Skip to main content

December Update

 


December Update

This month went by especially quickly because we only had three full weeks together before Christmas break. However, we seemed to pack a lot in! Apparently we were having so much fun we didn't take as many photos. 


It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas


Madison A's family owns a Christmas tree lot, so she brought back the cutest tree. It smells wonderful and has the perfect topper...a sombrero!

Service



The Fellows have had a blast serving with a variety of nonprofits this month. Above you can see them bringing Christmas cheer to the Penny Campaign with Samaritan Ministries. 


We also had the opportunity to work with LEAD girls. This was our first time partnering with this incredible organization that works with low income/at risk pre-teen girls. They are doing remarkable work empowering, equipping and educating these young girls. We helped pack winter bags for the girls, then had the chance to write some encouraging notes that will be given out through the year. 


It's a Fellow's tradition to end the semester by volunteering at Christmas for the City, and this year was no exception. We had a blast and served in various roles. We were thrilled to be with Santa and Mrs. Claus (also Madison A's mentor)!


Having Fun


The Fellows really enjoy exploring all Winston has to offer. They found a local skate rink to take them back to the nostalgia of their childhood. 

Leader Lunch


Since we served at LEAD girls one afternoon, we only had two Leader Lunches this month. However, what we lacked in quantity, we made up for in quality! First, we met with the incredible Lynn Barclay Brewer. Lynn has been incredible leader and trail blazer her entire career. We are fortunate enough to have her on our Board as well. 


Then, we had the honor of meeting with Dr. Tony Atala. Although Dr. Atala is a world renowned physician, he is incredibly humble. He helped us understand what the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine does and how their cutting-edge work is saving lives. And more importantly, he shared how his faith and study of science have overlapped. As if that wasn't enough, we then had the chance to go on a tour of the WFIRM with Anastasia. 


Round Table



One thing is for sure, as a Fellow, you are well fed. We didn't get any pictures but were hosted by Tim and Deborah Gardner earlier this month. Then, the amazing Julie Gupton outdid herself once again with a wonderful meal and beautifully set table. 

Christmas Party


Our last Round Table was actually our Christmas party hosted by several alumni: Bryn, Sarah and Louise! We played our traditional game of Dirty Santa, but with several twists. There was some fun competition and lots of laughs. 


Celebrations


Another annual Fellow's tradition is our version of a Moravian Lovefeast. A sweet time together before wrapping up this semester. 


Happy Birthday Ava! We celebrated Ava after a delicious lunch of the best tacos in town followed by homemade cheesecake. 

Giving


We are very grateful for the many donors that make this program possible. In fact, almost 50% of our annual budget is raised by local support. This year, we've been given the lavish gift of a 25k match for the month of December. As you consider your end of year giving, we humbly ask that you help us meet our match and your gift will be doubled! Learn more here.

Merry Christmas!


If you're receiving this update, then you have some connection to the Winston-Salem Fellows program. We would like to say thank you for your support. We are constantly in awe of the incredible young men and women that come to our city through this program. Wherever you are this Christmas season and whatever is going on:

 "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in faith so that you overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" Romans 15:13. 































































Comments

Popular posts from this blog

April 2025

April 2025 Update It's our last full month with the Fellows from the class of 2024-2025, and it was a full one! We celebrated as several Fellows received job offers to stay in Winston Salem. A couple are still looking, but we are crossing our fingers that all nine will remain here next year.  Bryn and Dean Got Married! Well, they actually tied the knot back in February but we forgot to mention them in the last update! Bryn and Dean actually met walking down the aisle together for AJ and Bailey's wedding a few years ago. Fortunately for us, they are still in Winston Salem. We had a wonderful time celebrating them and enjoying a reunion of sorts with folks from several Fellows classes.  Ecuador Video! The very talented Jed put together a short video to capture part of our time in Ecuador. We couldn't possibly show everything, but please check it out!   Leader Lunches We had another stellar lineup this month! A fun fact: every speaker was either a current or former employers...

Ecuador: Days 5 and 6

  Ecuador: Days 5 and 6 Day 5! Started off the day by taking our friends from El Reypin to the park for a field trip. After a delightful drive, we hopped off the bus and circled up in the sunshine to play some games. There were smiles all around as we laughed, ran, jumped, sang, and danced with our buddies! This was truly one of our favorite days playing with our new friends. Kevin was the star in one of our games. He was asked to test his athletic abilities by running around with a bucket tied to his back while being chased by 10 children. He was no match, and every single one of them threw a ball in the bucket. Next time, Kevin! We finished off our park day with a yummy hotdog topped with mayo, onions, tomatoes, and potato chips.   Afterwards, we journeyed to the center of the Earth. That's right! The Equator. Zero degrees latitude didn't hold anything on this peculiar group of individuals. The Fellows not only survived but looked fly doing it. And that is really all th...

May 2025

May 2025  Above, you'll see how it started versus how it ended. May has been a bittersweet month as we officially wrapped up the ninth class of Winston-Salem Fellows. What a year it has been—full of growth, laughter, challenges, and transformation. Truly, an incredible year worth celebrating! World Relief Race Earlier this spring, the Fellows were deeply impacted by our time with Jon Musser as we learned about the incredible work World Relief is doing here in the Triad. So when they heard that River Oaks Community Church was hosting a 5K to benefit World Relief, they were all in. And apparently, they brought their A-game—Steve and Ellie both placed in their divisions! Leader Lunches Our final two Leader Lunches were spent with two remarkable individuals. First, we heard from Charlie Barham of Cassia Capital, followed by a meaningful conversation with Amy Carlan, Associate Pastor at First Presbyterian. Classes We wrapped up the year with two of our longest classes. First, Gospel-Cen...