Open Arms Christian Ministries celebrates success, bestows awards
Sunday, April 8, Open Arms Family and Educational Services held its annual Celebration Meeting at the Greene County Event Center. The yearly event is a combination business meeting and awards event.
Several awards were bestowed on local citizens and those who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to help Open Arms through the organization’s Adult Education, Foster Care and Miriam Group Home divisions.
Service by churches and individuals are recognized with Director’s Awards, which were given to Bethel Mennonite Church of Davies County and Noble and Darlene Longardner of Owen County. Curt Carr, a long-time Adult Education Instructor with Open Arms’ Turning Point Education Center (TPEC), was awarded the Vern. R. Reed Memorial Award. This award annually honors an Open Arms employee for outstanding service and commitment to mentoring and sharing Christ with youth served by Open Arms.
Volunteers Connie Carr and Sharon Schneider were presented with Outstanding Servant Awards for their work with the organization.
Open Arms presented Tristan Roberts of Bloomfield with the Perseverance Award, which is given annually to a graduate of Open Arms’ TPEC program. Roberts was honored for his courage and strength in overcoming obstacles to obtain his education.
The Courage to Heal Award was bestowed on Jasmine Campbell of Washington. This award is given to former Miriam Home group home residents who display outstanding achievement after leaving the group home setting. Campbell was honored to recognize her courage and her ability to overcome her past and create hope where hopelessness once was.
A final award, the Angels Without Wings award, was given to Tony and Rose Yoder of Switz City for their work in foster care.
On the business end, three current Open Arms directors were re-elected and four new directors were named.
The re-elected directors Jeanne Ann Graham, Charlene Lee and Rhena Crane will all serve three more years and new directors Misty Hunt, Danielle Oakley, Retta Lindsey and Scott Chastain will begin their terms on the board.
Dr. Linda Powers, D.D.S., spoke at the event to tell guests why she is a regular supporter of Open Arms. Powers said she believes in Open Arms’ mission and has seen firsthand the good that comes from her donations to Open Arms.
A video testimony was offered by David and Lesa Williams of Springville in which they told their story of adopting four children with the help of Open Arms, and guests were treated to a performance by Christian magician and humorist Joseph Young, a highly-regarded entertainer from Big Stone Gap, Virg.
For more information on Open Arms Christian Ministries, visit www.openarmschristian.com, or visit them on social media.
