Fall 2010 Impact Magazine - Wedgwood Christian Services

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Fal l 2010 | Vol. 23 | N o. 2
03 | Celebrating 50 Years of Service in Christ's Name
Board of Directors
James Boelkins, Chair
Judy Barnes, Vice-Chair
Jason Paulateer, Secretary
Dennis Bergakker, Treasurer
Ellen Bruinsma
J. Lindsey Dood
James Engen
Annie Hawks
David Israels
Sandra Jelinski
John Kuiper
David May
Michael A. McGraw
Greg Schierbeek
Scott G. Smith
Michelle Smith-Lowe
Edward Stuursma
W e d g w o o d F o u n d at i o n
Board of Directors
04 | A
Willingness To Give
07
By Jim Visser, Chief Advancement Officer
05 | In Grateful Memory
By Gary Raterink, Planned Giving Officer
06 | Area Churches Are Treasured Partners
08
By LeRae Kuperus, Director of Spiritual Formation
07 | A Castaway Kid Visits Wedgwood
By Emily Vanden Heuvel, Chaplain
08 | N
ew Faces... Same Needs... Steadfast Vision
By Kevin Van Den Bosch, Director of Clinical Services
Richard Zweering, Chair
Mark Windemuller, Vice Chair
Brian Hughes, Secretary
Marvin Besteman
Robert Bredeweg
Nancy Haveman
Andrea Karsten
Edward Stuursma
Lynwood Vanden Bosch
Ray Vander Kooi
Jeff Vander Weele
Jane Zwiers
10
10 | O
n Par With Excellence
2010 Charity Golf Classic Sponsors
By Connie Frazier, Associate Director of Advancement
12 | S
tepping Up To The Challenge
Wedgwood's 1st Annual 5K Run/Walk
14
13 | 5 Years of Extraordinary Growth
Benefits At-Risk Students
By Heidi Cate, Principal, Lighthouse Academy
14 | Embracing Diversity
Advisory Council
Dick Antonini
Henry Bouma
Ben Brinks
Tom Claus
Tripp Corl
Ed DeVries
Frank Doezema
Gord Elgersma
James Engen
Ted Etheridge
Michael Garrett
Pat Gill
Robert Haveman
Jim Haveman
Bob Israels
Mark Jansen
By Sam Beals, President/CEO
Lynn Kerber
Phil Koning
Doug Kool
Doug Nagel
David Nykamp
Wally Olsson
Mark Peters
Bob Sack
Marvin L. Sapp
Stanley J. Stek
Tom Stuit
Duke Suwyn
Bill Swets
Sally Swets
Carol Van Andel
Mark Windemuller
15 | G
rand Finale for Building Hope For Children
15
50th Anniversary Celebration Dinner
16 | Tribute Gifts
UPCOMING EVENTS
Nov 9, 2010
50th Anniversary Dinner
featuring Dr. Wess Stafford
May 12, 2011Legacy Reception
Wedgwood Campus
June 6, 201126th Annual Charity
Golf Classic - Egypt Valley
Country Club
Sept 10, 2011 Wedgwood Wellness 5K
T h e I m pac t E d i to r s
Dave Blakeslee, Patty Keeney
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Celebrating 50 Years of
Service in Christ's Name
By Sam Beals, President/CEO
Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants.
It shall be a jubilee for you. - Leviticus 25:10a
he occasion of Wedgwood’s 50th
anniversary as an organization
dedicated to service in Christ’s name
to hurting children and families has
been accompanied by many blessings. Among them have been numerous events
allowing us to reconnect with friends old and
new — those who have supported our ministry
for many years and those who have just
recently joined us in our effort to present God’s
love where His presence is needed most. We’ve
enjoyed the opportunity to recognize the
dedication of our staff, who bring their gifts of
compassionate care to clients in our community,
educational and residential programs. Above
all else though, our 50th anniversary has
allowed us to marvel and praise God for His
great faithfulness over these decades.
Through the Lord’s leading, Wedgwood
Christian Services has continued to prayerfully
pursue and develop the most effective and
innovative programs that meet youth and
families at their most critical time of need.
Growing from our roots in providing safe,
nurturing homes for children who had no other
place to turn, Wedgwood has expanded into
neighborhoods, schools and other parts of our
community. Elsewhere in this issue of The
Impact, you can read about exciting expansions
of Wedgwood’s services, such as the Youth
Enhancement Program, an after-school
treatment program for troubled youth, and the
new Hope Academy charter school for at-risk
students.
Our success in transforming hearts and lives
would not be possible without the faithful
commitment of donors who understand the
crucial, long-term impact of our work, and
whose gifts provide the resources to deliver
critically needed services to children and the
community.
A key event that took place this year was the
completion of our Building Hope for Children
Capital Campaign. This multi-year effort
culminated this spring with the construction of
the Henry and Carolyn Bouma Counseling
Center. Earlier phases resulted in new buildings
and renovations. The providential timing of this
campaign serves as another indicator of God’s
perfect guidance and the sensitive response to
His call shown by our Board and others who
encouraged us to undertake the campaign. Even
as local and national economic conditions
created tremendous challenges, Wedgwood has
been able to realize significant cost savings that
allow us to sustain and even increase the
transforming services that make Wedgwood
unique among care-providers in our region.
