| Boys Town: Saving Children, Healing Families, Parenting Tips |
The “Living Work of heART” in North Florida
| Boys Town: Saving Children, Healing Families, Parenting Tips |
The “Living Work of heART” in North Florida
| <p>On Friday, April 13, Boys Town North Florida celebrated its 15<sup>th</sup> Annual Spirit of Youth Gala:<em> "A Living Work of heART," </em>bringing together the community to celebrate the children of Boys Town and the wonderful community who supports them.</p><p>A special thank you to this year's awesome Gala Chairs: Sean and Dr. Audra Pittman and Emory and Autumn Mayfield, for their remarkable dedication to Boys Town and for all their hard work creating a tremendously successful gala.<strong> </strong>The event raised an incredible total of $392,991 and will impact the North Florida community by directly helping the children and families through the six programs Boys Town North Florida operates.</p><p>"We are extremely grateful for the support that the Boys Town Gala received this year. It simply wouldn't have been possible without the generosity of our sponsors, volunteers, and friends of Boys Town who helped make this year's event such a success," said Gala Chair Emory Mayfield.</p><p>This year's theme "An Evening at the MET" was another sell-out at 400 attendees and boasted some amazing auction items. Some of the auction highlights included an exclusive VIP Experience for 4 to the Orange Bowl Playoff game, two tickets to a Los Angeles Lakers game on a private jet and a one week stay in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.</p><p>"We were humbled by the opportunity to be intimately apart of the Boys Town North Florida gala that raises the funds necessary to help these children. Those who supported the Spirit of Youth Gala through their time and contributions have had an extraordinary imprint in making this year a success, and we are very, very grateful to those supporters," said Gala Chair Autumn Mayfield. </p><p>The event also featured a Children's "heART" Gallery, displaying beautiful works of art and mosaic bird baths. Thanks to all of our talented artists Anne Hempel and Joanna Angelos who spearheaded the two projects and Kelly Pettit, Dr. Audra Pittman and Rhonda Strauss who played a tremendous part in helping them.</p><p>Two celebrity fashion designers also helped make the night unforgettable. Alexandra Pijut's Supima collection was featured as guests entered the cocktail reception and Daniel Wingate donated a couture gown to the auction for guests to bid on.</p><p>In its 15<sup>th</sup> year, the gala has grown from 200 attendees to now maxing out at 400. The event, originally considered a fundraiser, is now referred to as a "thank you campaign" to show appreciation for all of the Boys Town North Florida supporters.</p><p>"I would like to give special recognition to not only our tremendous supporters, but our own Boys Town staff who went above and beyond to ensure the success of the event," said Development Director Dena Strickland. "The entire gala team, including our staff expressed that their efforts were worth the time spent because it shared what Boys Town North Florida is all about – the kids and our Boys Town community who supports them."</p><div class="hidden-gal">
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</a> </div> | 2018-06-19T05:00:00Z | News | <img alt="Gala Attendees" src="/locations/north-florida/news-and-events/PublishingImages/attendees.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> | North Florida;# | | | |
| Boys Town: Saving Children, Healing Families, Parenting Tips |
Boys Town Washington DC Celebrates Racing for the Roses Gala
| Boys Town: Saving Children, Healing Families, Parenting Tips |
Boys Town Washington DC Celebrates Racing for the Roses Gala
| <p>On Saturday, May 5, Boys Town Washington DC celebrated the 3<sup>rd</sup> annual Racing for the Roses Gala at the Capital Hilton. The event was an opportunity to bring together donors and sponsors of the site to celebrate and of course watch "the most exciting two minutes in sports."</p><p>The evening's proceedings included live jazz music, a hat contest, viewing of the 144<sup>th</sup> Kentucky Derby and both silent and live auctions.</p><p>The 3<sup>rd </sup>annual Racing for the Roses Gala was a big success, raising around $125,000 for Boys Town Washington DC , an amount they hope to surpass in future years.</p><p>"We would love to see the event keep growing," said Wesley Tomlinson, Development Coordinator, "We hope to increase community involvement and in turn, boost attendance, helping to spread the mission of Boys Town."