 |
IN THIS ISSUE
* From the Editor
* From the Chairman
* Foster Care Support
* Managing Hustle and Bustle
* OPHELIA Merchandise
* Calling All Volunteers!
* AmazonSmile
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
JAMEECE PINCKNEY
Founder
GILBERT PINCKNEY
Chairman
DANA LATIMER
Vice Chairman
LaSHAWN WILLIAMS
Secretary
KAREN ROSSER
Treasurer
DARRYL PEEK
Financial Secretary
FAWN COLEMAN
Governance & Scholarships
LINDA ALKIRE
Marketing & Communications
RAY ROBERTSON
Community & Fundraising
|
|
|
|
FROM THE EDITOR
EVERYDAY GREATNESS
I was recently reading a magazine and ran across an intriguing phrase: everyday greatness. I took a minute to ponder exactly what the phrase meant.
I concluded that for me, it means on any given day an individual can achieve greatness — not through acts of public heroism or by making grand gestures, but through quiet, ordinary acts of kindness and compassion.
We usually have an awareness of the many needs that exist in our local communities; we’re often inundated with requests to donate money and various other items to worthy causes. Most of us respond to one or more of these requests, pat ourselves on the back, and are content in knowing we did a good thing. But we leave it at that.
However, the more attuned we become to smaller
ways we can each actively make a difference on a sustained, personal level, the more likely we are to achieve everyday greatness.
For example, if someone you know is a shut-in or suffering from a long or chronic illness, a quick call, visit, or card in the mail can make all the difference. If you’re at a fast food store, pay it forward for the person waiting behind you. When you come across someone in a motorized shopping cart at the store struggling to reach an item on a higher shelf, a stranger who needs a door to be held, or even a friend who needs an encouraging word, reach out and help or speak up. The opportunities are limitless, it costs us nothing, and it means a lot.
I hereby challenge each of you to aspire to everyday greatness. You’ll be an unsung but richly deserving hero.
|
|
|
|
FROM THE CHAIRMAN
The OPHELIA Foundation is blessed with numerous, generous donor and partners, who make it possible for us to support our youth and serve our local communities. We thank you! Since 2011, we have raised more than $33,000; with your help, we hope to raise another $8,000 in the current (2018- 2019) fiscal year.
Our fiscal year runs from July 1 through June 30, and our giving campaigns are divided into quarters.
The first quarter
, from July 1 – September 30, includes our first fundraiser of the year, Party With a Purpose. This signature event garners the funds we use to support education through back-to-school supplies, college scholarships, and holiday gifts.
The second quarter
runs from October 1 – December 31. We hope you will always remember to include us in your end-of-year giving as you seek ways to maximize your tax year charitable giving.
Our third quarter
runs from January 1 – March 31, and this year we will launch a new effort: matching donations. Watch your email for more information.
During
our final quarter
, from April 1 – June 30, we close out our fiscal year, evaluate where we are, and plan for the upcoming year.
Once again, thank you for your ongoing support. Every dollar raised is used to make our mission a reality.
To make a donation, please mail a check to:
The OPHELIA Foundation
5041 Grand Beech Court, Suite 201
Haymarket, VA 20169
|
|
OPHELIA SUPPORTS FOSTER CARE PROGRAM
December 14 was a special day for The OPHELIA Foundation: we delivered holiday gifts for 40 foster children in the Fairfax County Department of Family Services Foster Care and Adoption Program. The gifts were individually selected to meet the wish lists and needs of children ranging in age from birth to 18.
OPHELIA Chairman Gil Pinckney, Founder Jameece Pinckney, and volunteers Angela Fairwell, Charlie Jones, and Jatoris Rogers personally delivered the gifts and met with Emma Marshall, Community Educator and Recruiter for the program.
This was the foundation’s first year supporting youth in foster care.
"We are so proud to make this contribution to the Foster Care and Adoption Program," said Jameece Pinckney.