Building on the rich heritage established by
Wedgwood’s founders, and the thousands of
faithful servants over the years who solidified
that legacy as staff and Board members, volunteers and donors, Wedgwood is now positioned
to deliver distinctively Christian, professionally
excellent services for another 50 years and
beyond. We rejoice in the knowledge of God’s
continued blessing and guidance as we seek to
remain faithful to Him, and we look forward to
one more chance to celebrate this
milestone — our
50th Anniversary
Celebration on
November 9
(details can be found
on page 15). We
invite you to join us
and to continue
your generous
support as we
advance this ministry
of service to children
and families in
Christ’s name.
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A Willingness To Give
By Jim Visser, Chief Advancement Officer
What do you value the most about
Wedgwood and their services to
abused, vulnerable, at-risk youth?
I admire their willingness to take
on the hard issues that children face
in our community. Extending His
grace and love to those who struggle
with life’s tough issues is our
responsibility as Christians. Wedgwood does this extremely well and
therefore deserves our financial
support, our prayers, and thanks.
ne of the many
reasons Wedgwood
has been able to
sustain and increase
its continuum of
services to the community is the
faithful and generous support of
community leaders such as Peter
Cook. We are grateful for his many
years of support and encouragement. In recent discussions with
Peter about Wedgwood’s progress,
he had the following to share:
When/how did you get involved with
Wedgwood Christian Services?
I began supporting Wedgwood
over 30 years ago because of its
focus on serving children in our
community and at the encouragement of several friends who were
supporters, including Jay & Betty
Van Andel.
Why are you so passionate and
supportive of Wedgwood's mission
and services?
I appreciate and want to help
Christian ministries that focus on
helping children because they are
our future. The more we help them
the brighter our future will be as a
community.
I have always said that giving is
made up of two parts, willingness
and ability. I believe that willingness
to give is the more important of the
two. When I was approached to help
provide a lead gift in support of
Wedgwood’s recent Building Hope
for Children campaign and, in doing
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Peter Cook
so, help establish the Cook-Claus
Home, I was honored to be able to
play a small part in getting the
campaign off to a strong start.
What is your most memorable story,
personal experience or involvement
with Wedgwood?
It was especially gratifying to help
them build the classroom space in
between the VanderArk & Parramore
Homes about 25 years ago and to be
part of establishing the Cook-Claus
Home in early 2008 as the lead
project of the Building Hope for
Children capital campaign. I really
enjoy helping to get projects like the
capital campaign off to a strong start
and supporting the work of an
organization that is thriving, despite
the many challenges around them.
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What message do you have for the
children and families Wedgwood
serves, and its leadership and donors?
To the clients: Work to use
adversity to help build your
character and learn to forgive and
help others, not to hold onto anger
and bitterness.
To the leadership: Work to
balance solid business practices in
the ministry and you will create
services that can be sustained
over time.
To the supporting donors:
Be faithful to His calling to help to
bring grace, hope, and healing to
those who are less fortunate through
ministries such as Wedgwood, and
everyone will be blessed.
Jim Visser, MA
Chief Advancement Officer
In Grateful Memory
By Gar y Raterink, Planned Giving Officer
Mae Hendricks
Richard Parramore
n May 13, 2010,
The Wedgwood
Foundation Legacy
Society held its fifth
annual reception to
honor and thank its members for
their generous support. These are
individuals who have informed
Wedgwood of a potential future
bequest or a deferred gift such
as a charitable gift annuity for
Wedgwood’s ministry.
Thus far in 2010, we have seen
the passing of three faithful servants
who have provided support since
Wedgwood first began in the 1960’s.
Richard Parramore, who died in
February, was a Board member of the
girls Christian Youth Homes in the
1960’s. Richard continued as a Board
member following the merger of the
girls and boys homes in 1970 and he
remained on the Board into the 1980’s.
Because of his generous support, a
Casey Wondergem
12-bedroom home for boys was named
in his honor. The Parramore Home
was one of the first constructed on the
36th street campus.
Casey Wondergem (1925-2010)
was a founding member for the
Wedgwood Acres Christian Home for
Boys in 1960. He served on the Board
through the merger in the 1970’s, and
was a Wedgwood Foundation Board
member from 1998 - 2007. He and
his wife, Violet, who passed away
in 2008, were both very involved in
those early years. Vi was very active
in the Timothy Guild organization
and that Women’s Guild is still very
active today. In the recent renovation,
a new conference room was added to
commemorate the services of these
two generous supporters.
Mae Hendricks (1919-2010) along
with her husband Don were long time
supporters of Wedgwood’s ministry
to hurting kids. Mae attended many
events with her husband as they both
shared a desire to help those less
fortunate. Don began Board member
service at Christian Youth Homes
during the 1960’s. Their involvement
began in the downtown girls home
located at various times on Fountain
Street and Lake Drive. In last year’s
campus building and renovation
project, a new picnic gazebo was built
to honor their 50 years of service.
