“Only a moment you stayed, but what an imprint your footprints have left on our hearts.” – Dorothy Ferguson
The 2023 Pathway Project
Today is the official launch day for the fundraising campaign in support of our 2023 Pathway Project. We are moving forward and things are coming together as we prepare to host two outstanding Copey students along with their chaperone.
Erick and Margarita will be traveling with Catalina Cortez when they depart San Jose, Costa Rica, on June 7th. Their first stop will be Washington, D.C. where they will be met by my cousin Zina Griffith. Zina, a retired teacher and experienced bilingual host, will provide the guests a wonderful cultural experience during their first couple days in the DC area. Zina was the 2019 Pathway Project host and did an outstanding job welcoming our guests to the USA.
When Erick and Margarita arrive on the E&H College campus, they will prepare for their Scholar’s classes starting Sunday evening.
This is where we come in as “Friends of Copey.” Our fundraising campaign will need to raise $4,400.00 to cover the round trip tickets for three, hotel stays, a rental car, and food. In 2022, we raised $3,600.00 to support the travel costs. In 2019, the cost was $4,807.00. However, in 2019 we sponsored three students and not two. I believe we are very close to having an accurate cost projection for this year.
Goal $4,400.00 Raised $1,200.00 Balance $3,200.00
Welcome Back Jane!
Jane Rutledge just returned home to North Carolina from a teaching assignment in Point Ley, (end of the continent) Alaska.
What a super star! “Have student…will travel” I believe is Jane’s mantra. She is now a household name in one of the most desolate villages in Alaska along with being a household name in Copey.
As expected, Jane left her mark on the Alaskan community and as we know, nothing will be the same again in Point Ley. This student is not the first to ever say “Thank you Miss Jane.” From the northwestern region of Alaska to the central valley of Costa Rica…kids and adults all come to thank Miss Jane.
Welcome home Jane! Looking forward to seeing you on June 16th at the Annual Reception.
Sad News!
Monday, May 22, Christine Clark (age 96 and would be 97 on July 5th), Zina Griffith’s mother and my aunt, passed away peacefully. Aunt Christine (Broady) Clark, a strong and devoted Christian with more than sixty years as a bedrock member of Shiloh Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. moved on to that Heavenly place to enjoy eternal life as she had always planned for.
“Dear God, we lift up Aunt Christine in prayer as we remember her life and the impact she had on all those around her, all those she touched during her long career in education, her deoted service to her church, and the personal impact she had on me. Please bring comfort and peace to all of us who mourn this loss, and may we find hope in Your loving presence and the promise of eternal life. Amen.”
Photo taken in July 2022 during a visit in D.C. with Zina and Aunt Christine.
Aunt Christine was the last of my father’s siblings to pass away. Her life was full and her legacy in the field of education will long be remembered and honored. She had survived the loss of her husband Bill, her daughter Lillian, and her son Marty. Marty’s death was covered in the Post: https://friendsofcopey.com/2016/06/07/excercise-by-lifting-someone-up/
Zina, a devoted “Friend of Copey” is the lone survivor in her immediate family.