Thornwell Campus Blog

Photo taken by Ed Long

Thornwell Home for Children really knows how to bring a community together. Mild weather, a beautiful bike route, door prizes, good chili, and GREAT music – all to support children and families in need – made for a perfect gathering of Thornwell residents, staff, alumni and community supporters.

Thornwell Home for Children’s inaugural UNO® RUN* and bike rally presented by Destination Honda and Champions of Thornwell was held on Saturday, April 21^st. Thirty UNO Run participants started out from Destination Honda and followed an 80-mile route through Laurens County and parts of Greenwood County, ending up on Thornwell’s campus.

The event entertained about 150 people on the football field of Thornwell with a HUGE chili cook-off, karate demonstration by Thornwell’s Ferguson Cottage elementary school-aged boys, live performances by Family Crest, art sale by one of Thornwell’s residents, biker contests, and free giveaways. The prize of $150 for the best hand was split between YoYo Benjamin and Kelly Spaugh. The cash prize for the worst hand was awarded to Thornwell Family Teacher, Jon Biron. Several other prizes were given to contest victors, chili cook-off winners, and the 50/50 game champion who graciously donated his winnings back to Thornwell.

As a first-time event, the planning committee was hoping to break even. With sponsorships and event day proceeds, the inaugural UNO® Run brought in just shy of $2,000 (net) for the children at Thornwell Home for Children! “We are thrilled at the result and look forward to making next year’s UNO® Run even bigger!” said event chair, Kerry Goodson.

Again, we’d like to thank this year’s UNO® Run sponsors: Destination Honda, TD Bank, Presort Plus, Sadler-Hughes Apothecary, Holmes Photography, Joyeux Fabrics, Southside Salon, and Steamers Café. This event also would not have been possible without our committed volunteers and event chair, Kerry Goodson. On behalf of the many children helped at Thornwell this year, we thank you for your support and participation.

Champions of Thornwell is a volunteer association that seeks to raise both awareness and funds to support Thornwell Home for Children. If you haven’t heard of Thornwell, please visit www.thornwell.org or call the Home at 1-888-310-9387 to find out why Thornwell is so different from other children’s homes and group foster care facilities. It is more than housing—it is a family-style home that nurtures hurting children holistically.

*UNO is a registered trademark of Mattel.

Being avid ball players themselves, our Ferguson Cottage boys were thrilled when they received the offer to participate in a “real college game.” This Wednesday, some of our boys from Ferguson Cottage will be throwing the opening pitch for Presbyterian College’s men’s baseball game against Furman. This honor will certainly be a highlight of the week for our elementary school aged guys. If you can, come out to the game at the PC Baseball Complex and show your support for Ferguson Cottage and Presbyterian College! Visit PC’s baseball web page for more details.

Thornwell kids pose for a picture with this year's Farrell Fund beneficiaries.

The Wilson O. Farrell Philanthropy Fund was started years ago as an avenue for the Thornwell School’s high school ethics class to learn about philanthropy. Mr. Wilson Farrell from Columbia, SC, set up the fund requiring students to research all kinds of charities throughout the year. Each spring, the kids would vote on which charities should receive the interest drawn from the Fund. 

In 2007, Thornwell’s Christian Educator, Finley Sutton, worked with fellow church staff to create a program for the Farrell Fund despite the absence of the school. It was decided that the Thornwell youth groups would take it on.

A stipulation for the Fund is that the youth serve in the agencies where they make contributions whenever possible.  Throughout the year, our kids are involved in a variety of service efforts such as helping with Relay for Life, Harvest Hope Food Bank, Laurens Cluster Food Bank, making care packages or cards for LaHatte, and other projects.  

Last week, Thornwell distributed funds to: Bethany Youth Summer Camp, Celeste Houston for World Race, Harvest Hope Food Bank, LaHatte School in Haiti, Laurens Cluster Food Bank, Living Water International, Liz Codington (Missionary to Albania), His Promise Ministries for an orphanage in Namibia, Relay for Life, World Vision, and United Way. Check distributions totaled $5,778!

Each year, more and more children are getting involved in the process.  The Mission Fair the last two years has been great!  Also, having them do their own research this year and present their posters was another step in the right direction.  Thornwell Transitional Living Resident, Celeste Houston’s, presence this year and her talk moved the hearts of our kids.  That is what it is all about!

It has been a privilege to be involved in the wonderful work of these nonprofits and to be able to give back to the community.  We look forward to next year being even bigger and better!

Early in 2012, Dr. Robert Gallagher, independent agricultural consultant, approached Thornwell with an idea.  In collaboration with Thornwell and Presbyterian College, he proposed we use the existing greenhouse to sprout seedlings and then host a Plant Sale to raise funds.

The Plant Sale will hopefully help start and support cottage-based garden sites that would provide fresh and healthy food for the cottage families. The entire process would educate the cottage families in home-based vegetable production.

A committee of Thornwell staff quickly formed to bring Rob’s idea to reality. Everyone agreed that the process of planting, preparing, maintaining the plants would be a wonderful way to engage our children at Thornwell culminating with a positive result. This effort is about greener living and learning to grow in all the best ways. 