</p><p>One of the goals of this year's gala was putting an emphasis on the Behavioral Health Clinic, which has grown exponentially in DC for the past three years since its opening. Director of the Behavioral Health Clinic, Dr. Robert J. Wingfield, had the opportunity to speak to guests at this year's gala – moving a few individuals to tears with his impactful success stories.</p><p>"Here at Boys Town Washington DC we are really focusing on expanding our Behavioral Health Clinic because we are finding a huge need within the community," stated Tomlinson, "and we are working very hard to meet those needs."</p><p>Boys Town Washington DC continues to expand the new Behavioral Health Clinic. In the past year they have hired three new psychologists with the hopes to help and heal over 400 clients this year. The gala was a great opportunity to share this ongoing work with the incredible donors and sponsors of the site.</p><p>Big thanks to everyone who worked so hard on the 3<sup>rd</sup> annual Racing for the Roses Gala! It was an incredible success that brought our supporters together to celebrate what Boys Town is really all about.</p><div class="hidden-gal">
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<a class="image-group cboxElement" href="/locations/washington-dc/news-and-events/PublishingImages/racing3.jpg" title="Racing for Roses Gala - Big Stuffed Bear"> </a> </div> | 2018-06-08T05:00:00Z | News | <img alt="Racing" src="/locations/washington-dc/news-and-events/PublishingImages/racing1.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> | Washington DC;# | | | |
| Boys Town: Saving Children, Healing Families, Parenting Tips |
Boys Town Graduation
| Boys Town: Saving Children, Healing Families, Parenting Tips |
Boys Town Graduation
| <p>For many, Boys Town becomes a home, a school and a support system for young boys and girls across the nation. Graduation marks a new beginning for the students who came from all over with many different backgrounds and circumstances. These students have lacked the advantages that many other high schoolers receive and now Boys Town sends them on their way with a diploma and new skills to achieve great things.</p><p>This year 108 students graduated from Boys Town High School on Sunday, May 20, 2018. The ceremony was held in Boys Town Music Hall at 1:30 p.m. where the graduates' friends, families and teachers gathered to celebrate their successes. Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts also came to celebrate this milestone with the students. About 65 percent will attend a two-year or four-year college program, most will join the work force and a few will go into the Job Corps and/or Military.</p><p>A 2018 graduate, Gerald, stood before his peers to speak about how special a place like Boys Town is and how the relationships formed are unlike any other high school. He spoke of the importance of supporting each other regardless of their differences in order to achieve success each day.</p><p>"Boys Town has given us all the resources, knowledge and skills to be great," said Gerald. "So now it's up to us all to put them to use, to make the best out of what life throws at us."</p><p>Let's take a moment to celebrate the Boys Town High School Class of 2018. Their determination has brought them to this moment in life and thanks to the support of Boys Town these students have been given the opportunity to see the potential that lies in each and every one of them.</p> | 2018-06-06T05:00:00Z | News | <img alt="" src="/locations/nebraska/news-and-events/PublishingImages/Graduation2018.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> | Nebraska;# | | | |
| Boys Town: Saving Children, Healing Families, Parenting Tips |
Boys Town Foster Family Services Screams for Ice Cream
| Boys Town: Saving Children, Healing Families, Parenting Tips |
Boys Town Foster Family Services Screams for Ice Cream
| <p>On May 7, Boys Town Nebraska Foster Family Services<sup>®</sup> held their 2nd Annual Ice Cream Social at the Great Hall. The event kicks off Foster Care Awareness Month and invites foster parents, children and staff to gather and enjoy a cool treat. </p><p>As of June 2017 there were 3,960 children in out-of-home care in the state of Nebraska, which was a 5.1 percent increase from the previous year. Boys Town has a very important role in the foster care system from recruiting and training foster parents to supporting the foster families with our team of dedicated experts. </p><p>The families who attended this year's ice cream social had a wonderful time at the event with door prizes, activities for the children, bingo and of course some yummy ice cream. Father Boes also made a special appearance to say hello to the children and families. </p><p>"This event is part of our recognition of May as National Foster Care Month. It is the time a year in which we spend some additional time celebrating the work of dedicated foster parents throughout our community who work to provide the stability and structure for children in the foster care system," said Matthew Priest, Nebraska Foster Family Services Director. </p><p>Special thanks to Hiland Dairy and HyVee Linden Park for their contributions to this event and a big thank you to everyone at Boys Town who put together this Ice Cream Social to celebrate our foster families.</p><div class="hidden-gal">
