Vol. 27 | Iss. 03 | APR 2023
SEE OUR
LOCAL CHURCH DIRECTORY
INSIDE ...
BUDDY CRUISE ANNOUNCES LOCAL SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS Staff Report
15 15
9
32
Columns: Grace Notes: Hooked On Books: Faith & Footprints: News From The Wire:
04 09 15 16
Buddy Cruise Inc., a local 501(c)(3) mother, who was his caregiver while nonprofit charity that provides educahis mother, Daniella Vetencourt, undertional opportunities, awareness, advowent chemotherapy treatments. They cacy and inclusion for individuals with are excited to join the Buddy Cruise this special needs and their families, recentyear and celebrate life. ly announced the 2023 Erin’s Umbrella The other scholarship winner is scholarship winners. Madelyn Hart, who has several disabilFounded in 2008, one of its key proities that affect her daily life. The Budgrams is an annual conference at sea dy Cruise will give her a chance to sothat hosts interactive workshops, cialize with other individuals who know events and activities for all ages and what it is like to be neurodiverse in a abilities. Families from across the safe environment. Hart has four sibglobe come together for this unique, lings, two of whom also have unique life-changing experience. needs. Her mother, Donna, a teacher Maria Dellapina at Newsome High School, is thrilled to and her daughter, share this experience with Hart and Maria Dellapina honors her daughter Erin with the Erin, enjoyed sevtake part in their first Buddy Cruise. 2023 Erin’s Umbrella Scholarship Winners. eral years of BudThe third recipient of the 2023 Erin’s dy Cruising until, Umbrella scholarship is sadly, Erin passed Cody Reyes. Reyes is a away in 2019. Lat22-year-old man who er that year, Erin’s resides in Terrytown, family, onboard the BudLouisiana. dy Cruise, announced The Budthe creation of the Erin’s dy Cruise welcomes evUmbrella scholarship. eryone: individuals with Erin’s sweet, caring and disabilities, their faminfectious smile will be ilies and friends. Even remembered by allowing if you are not a part of new families to experithe special-needs comence the same joy onmunity, you are welScholarship winners will receive a free voyage on the 2023 Buddy Cruise. Two local families board the Buddy Cruise. come to come along for Scholarship winners will including from left, Newsome teacher Donna Hart and her daughter Madelyn and FishHawk an amazing journey. The resident Daniella Vetencourt with her son Diego and younger brother Matias. receive a voyage on Bud2023 event will be held ing two local families. dy Cruise 2023, including a cabin for onboard Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of One of the scholarship winners is Ditwo and conference fees with access to the Seas for a fun Halloween sailing ego Rangel, a Newsome High School all sessions, events, activities and Buddy from Sunday, October 29 through Sunstudent with multiple special needs. Cruise swag. day, November 5. For more information He continues to succeed and overcome Nominations were received from about the 2023 Buddy Cruise or other many diagnoses. He and his family have across the country, and with so many upcoming events, visit buddycruise.org, endured many hardships this past year, heartfelt stories, three families were email joinus@buddycruise.org or call including the passing of his grandawarded scholarships this year, includ877-239-2789, Ext. 0.
COMMUNITY GARDEN TAKES ROOT AT GRACE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH By Linda Chion
In bloom is the vision for a community garden at Likewise, that is what draws Rev. Tracie Grace Community United Methodist Church in Lithto preaching at the pulpit. “Our mission is to ia, where Rev. Tracie Ashley believes any effort to create a community where all people can exaddress food scarcity is a blessing for today’s ecoperience God’s transforming grace,” she said. nomic and inflationary pressures. “We’re really doing the same things, it’s just “We want it to be place for the community to not with dirt.” grow things” for themselves and for church dinners, Rev. Tracie said it’s a good antidote to what said Rev. Tracie, who, as co-pastor at Grace Comails us in post-pandemic times to ask churchmunity, works with her husband, Rev. Erick Ashley. goers and community members to plant a “And for people who find themselves with food community garden together. scarcity, the garden will be a place where they can “We had a pandemic, I think now there’s an get good, healthy, organic vegetables at no cost.” epidemic of loneliness,” Rev. Tracie said. “This Efforts to plant Grace Community’s garden be[community garden] is like going back to the gan before the pandemic, which in turn caused a Rev. Tracie Ashley in front of the community garden at Grace Commu- basics, connecting to the earth and caring for nity United Methodist Church in Lithia. pause in development. Now, “a small, but very exthe earth, and connecting to each other and carcited” group of volunteers, including a soil expert ing for each other.” and an expert in seeds, “are wanting to put their Indeed, “you get in the dirt, you work side by own skills into this for the benefit of the communiside, and you just miraculously grow things and ty,” Rev. Tracie said. “Others of us, who are willing it nourishes someone else,” she said. “That’s what hands, we want to get into the dirt and be part of it’s all about.” a movement.” Grace Community United Methodist Church not only are beautiful, but they also draw the comAccording to Rev. Tracie, colleagues around in the munity together for a purpose,” Rev. Tracie said. is at 5708 Lithia Pinecrest Rd. in Lithia. For more community garden movement serve as an inspira- “What could be better, people coming together, information, visit https://mygraceumc.com/ or call tion for Grace Community’s vision. “Their gardens connecting and feeding others.” 813-661-8858.