On March 31st from 9am-3pm (rain or shine), Thornwell is hosting a Plant Sale under the bus sheds across from Thornwell’s farm. We have approximately 5,000 seedlings ready for sale with close to 50 varieties of organic and heirloom vegetables to choose from. And while you peruse the assortment of tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, melons, kale, spinach, okra, cucumber, squash, beans and several others, you can enjoy the sounds of live music provided by a local gospel band. Additionally, there will be coffee and baked goods for sale, corn hole games set up, and many of our children will be at the event.

Don’t miss a fun afternoon! For more information, contact Rob Gallagher at 864-547-1500.

In our fall issue of Thornwell Life, we featured the need for bathroom renovation in our Georgia-Beatie Cottage which is home to eight middle school-aged boys. We are pleased to announce that one of the two bathrooms is complete!

The renovation included two new showers and toilets along with a separate double sink area (see photo). With the new arrangement, two boys are able to take showers at the same time in individual stalls while others can use the double sink.

“The new bathroom is wonderful – and far more efficient than the old one.” said Georgia-Beatie Family Teacher, Ashley Smith. “Our evening routine will go much faster now that several boys can use the facilities at the same time in privacy.”

The renovation project has reached the halfway mark with still more work needing to be done. The other bathroom in Georgia-Beatie has been gutted and is slated to be ready for use in a couple of weeks.

Thornwell is still seeking donations to help with this project and thanks those who have already made gifts. It is because of your generosity that Thornwell is able to continue offering quality care to these children and provide comfortable homes for them. Thank you!

To learn more about Thornwell, visit www.thornwell.org.

Mike Roadancer honoring his agreement

Some of you may have heard about the BLITZ fundraising effort that Thornwell’s alumni have spearheaded for the past two years. What was just a spark of an idea became a flame of innovation, and is now a wildfire of Thornwell passion!

In 2010, the BLITZ operated almost solely on Facebook and raised a shocking $50,000. This success spurred a second BLITZ effort in 2011 that sought to go beyond an online campaign. Rising to the occasion, alumni and volunteers went to work sharing the challenge with The Thornwell Alumni Association, foundations, churches, corporations, private companies and individuals.

Advocates for the Home hosted fundraising social events, held garage sales, coordinated tailgate parties, launched email campaigns, facilitated company and individual matching programs, filled donation jars at their work and used our best tool of all, word-of-mouth.  With commitment and enthusiasm from everyone, the flow of fundraising creativity started manifesting in the growing BLITZ balance. 

One sponsor, Mike Roadancer, sought to gain even more supporters, and so he started a fundraising initiative modeled after other notable charity campaigns. He challenged his friends to donate to the cause by offering to shave his head if the BLITZ met the goal. In January 2012, Roadancer honored the bargain by going bald in support of Thornwell. J

Efforts like these and the many others involved with the BLITZ paid off (literally!) with hundreds of people, organizations, and companies joining the cause. With everyone’s help and sacrifice this year, the BLITZ raised just over $100,000 to help with feeding, clothing, educating and nurturing the kids that call Thornwell their home. Wow!

Thank you to all our dedicated and passionate supporters who used the BLITZ not only to raise much-needed funds for the children in our care, but also as a catalyst for sharing about this life-saving ministry. We are truly grateful for you enthusiasm and ongoing partnership. You ROCK!

Happy New Year! December simply flew by with all the fun outings and festive happenings. Among the most memorable events for the residents at Thornwell was the Newberry Rotary Club’s annual Christmas Party – a tradition more than 30 years old. Twenty-five Thornwell children traveled to Newberry and were escorted into town by local police – what a welcome!

Rotary Club members had purchased gifts for the kids and Santa handed out the presents along with a candy cane for each child. Afterward, he invited the children to sit on his knee and tell him what they each wanted for Christmas. Most of the boys asked Santa for Clemson or Carolina paraphernalia. One young boy said, “Santa, I want Clemson for Christmas.” Realizing that Santa needed further clarification, he added, “ANYTHING Clemson!”

For lunch, the Rotary Club served pizza, chips, soda and homemade cookies (the children loved the cookies!). And to set the jovial mood, local college students sang Christmas carols - the kids had a blast interacting with them. The children spent the rest of the afternoon visiting with Rotary Club members and playing with the toys they had received.

Once again, the Newberry Rotary party was a hit! The Thornwell kids made sure to thank their hosts for the fun afternoon before returning to Clinton. If you want to see more photos from the party, visit our photostream at http://www.flickr.com/photos/thornwellhome/6545071245/in/photostream. To learn more about Thornwell Home for Children, please visit www.thornwell.org.

Tasha Lambert (Alumni class of ’89) coordinated a Clemson-Carolina Tailgating for Thornwell fundraiser on Saturday which brought in about $80/hr for a toal of $250. Event volunteers included Tammy Simpson (Class of ’81), Tammy’s daughter, Kelli and Krysten Simpson, Jamie Seymore (Class of ’89) and Teresa and Mike Deitz, along with Tasha, all supporting and talking about Thornwell Home for Children in Clinton, SC.

