□ Make my gift a monthly donation

□ Make my gift a quarterly donation

Make a gift at www.sosflorida.com\bts or 954-420-5033

Tyler has always struggled with schoolwork. The added traumas of a troubled home life and adjusting to foster care made things even harder on him both personally and academically. Being put on an Individual Educational Plan (IEP) and held back in the 7th grade twice was discouraging and didn’t help his already low self-confidence. The Village’s academic programs and support helped turned his life and his outlook around this past school year.

He was struggling to get through the 8th grade and the dream of high school seemed almost out of reach last August. Tyler’s biggest obstacle was pre-algebra, where he was consistently a dozen or so assignments behind in class because he couldn’t understand all of the work. If he didn’t pass the class, he’d be held back yet again.

SOS made all the difference for Tyler. His professional tutor didn’t just give him the knowledge to complete his work. They held him responsible to put in the effort and catch up with assignments. That responsibility matured him and the success boosted his confidence. The encouragement and support of his SOS houseparent and staff and access to the tools to complete his work gave Tyler everything he needed to succeed.

8th grade graduation last June was a major moment in his life. He accomplished a big goal and this fall will reach the next great milestone in a teenager’s life – high school.

Just like Tyler, eighteen other boys and girls hit academic highs and pulled their GPA’s above a 3.0 last year. And, they know they will have the help and support they need to reach those highs again this year.

School supplies, funds for tutoring and the incentive of afterschool sports and activities are helping keep grades up and our kids working hard at the Village.

Our children are developing their skills and talents, discovering their strengths and building experiences that will stay with them for a life-time. And, it all begins with a good education.

SOS Kids Are Keeping Grades High With Your Help

• Mechanical&#2Pencils

• Crayons• Erasable&

RegularPens• Colored

Pencils• Highlighters• Markers• 1&5Subject

SpiralNotebooks

• CompositionNotebooks

• College&WideRuledPaper

• 2”Binders

• Dividers• Pocket

Foldersw/Prongs

• Tri-foldProjectBoards

• PosterBoard• Construction

Paper• GlueSticks• Regular&

ScientificCalculators

• Earphones• USBFlash

Drives

Collect, shop and deliver any of these school supplies to help our kids have a successful year!

Projects, homework, tests....there’s so much to get done for school. We can encourage our children to study hard and improve their grades by paying attention, answering questions, encouraging and rewarding them. But, if they can’t find a pencil or they don’t have a project board, how can they possibly succeed?

Help our kids get Back to School & Ready by making sure they get off to a good start - with a backpack full of supplies and everything they need to get their work done all year long.

Check out this year’s school supply wish list and pick up a couple of items for our kids or start a collection with friends. SOS accepts donation deliveries Monday - Friday between 9am and 5pm. Arrangements can be made at your request if these times are not convenient.

If you and your friends have collected a large amount of school supplies for our kids this year, always call ahead so we can have someone ready to greet you and direct you to the correct place to unload.

For more information or to arrange a delivery, call Vickie at 954-420-5033.

School Wish List

Less than 50% of foster children will complete a high school education. No more than 30% will go to college. And even fewer will earn a college degree.

SOS kids beat the odds. Since 2008, 100% of our kids who have turned 18 have earned their high

school diploma and 100% have gone on to continue education in college and trade school.

They continue to work toward their goals.

More Than A Notebook, School Supplies Are Tools Our Kids Need To Succeed

T h e s t a r t t o e v e r y t h i n g extraordinary begins with just one step. And steps have never been as fun or meaningful as the ones you can make on behalf of our foster kids at the Steps for SOS 5K Run/Walk this November 8th.

This year’s event is more exciting than ever as we are now a certified and timed 5K race. And, of course, there will be lots of great music and fun-filled family activities throughout the morning.

Our goal is to raise $40,000 for our kids...and have a lot of fun with friends like you. Each dollar continues the promise of healing, hope and home for our boys and girls and can help with everything from new fall clothes to activities like football, cheerleading and celebrating the holidays.

Bringing Friends & Family TogetherWalking or running is great, but giving back is so much more fun when you do it together. So don’t just register for the walk. START YOUR OWN TEAM. Our new Steps for SOS website makes it easy to get your team registered and even spark the inspiration to fundraise for the steps you’re taking together. Check us out at stepsforsos.org.

Have fun as a family. Get together with your friends. Strengthen your teamwork at the office. No matter how you do it, you’re accomplishing great things together.

You’re a Superstar!It takes a special person to share their time and hard-earned dollars with kids in need. Now’s your chance to take the next step and be an SOS Superstar. Once you’ve registered, take a little time to set up your personal page and share why you love SOS kids with everyone you know. Hit our $100 fundraising challenge this year and not only will you get special recognition at the walk, but you also get to take pride in the fact that you “went the distance” for our kids.

Contact Danielle at 954-420-5030 x 115 or dnaglieri@sosflorida.com for more information.

Lace Up Your Sneakers and Get Your Heart Pumping For SOS Kids!

Register Today At

www.stepsforsos.org

5K Run / Walk for Foster KidsNovember8 20

147am

4

C O U N T R Y C L U B

Friday, Sept 19, 201411am - 1pm

Tickets $65www.sosflorida.com

Contact Danielle at 954-420-5030 or dnaglieri@sosflorida.com for

sponsorship or ad journal opportunities.

The Greatest Gift You Give Is The SOS Spirit of Home

Kids in foster care are just like any other child with one difference – they have suffered trauma and loss through no fault of their own. They have the same needs, dreams, and potential and are looking for the same opportunities to build a bright and promising future.

But they pursue these while seeking the security and stability of the one thing so many of us take for granted - Home.

Childhood only happens once. It’s a time marked with discovery and fun. Building self esteem, learning good behaviors, and getting a good education is difficult. Now imagine doing all of these things while feeling like you have no personal space, very little to call your own and no one to connect with. No sense of home.

SOS was built to be that home. And, you care enough to instill our Village with a Spirit of Home - that indelible emotion that restores childhood and creates the unique family that is SOS Florida.

2014 Spirit of Home HonoreesThis September 19th, we’re celebrating that spirit at our annual Spirit of Home Luncheon and honoring four very special SOS family members for their dedication to our children.

Cindi Krost is being recognized as Outstanding Volunteer for the countless hours she shares. Her contagious enthusiasm inspires friends to help and the children at the Village to soar to new heights.

Long-time supporters and philanthropists Marcy and Art

Falcone are being honored as Outstanding Individuals. Their latest project is spearheading a plan to renovate the entire Village culminating in a new home for six more children.

B r o a d s p i r e S e r v i c e s will receive the award as Outs tanding Communi ty Partner thanks to the tireless efforts of employees who have come together time and again for the past five years to give the SOS kids a better life.

SOS Residential Manager Kenrick Shirley is being honored for decades of dedicated service to SOS children both here and in Jamaica.

Visit sosflorida.com to find out more about our honorees or for tickets and sponsorship opportunities.

PicturedTop Row: Outstanding Volunteer Honoree Cindi Krost; Outstanding Individual Honorees Marcy & Art Falcone

Bottom Row: Outstanding Community Partner Honoree Broadspire Services; Outstanding Staff Honoree Kenrick Shirley

The SOS “Spirit of

Home” awards

honor friends who make

outstanding efforts to

bring joy and security to our

children and community.