Family Support Network of Eastern North Carolina

2013 Festival of Trees Preview Information

admin — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 19:56:42 +0000

Family Support Network of Eastern NC Preview Party – Dec 6th (reservations required)

Emcee for the evening will be Jennifer Little from Greenville Grapevine

Auctioneer Henry Hinton from Greenville’s Talk of the Town

Theme: “Lighting the Way, One Family at a Time”

Story Time with Santa Thursday, Dec 5 – reservations start Nov.1

Story Time with Santa Saturday, Dec 14 – reservations start Nov.1

2013 Family Support Network of Eastern NC Festival of Trees

admin — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 20:01:51 +0000

2013 Family Support Network ™ Eastern NC Festival of Trees Theme will be “Lighting the Way, One Family at a Time”. The auctioneer for this years event is Henry Hinton from Greenville NC’s very own Talk of the Town. We will be “Lighting the Way, One Family at a Time” into the Greenville Convention Center as it will be lined with luminaries in Honor or Memory of….

Please read the Sponsorship Opportunities and send your Sponsorship form in soon. Contact Brenda at 252-328-9332 for more information. Your donation will enhance the work provided by the Family Support Network ™ Eastern NC as they continue to provide emotional support and resource information to families with special health care or developmental needs and for the families who have experienced the death of a child.

Click Here to download the sponsorship form

2013 SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

GRAND SPONSOR $7,500
-Company name and logo on decorated tree and table stating GRAND SPONSOR
-Reserved table at the Preview Party
-Plaque for corporation office presented at the Festival of Trees Preview Party
-Verbal recognition at the Festival of Trees event
-Link from the Family Support Network™ of Eastern NC website to your business
-Family Support Network™ of Eastern NC window decal
-Mentioned in the Family Support Network™ of Eastern NC Festival Program booklet
-Letters of thanks, article in the newspaper

GOLD $5,000
-Company name and logo on decorated tree
-Reserved table at the Preview Party
-Plaque for corporation office given after the event
-Verbal recognition at the Festival of Trees event
-Link from the Family Support Network™ of Eastern NC website to your business
-Family Support Network™ of Eastern NC window decal
-Mentioned in the Family Support Network™ of Eastern NC Festival Program booklet
-Letters of thanks, article in the newspaper

Silver $2,500
-Company name and logo on decorated tree
-Reserved table at the Preview Party
-Link from the Family Support Network™ of Eastern NC website to your business
-Family Support Network™ of Eastern NC window decal
-Mentioned in the Family Support Network™ of Eastern NC Festival Program booklet
-Letters of thanks

BRONZE $1,000
-Company name and logo on decorated tree
-Family Support Network™ of Eastern NC window decal
-Mentioned in the Family Support Network™ of Eastern NC Festival Program booklet
-Letters of thanks

Table Sponsor $350
-Seats eight at the Family Support Network™ of Eastern NC Sponsorship Preview Party
-This can be used for personnel from the business or people assigned by our organization

Tree Sponsors Professionally Decorated $325
-Will be placed either in the main entrance of Convention Center or directly to the right or left in the halls next to the main entrance.

Tree Sponsors- Tree decorated by volunteer groups $225
-Family Support Network™ Eastern NC provides lights and decorations

Tree Sponsors – Tree decorated by your business or group $200
-You provide lights, trees skirts, decorations and take your tree down on December 27

Friends of Family Support Network™ Eastern NC $100

Board Member Profile: Tommy Pate

admin — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 02:31:40 +0000

Why do I serve on the board of Family Support Network of Eastern North Carolina? Simple….I can make a difference.

My wife and I have been blessed with two beautiful, healthy children. We have been spared the pain, the fear and the uncertainty that makes up the daily world of FSN’s parents. I can’t begin to understand their paths but I can make sure they don’t walk alone.

By profession, I am a financial planner. I understand and work with finances every day. By using my training and abilities, I can try to make sure that FSN has the necessary funds for our missions. Make no mistake…our mission is about children not funds. But the money has to come from somewhere. And that’s my job..

Why do I serve on the board? Because I can…and I should.

Grant Donation from Women for Women of Pitt County

admin — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 04:08:15 +0000

Women for Women of Pitt County presents Brenda Boberg with a grant distribution of $1,600 to the Family Support Network of Eastern N.C.

Women for Women is a non-profit organization comprised of women committed to becoming effective philanthropists through the power of giving. Grants are awarded annually to programs and organizations that offer opportunity, encouragement, knowledge, and hope; providing empowerment to women and girls of Pitt County.

Lorenda Schantz – 2012 Angel Boberg-Webb Memorial Scholarship Recipient

admin — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 02:15:30 +0000

The Board of Directors and staff of the Family Support Network of Eastern North Carolina offers congratulations to Lorenda Schantz who is the recipient of the 2012 Angel Boberg-Webb Memorial Scholarship for senior college students who plan to teach children with special needs.

Lorenda is a fifth year senior at East Carolina University, majoring in Special Education with a subspecialty in adaptive curriculum. Lorenda explained in our July 24th interview that her experience with a close friend and her young child influenced her career choice. Her friend’s child was born with a serious medical illness that required multiple interventions and a host of medical professionals. As a close friend she saw what dedication and advocacy it took to parent a child with these needs. Lorenda also saw what a positive impact the child made on so many others. This experience convinced Lorenda that she wanted to work with children and her calling was teaching. So, she changed her major from business to a dream of becoming a Special Education Teacher while at Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington. Then, in 2011 she came to East Carolina University to pursue her special education degree. While completing her studies she has had practicum assignments in various classrooms. Of all these experiences Lorenda has especially enjoyed working with children/teens with autism. In 2011 she worked at Northwest Elementary School in Pitt County in a kindergarten-2nd grade classroom for children with autism. She describes learning behavioral techniques that would help them be more successful students and peers. Lorenda also valued her mentor’s use of a blend of both group and individual interventions in the classroom to help each student reach their potential.

