Beacon Newsletter - Winter 2009
A Message from Mindy Steinkruger, new Board Chairperson
“Service is the price we pay for the space we occupy.”
 |
| Marva Smalls, Vice President of Nickelodeon |
Marva Smalls, a Florence native who is VP for Nickelodeon in New York City recently shared this sentiment with Lighthouse Ministries friends at the Pink and White Illumination event held in August.
What an exciting season at Lighthouse Ministries! I’ve stepped into the shoes of Board Chairperson Vivian Gallman-DeRienzo, who has taken a new position with Denmark Technical School in Denmark, SC. I was especially attracted to the mission of
Lighthouse Ministries because of its careful stewardship. Volunteers provide approximately 90% of the service hours and the overhead is unusually low. Lighthouse Ministries has already provided services in the form of food, housing and
utility subsidies and other emergency aid to over 1600 families this year.
I wish you could spend a morning at Lighthouse Ministries here on East Elm Street. The phone is ringing off the hook. Who is calling? Monday, Robert called. He’s a serviceman newly returned from a second tour in Afghanistan. He came home to a dark, cold house because his electricity was cut off due to a glitch in his military pay. Angela, a working mother of 3, called next. Her husband just abandoned the family and she faces eviction due to overdue rent. We had a call from Grace, age 87, who worked in a textile mill for 35 years. She receives $10 a month in food stamps but needs canned goods to tide her over until next month. Robert, Angela and Grace each met privately with a Volunteer Advocate and received the emergency help they needed. Most importantly, they know someone cares. We hear the economy is improving but the recovery is slow in reaching Florence County. In the meantime, Lighthouse Ministries is swamped with unprecedented demands for help with overdue utilities, rent, medications, etc.
Thank you on behalf of Robert, Angela and Grace and the staff, volunteers and the board at Lighthouse Ministries. We wish you a special season of Thanksgiving.
Mindy Steinkruger