Visions NewsletterFALL EDITION

NOVEMBER 2014

Staff members have fun at the annual picnic!

In July of 2012, Eliada launched “The Inner Circle,” an internal staff campaign to raise money, and an opportunity for staff to be leaders in fundraising for the children of Eliada. The campaign name was in reference to Eliada’s first-ever fundraising campaign called “The Eliada Circle.”

According to Dr. Compton, Eliada’s founder: “The Eliada Circle Family is formed of people who take the time to estimate the value of the life of a child… and who are willing to contribute … for the maintenance of this Institution.”

I am proud to report that in just over two years, Eliada’s staff have raised over $10,000!

Our staff works tirelessly day in and day out to serve children in need. As the leader of this organization, I couldn’t be prouder of all the ways they have lived our mission, Helping Children Succeed!

Thank you to everyone who has ever donated time, money, energy, or who has prayed and kept the children of Eliada in your thoughts.

FROM MARK’S DESK

Mark C. Upright, J.D., M.B.A.President, CEOAttorney at Law

Sincerely,

VOLUNTEER HEROES

This year, we depended on volunteer-staff to run field trips for school groups on Thursdays and Fridays at the Corn Maze. Christina and David Upright jumped at the chance to help! Christina stationed herself at the slides while David drove the cow train. We could not have created such wonderful field trip experiences without them!

To learn more about volunteer opportunities at Eliada visit www.eliada.org/get-involved/volunteerism or Contact Mikal McKee at mmckee@eliada.org.

Thank you Christina and David and every volunteer who participated in such an amazing Corn Maze!

The Corn Maze raised over

$175,000 to support children

at Eliada!

The Eliada School of Trade Arts (ESTA) Culinary Program is in its third year of existence, and you’ve probably heard a lot about it, maybe even joined us for a luncheon catered by our students! But what you may not know is that our students are paired with staff members on campus who have nothing to do with the program at all. This staff member serves as a shoulder to lean on, a voice of encouragement, an advocate, and a life-long mentor. Two very special mentor-mentee relationships have developed within the last year. Emily, our first female student, built a bond with Sabrina, a member of Eliada’s Foster Care team. They have been on walks in Carrier Park, held a tea party, gone to the movies, and gone discount shopping together.

As Emily puts it, “I go to Sabrina when I need cheering up, or when I need someone to try my food!”

Sabrina draws on her life experiences to be the best mentor possible. Having moved around a lot, she has faced her share of struggles and developed a strong sense of humility and compassion. “My hope is that Emily knows she is not behind the curve, and I want to help her to be ready to rise up.”

A SHOULDER TO LEAN ON

DeAndre’s mentor is Jamel, a staff member in Eliada’s Fiscal Department. DeAndre says Jamel “keeps me looking forward”.

Jamel sees that as his role too. They mostly talk and discuss challenges in the program, personal issues with family, and anything else going on in DeAndre’s life. For fun, they play basketball together. As a mentor, Jamel also sees his role as helping DeAndre set personal goals. Most recently DeAndre decided that every Wednesday he’d get to work at 7am, before any of his peers arrive, so that he can get extra work done. He told Jamel this goal, and now Jamel helps hold him to it, encouraging his work ethic and enthusiasm along the way!

According to Jamel, “Mentoring not only makes me happy but gives me true joy.”

Eliada Academy is a day treatment program serving students who need structured treatment in conjunction with their education. The Academy is using the Superflex curriculum and seeing amazing results with students diagnosed with autism who struggle with understanding events, relating to other people, and relating to objects.

In the curriculum, students learn how to take on the Team of Unthinkables: Rock Brain, Space Invader, Topic Twister Meister, Mean Jean, and Glassman. The Team of Unthinkables are each embodied in a cartoon character and represent a different behavior and challenge. In class, the teacher reads a comic book about Rock Brain, a character who gets stuck on what he wants to do and gets in trouble because he cannot change his mind, getting mad in the process. Students in class then put on their Superflex capes and invite Superflex into the classroom! Superflex, the main superhero, teaches the class ways to deal with the Unthinkables.

According to Nicole Gamblin, a Lead Teacher in the Academy,

“Superflex is a really creative curriculum that uses a superhero theme to teach skills for dealing with problems. In the end students discover their own inner superhero!”

FINDING YOUR INNER SUPERHERO!

FINDING YOUR INNER SUPERHERO!

