News from Boys Home of Virginia
Summer 2017
The 2017 Boys Home Awards Banquet Pictured left to right, top row: George Floyd Rogers Citizenship Award, Michael Folland Award, David C. Hall Memorial Award, Joseph & Hilda C. Dent Memorial Award. Bottom row: 1st. Lt. Joshua Charles Hurley Memorial Award, Sams Cottage group photo, Bill & Lang Wilson Scholarship. Winners can be found on pg. 6.
We hosted our annual Spring Awards Banquet on May 13, 2017. The Awards Banquet gives Boys Home the chance to recognize all the accomplishments of our young men over the past year. Accomplishments from both on and off campus are highlighted with awards ranging from school performance to community service. Many named awards and scholarships reward the young men for years of hard work at Boys Home. Resident Sequoia N. served as master of ceremonies for the third year in a row. Throughout the evening, special guests and teachers and administrators from the Greer Education Center and Alleghany County Public Schools were recognized. Nick Moga of Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Covington recognized the Boys Home senior class with gifts of the Book of Common Prayer for each young man. The highest of honors for a Boys Home resident were handed out at the end of the banquet- the Michael Folland Award and the George Floyd Rogers Award. The Folland award is given to a senior who shows his fellow residents that he took advantage of his time at Boys Home by working to reach his potential. The Folland award was presented to senior Brock P. (pictured above). The George Floyd Rogers Award is named in honor of the Boys Home founder. This honor is voted on by staff and presented to the resident who by his spirit, example and overall outstanding citizenship exemplifies the ideals of Boys Home and its founder. The George Floyd Rogers Award was presented for the second year in a row to senior Sequoia N. (pictured above) Again, we congratulate all the winners and want thank everyone who continues to make success a possibility for these boys. We are proud of the accomplishments of all the residents, especially the graduating seniors. (Full list of awards on page 6.)
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Fromthe theExecutive Executive Director From Director Boys Home of Virginia Founded by The Rev. George Floyd Rogers Rector, Emmanuel Episcopal Church Board of Trustees 2016-2017 President Leonard S. Slater Immediate Past President Edwin W. Simpson Secretary Donnie E. Wheatley ’66 Vice President, Treasurer Bernard C. Syme, III Ex Officio Bishop, Diocese of Southwestern Virginia The Rt. Rev. Mark Bourlakas Members Patrick R. Cafaro James Cox Dennis Duffy Dr. Yvonne Harris Edwin P. Hopkins Stephen B. Lane Kenneth O. Robison, II Ann Vest Joseph P. Whittle Todd M. Vie Honorary Member Dr. Bruce Heilman
Donnie E. Wheatley Donnie E. Wheatley
As usual, May was a very busy month. The articles in this Boys Appeal cover the activities thoroughly. Kudos to all who took time to attend one or more of them. Your presence helps make them special events. Beginning next year, all the residents will be educated on campus. Most will still be enrolled in the Alleghany County Public Schools and will be educated through a process called “distance learning.” The school on campus will be accredited through the Virginia Association of Specialized Education Facilities. Our focus will be on assessment and identification of each student’s level of performance and then providing the support to improve to levels required by core courses. We will expand our vocational offerings and utilize lots of hands-on experiences. Instruction in soft skills will play a big part in educating the whole person. This improvement in services for the children entrusted to us by God is only possible due to folks like you. Best wishes to everyone for a great summer. Stop in and see us if you're in this area.
The Boys Appeal is published 3 times a year by the Boys Home of Virginia Development Office. 414 Boys Home Road Covington, Virginia 24426 Phone: (540) 965-7700 Fax: (540) 965-7702 info@boyshomeofva.org www.boyshomeofva.org For your convenience, you can now donate to Boys Home at givetoboyshome.org.
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Take care and God bless.