Each of these people has left a
lasting legacy to Wedgwood. Today,
some would say that creating your
legacy in troubled financial times is too
difficult; however, these three, each in
their own way and style, has shown
that God raises up people to serve and
leave a legacy at every season of life.
Gary Raterink, CPA
Planned Giving Officer
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Area Churches Are
Treasured Partners
By LeRae Kuperus, Director of Spiritual Formation
s we celebrate the 50th
anniversary of Wedgwood
Christian Services, it is
truly amazing to see
how God has blessed
our ministry through the partnership and generous donations from
churches. Both Chaplaincy and
Young Life receive funding through
monetary donations from churches
and individual supporters.
To all of you, we extend
a heartfelt “thank you” for
investing in the spiritual lives of
the at-risk youth we serve.
Though Wedgwood is not a
church, we become the primary
place of worship for many of our
clients. Through Young Life and
Chaplaincy, they are offered many
opportunities for spiritual growth
that contribute greatly to their
recovery. They learn about God’s
love and forgiveness, and explore
their God-given gifts and talents in a
safe and accepting environment.
As part of our Christian family at
Wedgwood, these clients benefit
from the support of several area
churches who extend God’s grace to
them in many wonderful ways.
One local church regularly invites
a group of our clients to help with
service projects within their community. Afterwards, they have supper
together. Our kids feel empowered
when they are able to help other
people who also are hurting.
Some churches call regularly to
ask for a list of prayer requests. They
pray for our clients, for our ministry
endeavors, and for us personally, as
spiritual leaders. What a blessing
this is to us!
A few weeks before Christmas, a
local church offered some extra gifts
they had from their Christmas
project. Their youth group brought
over 45 care boxes for our clients
and joined us for worship that day.
This same church also chose to
purchase devotional books for our
clients through the offering taken at
their Vacation Bible School program.
A children’s Sunday School chose
to give their annual offering to help
with ministry opportunities at
Wedgwood. They bought Bibles for
our clients and art supplies for our
Art and Spirituality Workshop.
“Pastor LeRae, why did these
people do this for us? They don’t
even know us!”
This was a question posed by a
client who received a gift from a
church. I told her that people who
believe in Jesus’ love want to pass
that love on to others.
Thank you to all who extend
Jesus’ love and compassion to our
clients! It has a lasting impact on
them and truly makes a difference
in their lives as they continue their
paths to wholeness and healing.
LeRae Kuperus, M.Div
Director of Spiritual
Formation
Local Church Helps Fulfill A Young Man's Wish
While here at Wedgwood, one of our boys really grew in his love for Jesus and wanted
to be baptized. A local church agreed to make this happen for him. The pastors of the
church came to Wedgwood regularly to talk to him about his faith, and to help him
understand the significance of baptism. Eventually, this young man was baptized at
their church. It was a memorable day for him, for us, and for the congregation.
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A “Castaway Kid”
Visits Wedgwood
By Pastor Emily Vanden Heuvel
ob Mitchell, author of
Castaway Kid and guest
speaker at Wedgwood’s
June Open House, spent
a day touring the
campus and telling his story to
children in our residential program.
Abandoned at age 3, Rob was left
abruptly in an orphanage where he
lived until he was 17. While the
details of his story were probably
different from most of our clients,
the pain and heartbreak he suffered
resonated strongly with them. He
understood what it was like to feel
unwanted. He understood the
trauma and broken spirit that comes
from being a “castaway kid”.
What happened to you is
not who you are.
With a tender voice, Rob Mitchell
shared his painful story of growing
up in a youth home. The boys sat
in the Lighthouse Academy Gym,
quiet, mesmerized, and listened so
closely you could hear a pin drop.
Rob told them that while he was in
the youth home, he always wanted to
meet someone who had “made it.”
I doubt if he ever dreamed that he
would become such a person someday. He told his story to three groups
of clients; each time recounting his
loss and abandonment; each time,
encouraging the kids to stay strong.
Perhaps the important message Rob
shared was that when he became a
Christian, everything changed.
When you have pain, name it
and face it so you can rise above it.
Rising above the pain is exactly what
Rob has done. He has been married
since 1980 to Susan and together
they have raised two children. In
sales since 1978, Rob built a successful business that earned him recognition in 2002 as one of America’s
top investment consultants. Our
young clients could see with their
own eyes a real success story!
He gave a personalized autographed copy of his book Castaway
Kid to every client at Wedgwood. His
book concludes with this blessing for
the kids who heard his story:
As you hopefully face the issues of
your past, deal with the realities of your
present, and look toward your future,
may you find answers.
May the choices you make allow us to
say together what was said so well by
the former Saul of Tarsus: “I am still
not all I should be but I am bringing all
my energies to bear on this one thing:
Forgetting the past and looking forward
to what lies ahead.” Philippians 3:13
Rob Mitchell, author of Castaway Kid
At the conclusion of our day
together, I asked him what he would
like me to share with you. He said,
“pray”. Rob shared that one of the
workers at the youth home prayed
for him every day. It took 14 years
for her prayer to be answered: that
he would accept Jesus as his Lord
and Savior.