Lorenda has already received her classroom placement for 2012. She will be working at Eastern Elementary School in Washington, NC. She will be working with children with autism from preschool age through first grade. She is excited about this new opportunity to further develop her teaching skills.

Volunteering has been one of Lorenda’s passions. She has served as the fundraising chair for the ECU Student Council for Exceptional Children, volunteered in community events (Special Olympics, Friday Fun Night Events, Holiday Dances) and attended state and national conferences. She also has worked as a lab assistant since May 2012 at the Irene Howell Assisted Technology Center at ECU. At this center she assists with instruction of assistive technology devices, helps with professional development trainings and advises others on managing/operating software and hardware.

Lorenda’s long term goals include teaching children/teens with autism in North Carolina. She wants to learn more about this population and work to further adapt teaching methods to each individual child’s needs. She is also interested in curriculum development and educational policy and is considering pursuing a master’s degree. Lorenda Schantz has a bright future ahead of her and the Family Support Network of Eastern North Carolina is proud to help her continue to pursue her educational goals.

2012 FSN Board Retreat

admin — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 15:06:33 +0000

Recently the entire 2012 Board of Directors participated in a working retreat. Attached are some images of that retreat. Please click any thumbnail to view a larger image.

FSN-ENC presents three Education Grants for 2011-2012

admin — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 14:16:55 +0000

Jayne Fisher – K-3 Resource Teacher Creekside Elementary Scholastic Magazine subscription with Digital media
	Scholastic News Magazines are now updated to include Common Core Standards and have technology support available. A subscription includes Digital Editions, Videos, Whiteboard Ready Sheets, Audio Read Aloud, Graph and Map Pop Ups and finally interactive student activities. Creekside has made gains in Math EOG scores but this grant should help improve Reading EOG scores. They are asking for two subscription levels to divide them among students according to their reading abilities not just their grade in school. They plan to use the Magazine along with the reading kit that was acquired last year from FSN-ENC. Teaching with the Scholastic Magazine will allow a real-world application to reading and learning that is meaningful and relevant to the students. The school has a mobile Smart Board to use with the Whiteboard Ready skill sheets. Audio read alouds and videos make the magazine come to life. This will help students make vocabulary much more meaningful. I believe the longer articles will help develop the ability to read long passages prepare students the EOG tests. The students can take the magazines home to reread with their family.

Tricia Carter – Speech-Language Pathologist Pitt County Exceptional Children “More Than Words” program materials
	“More Than Words” program helps young children with language delays to communicate to the best of their ability. It provides education to parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, enabling them to facilitate language development at home, in the community, and in the daily routine of their environment. The It also provides early language intervention, and social support for parents. A More Than Words program lasts approximately 3 months. Class size is limited to 8 families, so that each family is able to get the specialized attention that is needed. It is estimated that this applicant will teach 2-3 sessions per calendar year. Materials are current, and would be re-used for each class session. Necessary resources include a Parent Guidebook that shows parents how to turn everyday activities with their child into opportunities for interaction and communication and is a wonderful resource for Speech-Language Pathologists and other professionals. Funds are requested for a set of books (the class size is limited to 8 families at a time) to serve as a reusable “lending library,” so families are able to sign-out a guidebook for the duration of the class (three months), and return at the completion of the class for future families to borrow as well at no cost. DVDs will show examples and interviews completed with families who have participated previously. The DVDs are kept by the instructor, and will also be a reusable resource for the class. Finally, posters will present key strategies that parents and professionals can use to learn and reinforce the social and communication skills of children with ASD. Student volunteers will provide childcare for families who attend. The goal is to require little to no cost from the families who wish to participate.

Heather Halsall – EC Teacher – DH Conley High School Text to Speech Device
	Help with reading comprehension and visual impairment using a text to speech device in English and for other academic classes. They currently run at least one Curriculum Assistance class per period and would love to have a device for each class period that would allow for check out and return throughout the year between students. The equipment will be used at home, at school and can be reused each year with new students attending this high school. The students will be able to get any book they are currently reading and enlarge the print for our visually impaired students or be able to follow along with the book while it reads the book through text to speech. This will assist them in understanding the text better, thus motivating our students to read. It will also give our visual impaired students an equal playing field without a special order for materials. In addition, some of our parents also struggle with comprehension problems and these devices can assist them in understanding what their child is reading.

Brandon Bynum Accepts 2011-2012 FSN Scholarship to Pitt Community College

admin — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 14:00:26 +0000

Gwin Bailey presents Brandom Bynum his check as the 2011 – 2012 Family Support Network of Eastern NC Scholarship to attend Pitt Community College. Read more about Brandon’s story by clicking here.

Kaitlyn Bunch Receives 2011-2012 Angel Boberg Webb Scholarship

admin — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:57:41 +0000

Dr. Kaye McGinty recognizes Kaitlin Bunch as the 2011-2012 Angel Boberg Webb Memorial Scholarship Recipient. Read more about Kaitlyn’s story by clicking here.

Greg Robinson – 2011 Volunteer of the Year

admin — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 02:17:50 +0000

The Family Support Network of Eastern NC recognized Greg Robison, local disc jockey, as one of the 2011 Volunteers of the Year. Greg has volunteered his time and equipment to provide music at our Festival of Trees Preview Party for the last several years. Greg has provided a relaxing, invigorating, and entertaining evening for our guest. The music has adds a very positive dimension to our evening and is one of the highlights of the program.