Heartfelt thanks to:
The Centra Foundation, for a grant to defray personnel expenses for Haven of the Hills
and
The Greater Lynchburg Community Trust, for a grant to upgrade grief support program supplies and to train volunteers for the Kids' Haven programs as well as professionals in the community.
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An all-day Saturday training workshop is being scheduled for August 2008; this program is appropriate for those who wish to volunteer with Kids' Haven or who need to deepen grief-care skills. The $25 training fee is refunded for any participant who commits to volunteer for our program. Call 845-4072 if you are interested in registering for this training.
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Thank you to Brent McCraw who has served three terms, including the presidency, of the Kids' Haven board of directors. Both his expertise and his humor have served our program well.
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Welcome to Judy Stowers who takes a seat on the board, effective July 1, 2008.
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Thank you to Pavlina Dirom who steps down June 30th after serving as board president this year. Lloyd Tannenbaum has been elected the new president, with Betsy Mudie as vice-president, Polly Cassady continuing as secretary, and Lisa Taylor joining Amy Gallagher as co-treasurer.
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In May, 2008, Kids' Haven celebrated the tenth anniversary of incorporation as an independent not-for-profit agency, chartered to serve the unique needs, through support and education, of children (and their families) who are grieving a death.

In addition to a board-choreographed and donated celebratory garden party, Kids' Haven marked its anniversary by introducing the Kids' Haven Swing, hand-made by board member Susan Carrington, and friends Bobby Babcock and Anna Bailey. The swings are available for purchase at the Kids Haven office, 325 12th Street, for $40.

There also are displayed in-office samples of a variety of hand-made dolls available for ordering. They range in price between $25 and $45.

Many thanks to the creators of these gifts to support the work of Kids' Haven. Thanks also to Jeannette Twery who donated more than 100 origami cranes to offer to party attendees as gifts of appreciation. Until taken home, the cranes filled the branches of every tree in the garden!
And thanks to Michael Twery who has shared a wonderful painting to decorate the Kids' Haven office.
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Friends, at any time, may continue to purchase a block to be added to the Kids' Haven Honorary/Memorial Wall, located in the Kids' Haven office windows at 325 12th Street, Lynchburg, for a gift to Kids' Haven of $50 per block. Please provide full name of the person being honored, and include life dates for memorial blocks.
When next you are Downtown, come see our wonderful new office and our fanciful windows. Thank you to board member Susan Carrington, local artists Michael and Jeannette Twery, and Kids' Haven friend Bobby Babcock for their work to create the window displays.

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Congratulations to Kids' Haven board member (and former board president) Charlie White who, in February, was awarded one of two Vice Mayor's Young Adult Awards of Excellence for his contributions to the Greater Lynchburg Community Trust, the Lynchburg College board of trustees, the Central Virginia Hospital of Restorative and Rehabilitative Care, The Lynchburg City Schools Education Foundation, The Alliance for Families and Children, and Kids' Haven.

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At the end of January 2008, Kids' Haven and Hospice of the Hills began providing support services in a new partnership, Haven of the Hills, and Judi Harvey returned to Kids' Haven to choreograph this program. Haven of the Hills has been created in response to a community needs assessment to offer children and their family support when a life-limiting illness impacts their homes. Volunteers have been trained by both Kids' Haven and Hospice staff, and The Easley Charitable Trust and First Presbyterian Church have supported a significant upgrade of the Kids' Haven resource library in support of this new program. Referrals for Anticipatory Grief support may be made to Hospice (384-1387) or to Kids' Haven (845-4072).
A family is not required to be participating in Hospice to receive Haven support services. No fees are charged for Anticipatory Grief support services through Haven of the Hills.

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On November 13, Kids' Haven offices re-located to the historic Bragassa Toy Store building, owned and also occupied by the Lynchburg Historical Foundation, on the corner of 12th and Courts Streets in Downtown Lynchburg. The support of the Retail Merchants Foundation and the Greater Lynchburg Community Trust made this move possible without any financial hardship, and we are grateful.

We now can be reached by mail at 325~12th Street, Lynchburg 24504. Our post office box was closed at the end of January; please use our street address for all mailed communications. Our e-mail address has been changed to mjkidshaven@ntelos.net

Phone and FAX numbers are not changed.

Note: Group Nights continue to be held at St. John's Episcopal Church.

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Thank you to Marion Stump's Girl Scout troop for updating contact information on Kids' Haven brochures.

Thank you to Chris Tharp, Tharp Funeral Home, for providing interim storage space as we awaited our move downtown.

Thank you to the Junior League of Lynchburg for providing Kids' Haven a home for more than ten years.
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