Rob said that he wouldn’t be
where he is today if it had not been
for that faithful woman’s diligent
prayer. I hope Rob Mitchell’s story
encourages you to pray for the kids
at Wedgwood, that they might find
true hope and healing as they face
the past, deal with realities of the
present, and prepare for the future.
The prayer of a righteous person is
powerful and effective. ~ James 5:16
Thank you for your prayers.
mily Vanden Heuvel, M. Div,
E
Chaplain
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New Faces... Same Needs...
Steadfast Vision for 50 Years
By Kevin Van Den Bosch, Director of Clinical Ser vices
In the late 1950s, small groups of concerned Christians in the Grand Rapids area sought to help the plight of troubled
teens in their area. They had heard about the problems of runaways and juvenile delinquents and recognized that existing
services at that time were unable to provide the kind of support that would lead to lasting, transformative change.
Though the needs of these kids were tangible and immediate, the founders of two organizations (Wedgwood Acres
Christian Home for Boys and Christian Youth Homes) that would eventually merge to form Wedgwood Christian
Services also had a larger objective – a desire to introduce young people to the ultimate source of hope and healing,
regardless of life circumstances: a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
That visionary mission has served as a consistent foundation for all the ministry programs Wedgwood has offered over
five decades. The occasion of our 50th anniversary allows us an opportunity to look back and put that story in perspective,
a story that’s impacted many thousands of lives.
t can be said that Wedgwood’s
mission began with one
young man, a boy by the name
of Gregg. He was among the
first residents admitted to
Wedgwood Acres in 1960.
In Gregg’s words, “the 3 years I
spent at Wedgwood were probably
the most influential years of my life.
I had never been to a home that nice,
never met people who treated us so
well. I had very limited exposure
to a religious background. The role
models (house parents Henry and
Betty Van Dort and Wedgwood’s
first Director Jim Voetberg) showed
us that there’s life beyond caring
only about ourselves. They gave me
my first experience of learning to care
about others and to love other people.”
Gregg continues: “We had church
on Sunday and then Bible study one
night a week. It was a real positive
experience. Faith has been a very
important part of my life that I may
not have known if I did not go to
Wedgwood.”
By the time Gregg moved on to
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community-based, non-residential
programs, it made sense to
streamline our name, and in 2002
we became Wedgwood Christian
Services. The effort to position
our agency wherever we could be
most effective led to expansions
into Northern and Southeast
Michigan during the 1990s, a period
of economic growth, followed by
consolidation efforts to simplify and
focus our services more efficiently
in recent years as the economy went
through a cycle of contraction.
Steadfast Vision
G
regg, one of the first boys to live in
Wedgwood Acres in 1960, is now a
distribution manager in Louisiana
his next home, many other teens
had joined him as fellow residents
at Wedgwood Acres Christian
Home for Boys and Christian Youth
Homes. Over the next decade, our
reputation and resources continued
to grow. Following the merger in
1970, we were known as Wedgwood
Acres-Christian Youth Homes. As
we expanded our outreach into
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Through all the changes in name,
organizational models and executive
leadership, Wedgwood has remained
determined to hold fast to the mission
of offering distinctively Christian,
professionally excellent services
to every hurting child and family in
crisis that turns to us for help.
With a legacy of 50 years’
experience, all who currently
work or have spent part of their
career here can easily recall faces
and personal stories that speak
endi, a Wedgwood resident in the 1980's, is now an emergency
W
room physician in Atlanta.
eloquently of how God’s Spirit has
moved at Wedgwood.
Wendi - A Story of Perseverance
In the late 1980s, a young woman
named Wendi arrived at one of
our former homes located on Lake
Drive in Grand Rapids. Though
the outward details of Wendi’s stay
would point to an unsuccessful
placement after she left under less
than ideal circumstances, God used
Wedgwood’s staff to plant seeds in
Wendi’s heart that would eventually
grow and bear fruit. Wendi now
works in a major Atlanta hospital as
an emergency room physician and
has instilled her deep Christian faith
in her five children. Her testimony
of the life-changing impact left by
her relationships with our staff was a
highlight of last year’s Annual Dinner.
Shanita's New Life
Another, more recent success story
involves Shanita, who came to
our residential program several
years ago after struggling to find
her niche in foster care. Though
she was initially reluctant to
build relationships with adults,
the emotional walls she’d built
to protect herself began to come
S
hanita developed a strong Christian commitment while at Wedgwood
and looks forward to devoting her life to helping others.
down through her involvement in
Wedgwood’s Young Life ministry.
Skeptical at first when offered a
chance to participate in Young Life
(YL) summer camp, now she looks
back on that time as the best week
of her life! That experience led her
to volunteer for the YL camp work
crew over the next two summers,
and in the process she began weekly
church attendance that continues
to this day. She’s also been on a
mission trip to Costa Rica that
changed her vision of who God
is. Now she’s a pre-med student
entering her sophomore year at the
University of Michigan. Though still
young with much of her life story
yet to be written, Shanita’s academic
success and Christian commitment,
first begun at Wedgwood, point to a
future that’s much more positive and
fulfilling than she once dared to hope.
