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News | Activities | Cottages | Alumni | Fun


News: What's happening on "the Hill?"
  Fall 2009
 

From the Executive Director
Donnie E. Wheatley

Wow! We are already working on the Christmas Sponsor Program and scheduling crews for the Christmas Tree Farm. Where has the year gone? We are already almost half of the way through this semester of school. The on-campus school is once again providing services not available in any other setting– public or private.

While the economy is showing signs of recovery, it will be quite sometime before Boys’ Home’s support regains the level it enjoyed in the 2007-2008 fiscal year. We do appreciate the loyalty shown by donors that makes this ministry possible. Since ninety-seven cents out of every dollar spent comes from a private source, this support is essential.

The Gospel 19 Pentecost was Mark 10:17-31. In this reading, Mark tells about the rich man who approached Jesus and was told that he needed to sell all that he owned, give the proceeds to the poor and then to follow him. I have heard and read several sermons that discuss the meaning of this message. The best that I can recall was that Jesus was encouraging the rich to not let the fact that they were rich be the priority in their lives, but that they should be responsive to the needs of others and not to ignore their communities. In this particular sermon, the writer went on to say that, in the end, it would be God’s Grace that determined who entered the kingdom.

Many of the boys at Boys’ Home come from circumstances that easily put them last in the grand scheme of society. With your assistance and God’s Blessings, we attempt to change that picture.

Best wishes to you for a Bountiful Thanksgiving full of God’s Love and Blessings.

Donnie E. Wheatley

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It’s A Barn-Raising at Boys’ Home School

     Changes taking place at the Boys’ Home School do not involve teachers or curriculum. Instead, it looks like an old-fashioned barn raising!

     The students in the Construction Technology course are building a shed for storage located behind the Greer Education Center. This class meets on Mondays, Tuesday, and alternate Wednesdays at 4:00 p.m. and the instructor is Mr. Buck Ray. The students have also built and installed new shelving in the school’s multi-purpose room and library to expand the storage options for the school. Miguel Salinas and Conner Fagan are the primary carpenters in this venture.

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Ivan Damulira
Participates in COW Program

For juniors and seniors in high school, preparing for college means getting good grades, taking the required ACT and SAT tests and earning credits in college-prep courses. But Ivan Damulira of Chester, added another item to his checklist. He also attended the summer College Orientation Workshop at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington. 

This unique 4 week course focuses on self-development and educational enrichment. Ivan participates in a variety of school activities and has high ambitions. Last February, he even job shadowed Dr. Grimesey as the “superintendent for a day” for Alleghany County Schools.

Ivan was nominated by Donnie Wheatley, Executive Director and and Virginia Military Institute alumnus and another sponsor.

 At first, Ivan was not totally sure he wanted to spend part of his summer at VMI, but that quickly changed once he became involved. Ivan took part in several activities: rappelling, hiking, canoeing, swimming, and physical training plus classes on study skills and career exploring.

The COW program is a challenging summer program for promising minority male students. The program’s curriculum helps them achieve success for the duration of their high school education by cultivating confidence, great self-esteem and a strong work ethic.

According to Ivan, “ The lessons I learned fit into what this program is about. I  learned to set a goal for myself, work on it and achieve it. I also learned to be healthy and enjoy who I am as a person.” Ivan must have learned these lessons well. He was selected to be a speaker at the graduation. Now he is proud to be associated with cow4life.org.

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Notes and Quotes

More ideas on how to help Boys’ Home:

Box Tops for Education and Labels for Education are programs that benefit the Boys’ Home School. All you have to do is clip out the Box Tops logo or the UPC bar codes from the Labels for Education and send them in to Boys’ Home. The collection of Box Tops and Labels for Education has allowed the Boys’ Home School to qualify for such items as sports equipment, art supplies and educational aids.

Boys’ Home is enrolled in the  Sherwin Williams Neighborhood Preferred Customer Program. By using the special card, Boys’ Home receives a percentage of the total retail sales purchased. So, are you planning a winter or spring spruce-up for your home? If so, have us send you the special Boys’ Home registered card. The card may be used at Sherwin-Williams, Duron, or MAB stores.

If you like the idea of earning money while you browse the Internet, consider using the search engine GoodSearch. Boys’ Home participates  in this program and also GoodShop which donates a percentage of qualifying purchases to the charity selected. 

