Over this past year, as we have collectively commemorated our milestone 50th anniversary, we have honored our history and celebrated our future. There are fifty-two weeks in a year and each week on social media we reminisced about a past program or service on Throwback Thursdays and highlighted a current one on Feature Fridays. That’s over a hundred, and is still only a portion of what we have done and continue to do, together!
We have also had occasion to celebrate with those who share in our mission; those influencers, innovators and change-makers who are inspiring hope and creating a better world. We celebrated our advocacy for the arts by commissioning a new, original artwork for our service center lobby by former Art Scholarship winner and local artist, Cara O’Brien, and had a public event where we all enjoyed the art and the new outdoor Spark Space. In September, we had an anniversary luncheon and spent the evening celebrating our history with an original, fun, interactive trivia game.
Each TrueNorth program-area set 50th related goals for the year. Camp Newaygo celebrated 50 Outdoor Moments. Our emPower division came up with 50 energy-saving tips and challenged their participants to try all 50. Our Housing Department set lofty goals – 50 foreclosure preventions, 50 families safely housed, and 50 participants completing our financial capabilities education course.
It has been a fun and inspiring year. We know we couldn’t do it without you. Here’s to the past 50 and to 50 more!