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Home > Tabor Publications > Tabor Talk Tabor Talk Fall 2001 Articles: In the movie Patch Adams, Patch Adams feels suicidal and depressed so he checks himself into a psychiatric ward in the late 1960's. A brilliant mathematician immediately walked up to him with four fingers lifted and says, "How many fingers do I have up?" Patch answers, "Four." "Idiot," the mathematician yells, "You are just like the rest." Later Patch develops a friendship with the mathematician. He asks what the answer to the question was. The mathematician explains, "Look beyond the fingers." Look at an object beyond the fingers. As Patch looks beyond the fingers, the fingers become blurred and he counts eight blurry fingers. Most people look at the problem. Few look beyond. I thought, yes we count 8 fingers at Tabor. Most people see homeless families and think, "Lets give them shelter." We look beyond and think, "This person can buy a house one day, pay taxes and work." Many say, "This family will never be able to pay back $20,000 in credit, they must declare bankruptcy." We see a family that can not only pay off their debt but also can return to a financially whole life. The recent tragedies at the World Trade Center forced America for the first time in years to look at 8 fingers. We have to look at our Creator and look beyond to cope with this atrocity. I see nothing good that can come from this except that perhaps we can now use this skill and look for 8 fingers in our family, our nation, our neighbors, and our leaders. Perhaps you can join us at Tabor as we look for 8 fingers. That's what Elisha and John are saying now. It started as a dream more than three years ago. In the cold winter of 1998 Elisha and John came to Tabor with the hopes of getting back on track with their household budget and working toward buying a home someday. When they enrolled in FSA in February 1999 neither John nor Elisha had another savings account besides FSA. Throughout that time they continued working with their counselors at Tabor through the STEPS Pre-Purchase program and the Shelter to Independent Living program. John and Elisha continued to
fine tune their budgets and get control of their money. Elisha and
John attended all of the FSA workshops. They saved , saved and saved.
On the FSA program application Elisha wrote: "I want a house...a
big 3-bedroom house with a nice yard…" Congratulations! Tabor Community Services' First Annual Family Fun-Fest was a whole lot of fun for those who attended and volunteered! Held at Tanglewood Sports Complex in Quarryville on Saturday, September 8, guests enjoyed unlimited mini-golf, batting cages, driving range and putting greens. There were also driving and putting contests so both adult and kid golfers were given a chance to show off their skills and win a prize! There was also plenty to keep those non-golfers entertained! Radio Station WJTL Kids Cookie Break with Lisa Landis was there to play music. Kids were able to request songs and some were even interviewed live on the air! They also had a table full of prizes and gifts for the crowd to take home with them. Volunteers from Millersville Art Club gave up their Saturday morning to paint the faces of kids and their parents. Everything from butterflies to their favorite football team logo decorated the faces of the crowd. Pattie the Clown also made an appearance. She entertained everyone and no one walked away without a balloon animal or balloon hat! All proceeds from the Family Fun-Fest benefited Jubilee House, a transitional home for homeless women and women with children who have successfully completed a drug treatment program. Lastly, we would like to thank everyone who sold tickets and volunteered their time to work at the event. Without you and all your hard work, we wouldn't have been able to pull it off. We are already looking forward to next years' Family Fun-Fest! Evening of Giving will take place at Park City Mall on November 18, 2001 from 7 pm-10 pm. The evening will be a wonderful opportunity for customers to get a jump start on their holiday shopping, win door prizes, listen to festive entertainment and take part in the special sales the participating stores have to offer. Tickets to the event are $5, a donation that goes directly to Tabor. For information, or to purchase tickets, please call Gretchen Haubner at 397-5182, ext. 112. Tabor's Adopt-A-Family program is beginning. Families, individuals, churches or businesses can get involved in making Christmas dreams come true for clients of Tabor and their families. Adopt a Family is a Christmas gift giving program where gift donors are matched with a formerly homeless family. Here's how it works! Formerly homeless children make a wish list of two toys and clothing items they want. Their parents also list two personal items and two household items they could use. Gift donors then purchase, wrap and tag the gifts with the person's name and deliver them directly to the family or bring them to Tabor for delivery by December 14th. If you are interested in learning more or adopting a family, please call Gretchen Haubner at 397-5182, ext. 112. She will provide you with the needs and a wish-list for a family.
On what had to be the hottest week of the summer, a group of volunteers from New Danville Mennonite Church picked up their brushes and gave the side of Jubilee House on King Street a much needed new coat of paint. The group worked hard for five days and the house looks great. The employees of Tabor and residents of the home appreciate all their hard work. The children of Jubilee House now have something to keep them busy. The Lancaster Junior League donated a brand new swing set for the backyard. Volunteers constructed a new cushioned foundation and assembled the swing set in August. Saturday, September 8th was the United Way's "Day of Caring." Businesses and employees donated their Saturday morning to do volunteer work throughout the community. Tabor was privileged to have a large number of employees from Diversified Data Services come in and paint a number of offices. Thanks to the volunteers and the United Way for helping Tabor along with our renovations!
Tabor has taken a close look at our volunteer needs and categorized them in to three main areas that we will be concentrating on in the next few months. 1. Mail Room Day 2. Mentor training and implementation. 3. Teaching If you or your organization has an interest in any of these programs, please contact Gretchen Haubner at 397-5182, ext.112.
Since April of 2000, Tabor Community Services' Jubilee House has worked to make a difference in the lives of homeless women and their children. The five residents of Jubilee House and their children have accomplished so much in the past year! In one year: Jubilee House is in need of household items and cleaning supplies. We are always looking for volunteers to donate their time, energy and skills. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer for Jubilee House, please call Gretchen Haubner at 397-5182, ext. 112. |
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