President's
Message from the 2006 Annual Report
Dear Friends,
Once more it is time to tell you the "State of Project
Light", to borrow a political phrase. Well, we are alive,
growing and thriving. All thins on a shoestring! What a
Blessing!
We have not had the funds to hire a manager so we have
improvised. Board member Sally Radice has been the manager
on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and I have been there on
Tuesdays and Thursdays. While we still need a manager for
continuity, Sally and I have managed to hold things
together by many notes and phone calls to each other.
Hopefully, this year's budget will allow for a part-time
manager once again. This is our dream, at least.
Our biggest
accomplishment this past year was our beautification
project. This was accomplished through a grant from the
William G. and Marie Selby Foundation. Our first step was
to landscape the property, complete with an irrigation
system. Then we put in a new privacy fence across the back
of the parking lot. Next, we replaced the inadequate
gutters with a new larger box gutter, and then painted the
building, except for the mural. The final step was to
resurface and re-stripe the parking lot
which gave us a few
more badly needed parking places. We are very proud of the
finished product, because it looks so fresh and nice.
Needless to say we are very gratified to the Selby
Foundation.
The Board had a couple of fundraisers to help with our
expenses. One was a Garage Sale that was not only fun to do
but brought in some needed money We finished up our Scratch
and Help campaign and while it didn't bring in the money
the producers said it would, it was a worthwhile project.
The last one of the year was a raffle. The first prize was
a hand-sewn Nativity Set complete with stable, animals,
Three Wise Men, an angel and two doves. The second prize
was dinner for two at the Olive Garden. While our
fundraisers were not big, we managed to make enough to pay
some bills. Every little bit helps!
Our Children's Program
was fully funded this year, so it was a hugh success. We
had two teachers and several student aids, so that the
twenty children we had enrolled received almost individual
help. Tropicana again donated orange juice for the program
and Publix donated snacks. It was held during the month of
July. The children were tested in Reading and Math on the
first day and then again at the end of the month. We were
very pleased to see that every child advanced in both
areas. The Art Council through Healthy Start, again came in
Wednesdays and gave the children an art experience. They
even took a field trip to the Riverside Theatre. The
children always enjoy this unique experience and we think
it rounds out our program.
Our student body has
grown quite a bit this year. We'd like to think that it is
because we are becoming better known in the community, but
it is probably is the result of the hints coming from the
government of making English a requirement of citizenship.
What ever the reason, we are happy to see so many eager
students.
It has been a good year, and I hope the
one that is coming will be a favorable. We continue to
honor our tutors and students for a job well done!
We also thank our
benefactors, because without them we could not exist. As it
is, because of all of the facets pulling together we have a
comfortable place for our students to learn English.
My thanks to all for a great year!
Ann
Griffin