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| 2018-05-29T05:00:00Z | News | <img alt="Ice Cream" src="/locations/nebraska/news-and-events/PublishingImages/052218_IceCreamgift.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> | Nebraska;# | | | |
| Boys Town: Saving Children, Healing Families, Parenting Tips |
Foster Parent Appreciation Month: The McPhersons
| Boys Town: Saving Children, Healing Families, Parenting Tips |
Foster Parent Appreciation Month: The McPhersons
| <p>
<em>This article is written by Sydney Edwards. It was posted on <a href="http://nebraska.tv/news/local/foster-parent-appreciation-month-the-mcphersons" target="_blank">Nebraska.tv</a>; Friday, May 18, 2018.</em></p><p><em><br></em></p><p>May is Foster Parent Appreciation Month and in Nebraska, thousands of kids are still looking for that parent figure.</p><p>One family has worked to make those numbers a little smaller by making their family a little bigger.</p><p>The McPhersons always wanted kids. When it didn't work for them on their own, they took in two children through foster care."</p><p>Little Miss Mia was even younger when Gena and Cedric McPherson adopted her.</p><p>Her little brother Brody was already apart of the McPherson family.</p><p>"We took on little Mr. Brody straight from the hospital and then miss Mia was already in foster care and we were able to have her move in with us as well and then eventually adopt them, so," said Gena.</p><p>Gena was not new to how the foster care system worked. She said her parents had fostered when she was younger.</p><p>Cedric however, said he was a little wary at first.</p><p>"I had some reservations of you know, not being able to take care of the kids or the kids were going to be so far troubled that you know, it was something that I couldn't handle," said Cedric.</p><p>After what took the family around six months of training and licensing, Cedric said fostering seemed less intimidating.</p><p>"It was nice to know when I got into the training and got involved with everything, just kind of took those first steps just to kind of check it out, was to know that I had a support system," said Cedric.</p><p>Little Miss Mia does not remember much about being in foster care, but she knows she was fostered once before the McPherson's and that she is now with her forever family.</p><p>"What would you say to a child that hasn't found theirs yet but is looking for their forever family," asked NTV News Reporter Sydney Edwards.</p><p>"Keep looking for your new parents," said Mia.</p><p>If you want to grow your family and fostering is something you have considered, the McPhersons said calling your local DHHS or Boys Town office and checking out your options can be a big help. </p><p>For a look into foster care from a child's perspective, you can check out
<a href="http://nebraska.tv/news/local/one-girls-journey-through-foster-care">Kloreace Linke's story.</a></p> | 2018-05-23T05:00:00Z | News | <img alt="McPhersons" src="/news/PublishingImages/McPhersons.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> | Central Nebraska;# | | | |
| Boys Town: Saving Children, Healing Families, Parenting Tips |
One girl's journey through foster care focuses on perseverance
| Boys Town: Saving Children, Healing Families, Parenting Tips |
One girl's journey through foster care focuses on perseverance