50 Years of Transforming Lives
For five decades, Wedgwood
has been blessed with the trust and
generosity of supporters who share
our vision and enable us to provide
Transforming Services that make
us distinctive among many other
organizations assisting kids and
families in need. Your willingness
to join us in building this ministry
is as much a reason to celebrate and
give thanks as the stories recounted
above.
Thank you for caring along with
us – as we look back in gratitude,
we look ahead with excitement to
the wonderful things God will do
through us over the next fifty years!
Even though the names and faces
continue to change, the needs
remain the same:
 to reflect God’s compassionate
grace in order to heal and
restore broken lives
 to offer counsel where safety
prevails and bonds of trust can
be rebuilt
 to demonstrate in word and
deed the positive difference that
faithful discipleship to Jesus can
make in our lives
Kevin Van Den Bosch,
L MSW, Director of
Clinical Services
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On Par With Excellence
By Connie Frazier, Associate Director of Advancement
ith God’s
blessings, the
weather was
picture perfect, the
golfers scrambled,
and the event was a swinging success!
On June 7, Wedgwood’s 2010
Golf Classic was on par with
excellence. Thanks to the dedication
of co-chairs Jim Bruinsma and
Jim Engen, the tireless efforts of
committee members and volunteers,
our generous sponsors, including
Chemical Bank as the new Title
Sponsor, we enjoyed a record-breaking
day with 323 golfers!
At a time when we are surrounded
by increasing economic challenges,
we are truly grateful for the
commitment by so many who helped
generate $140,000 in proceeds,
another record-breaking number!
This will help to provide critical
life-transforming services to abused,
neglected and troubled youth in
our community. Events like this
are essential, as these services
are funded 100% by donor gifts.
Your participation truly makes
a difference! We praise God for
everyone whose contributions made
this the most successful golf event in
Wedgwood’s 50-year history!
Save the Date
Next year’s 26th Annual Charity
Golf Classic is Monday, June 6, 2011
at Egypt Valley Country Club. We
wish to express our appreciation
to all the staff at Egypt Valley who
continue to help make our golf
outings On Par with Excellence.
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Rod Van Solkema, Curt Van Solkema, Barry
Capel and Dave Van Solkema
Julie Veltman, Gail Quinn, Margaret Nault and
Sally Swets
Joe Jones and Tim Hillegonds with Chemical Bank's Tom Kohn and David Ramaker
This event would not have been possible without the
dedication and determination of our 2010 Golf Committee:
Jim Bruinsma
Co-Chairperson
Jim Engen
Co-Chairperson
Tim Alles
Marv Andringa
Bruce Bacon
Judy Barnes
Peter Beukema
Brad Bruinsma
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Barry Capel
Jim Corl
Pat Dalton
Rob Dykstra
Gordon Elgersma
Tim Engen
Michael Garrett
John LaBarge
Eric Lanning
Barry Luyk
Mark McMillan
Mary Beth Morgan
Cal Nagelkirk
Margaret Nault
Joellyn Potgeter
Doug Oetman
Jake Schrock
Norm Sedelbauer
Jodi Sevigny
Brad Sims
Mark Stuit
Don Ter Horst
Matt Turner
Kurt Van Dyken
Ron Van Houten
Curt Van Solkema
Tom Visser
Jim Vonk, Jr.
Rick Zweering
Thanks to our Sponsors’ generosity and the participation of a record-breaking 323 golfers
in Wedgwood’s 2010 Golf Classic, over $140,000 was raised for Wedgwood’s ministry to
the youth in our community!
Wedgwood is pleased to welcome
Chemical Bank as the Title Sponsor
of our 2010 Charity Golf Classic!
For over 90 years, Chemical Bank's
hometown approach to banking has
remained steadfast and focused on
community banking, highlighted
by local leadership and decision
making, a devotion to community
and personalized service.
As the third largest bank headquartered in our state, Chemical
Bank regularly invests in Michigan
communities. Not only do they
provide financial support to many
local organizations, their employees
also dedicate countless volunteer
efforts on an ongoing basis.
In addition to providing generous support to Wedgwood's annual
Charity Golf Classic as the 2010 Title
Sponsor, Chemical Bank employees
are involved in many charitable
organizations and community events.
Wedgwood is delighted to welcome
Chemical Bank to West Michigan,
and extends heartfelt appreciation
for their generosity and support
of our ministry
to hurting youth
and families in our
community.
Connie Frazier, BBA
ssociate Director
A
of Advancement
platinum Sponsor
Andy J. Egan Co.
Gold Sponsors
Bauer Products, Inc.
Bredeweg & Zylstra PLC
NETech Corporation
The Pepsi Bottling Group
Silver Sponsors
Alloy Exchange, Inc.
Berends Hendricks Stuit
Insurance Agency
Henry and Carolyn Bouma
Foundation
Elgersma Financial, Inc.
Harvest Health Foods
Huntington Bank
Israels Designs for Living, Inc.
Miller Johnson
Newhof Construction
Pinnacle Construction Group
Schupan & Sons, Inc.
Service Express, Inc.
Stifel Nicolaus
Ron and Michelle Townsend
Bronze Sponsors
Accident Fund Insurance
Company
Air Components &
Engineering, Inc.
Allied Finishing, Inc.