Donnie E. Wheatley Executive Director “A successful man has to start somewhere”
Residential Education Day 2017
By Lauren Ward
On May 5, 2017, Boys Home hosted our 9th annual Residential Education Day open house. We welcomed over 60 guests to campus for the open house events. The Greer Education Center was featured with displays sharing different aspects of Boys Home and highlighting this year’s theme, “Road to Success.” Guests enjoyed self-guided tours of the campus, All Saints’ Chapel, and Greene Cottage. The Center for Applied Trades program teachers and students had demonstrations set up in front of the gym featuring electricity, welding, and other class projects. The Boys Home Bike Shop was also on display, demonstrating how they repair different complications with their bikes. The dining hall staff, along with chefs from Guest Services, Inc. and
students from JRTC led by Chef Tom Hamelman, treated guests, residents, and staff to a delicious lunch. A huge thank you goes to the following businesses for sponsoring this year’s Residential Education Day: Major Sponsors: A&D Glass and Mirror, Alleghany Asphalt Inc., Balchem Corporation, and TriCounty Furniture of Virginia, Loving Funeral Home, all in Covington, VA; Baker Roofing in Roanoke, VA; Campbell Insurance in Lynchburg, VA; and Ms. Palmer Garson of Silvercrest Asset Management Group and Mr. Marshall Acuff, Jr. of Silvercrest Asset Management Group in Richmond, VA. Primary Sponsors were JENFAB and Wilson, Updike and Nicely Law Offices, both in Covington, VA.
In April, Dr. Earl Bruce Heilman, a 90-yearold World War II veteran and honorary trustee at Boys Home, visited campus. He has been riding his Harley from coast to coast to honor fallen veterans. Dr. Heilman has served as president of several American colleges and universities. He currently holds the position of Chancellor at the University of Richmond. We were excited to welcome him to campus!
We were fortunate to have the Porsche Club of America-First Settlers Region join us for the day on Friday, April 21. Boys Home trustee Bud Syme is a member. The boys always love getting to see the cars and we enjoyed having the group on campus!
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Boys Home Graduating Class of 2017!
Michael “Mike” W. has been at Boys Home for 3.5 years. He came to Boys Home to better himself, his attitude, and his behavior. When Mike graduates, he will be going to Tidewater Community College and then transferring to a 4-year school. He wants to play basketball. Since being at Boys Home, Mike says he’s changed the way he approaches situations. He says he’s learned, “To be quick to listen but slow to speak, to be humble, and to prioritize time wisely.” Mike will miss meeting new people and the gym at Boys Home.
Amara “A.K.” K. has been at Boys Home for 4 years. He came to Boys Home because he was getting in trouble in school. A.K. will attend community college after graduation and transfer to University of Maryland and wants to study Business Administration. Since being at Boys Home, A.K. has learned to take school seriously and treat women with respect. He says, “The main thing I’ve learned is that your goals are bigger than your problems.” A.K. says he’s become a more loving and caring person since being at Boys Home. He will miss his friends and the houseparents that have been here for him while he was at Boys Home. Sequoia N. has been at Boys Home for 3.5 years. Sequoia came to Boys Home because “he was not the man society needed him to be.” Sequoia is headed to Virginia Military Institute next fall and plans to study History. He says he’s learned when to be quiet and when to listen since being at Boys Home. He says he’s seen himself change into a man who is ready to do his part in society. Sequoia will miss everything about his experience at Boys Home.
Keith K. has been at Boys Home for 8 years. Keith came to Boys Home because his dad wanted him to have a better life. Keith will be attending Concord University next fall, where he plans to major in Business. He says he’s learned to take school more seriously and be a good brother during his time at Boy Home. Keith will miss the people at Boys Home.
Henry “Brock” P. has been with us at Boys Home for 9 months. Brock came to Boys Home because he was having problems with authority and respect toward adults. After graduation, he plans to go to Dabney S. Lancaster Community College to study Forestry. He says he’s learned to live on his own and be more respectful since being at Boys Home. He’s also seen himself become more serious about school. Brock is going to miss seeing all the staff and his friends at Boys Home.