“This year, we decided to expand the scope of support we provide to the youth in our local communities. Our research indicated that children in foster care are often in need, and we very much wanted to make a concrete difference in the lives of these young people during the holiday season.”
|
|
MANAGING THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE
by Karen Rosser
Embracing the hustle and bustle we encounter daily can be quite cumbersome. As I reflect on how I'm able to juggle the demands of a new job with my desire to engage in charitable giving events, I'm often amused at how everything comes together.
I have quickly learned that there are not enough hours in the day for me to be as great as I would like to be. I have had to make some major adjustments in the way I think about tasks, manage my day-to-day activities, and manage my participation in charitable giving. Prioritizing my daily life has been a key factor in enabling me to continue my successful balancing act.
Some key factors that have allowed me to be successful:
- Always maintain a healthy spiritual life. Start your day with a conversation with your GOD.
- It is imperative that you set goals (daily/weekly/monthly). Realize that not all tasks will be accomplished in a day. A thorough schedule will prove valuable.
- Remember, it’s okay to say “no.” You can't always be the life of the party or be at the party.
- Surround yourself with a good support system — people who have your best interests at heart and want you to be successful.
- People often look at things in life through different lenses. Some say the glass is half empty and some see it as have full; but I tend to believe that it’s refillable.
- Always try to see the good in everyone and in every situation. Be kinder than necessary, because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.
- Remember that people are illogical and sometimes irrational. Love them anyway.
While I don't have the solution to every situation, I hope that these few tidbits will help you in balancing your daily life. I will leave you with this final thought by author Christopher McDougall that I live by:
“Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. It doesn't matter whether you're the lion or a gazelle — when the sun comes up, you'd better be running.”
|
|
|
|
OPHELIA Foundation Merchandise Can be Yours!
Would you love a soft, warm OPHELIA Foundation throw with purple or white lettering? Or maybe a comfy white pillow with purple lettering? Or how about a sweater or polo you can wear to show your pride in our organization?
We’re pleased to offer all of these items for sale! Pillows are just $25; each of the other items is $60. All proceeds will benefit the Foundation.
Our online store will soon be up and running; we'll let you know when it's available. In the meantime, you can purchase these items by completing
our form
and emailing it to us at:
[email protected]
or mailing it to us at: 5041 Grand Beech Court, Suite 201, Haymarket, VA 20169.
|
|
Calling All Volunteers!
Are you looking for an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others? Then look no further than The OPHELIA Foundation — we need your help! Whether you want to accrue volunteer hours to meet a school requirement, or you simply want to make a tangible difference in the lives of others, please contact:
Dana Latimer
855-9-OPHELIA (855-967-4354, ext. 706)
We’ll be glad to answer any questions you might have and will work with you to set up a schedule that meets your needs.
|
|
Support The OPHELIA Foundation by Shopping on AmazonSmile!
Do you know about AmazonSmile?
It’s a website operated by Amazon, with the same products, prices, and shopping features as Amazon.com. But when you shop on AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products to a charitable organization of your choice — and we hope you’ll choose to support The OPHELIA Foundation when you do your everyday shopping!
Just click on the link below and log in using your existing Amazon.com account to select The OPHELIA Foundation as the charitable organization to receive donations from your eligible purchases.
AmazonSmile will remember your selection, and every eligible purchase you make will result in a donation.
Thank you for your support. Your generosity makes it possible for us to continue to help those in need.
|
|
Stay in contact with us through our website, Facebook, and Twitter
for updates on our activities throughout the year.
|
|
The OPHELIA Foundation:
O
pportunities to
P
rovide
H
ope,
E
mpower
L
ives, and
I
nfluence
A
dvancement.
A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization Based on the Principle of Helping Others. Established 2014.
Jameece Pinckney
, Founder
Gil Pinckney
, Chairman
Linda Alkire
, Editor
Michelle Lewis Design,
Graphics
Toll-Free 855-9-OPHELIA, Ext. 700
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