Applied Imaging
Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Crystal Clean Automotive
Detailing
Cutting Edge Sports Management
Dan Valley Excavation
Foster Swift Collins & Smith PC
Grand Flower Growers
The Granger Group
Herman Miller, Inc.
HUB International
Integrity Business Solutions
Kentwood Pharmacy
KSC Properties
Mercantile Bank
Miller Canfield
Norris, Perné and French LLP
Owen-Ames-Kimball
Priority Health
Realvesco
Red Creek Waste Services
Terra Verde Landscaping
Van Eerden Distribution
Watkins Ross & Co.
Hole Sponsors
Ajacs Die Sales Corp.
Bouma Corporation
Dominion Systems
First Companies, Inc.
Hedrick Associates
Hungerford Aldrin Nichols
& Carter PC
Interactive Studio
Kool Chevrolet
Lamphear Service Co Heating & Cooling
McGarry Bair PC
NAI/West Michigan
Bruce and Shirley Osterhaven
Philadelphia Insurance Co.
Scott Group Custom Carpets
TEE GREEN SPONSORS
Amway Grand Plaza Hotel
Berger Chevrolet
Blue Cross Blue Shield
Dr. and Mrs. Norman Boeve
Center Manufacturing, Inc.
Colliers International
D & M Metal Products
De Kam Tile
Enterprise Envelope, Inc.
Financial Advisory
Corporation
Founders Bank & Trust
Scott & Michelle
Fraungruber
Gerrit’s Appliance
Grand Rapids Round Table
Club
Ross & Thea Hoezee
J & H Oil Co.
Mark and LeAnne Jansen
Life EMS Ambulance
Michigan Veal, Inc.
Mitco, Inc.
Bob and Margaret Nault
Northwestern Mutual Financial Network
Royal Securities Co.
Seif Chevrolet, Inc.
Stroo Funeral Home
Utility Contracting Company
The Vander Weele Group of
Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.
Whitecaps Professional
Baseball Corp.
Dave Zylstra Insurance
PRACTICE RANGE
SPONSOR
Ron and Doris
Van Houten
hole-in-one sponsors
Betten Imports
Grand Buick
Sharpe BMW
Wittenbach Grand GMC
special recognition
Dell Computer
Egypt Valley Country Club
Ferris Coffee and Nut
Fifth Third Bank
Grand Rapids Ballet
Company
Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
Grand Rapids Griffins
Grand Rapids Symphony
Kent Country Club
Kentwood Office Furniture
Lynx Golf Course
Maple Hill Golf Course
The Meadows
Meijer, Inc.
Pilgrim’s Run Golf Course
Railside Golf Club
Save-A-Lot
The Shack
Stonewater Country Club
at Crystal Springs
fRIENDS
Ag Business Solutions
Larry Bos
Costco Wholesale, Inc.
Design 1, Inc.
Forest Hills Foods
Grand Hotel
GrandRapidsGolf
Lesson.com
Heeren Brothers, Inc.
Robert Regan
Universal Sign Systems
Sam’s Club
media sponsors
Grand Rapids Business Journal
The Grand Rapids Press
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11
Stepping Up To The Challenge
B
erends Hendricks Stuit, Title Sponsor for
the Community 5K, had 18 participants
n September 11, 2010,
230 runners and walkers
participated in the 1st
Annual Wedgwood
Wellness 5K Run/Walk. And, as they
crossed the finish line, everyone was
a winner, including little three-yearold Lilly!
Mayor Richard Root (Kentwood)
opened the event, followed by
Molly who honored the legacy of
Terry Chamberlain, a beloved
colleague and friend. In a moving
prayer, Wedgwood Board President
Jim Boelkins expressed gratitude to
God for His many blessings.
We are grateful to Berends
Hendricks Stuit Insurance Agency
for making this event possible with
their Title Sponsorship of the
Community 5K and to Diversified
Data Services for their Title
Sponsorship of the Client 5K. We
also offer our appreciation to the
other sponsors who made our 5K
Run/Walk so successful. All proceeds
will support Wedgwood’s five
Transforming Services which are
critical to our successful outcomes.
These services receive no public
funding and are funded 100% by
events and donor gifts.
12
the impact
edgwood's Wellness Staff displays the
W
banner for our Client 5K Title Sponsor, DDS
First time
walker 3-year
old Lilly!
Molly Guillaume paid tribute to Terry
Chamberlain's legacy after Mayor Root
officially opened the event
Bonnie, Sam and Wilma represented our
Gold Sponsor, Butterball Farms, Inc.
Thanks to the following sponsors, the participation of 230 runners and
walkers, the efforts of over 30 volunteers, and the generosity of our donors,
over $30,000 was raised for hurting youth in our community!
Title Sponsor –
Community 5K
Berends Hendricks Stuit
Insurance Agency
Title Sponsor – Client 5K
Diversified Data Systems
5K Course Sponsor
Notions Marketing
Corporation
Gold Sponsor
Butterball Farms, Inc.
Silver Sponsors
The Chamberlain Family
Tim Engen
Bronze Sponsors
Dr. Craig Thorson
Lake Michigan
Credit Union
Principal Financial Dan Holtrop
Roskam Baking
TDS Metrocom
Watkins Ross
Friends
Bob's Disposal, Inc.