Tasha’s goal was to let folks in Columbia know about Thornwell and the good work it is doing to change the future of abused, abandoned, and neglected children. She said many visitors to the tent were not aware that South Carolina had a place like Thornwell that provides a real home environment for hurting kids and strives to reunite the family whenever possible. It’s not institutional; it’s a family-style living experience that models healthy habits and motivates kids.
 
“I am very happy with how the event went. We raised $250 which covers a week’s worth of food for a cottage!!” exclaims Tasha. “In addition to those were able to make it out to our tent,  I have had several folks who could not be there say they will make a donation online to support our efforts.” Thornwell has already seen several more gifts come in through the website.

A dedicated advocate for Thornwell, Tasha initiates and assists with fundraisers throughout the year. “I feel like if I can help raise awareness and money in different ways, you never know who we may reach,” she says. Tasha plans to do a similar event in the spring at a NASCAR race.

Funds raised for the event go to the general fund to support all aspects of caring for children at Thornwell. Right now, one of the biggest capital needs is to replace the bathrooms in the middle school boys’ cottage, Georgia-Beatie. The project is estimated at $40,000 above the planned budget, so any and all donations are appreciated.

“We are grateful for Tasha’s enthusiasm and commitment to helping Thornwell,” commented Thornwell’s president, The Rev. Elliot M. Smith. Tasha has been volunteering for her alma mater since graduating in 1989.

For more information about Thornwell Home for Children, please visit www.thornwell.org. You can also follow us at http://twitter.com/Thornwell_Home or like us at www.facebook.com/ThornwellHome.

In addition to the 78 children currently in residential care at Thornwell Home for Children, on November 18, 2011, 140 more children flooded the campus to experience Baby Animal Day. Squeals of excitement and exclamations of surprise could be heard from all around Thornwell’s farm on Friday as kids learned about and petted the animals.

Kindergarteners shrieked as the baby cow let out a welcoming moo, and others giggled as the donkey replied with a raspy hee-haw. Once again, Thornwell opened up its campus to young students from all over the county.

To raise money to support operations on the Thornwell farm, the local 4-H club supervised by Melanie Birchmore, hosts Baby Animal Day. Schools pay $2 per child to visit information stations and hear about the different animals from knowledgeable 4-H students. Proceeds from Baby Animal Day help pay for feed, hay, and other necessities for the animals and facilities.

Lines of children filed from one animal station to another, as the kids chattered about what they had just witnessed and what they might see next. A group of eager kindergarteners gathered around a baby cow to listen to one of the high school students tell them all about products humans get from cows, like milk and cheese. “Ice Cream!” a little girl called out when asked what other things the kids could think of that cows produce. Her classmates cheered for her answer before chiming in with their own.

Birchmore, an Agricultural Science teacher from District 55 who oversees the local 4-H program, has partnered with Thornwell for five years. She focuses on teaching her students practical information about agriculture and farm animals with a hands-on approach. “She does an amazing job, and Baby Animal Day has been a huge hit with the county’s schools,” commented Norman Dover, director of the Learning Center at Thornwell.

The farm and animals are cared for by 4-H students who feed, water, sheer, trim, and vaccinate the animals. Each year, the students conduct special projects where they raise an animal, show it, and sometimes process its meat. For pigs, sponsors help provide funds to care for the animals and receive the meat at the end of the season.

You can view more photos of Baby Animal Day in Thornwell’s Flickr album and for more information about Baby Animal Day or sponsoring 4-H, please contact Melanie Birchmore at mbirchmore@hotmail.com. To learn more about Thornwell Home for Children, please visit www.thornwell.org.

The Middle School Youth of First Presbyterian Chuch in Clinton have become “Friends for Thornwell.”  Organized by Amanda Charles and the other teachers of the Wednesday Night Live Class, this group first met the Stewart Cottage family on September 27 when they used their class time to visit the children and family teachers there.  They learned about the history and purpose of Thornwell and spent time playing with the seven children in the cottage. It was unanimously agreed that they would “sponsor” the Stewart Cottage as a mission project this year.

On October 19, the group joined the Stewart Cottage family for dinner and fun.  Armed with pizzas, pumpkins, and personalized trick-or-treat buckets, the 20 youth and their leaders set about for fun and adventure. Following a pizza dinner, the First Pres group assisted the preschoolers in painting pumpkins (with paint pens) which provided great entertainment.  

The young children also enjoyed showing and sharing toys with the older youth.  Family Teacher Greg Humphrey’s says “It was a memorable evening for all of us.  What a really special group of kids!  Our children had a wonderful time and have already asked us when they will be coming again.” 

Youth Leader, Amanda agreed, “Our kids had a blast and so did Stewart!! We can’t wait till December when we see them again.” Before returning to the church, the students presented the family teachers with a Bi-Lo gift card and a monetary gift.

Thornwell is so thankful for partnerships like this one that engage our children and help provide for their needs. We look forward to fostering this relationship even more in the months and years to come!