Learn how students in the Academy overcome Rock Brain and summon Superflex by attending a luncheon. The Academy nominates a Student of the Month, and every month, these students get to attend Eliada’s luncheon catered by the students in the Eliada School of Trade Arts!

Lunches occur every 4th Thursday of the month in Eliada’s PARC building. RSVP to Tami Ruckman at 254-5356 x306 or truckman@eliada.org to join us and our students for lunch! To the right is a photo of a very shy student from the Academy meeting Chef Donna McCrain with his teacher Nicole Gamblin.

ATTEND A MONTHLY LUNCHEON!

THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

Sponsor a Child for the HolidaysWith your help, every child at Eliada will be smiling Christmas morning! Here’s how it works:

• We provide you with the wish list of a needy child and a list of guidelines.

• The wish list includes the child’s hobbies, clothing sizes, greatest needs, and greatest wants.

• You stick to a budget of $150 per child, and go shopping!

To sponsor a child, contact Jewel Tavener at jtavener@eliada.org or (828) 254-5356 x300. You can also make a donation of $150 and Eliada’s staff will shop for presents for a child on your behalf. Go to eliada.org and click on the gold donate button!

VOLUNTEER AT ELIADA’S CHRISTMAS PARTYWe are also seeking individuals and groups to assist us with our Christmas party on December 18th. This party is for our children, their families, foster families, and Eliada’s dedicated staff.

We need volunteers to prepare food, provide decorations, decorate our gym, and create Christmas crafts for the kids!

If your group would like to lend a helping hand, contact Tami Ruckman at (828) 254-5356 x306.

SAVE THE DATE FOR THE 2014 CHRISTMAS TEASUNDAY, DECEMBER 7th FROM 2-4PM

We invite you to our home for our favorite holiday

tradition. This year, the Tea will be held on Eliada’s 320 acre campus and feature our very own students! Join us for an afternoon of English Tea, a visit with Santa, carolers, Christmas Tree lighting and more.

For more information about attending the event, contact Jewel Tavener: jtavener@eliada.org, or

(828) 254-5356 x300

The 22nd Annual National Gingerbread House Competition is about to kick off at The Omni Grove Park Inn. Though it doesn’t cost anything to see the houses, it does cost to park at the Inn. But during the week of November 19th-25th, a portion of those proceeds come to Eliada! Our own ESTA chefs in training will be decorating and handing out Gingerbread cookies at the door! Also, students in Eliada Academy will be submitting their own Gingerbread replica of the Eliada campus, so please plan to come and support our students that week!

Select something off this wish list to purchase, and help provide a richer experience for our students! Contact Tami Ruckman at 254-5356 x306 about checking items off this list.

There are so many ways to help Eliada’s children succeed!

ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAMFour recent college graduates are bringing Creative Writing, Theater, Music, and Visual Arts to the children every weekday! 2 guitars, keyboard, & hand-held rhythm instruments (gently used is ok) Journals and unique writing pens BE PREPARED!Eliada has back-up generators for each cottage, but no larger generator that could heat the gym or barn. 20 KW generator (gently used is ok) ESTA PROGRAMLong-term foster care students are learning to be Chefs, but we don’t quite have all the equipment we need to teach them, or make them self-sufficient. Icemaker Small greenhouse White or Black Table Linens for banquet tables Automobiles (used is ok) Suitcases A CHILD’S FIRST NIGHTSometimes a child’s first night at Eliada is also their first night ever away from home. Twin sheets Towels Blankets Pillows Toiletries (toothpaste, toothbrush, shampoo, conditioner, body wash) Restaurant gift cards (for foster families) OUTDOOR SPACEEliada just completed the renovation of our Quad! We still need a few things, though.

Garden Benches

Fulfill a Wish

HomeTrust Bank donates new bikes and

helmets to Eliada’s Child Development Center!

Eliada’s new Quad and outdoor patio are complete!

Fulfill a Wish

Eliada received a $10,000 Corn Maze sponsorship from Rite Aid and has been chosen to participate in the company’s KidsCents program! Please consider supporting

Rite Aid as you do business in the community!

Rite Aid customers can round up their purchases to the nearest dollar and donate their change to a general fund that supports kid-focused charities. That fund includes Eliada!

2 Compton Drive, Asheville, NC 28806

P.O. Box 16708Asheville, NC 28816

Eliada.org | (828) 254-5356