East Hills Athletic Club
Midwest Massage & Salon Services
SOS Office Supply
Sysco Food Service
TCBY
Van Eerden Distribution
YMCA
Ribbon Sponsors
Delta Dental
Integrity Business Solutions
Life EMS
Priority Health
Quality Formika, Inc.
Ron and Carol
Van Antwerp
And a special thank you to Jim for
providing the course at Fellowship
Greens, Doug for emceeing,
Raymond at Epic Race Timing,
Silent Bark for the music, and Navin
at Kharmai Video Productions for
the sound system.
SAVE THE DATE The 2011 Wedgwood Wellness 5K will be on Saturday, September 10, 2011
| Fa l l 2 0 1 0 | w e d g w o o d . o r g
5 Years of Extraordinary Growth
Benefits At-Risk Students
By Heidi Cate, Principal, Lighthouse Academy
social worker and a part-time
principal. Now, Lighthouse
employs 22 teachers, two full-time
social workers, college and career
transition specialists and other
professionals – 42 staff in all.
 We offer internships to graduate
students pursuing teaching,
counseling and clinical degrees.
f students in a Lighthouse
Academy math class are asked
to provide a practical example
of the concept “exponential
growth,” they don’t have to look
any further than the increased
enrollment at their school over the
past five years. Since opening in
2005, with just a dozen high school
students, Lighthouse has nearly
doubled the size of its student body
almost every year since!
5 Year Milestones
The journey from a one-room school
on Sheldon Street near downtown
Grand Rapids to the present location
on Wedgwood’s main campus in
Kentwood has featured numerous
highlights along the way.
 In 2007, Lighthouse moved to a
campus on Alger Street, which
allowed them to offer middle
school classes and increase overall
enrollment to 97 students.
 The completion of the Crane
Foundation Lighthouse Academy
building in Kentwood and becoming
a special charter academy increased
that number to 152 students for the
2008-09 school year.
 The inclusion of Wedgwood’s
Residential programs in 2009-10
brought the total of enrolled
students to 291.
 Two students graduated in 2009,
and last spring 15 students
received their diplomas, with 14
having plans for college.
 An exciting development is the
addition of doctoral intern Deb
Schuitema, an Occupational
Therapist with over 24 years of
experience in this field. Deb’s
expertise will help students who
have difficulties in processing
sensory information. Her internship, the addition of Occupational
Therapy (OT) as a support service
for students, and the development
of a state-of-the-art OT room
equipped with effective therapy
tools represent a significant
service addition for our students.
At-Risk Students Are Excelling
As impressive as this growth has
been, even more inspiring has been
the continual growth in innovation
and effectiveness at reaching students whose life experiences have
put them at risk for academic failure.
Likewise, the number of faculty
and range of educational services
increased each step of the way.
 More than two-thirds of students
entering Lighthouse are at least
two grade levels behind in core
areas of reading, math, writing
and science.
 The first Lighthouse school
opened with one teacher, one
 Our faculty continues to dedicate
themselves to teaching methods
w e d g w o o d . o r g | Fa l l 2 0 1 0 |
the impact
13
that yield tangible results:
increased student involvement,
higher retention of knowledge,
and improved grades.
 Over the past few years, they’ve
developed the Foundations
curriculum that targets specific
gaps in each student’s learning
and provides the instruction they
need to get caught up. Students
are tested three times per school
year to track progress.
 The outcomes achieved are truly
impressive. Students’ abilities to
earn A or B grades jumped from
20% for incoming students to over
85% after just one year of enrollment at Lighthouse Academy!
Enhanced Experiences for Students
In addition to the numerous
educational improvements, the
growth of Lighthouse Academy has
enhanced the quality of student life
at the school.
 Last year, we began offering
extracurricular sports – basketball,
bowling and softball.
equipment from retiring owners
in Muskegon, students will soon
have a unique experience of
running their own printing
business on campus.
Plans for Lighthouse Academy
began in 2003, as an effort to offer
expelled Kent County students the
opportunity to get their education
back on the right track and avoid the
problems associated with dropping
out of school. Recognizing that
many other students stand to benefit
from the holistic approach of
Lighthouse, each expansion has
been accompanied by other
changes that offer more youth the
opportunity to enroll.
The charter agreement with
Ferris State University made it
possible to include students placed
by court orders and individual
education plans. Our accredited
status was fully earned in 2008 and
we are well positioned to maintain
that status across all areas of
certification.
 We also have an active Student
Council.
Heidi Cate, MA,
Principal, Lighthouse
Academy
 Thanks to the opportunity to
purchase screen printing
Hope Academy of West Michigan to
Serve Additional At-Risk Children in 2011
Like Lighthouse, Hope Academy
will be self-supporting, have its
own Board of Directors, small
student/staff ratios, therapeutic/
case management staff, individualized learning plans, and an
overall holistic approach to
facilitate a positive learning
environment.
For more details about Hope Academy, visit www.hopeacademywm.org.
14
the impact
On May 12, Wedgwood honored three
friends and two employees for inspiring
and strengthening our commitment to
diversity.