| <p><em></em><a href="http://nebraska.tv/news/local/one-girls-journey-through-foster-care" target="_blank"><em>This article is written by Sydney Edwards. It was posted on Nebraska.tv Friday, May 18, 2018.</em></a></p><p>With more than five thousand children in the foster care system statewide, one of your friends, classmates or neighbors could be someone who has gone through it.</p><p>But what is it like for children to be in the foster care system?</p><p>In Kloreace Linke's case, her time in foster care was about perseverance and triumph.</p><p>She was 16 years old and the oldest of her four siblings.</p><p>Linke said her and her family were living what was a normal life until it suddenly changed.</p><p>"Five including me were able to be placed in the same home. It was a special placement, a case-specific placement and so we ended up living with one of my high school teachers and her husband and daughter," said Linke.</p><p>At the time of their adoption, Linke's youngest sibling was around 5 years old.</p><p>However, not long after the adoption, Linke's parents won custody back of her siblings.</p><p>But she stayed in her new home and worked on taking care of herself, which is something she said many foster kids need to keep in mind.</p><p>KEARNEY, Neb. — With more than five thousand children in the foster care system statewide, one of your friends, classmates or neighbors could be someone who has gone through it.</p><p>But what is it like for children to be in the foster care system?</p><p>In Kloreace Linke's case, her time in foster care was about perseverance and triumph.</p><p>She was 16 years old and the oldest of her four siblings.</p><p>Linke said her and her family were living what was a normal life until it suddenly changed.</p><p>"Five including me were able to be placed in the same home. It was a special placement, a case-specific placement and so we ended up living with one of my high school teachers and her husband and daughter," said Linke.</p><p>At the time of their adoption, Linke's youngest sibling was around 5 years old.</p><p>However, not long after the adoption, Linke's parents won custody back of her siblings.</p><p>But she stayed in her new home and worked on taking care of herself, which is something she said many foster kids need to keep in mind.</p><p>"Their world is just flipped upside down and to be able to take care of themselves and understand that asking for help for themselves is okay, that they don't always have to be cleaning up everyone else's mess," said Linke.</p><p>Kloreace Linke is now 23 years old with a psychology degree. She said her foster family and the resources she had from the Central Plains Center and PALS helped her get there.</p><p>Now she is on her way to getting an Education Specialist degree in school psychology.</p><p>"I think I found my calling because I'll be able to advocate for maybe kids who are in foster care and do some of that early intervention."</p><p>Kloreace Linke gives another piece of advice to any child in foster care: Find someone you can trust and trust them.</p><p>She said sometimes it is hard to believe someone when they say they will be there, but you can find someone that will help you through it.</p><p>For a look into foster care from the administrative side, you can hear from Department of Health and Human Services and Boys Town representatives <a href="http://nebraska.tv/news/local/a-look-into-the-foster-care-system" target="_blank">here.</a></p> | 2018-05-22T05:00:00Z | News | | Central Nebraska;# | | | |
| Boys Town: Saving Children, Healing Families, Parenting Tips |
A look into the foster care system
| Boys Town: Saving Children, Healing Families, Parenting Tips |
A look into the foster care system
| <p><em></em><a href="http://nebraska.tv/news/local/a-look-into-the-foster-care-system" target="_blank">This article is writte by Sydney Edwards. It was posted on Nebraska.tv Friday, May 18, 2018.</a></p><p>A system in the United States that brings children to their forever home: Foster care.</p><p>According to the Department of Health and Human Services, foster care affects over 500 children in central Nebraska alone.</p><p>Deana Peterson with the Department of Health and Human Services said the goal of placing a child in foster care is to make it as easy as possible for the child.</p><p>That means finding a new family for the child is not their first choice.</p><p>Peterson told NTV News that they first look for family members, teachers or friends in the community to take children in.</p><p>"We try to keep the kids in their same school district if at all possible, same doctors, day cares, those sort of thing's so that they're not having everything in their life change," said Peterson.</p><p>Peterson said she notices the need for foster parents even more when she sees how many older children are still without a home to call their own.</p><p>Fannye Placke with the Grand Island Boys Town told NTV News that becoming a foster parent might be easier than you think.</p><p>"So as far as becoming a foster parent, I mean really anyone who has space... Anyone who has time and I mean really, the heart for children. Really anyone can be a foster parent," said Placke.</p><p>Placke said it is a case-by-case basis, but if the backgrounds check, checks out, there are just a few other important steps one needs to take.</p><p>If you are interested in hearing more about foster care and adoption, you can check out the McPherson family's story.</p> | 2018-05-22T05:00:00Z | News | | Central Nebraska;# | | | |
