Founded in 1914 in Virginia

Helping Children & Families

Posted by Jeff Wells on May 14, 2017
Tina Gill (r) and Barbara Lipskis (l)
 
The program: 
At the May 9 Rotary Club of Norfolk luncheon Tina Gill, CEO of The Up Center, explained how this nonprofit’s work is based on having a healthy community where children and families thrive. She believes that children in poverty deserve better than the situations they live in now. She thanked our Rotary Club for providing a grant for the center's Parents as Teachers program, which sends visiting professionals to help low-income or single new parents become great parents.
 
The center’s mission is "to change the trajectories of families from crisis to wholeness.: The Up Center:
  • started in 1883
  • has128 employees and countless volunteers
  • serves more than 10,000 Hampton Roads clients annually
  • has an annual budget of $13 to $16 million with 80% of the budget coming from the United Way of South Hampton Roads.
  • has a child mentoring program has 150 mentoring partnerships and 300 children waiting to be paired with a caring adult mentor
  • is concerned that 60% of those in need have mental health issue that are unmet
  • is proud that its Parents as Teachers Program  for new parents has a 98% success rate
The Up Center  is prevention-minded and works through 22 programs in four main focus areas: 
  • Families
  • Disabilities
  • Crisis Management
  • Children at risk
Meeting highlights:
Irv Wells gave a thoughtful invocation. We honored Mary Calcott Elementary School as our school of the week and presented it a book in honor of our speaker. Winston Whitehurst updated us on members with health issues. Dyteya Lewis introduced Rotary hosts and their guests:
  • Sally Hartman brought her new Hampton Roads Community Foundation colleague Adia White.
  • Susan Donn introduced Blake Scott, a friend who is seeking employment in a scientific field.
  • Angela Kerns introduced her Wall Einhorn & Chernitzer colleague John Waters.
  • Barbara Lipski introduced guests from The Up Center where she serves on the board. They were Mary Midyette, Hannah Billings, Sarah Bishop, Rosalind Hopkins and former club member L.H. Puckett.
Announcements:
John Lynn reminded us of the importance of EREY -- Every Rotarian Every Year. Any donation amount is appreciated. He pointed out that the Rotary Foundation was named one of  the top charities in the world by Charity Navigators. It has had this honor for 9 years in a row!
Lisa Sands asked Rotarians attending our Suds & Buds party on May 19 to spend an hour or so volunteering at the party.
Marty Raiss announced various optional outings., including a May 23 lunch at the Virginia Club, June 10 visit to the Military Aviation Museum and June 14 gallery talk by photographer Glen McClure at The Chrysler Museum of Art. Details are on the club website. a
2017 Rotary Golf Social is Tuesday May 23 at Elizabeth Manor Golf and Country Club. Tee time is 12:30.
 
Happy Dollars
  • Ann Baldwin’s grandson graduated from James Madison University and is starting his career.
  • Winston Whitehurst’s two grandsons graduated from two different colleges and are off to careers.
  • Sharon Laderberg celebrated Gene Justice’s performance at the Harbor’s Edge follies.
  • Susan Donn is happy about the time she spent at Long Boat Key and brought a banner from a Rotary Club she visited.
  • Joe New gave happy dollars for wedding of 3rd daughter Ashley to Mark Greenfield in New Jersey.
  • Marty Raiss gave thanks for the celebration of life she and family had in Miami for her father, a former Rotarian, who passed away. She also had a great 50th high school reunion.Mark Johnson is thrilled to have the club’s ABC license in hand for Suds & Buds and also mentioned an award from the Urban League.
  • Sally Hartman announced that Jim O'Brien would be live on Channel 3 on Wednesday talking about Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing and Suds & Buds.
  • Edna Baehre-Kolovani  is delighted Tidewater Community College, where she is president, will award 30 students full scholarships to study science, technology, engineering or math (STEM).
  • John McLemore is happy to have seen an interview with Bill Gates, who spoke highly about the Rotary Foundation and its polio eradication efforts.
  • J.D. Scott let everyone know he just bought his tickets for Suds and Buds online and how easy it is to do that at sudsandbuds.org.
Next Week’s Program Dr. Yuping, Liu-Thompkins, Associate Editor, of Journal of Advertising - " Marketing that hits the mark, and why consumers do what they do.”