Penny Power for Boys’ Home reminds everyone that even saving spare pennies, dimes, quarters or even dollars, adds up. Sunday school classes, men's groups or entire churches may join together. So count your blessings and your pennies and change a life.

Boys’ Home participates in NAP (Neighborhood Assistance Program). Unrestricted contributions may qualify for additional tax incentives. June 30, 2010 is the last date to qualify for this program.

Please contact Sandra or Jerome at 540/965-7714 for any of these programs.

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Eubank and Barrett Inducted Into Boys’ Home Alumni Hall of Fame

“It’s been 58 years – I’m so glad you’re back at Boys’ Home.” That’s how the evening started for Malcolm Eubanks as he was greeted by Larry Price ‘51. The trip down memory lane began with reacquainting  himself with Boys’ Home and former alumni and ended with the Hall of Fame ceremony. Roland Bob Barrett ‘55 had similar greetings as he celebrated with the many family and friends, some from long distances, who gathered to honor him. This ceremony not only honors the inductees, but it is also a chance for current residents to learn about past residents, their experiences and accomplishments. Donnie Wheatley commented,  “This has become quite a highlight in the year at Boys’ Home.” The Alumni Hall of Fame was started in 1997. It pays tribute to personal or athletic achievements, or significant contributions made to Boys’ Home by individuals.

Roland B. Barrett was presented by his son, Johnny. Johnny described his father as, “a man of courage and integrity throughout his life.” Bob arrived at Boys’ Home from Norfolk, Virginia in 1949 at 12 years of age. He graduated from Covington High School in 1955. After graduating, he joined the U.S. Army and served for 30 years before retiring as Command Sergeant Major. Barrett served in Korea, Vietnam, and Grenada. He earned Jump Wings from the U.S. and Taiwanese Armies and received the Legion of Merit, and Meritorious Service medal, Bronze star (5 times) and the  Gallantry Cross with silver star. Outside of the Army, he has been a member of the American Legion, VFW, Disabled American Veterans, the Loyal Order of the Moose, and the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks.

In his induction speech, Bob said in many ways, Boys’ Home prepared him for Army duty. As a resident, he had to wake up at 4 a.m. every day to milk cows. He compared that to when he had to wake up in the military and said that, “I realized that I haven’t left the home yet.” Coming to Boys’ Home was the best thing to ever happened to him.

Mr. Barrett has 10 children, 18 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. He resides in Fayetteville, North Carolina with his wife Elizabeth.

Malcolm B. Eubank was presented by Boys’ Home alumnus, Bob Ramsey. Bob talked about Malcolm’s nickname, “Froggy” and how work was his priority every day. Malcolm came from Norfolk, Virginia and stayed at Boys’ Home from 1943-1947. He returned home and graduated from Granby High School in 1948. After completing an Associates degree, he served in the U.S. Army, achieving the rank of Sergeant First Class, until 1952. In 1958 he received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Georgia. Mr. Eubank served as an District Executive for the Boy Scouts of America from 1959-1969. He attributes his love of scouting to being a scout at Boys’ Home. He was the Executive vice president with the Hopewell/Prince George Chamber of Commerce from 1969-1998. He is a life member of the Hopewell Emergency Crew and has served as President five times. Even one of his hobbies is tied to Boys’ Home - golfing. To learn to play, he commented, “I dug three holes in the ground, installed tin cans and made a three hole golf course!” He ended his speech by saying that, “I look on the “Hill” and there are so many changes. The only thing that remains the same is the boys. They’re building character here.”

Mr. Eubank resides in Hopewell with his wife Diane. They have two sons, Malcolm and Michael Duree.

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Charitable Gift Annuity  - A Good Investment

If you are looking for a way to increase your cash flow, have the security of guaranteed payments and would like to save on taxes, then a  charitable gift annuity may be just right for you.

With declining interest rates on certificates of deposits and savings accounts, it might be a good time to check into funding a charitable gift annuity that benefits both you and a favorite charity, Boys’ Home.

 In today’s world, sometimes it is comforting to be able to count on fixed payments which are not affected by interest rates and stock prices.

 If any of these scenarios echo your feelings, then contact Janet Lemmer at 540/965-7715 for a discussion about charitable gift annuities. And as always, check with your financial advisor before making any long-term decisions.

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Boys' Home Inc. | 306 Boys' Home Road, Covington, VA 24426 | 540-965-7700 | info@boyshomeinc.org