| Boys Town: Saving Children, Healing Families, Parenting Tips |
Nolan Heinrich of Maryville, Tennessee Elected 118th Mayor of Boys Town
| Boys Town: Saving Children, Healing Families, Parenting Tips |
Nolan Heinrich of Maryville, Tennessee Elected 118th Mayor of Boys Town
| <p>Boys Town youth elected Nolan Heinrich of Maryville, Tennessee, the 118th mayor of the Village of Boys Town on Tuesday, May 1, 2018. Romeo Wright of West Palm Beach, Fla., was elected vice mayor. </p><p>Heinrich is on the Boys Town football team, in the church choir and in the school band. After graduation, he plans to go to college to become a welder. His Family-Teachers are Brian and Kathleen Phillips. </p><p>Romeo Wright is a captain on the football and wrestling teams. After graduation, he plans to attend a four-year college. His Family-Teachers are Ryan and Brittany McClure.</p><p>Father Edward Flanagan conceived the self-government system at the Village of Boys Town in 1926 as a tool for its citizens to build character, citizenship and a sense of community. The process was made famous in the 1938 Academy Award-winning movie "Boys Town," where Mickey Rooney portrayed Whitey Marsh, a tough young boy who turns his life around and becomes Mayor of Boys Town.</p><p>Congratulations to Nolan and Romeo on becoming the new mayor and vice mayor of the Village of Boys Town!</p> | 2018-05-09T05:00:00Z | News | <img alt="Boys Town Mayor" src="/locations/nebraska/news-and-events/PublishingImages/2018Mayor_web.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> | Nebraska;# | | | |
| Boys Town: Saving Children, Healing Families, Parenting Tips |
Healthy Families Drive raises record amount for Boys Town Iowa
| Boys Town: Saving Children, Healing Families, Parenting Tips |
Healthy Families Drive raises record amount for Boys Town Iowa
| <p>
<em>This article is written by Tim Johnson. It was posted on
<a href="http://www.nonpareilonline.com/news/iowa/healthy-families-drive-raises-record-amount-for-boys-town-iowa/article_c7041838-4feb-11e8-a1a3-4b4c04f7321d.html" target="_blank">nonpareilonline.com</a></em>; May 5, 2018.</p><p>The third annual Healthy Families Drive set another record, yielding more than 9,000 pounds of household and hygiene products for Boys Town Iowa clients, officials announced Friday at the organization's Council Bluffs office.</p><p>That's a quantum leap from last year's total of 5,700 pounds.</p><p>There was an earth-shaking change in the battle between the Red Team, led by the Council Bluffs Fire Department; and the Blue Team, led by the Council Bluffs Police Department. For the first time in the drive's history, the Blue Team won decisively, gathering 5,100 pounds of products, compared to 3,900 pounds for the Red Team.</p><p>Boys Town Iowa kicked off the drive at the beginning of April at Roosevelt Elementary School and Wilson Middle School. Many other schools from both Council Bluffs and Lewis Central Community School Districts also participated in the drive, along with community partners Iowa Western Community College, CHI Health Mercy Hospital, Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital and Google. Collection boxes were placed at local Hy-Vee Food Stores, Hy-Vee Drugstore, The Center, Council Bluffs Fire Department stations, the Council Bluffs Police Department and some local churches and schools.</p><p>Collaboration this year was "wonderful," said Debbie Orduna, executive director of Boys Town Iowa.</p><p>"Every weekend, we had people at Super Saver and Hy-Vee collecting things," she said. "It's just been another great year of the community coming together."</p><p>Last year, the Red Team collected 3,600 pounds of products to outpace the Blue Team, which gathered 2,100 pounds.</p><p>The drive makes a difference for many local families, Orduna said.</p><p>"Last year, we helped 600 children from over 300 families — just from this event," she said. "As a whole, Boys Town served 2,400 children in Iowa."</p><p>The agency also made a difference for Lynn Poe, a Council Bluffs woman who was in an abusive relationship and using meth, like her partner.</p><p>"A year ago when I got involved in the system, I was broken," she told staff members and volunteers gathered for the announcement. "Suicide was an everyday thought, and addiction was" a way of life. "It was a situation where, with the drugs and abuse, it seemed like there was no way out."