I have been at the Open Arms Community for nearly two weeks now. Time flies! In that time we have been doing a lot of little improvements around the center to get it ready for when we are finally ready to open back up and welcome everyone inside.
The office is being cleaned out so the ceiling can have some water damage repaired. At the same time we have made some changes to our wifi network, added some security cameras, and I have sorted through a lot of old files.
The Open Arms Community has been around for 20 years. That's a lot of files! But it's also a lot of wonderful memories. We are all looking forward to a time when it is safe to gather so that we can celebrate our 20th anniversary and celebrate Miss Vickie's retirement at the same time. This place would not be what it is today without all her years of love and devotion building it into what it has become.
I have also had the opportunity to travel with Miss Vickie and Paul Mullican, our board chair, to visit some of the families we serve. I was pleased to be able to meet a few of them, and I am looking forward to a time when I can meet the rest of the community!
I am in conversations with board members, and I would love to be in conversation with our community members as well. I want to know where you see the Open Arms Community headed in the next 20 years. How about the next 10 years? The next 5?
With the COVID-19 pandemic, we don't quite know what THIS year will bring. But we have faith that God will lead us through. We have a strong community who is dedicated to serving those in need. We will find ways to help the students who need tutoring and help those families who are the most in need in whatever ways we can. We are stronger together. God will see us through.
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