Vote for Fellowship Square!

We urge you to vote for Fellowship Square, and to make sure that your Thrivent member friends and congregations get their votes in, too!  

Check out HUD’s strategic plan for 2006-2011

 http://www.hud.gov/offices/cfo/stratplan.cfm

Read the latest letter from Lutheran Services In America, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services, Lutheran World Relief and the ELCA to the Presidential Candidates:

http://archive.elca.org/bishop/messages/candidatesletter.html

Lake Ridge 25th Anniversary Party  June 7th 2008

Link to the: 2008 Congress Recognition of Lake Ridge 25th Anniversary

B.Sperty

April 21, 2008

Fellowship Square Foundation

Dear Fellowship Foundation,

As you are well aware, this year is the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Lake Ridge Fellowship House. I am also aware of this milestone because my own mother, Mary Salhus, has been a resident there since the very beginning.

We have seen so many changes in Lake Ridge Fellowship House in all those years – people coming and going, of course, but also the things you don’t usually think about: the size of the trees that were once tiny sticks, the change in landscaping and the surrounding Tacket’s Mill area, the décor changes as wallpaper is replaced, carpets changed, new floors put down, office personnel moving on and new faces joining the staff. Like a handmade quilt, all of these being but small squares in what is now the fabric of Lake Ridge Fellowship House.

My mother and I first saw Lake Ridge Fellowship House when it was still under construction. At the time, Sharon Farmer, the manager, was only able to show us an apartment on the main floor and even that one still had unfinished drywall and a cement floor. But we liked what we saw and my mother signed up to become one in the first group of residents to live there. I believe she is one of only three of the original residents still living there.

My children were only four and five when my mother moved in, so they grew up with numerous “grandmothers and grandfathers” thanks to those early residents, manager and staff. We saw the talent shows, the Super Bowls and I myself helped with more than one Halloween or Christmas celebration in those earlier years.

My youngest sister got married in the social hall, another sister’s husband hosted a spaghetti dinner and “sing-a-long” for the residents in that same social hall, my twin sister actually worked there in the office for a time. I’ve served cake, delivered flowers, made decorations and planted plants and met so many wonderful people there over the years.

As you can see - not only has the Lake Ridge Fellowship House been the place where my mother lives – it has been part of our lives also. We have not been as active in these last few years, but we have watched as it has grown and changed – some good, some not so good. But it is still the place my mother calls home and I am glad she has a place like this in which to live. She has a nice apartment that she can afford to live in on her own, she has friends to visit without ever leaving the building. She feels safe, it is in a good location close to stores, etc. and is close to us. And - she truly likes it there. It is her home.

I do hope the anniversary celebration is a great success! It means a great deal to so many of those long time residents. And, of course, we will be there to join in the festivities.

Sincerely,

Bettie Sperty,

 Vote for Fellowship Square!

Thrivent Financial’s Giving Plus Program has been a significant source of fundraising for Fellowship Square for many years. But Thrivent has now ended Giving Plus in favor of a new program*Thrivent Choice*that will begin this spring. We need your help in establishing our eligibility to receive funds under this new program.Thrivent Choice kicks off in April with a “Voting Event” that will give members a voice in choosing where Thrivent Financial directs a substantial portion of its charitable funds. All benefit and associate members aged 16 and older will be able to vote either online or by mailing in a business reply card inserted into the April issue of Thrivent magazine. Voters will select their favorite organization from a list drawn up by Thrivent and will then record their vote with a few clicks on Thrivent.com or by mailing in the card from the magazine. Thrivent Financial will proportionally distribute $1 million among the participating charities, based on the votes received. If more than 400,000 members (15% of the total membership) submit a vote during this first Thrivent Choice Voting Event, Thrivent Financial will proportionally distribute a bonus of $1 million to the national charities. We urge you to vote for Fellowship Square, and to make sure that your Thrivent member friends and congregations get their votes in, too!