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Celebrating Our Seniors It’s always special when we celebrate our seniors. The five young men who graduated this year overcame many hardships at Boys Home, persevered, and are headed into the world with bright futures. May always seems like a crazy month here, but it’s important that we take time to slow down and celebrate the accomplishments of these young men. The morning of graduation, we held a brunch to honor the seniors. The Dining Hall staff made a Chipotle-style meal, which is always a campus favorite, and the seniors brought their families to celebrate graduation with their Boys Home family. As is tradition, the seniors got to cut and serve cake to everyone, staff gave speeches to the seniors, and seniors expressed their thanks to Boys Home. We’re so thankful for these moments of celebration and so excited for what the future holds for these young men. Congratulations, class of 2017!
Why Should You Volunteer for a Charity? By Resident Ben C. Dear Brother, will you kindly join me in volunteering and make a difference? Volunteering will have a positive effect on your community, and it is good for you, too! It is a win-win situation. You feel good because you are helping others, and others feel good because you are helping them. Giving back to your community and helping others offers many benefits. For example, helping others can allow you to learn more about yourself. Volunteering can put you on a path to your future career. Another thing that can happen when you volunteer is that you meet interesting people. Some of these people may give you good advice that sticks with you the rest of your life. Maybe talking to someone new will change how you see the world; you never know! It’s eye opening to realize that doing even small things can have a big impact on others. Bringing toys for kids who do not have any and seeing the joy on their faces will brighten your day, so please volunteer.
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Awards Banquet continued– Named Awards Paul O. Siple Memorial Scholarship Brock P.
Barry Mays Memorial Award Sequoia N.
1st Lt. Joshua Charles Hurley Memorial Award Keith K.
Sam Cunningham Award Christian B.
Tice “Think About” Contest Mark L.
Pete Dimick Memorial Award Carlos E.
Tice Volunteer Contest James M.
Madeline S. Mumford Memorial Scholarship Sequoia N.
David C. Hall Memorial Award Jonathan S.
Berlin & Frances Lineberry Scholarship Amara K.
Steven Rogers Memorial Award Jonathan S.
Michael Folland Award Brock P.
Bill & Lang Wilson Scholarship Amara K.
George Floyd Rogers Citizenship Award Sequoia N.
Joseph & Hilda C. Dent Memorial Award Sequoia N.
Other awards: Key Club, Tae Kwon Do, Center for Applied Trades, Hilltoppers Varsity Basketball, Academic Awards, Development Awards, and Support Services Awards.
Matthew Foster Honorary Scholarship Keith K.
Tice “Think About” Contest Winning Essay by Mark L.
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“If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” -Frederick Douglas I can certainly say that this quote applies to my life at Boys Home over the past two years. To me, it means that if we don’t struggle making a change, we’re not really making a change. We learn from the struggle. When I first attempted to make a change in my life, it was very difficult because of what I was used to. Before I came to Boys Home, I was really settled into the life I had, whether it was good or bad. I wasn’t open to making any changes. I was given a service plan in which I knew I was going to have to change the way I did things. For example, I did not choose to control my anger when I was upset with things. At that point, I refused to embrace the changes I needed to make. I wasn’t even willing to try to alter the course of my life. However, I can say this quote applies to me where I am now. I have embraced some of the changes I needed to make. I wasn’t easy because I wasn’t used to doing things the way others wanted me to. For example, now I think about some of the consequences of my actions. It’s not as hard for me as it used to be. Sometimes I feel like giving up when I’m struggling, but I now realize my future depends on what I am doing now. In the future, I plan to take my experiences and use them to achieve better things. I hope to attend college knowing that I will face obstacles in my path, but I will be ready to fight through them. I know it will be a struggle, but knowing the progress I can achieve is rewarding. Making these changes will help me later on in life. I now see that I have better opportunities ahead as a result of my Boys Home experiences.