</p><p>Poe called Boys Town.</p><p>"I said, 'I don't want this life for my children, and I don't want this life for me,'" she recalled.</p><p>Boys Town referred Poe to Iowa Family Works, a rehab program operated by Heartland Family Service that offers residential treatment for women and space for their children. After 30 days required for addicts to detoxify, Poe's two daughters were able to move in with her there.</p><p>"For the first time in a long time, I had hope," she said. "I thought I owed it to my children to take a chance and try to make it work."</p><p>Poe took parenting classes from Boys Town and took advantage of its free closet.</p><p>"Boys Town has been not just life-changing in my life but lifesaving," she said. "If the drugs hadn't killed me, I would have killed myself."</p><p>After rehab, Poe and her daughters stayed at Catholic Charities Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault shelter.</p><p>Now, they have their own apartment, and Poe is volunteering at Sequels Thrift Store to establish a work history.</p><p>Boys Town began offering in-home services in Iowa in 1989 through an office in Glenwood. It opened a Council Bluffs office in 2006 and moved to 1851 Madison Avenue in 2007. The organization closed its office on Madison at the end of 2016 and opened at its current location.</p><div class="hidden-gal">
<a class="image-group cboxElement" href="/locations/iowa/PublishingImages/Drive1.jpg" title="Healthy Family Drive"> </a><a class="image-group cboxElement" href="/locations/iowa/PublishingImages/Drive3.jpg" title="Healthy Family Drive"> </a><a class="image-group cboxElement" href="/locations/iowa/PublishingImages/Drive4.jpg" title="Healthy Family Drive"> </a><a class="image-group cboxElement" href="/locations/iowa/PublishingImages/Drive5.jpg" title="Healthy Family Drive"> </a></div> | 2018-05-08T05:00:00Z | News | <img alt="Healthy family drive" src="/locations/iowa/PublishingImages/Drive2.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> | Iowa;# | | | |
| Boys Town: Saving Children, Healing Families, Parenting Tips |
HOSA Students Participate in Annual Senior Citizen Prom, Celebrate Donors
| Boys Town: Saving Children, Healing Families, Parenting Tips |
HOSA Students Participate in Annual Senior Citizen Prom, Celebrate Donors
| <p>On April 18, students in Boys Town High School's Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) program had one final exam. This exam did not require a pen and paper, but rather dancing shoes and corsages. </p><p>Each April, Stevie Gass, Health Services Teacher, has her students dress up for a second prom at Remington Heights, a senior living community in Omaha, Nebraska. "This is like their final exam in compassion and caring," said Gass. </p><p>Gass teaches her students traditional dance moves to prepare them for the Senior Citizen Prom. Now in its 11<sup>th</sup> year, students wear their most elegant dresses and best suits to bring joy to the residents at Remington Heights and it is something the center looks forward to each year. </p><p>In addition to the Senior Citizen Prom, Gass and her students held a special celebration earlier in the day to honor Harry and Diane Van Trees. The Van Treeses have been long-time supporters of Boys Town's HOSA program and donate corsages for the Senior Citizen Prom each year, as well as grant scholarships to kids in the HOSA program. </p><p>This year, the Van Treeses traveled from Virginia to Omaha to attend the Senior Citizens Prom with Gass and her students. To thank the Van Treeses for their support over the years, the students threw a 65<sup>th</sup> wedding anniversary party for the couple complete with pizza, cake, punch and great conversation. Held in the Great Hall on Boys Town's Home Campus, the students surprised the Van Treeses as they walked in to the group singing "Happy Anniversary to you!"</p><p>Father Boes attended the party to bless the Van Trees' marriage and to give them an anniversary gift. "On behalf of Boys Town, we'd like to present you with our 100 Years Story. You've been a big part of that story," said Father Boes. </p><p>Thanks to the Harry and Diane Van Trees and to Stevie Gass for making the Senior Citizens Prom a special and memorable event for Boys Town kids. </p> | 2018-05-04T05:00:00Z | News | <img alt="anniversary" src="/locations/nebraska/news-and-events/HOSA%20Students/Prom.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" />
<img alt="Senior Citizen Prom" src="/locations/nebraska/news-and-events/HOSA%20Students/Prom.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> | Nebraska;# | | | |
