Pine Street Pine Street Presbyterian Church
VOLUME 35 | ISSUE 11
NOVEMBER 1, 2015
Helping Hands Lead to Success by Trudy Brunot
Our Adult Learning Center volunteer Learning Facilitators regularly applaud student progress in math, English, reading and social studies. Now, as the Center celebrates its one-year anniversary, the teaching staff also extends kudos to two ALC “graduates” who recently have achieved their own very significant learning goals. After many months of looking for work, Karen Harrison has just found fulltime employment with National Recovery Agency, and Samantha Ferrelli has earned her GED and enrolled in college. Both arrived at the Center with quite different needs but left with the same memory: the ALC’s warm welcome, non-judgmental attitude, and individualized learning approach gave them both the confidence they needed to succeed.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Ms. Harrison met with learning facilitators twice a week for several months to improve her math skills and English grammar and vocabulary after suddenly and unexpectedly losing her job when her longtime employer cut staff. “The greeting I got from the ALC Director, Kathleen, made me feel truly welcome and at ease, and I was really overwhelmed at how all the facilitators accepted me. I never felt inferior going to the Center. The facilitators never looked down on me for lacking skills. Instead, they set the right atmosphere for learning and made me feel so comfortable,” she said. Karen attributes the guidance her learning facilitators gave her with passing the battery of pre-employment tests she had to take for her new job. “I hadn’t had much algebra, but the refresher I got at the ALC boosted
DDB. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 November Calendar. . . . . . . 7 November Scripture . . . . . . 8
November At A Glance Bagels & Belief . . . . . . . . . . 1 Grief Share. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Veterans Breakfast . . . . . . . 14
See Success on page 2
PSL Deadline
Surviving the Holidays Monday, November 9, 2015, 7:15 – 9:15pm Pine Street will again offer “Grief Share: Surviving the Holidays”. This is a warm, encouraging, and helpful event for anyone dealing with the pain of grief and loss during the upcoming holiday season. The program will be led by Rev. Heather Sigler, with support from Stephen Ministers and Deacons. The evening features a video presentation and group discussion. The video provides practical tips on how to survive the holidays, See Grief on page 3
Articles, photos and items of interest for the December 2015 issue of Pine Street Life are due by November 15, 2015. Please e-mail to Sue Black at
BL3COL@aol.com