Family Service of Roanoke Valley recognizes teens

Family Service of Roanoke Valley recently recognized the contributions of more than 400 youth volunteers to the Roanoke Valley during the 2012-13 academic year.

The Teen Outreach Program volunteers worked with preschoolers, English language learner students, animals, the homeless population, Roanoke Valley’s aging population and their own peer groups.

TOP is a national program that uses leadership development classes and community service learning to lead youth of all ages toward productive decisions and positive behaviors.

The Junior League of Roanoke Valley provided funding to launch the Roanoke program in 1990. In addition to Family Service and the Junior League, the program receives support from the United Way of Roanoke Valley, the Virginia Department of Health, the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, State Farm Insurance, Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act, Carilion Clinic, the city of Roanoke, Youth Service America and private donations.

Ten students received class rings as an academic incentive for their volunteer activities and having good school attendance and grades.

A Junior League representative and Roanoke Mayor David Bowers presented the rings during a June banquet and recognition dinner to the following students: Brandon Basham, Domonic McComis, Dominique Burns and Devin Harris, all of William Fleming High School; Chasity Overstreet, Haley Pruitt and Marcus Jones of Patrick Henry High School; and Timothy Meador, Danielle Gordon and Victoria Blair of William Byrd High School.

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Ferrum College has received a $200,000 challenge grant toward a $1 million endowed chaplaincy for the college in Franklin County.

The gift is from philanthropist Guy Beatty and represents the latest collaboration between Beatty and Jennifer Braaten, president of Ferrum.

Last December, Beatty and his wife, Betty, gave $1 million for a new building for the Franklin County Free Clinic, a gift to the people of Franklin County facilitated by Braaten.

“Guy Beatty is a person who truly desires to share with others the blessings he has received throughout his life,” said Braaten, adding that the college is “extraordinarily fortunate to have Guy Beatty as our friend and benefactor. We are prayerful that the Ferrum family will follow his example and meet and exceed his challenge towards our endowed chaplaincy.”

The Endowed Chaplaincy will be incorporated into the Ferrum College Campus Ministries program within the student life division in collaboration with the academic schools.

It will support a college pastor in perpetuity and ensure ongoing support for the campus ministries programs, including student missions.

Beatty, who pledged the challenge grant in May, requires that the match be completed by Dec. 25.

For more information or to make a gift, contact Kim Blair, vice president for institutional advancement, at 365.-4210 or kblair@ferrum.edu.

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