Shortly before Christmas, Stepping Stones and Stepping Up held their annual holiday party. Once again, it was a great success as our young families enjoyed a time of gathering together to enjoy food, conversation and a visit from good 'ole Santa Claus. Thank you to all the volunteers who made this event possible. We are always grateful for the generosity of local vendors; this time Stefany Mailhiot and Mathias Fast stepped in to provide photography services and Rachel Golz (Sister Act Catering) cooked the meal. Several of our staff remarked on the high level of service and commitment all of our volunteers provided for this event. There were over 200 guests and our volunteer staff worked until the very end with no lack of enthusiasm! The idea was not to simply "feed" people, but to create an atmosphere of family sharing the holiday spirit; it felt like one big family Christmas dinner! Each table had a host (a staff member, a volunteer or a Thrive Alumni) to make new comers feel welcomed and loved. Our focus for this year's holiday gathering was to spend time sitting, catching up and getting to know our young families. It was truly a time of fun and fellowship and our goal to make each person feel welcomed and known.
The lead up to the holiday season is often far too busy, leaving little time for reflection and gratitude. However, the new year always suggests a chance to have a look back on your year, your life and allows the chance to look forward to new beginnings. Our young moms and dads don't always have the chance to "start fresh", but rather continue each day is an addition to yesterday's experience. As we closed the year with the story of Kristina and her phenomenal experience during Thrive, let's begin 2014 with her belief that "our past does not need to define our future".
Happy New Year to our committed family of friends and supporters. We look forward to our most successful year yet!
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www.stefanymailhiot.photoshelter.com
www.mathiasfastphotography.com
