Spectrum Youth and Family Services
The Spectrum Memo: a conversation with Mark
Mark Redmond
Gov. Douglas signed into law new legislation that extended the foster age in VT from 18 to 22 at our Spectrum One Stop. -Sabin Gratz Photograhy-
Download and watch the video (.ram) Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on Runaway and Homeless Youth on C-Span (April 29, 2008)
At the Elley Long Music Center next Thursday, 5:30pm.
I want to thank FairPoint for their premiere sponsorship ($5000)
and also the next level of sponsors: Burlington Free Press, VT Tent, Union Street Media, Dinse Knapp McAndrew, Small Dog, Wyatt Investment Research, Main Street Landing, Northfield Savings Bank, Green Mtn. Power, and Liquid Studio.
I am grateful to all of you!
Bob Qua is a supporter of another nonprofit called Lake Champlain International (LCI), they have been a valuable collaborator with Spectrum this summer. Bob offered to take my mentee and I out fishing, here is a shot of Bob, my son Liam and Sharmarke off of Butler Island two days ago. The boys had a blast, so did I, I am grateful to Bob for his willingness to do this, a real highlight of the summer.
Mentor Sam Smith with his mentee, thank you Sam for volunteering your time in this way.
Alice is one of our mentors, she took her mentee to a game recently, here they are, we are grateful to Alice and our other 53 mentees who volunteer to help our youth.
Received this lovely note from Sara Byers, a donor and part of the Clothes Exchange team after she toured through Spectrum recently: “Thank you so much for taking the time to walk us through Spectrum. I was very moved by your words and incredibly impressed with all you do for our community. It was an absolute pleasure to meet members of your team. Thanks again!”
Moni Turner is featured in this film about the dangers of heroin use; the film last week took top honors.
Ginger Vieira has Type 1 diabetes and is a mentor at Spectrum to a young woman who also has diabetes. Ginger is an incredible person, and has done so much for this teenager.
Here is another Mutual of Omaha Aha Moment video, this time done by Patrick, who has worked with the young men in our Murray St group home for several years and later this month will transition to our JOBS program. What he says here is very inspiring. We are fortunate to have him as part of our organization.
Mutual of Omaha emailed me a few weeks ago, they are doing a series of commercials called My Aha Moment and said they were coming to Burlington to film people, and invited me. No idea if mine will actually make it to the screen, but it was fun to do.