Gleanings from the Field Gleanings from the Field Gleanings from the Field Gleanings from the Field Sharing Our

Common Wealth Fall 2008

Our Mission:

The mission of Boaz & Ruth is to rebuild lives and communities through relationships, training, transitional jobs and economic revitalization.

P.O. Box 6129 3030 Meadowbridge Rd

Richmond, VA 23222

We’re on the Web www.boazandruth.com

REBUILDINGREBUILDINGREBUILDINGREBUILDING

EMPOWERINGEMPOWERINGEMPOWERINGEMPOWERING

Graduates Share Desire for ChangeGraduates Share Desire for ChangeGraduates Share Desire for ChangeGraduates Share Desire for Change

Do You Need Gifts for the Holidays? Are You

Hosting a Party? Boaz & Ruth Has You Covered!

The holiday season is the perfect time to visit the Boaz & Ruth village! Unique gifts are available at the Harvest Store, the shops at Fire House 15 and Sunny Days Thrift Boutique. During your visit, treat yourself to a meal at Fire House 15 (we recommend the crusted salmon salad, and the neighborhood favorite: a grilled cheese sandwich with soup). Or, let Diamond Catering bring the goodness to you. The Boaz & Ruth village is on Meadowbridge Road in Highland Park near the Six Points intersec-tion. Sunny Days and the Harvest Store are open Monday-Saturday 11:00 AM-5:00 PM. Fire House 15 ~ Shops & Restaurant is open Monday-Friday 7:00 AM-4:00 PM and Saturday 8:00 AM-3:00 PM and features daily lunch specials. Visit www.boazandruth.com or call (804) 329-4900 for more information.

It has been a big year for Donna Scaturro. For one thing, she just passed the one-year recovery milestone. She has also received her drivers license, purchased a car and had her voting rights restored in time for the election. AND she graduated from Boaz & Ruth on her third time coming to the program. When asked why she thought she succeeded at Boaz & Ruth on the third try, she explained, “I’ve learned resilience, not to give up. My return was never as I imagined, but I was always welcomed back with love and hopefulness. They really wanted me to succeed.” Donna was richly rewarded at her graduation: the daughter she hadn’t seen in 11 years was in attendance… and she brought grandchildren who Donna met for the first time. She said,

“This program goes far beyond job training. It is about reconnect-ing with family.” And Donna’s fu-ture? She has signed a contract for another year at B&R and will begin courses in Human Services at J. Sargeant Reynolds in January. She currently holds a Public Administration degree. “I don’t know where God is going to lead me, but I will tackle it with integrity and dedication. I feel grounded because I have roots now.”

Over 100 people gathered on November 20 to honor Boaz & Ruth’s sixth graduating class at the Richmond Police Academy. During the poignant and joyful ceremony, each of the 12 graduates shared a piece of his or her personal story. For some, graduation marked a step in a larger plan for change. Graduate Rochan Johnson shared, “I never thought I would walk across a stage and finish a program. I’m just not going to give up.” Tommy Cox echoed her desire to continue growing. “I will continue this metamor-phosis into something I will be proud of and eve-ryone here will be proud of.” Other graduates took the opportunity to thank God for His goodness. After sharing how his life had been spared multiple times, Larry Riddick witnessed, “God is in my life and He is in my life for a reason.” Victor Evans simply expressed gratitude, saying, “I thank God for working through the vessel of Boaz & Ruth to change people like us.”

Newly-appointed Chief of Police Bryan Nor-wood congratulated the graduates, saying, “I salute you and charge you to do much more work.” He encouraged the grads to “reach down and grab one more… bring someone with you.”

(continued on page 2)

Milestones Donna Scaturro

CONNECTINGCONNECTINGCONNECTINGCONNECTING

Sharon Coleman’s Answered PrayerSharon Coleman’s Answered PrayerSharon Coleman’s Answered PrayerSharon Coleman’s Answered Prayer

Sharon Coleman believes that God works in mysterious ways—including through fashion. She says she first came to Boaz & Ruth because she saw a beautiful sundress in the window of Sunny Days Thrift Boutique. When she went into the store to inquire about the dress, she met a friend she had known at Rubicon, a substance abuse rehabilitation program. Her friend told her about the B&R program and Sharon knew it was an answer to prayer. Sharon didn’t have a job, and lacked clothes and transportation. God’s perfect solution? Partici-pation in the B&R AmeriCorps program at Sunny Days which is within walking distance of her home and where she can purchase clothes inex-pensively. For Sharon, Boaz & Ruth is the next step in a journey of personal recovery and rec-onciliation with her family.

After losing her husband 12 years ago, Sharon was introduced to heroin, believing it would help her rest. Ten years and one relapse later, Sharon is sober and focused on her family and the future. (see Prayer on page 2)

Kenneth Jones celebrates his achievement while addressing guests at the graduation ceremony.

Sharon Coleman (center) with her daughter Tiah Davis (left) and niece Syreeta Hartley.

(continued from page 1)

The theme of the night was established by Bonnie Dowdy, Training Coordinator. She explained that, “The graduates are building a cathedral for this city to see what is possible when people come together.” All of the graduates were part of Boaz & Ruth’s partnership with AmeriCorps. As such, they focused on providing service to the com-munity while completing the Boaz & Ruth pro-gram. Looking ahead, four graduates are continuing their education at local colleges and trade schools. Others will seek full-time employ-ment and some have agreed to stay on at Boaz & Ruth to build capacity. All of the graduates credit Boaz & Ruth with teaching them per-sonal skills like conflict resolution and account-ability that are vital to self-sufficiency.