Back to School Wish List 1.5 inch binders 3 inch binders Black composition books Black ink pens Graphing paper Construction paper Computer paper Dry erase markers Individual dry erase boards Graphing calculators **All residents will be at school on campus in the fall, so these items are our greatest needs!**
Alumni Day is June 24! Please let us know if you plan to attend! We hope to see you there! RSVP - 540-965-7700
Dates to remember… Mission Trips June 4-8: Trinity Episcopal of Portsmouth June 24-25: St. John’s and St. Paul’s Episcopal Churches of Lynchburg June 26-30: Northside Baptist July 3-7: Galilee Episcopal of VA Beach Upcoming Events
Alumni Corner: Chance Davis
By Elaine Brelsford
Alumnus Chance Davis knows a little something about adventure. As a former U.S. Army Ranger, he was deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan. He has traveled to Fiji, rustles cattle on the weekends in the hills of Madison County, Virginia, and recently had his debut on “Naked and Afraid” and “Naked and Afraid XL.” Chance’s adventure began as a child when his mother was no longer able to care for him. At age ten, she placed him at Boys Home. For the next two years, Boys Home was where Chance was cared for, nurtured, and educated. He wrote articles for the Boys Appeal, a newsletter published by Boys Home, joined the Gator Wrestling Club and Boy Scouts, and settled into Boys Home as his home. After two years, Chance was back home again, beginning a succession of moves throughout the remainder of his childhood that would require a map and corresponding timeline to comprehend. He made the decision as a young adult to leave his pursuit of a college education and join the military. In the Army, Chance excelled and found a brotherhood with fellow Rangers. Upon leaving the military, Chance found that he could always count on the friendships of other Rangers. He also made an effort to help veterans assimilate back into their civilian lives by creating a podcast that featured interviews with veterans while highlighting resources that could help struggling vets access the help they may need. Recently, finding himself with some spare time before filming his episode of “Naked and Afraid,” Chance pulled off the interstate and drove the short jaunt back to the Boys Home campus. Curious to see the place where he had spent two peaceful years of childhood, he was met by staff member Chad Whitmer, a former Boys Home resident who had lived there the same time as Chance. A kinship was struck and Chance’s happenstance visit has led him to yet another adventure. Chance is now the lower school manager at Boys Home, which means he oversees the houseparents and experiences of the younger boys currently living at Boys Home. On returning to Boys Home, Chance says this when asked what he hopes to convey to the young residents: “My advice is simple. Once you learn the value of hard work, nothing is impossible. Boys Home and the staff that never gave up on me taught me daily discipline and hard work. I learned how to clean the cottage, make my bed, and work outside. These actions became my habits and routines, which ultimately shaped my character. We were taught to have busy hands, whether helping a friend or picking weeds from the Memorial Rose Garden. Hard work will always carry you to your next objective.”
Saturday, September 9: Boys Home of VA 5K Walk/Run More info on the back.
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NON-PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID Lynchburg, VA PERMIT NO.161
414 Boys Home Road Covington, Virginia 24426 (540) 965-7700 www.boyshomeofva.org Change Service Requested
Boys Appeal - Summer 2017
A successful man has to start somewhere...
Save the Date! 1st Annual Boys Home of Virginia 5k Walk/Run When: Saturday, September 9, 2017 Where: Roanoke River Greenway (Wasena Park-Roanoke, VA) Time: FREE Kids’ Fun Run at 8:45 AM and a 5k Walk/Run at 9:15 AM REGISTRATION FEES FOR 5k Run/Walk $25 early registration until August 8, 2017 $30 regular registration from August 9, 2017 through September 9, 2017 **registration fee includes a t-shirt and a “swag bag”**
For more information or to register, visit: www.runforboyshome.org or call 540-965-7714 *We are still looking for sponsors! Contact Lauren at
lward@boyshomeofva.org*
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