We packed in a lot with the Fellows before they headed home for Christmas break. We wrapped up our final classes of the semester, served at LEAD Girls and Christmas for the City, and more!
Leader Lunch
We met with some incredible leaders this month. We kicked things off with Denise Heidel, Executive Director of the Lewisville-Clemmons Chamber of Commerce. Denise has been an enthusiastic supporter of the Fellows as a valued employer and Board member. We finished the month with Kelly King, former CEO and Executive Chairman of BB&T, who shared a wealth of wisdom on leadership, faith, and living a life of purpose.
We also had the opportunity to serve with LEAD Girls. Our Fellows helped organize bags and supplies they provide the girls they serve, and we spent time workshopping ideas and potential names for a new program they are hoping to launch. We can’t wait to see where they land and how it will impact the girls in their community!
Classes
We wrapped up a Spiritual Formation class with David Hughes, retired pastor of First Baptist Church and now a Spiritual Director. In addition, the Fellows participated in a class on the Foundations of Racial Reconciliation, with material written by a local friend of the Fellows. Both classes were challenging and encouraging, pushing the Fellows to reflect, engage, and grow.
Christmas Party
Our annual Christmas party is not your average white elephant gift exchange. This year we added Christmas Trivia amongst some "Reindeer Games" as we competed for gifts. Thanks to Dharma, MC, and Gracie for hosting and participating!
Christmas All Around
Above, Alana, and Holden lit the advent candles at Hope. Additionally, Alana played her violin for a joint service with Hope and Redeemer.
We like to end this semester with a Fellows-style Moravian Lovefeast.
Birthdays
Last year's class, as well as the gals from this year, surprised sweet Ava for her birthday.
We also had the chance to celebrate Holden on his actual birthday! Holden is authentic, hardworking, and as humble as they come. We are incredibly grateful for the way he shows up and for the joy he brings to our class this year.
Christmas for the City
The final thing we do together before Fellows leave for Christmas break is serve at the city’s largest Christmas celebration: Christmas for the City. We are incredibly grateful for the work Love Out Loud does to make this event possible and humbled to play a small part in serving our community. It was especially meaningful to serve alongside several Fellows alumni as well.
Where Are They Now?
Jessica Baker
Since my Fellows year concluded in 2020, Winston-Salem has remained my home. Over the past five years, I’ve worked in copywriting, spent time employed at a local nonprofit bookstore, and now work in digital marketing at Flow Automotive Companies. Life in Winston-Salem became even better when I met my boyfriend, Ben, in 2022. We enjoy traveling together and spending time with our cat, Pierre. I’m deeply grateful for my time in the Fellows program, especially for the lifelong friendships it has given me. The people I met through the program continue to bring joy to my life and have shaped my understanding of what it means to care for and invest in the community you’re part of.
Dr. Haley (Westervelt) Mabry
After my Fellows year, I attended Wake Forest Medical School and graduated last May. While in medical school, I married Hayes (class of 2021-2022). We absolutely love and adore our community in Winston-Salem. So much so we stayed for my internal medicine residency!
Five years out from completing the Fellows Program, I continue to realize the benefit of my time as a Fellow in new ways. After completing Fellows in 2020 and during Covid lockdown, I stayed in Winston-Salem for a year to discern the next step in my career. In August 2021, I moved to Washington, D.C. to pursue a Master’s in Public Health in Health Policy. Four years later, I’m working as grant writer and lobbyist for non-profits, and my work continues to be informed by my faith and all that I learned from Fellows. I met my husband here (a native North Carolinian and fellow UNC grad!) and we were married in November 2024. With one year of marriage under our belts, we are so grateful for the Lord’s blessings in our lives, and eagerly anticipate the arrival of Baby Miller in May 2026!
Mattie (Weldon) Zanin
I can’t believe it’s been five years since our Fellows year ended. After leaving Winston-Salem, and the sweet Brown family, I moved to Macon, Georgia. My husband, Tradd, and I spent our engagement and the first two years of our marriage there, an incredibly sweet and incredibly challenging time. Last summer, we moved back to Charleston, South Carolina and bought our first home. I work as an event planner for the Roper St. Francis Foundation. Tradd and I have enjoyed traveling both stateside and abroad, and are gearing up for an exciting family trip to Africa next summer. Each day, in both the happy and the hard, we continue to see and rely on the Lord's faithfulness. I will always be so grateful for the immeasurable ways my Fellows year taught and equipped me.
End of Year Giving
As shared previously, a very generous donor has offered a $25,000 matching gift. This means that any gift given before December 31 will be doubled, up to $25,000. We’re already over halfway to our goal! If you’d like to be a part of this and help maximize the match, you can give here.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
We are so grateful for the village of supporters it takes to make this program possible year after year. Whether you give financially, served as a Family Friend, mentor a Fellow, employ a Fellow, pray faithfully, or encourage us along the way, please know that your involvement deeply matters and has a lasting impact. Thank you for being part of this community and for investing in the lives of these young adults.
We pray this would be a time of rest, joy, and renewal for you and your loved ones. May you experience the deep love of Jesus in tangible and meaningful ways, and may His peace be especially present with you in the days ahead. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
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