PAGE 2

“Affirmation Circle” “Affirmation Circle” “Affirmation Circle” “Affirmation Circle” by Mary Fran Hughes-McIntyre

Upcoming EventsUpcoming EventsUpcoming EventsUpcoming Events

December

Christmas Caroling Thursday, December 18 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Includes dinner January

MLK, Jr. Event Monday, January 19 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Fifth Street Baptist Church Includes dinner February

Beyond Dialogue: 4-Part Dinner-and-movie series Thursdays Jan 29, Feb 5, 12, 19 6:00 PM—9:30 PM

Informational Lunches Thursday, December 18 12:00 PM—1:30 PM Informational Lunches Tuesday, January 6 Thursday, January 15 12:00 PM—1:30 PM Informational Lunches Tuesday, February 3 Thursday, February 19 12:00 PM—1:30 PM

PAGE 3 Board of

Directors

Winnie Westbrook

Chair Virginia State University

Tom Edmonds

Chair-Elect

Virginia State Bar (retired)

Twandra Lomax-Brown

Vice Chair J. Sargeant Reynolds Comm.

College

Dick Mateer

Secretary University of Richmond

(Retired)

Steve Mapp

Treasurer First Market Bank

Robert Dortch Richmond Region 2007

Carole Farnham

Psychologist (Retired)

Reginald Gordon

Greater Richmond Chapter –

American Red Cross

Addison Hagan, IV

Bank of America

Yvonne Haynes Richmond Behavioral Health

Authority

Darius Johnson

Consolidated Bank

Jennifer McClellan

Virginia House of Delegates Verizon

Corell Halsey Moore Math Teacher/Engineer

Tom Nicholson Nicholson Law PLC

Taylor Reveley

Hunton Williams

Claude Stevens

Boaz & Ruth

Charles Summers

First Presbyterian Church

Clarence Taylor

Boaz & Ruth Graduate

Marilyn Wayland Free Agents Marketing

Willie Woodson First United Presbyterian

Church

President, CEO

Martha F. Rollins

Graduates “Building a Cathedral”Graduates “Building a Cathedral”Graduates “Building a Cathedral”Graduates “Building a Cathedral”

For information on any of these events, or to make reservations, please call (804) 329-4900 ext. 203 or email reservations @boazandruth.com.

Boaz & Ruth is proud to be supported by a diverse funding base. Approximately one third of expenses are covered by community support, a third by revenues from B&R businesses and a third by government grants - primarily funding from AmeriCorps for Trainee stipends. So how do you impact the people of Boaz & Ruth? Here are some examples of what your donations provide:

What’s Your Impact?What’s Your Impact?What’s Your Impact?What’s Your Impact?

$35 - Provides an hour of life coaching for a Trainee. Trainees identify long-term goals and map steps to reach those goals. $250 - Provides ServSafe food service class and industry certifica-tion test for Trainees in Diamond Catering.

$750 - Provides a refrigerator/freezer for a blighted home that is being rehabbed for transitional housing. $1250 - Provides a washer and dryer for a blighted home that is being rehabbed for transitional housing.

encouraging people to “rebuild, em-power, connect.” Individuals were lifted up for good

deeds of the day: Roger for helping move furniture back into the Sunny Days clothing shop, a man for becom-ing a senior apprentice (He got a Tri-ple Power Clap), Bonnie for her hard work, and many others.

The most moving affirmation was offered by Larry, who repeatedly insisted that a woman in soft blue join the circle: “This is my wife of 26 years. I want to express my ap-

preciation of her for the first time in a public setting. She raised our children, and I wasn’t there. She held down a job and made ends meet. I wasn’t there. She was there for me (tears flowed). I just want to say ‘Thank you.’” A triple power clap erupted

after Larry said “ONE, TWO, THREE…” The circle joined hands after the clap for a closing prayer. All had been in the presence of God, the center of our circle of life’s new choices.

At Boaz and Ruth’s store I slipped into a comfortable upholstered chair where I could hear their meeting in the adjacent classroom. To my sur-prise, Martha Rollins, their grey-haired warm co-founder and CEO, spotted me and invited me to join the meeting. About 25 people rebuilding lives discussed how the Diamonds Talent Show and community fair fit with Boaz and Ruth’s mission of reha-bilitating the commu-nity. Then we moved into a large affirma-tion circle with joined hands in front of a bare brick wall and plastered walls with flip chart paper proclaim-ing the mission and guidelines, and

2008 GRADUATES

Charles Alexander Debra Covington

Tommy Cox Victor Evans

Rochan Johnson Kenneth Jones

Crawley Patterson Wendell Randolph

Larry Riddick Donna Scaturro Michael Waddy Shaun Walters

Coming on the eve of the in-auguration of our country’s first African-American Presi-dent, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day will be even more special this January. Please come celebrate Dr. King’s life and vision with Boaz & Ruth! We will mark the occasion with a worship service at Fifth Street Baptist Church, fol-lowed by a candlelight walk and a community dinner.

Monday, January 19, 2009

6:00 p.m. Worship @ 5th St Baptist Church 2800 Third Avenue in Highland Park

7:00 p.m. Candlelight Walk

to Boaz & Ruth 3030 Meadowbridge Road where dinner will be served

Wendell Randolph and Rochan Johnson

MLK Event in JanuaryMLK Event in JanuaryMLK Event in JanuaryMLK Event in January

(Prayer continued from page 1)

She says the motivation she needed to quit using drugs came when her granddaughter didn’t recognize her. She realized that nothing was more important to her than her family. Today, Sharon has a strong relationship with her children and grandchildren. She says that Boaz & Ruth has encouraged her to have ambi-

tion and to forgive herself for the past. Now she is being strong for her daughter, Tiah, who was born with only one kidney and is in need of transplant. Like every mother, Sharon wants to see her children thrive. She continues to have hope for the future and is looking forward to many more family dinners and Easter egg hunts with her grandchildren.