SENATOR BILL AND CLOVA HARDIMAN
are advocates for the under-served
citizens of Michigan, with a strong
record of support for marriage and
families. They have proven very effective
in encouraging cooperation between
disparate political groups, a valuable
trait for true champions of diversity.
Pastor Arlan Palmer (right) presented the Diversity
Award to Clova Hardiman at the May 12 ceremony.
 This year, we’re adding disc golf,
volleyball and soccer.
In August, Wedgwood sponsored
another school for at-risk children,
Hope Academy, which will open
in 2011. This new charter school
will offer suspended and other
struggling 2nd -12th grade students
the same opportunities for
academic success we’ve seen at
Lighthouse over the past five years.
Embracing
Diversity
| Fa l l 2 0 1 0 | w e d g w o o d . o r g
SONYA HUGHES, Vice President of
Diversity Initiatives and Programs for the
Grand Area Chamber of Commerce has
developed diversity-related training and
workplace strategies to advance inclusion.
Last year, she earned the prestigious
Cornell University Certified Diversity
Professional designation.
ISAIAH HALL, a Shift Supervisor in
Wedgwood's Zondervan Home and
Employment Training Program, serves our
clients wholeheartedly and treats each
one with the greatest respect.
MARGARET PAIGE-MONROE, a Shift
Supervisor in the Antonini-Pathfinder
Home, has involved the boys in crosscultural activities on and off our campus
such as ethnic festivals, dinners and music
learning groups.
Grand Finale for the
Building Hope Campaign
A Victor y for Our Community
or the past 50 years,
Wedgwood has built a
reputation for transforming
the lives of suffering children
and teens with faith, compassion
and professional experience,” said
President & CEO Sam Beals. “It
only seems fitting to celebrate this
milestone with the community as
we look forward to another 50 years
of service.”
On June 24, 2010, Wedgwood
hosted a community open house to
praise God for His faithful leading
as we completed the campus
transformation and dedicated the
new Henry and Carolyn Bouma
Counseling Center. Expressions of
gratitude from the campaign
co-chairs were presented to all those
who made the expanded campus a
reality through their support to the
Building Hope for Children Campaign.
As part of the excitement,
Wedgwood’s youth experienced a
day full of inspiration! Rob Mitchell,
author of Castaway Kid, shared his
story of abandonment and how God
brought him healing and redemption through Christ. (See page 6).
This celebration also recognized
the dedication of Jim and Barbara
Boelkins, Jim and Nan Engen, and
Bill and Sally Swets, campaign
Please Join Us
for
Wedgwood's
th
Celebration
Dinner
The Henry and Carolyn Bouma Counseling
Center provides a wide variety of counseling
and educational services to the community.
Tuesday,
November 9, 2010
Amway Grand
Plaza Hotel
Featured guest
Dr. Wess Stafford, President and CEO
Carolyn & Henry Bouma shared their passion
for Wedgwood's ministry at the dedication
ceremony for the counseling center.
co-chairs, whose leadership helped
to raise over $9.6 million. Their
efforts have strengthened our
organization to better impact the
lives of children.
Thank you for your prayers and
walking along side us during this
transition. Together we can continue
to provide life-changing services in
Christ’s name to many who are
hurting in our community.
of Compassion International
 BUILT five new buildings, remodeled eight, and redesigned the campus
grounds to meet the treatment needs of today's youth
Dr. Stafford is an
internationally
recognized advocate
for impoverished,
neglected and
abused children.
He is the author of
Too Small to Ignore,
where he shares his own childhood story.
Dr. Stafford’s daily radio feature, Speak
Up With Compassion, is heard on nearly
600 Radio stations in the United States.
Fluent in several languages, he earned
Degrees from Moody Bible Institute,
Biola University, and Wheaton College,
as well as a Ph.D. from Michigan State
University.
 DOUBLED our capacity to serve at-risk children and families
To register, call (616) 942-2392.
As a result of the successful Building Hope For Children Capital Campaign, we:
 CONSOLIDATED four campuses into one
 SAVED over $1.7 million/year in operating expenses
w e d g w o o d . o r g | Fa l l 2 0 1 0 |
the impact
15
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Did you know that we print and mail
over 13,000 copies of The Impact
every year? That uses precious
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resources that could be redirected
to fund programs for the children we
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please let us know by sending an
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Please be sure to include your name
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February - August, 2010 Gifts
IN MEMORY OF
Rev. Edward Cooke
Annette Cooke
Terry Chamberlain
Tait Chamberlain
Jean-Marie Laugginger
Pamela Piers
Junior and Ruth Topp
Donna Veltman
Ella Decker
Michael and Maureen Cromwell
Jack and Anna Mae Holwerda
Kent County Friends of the Court
Gert Nieboer
Richard and Phyllis Ward
David Grant
Charles Andringa
Judson and Dorothy Besteman
George and Jeanne Bloem
Larry Cassidy
Patricia Caswell
Phyllis Daniels
Sandra Daniels
Karl and Helen De Haan
Robert and Virginia De Haan
Sanford De Haan
Ron and Grace De Vries
Martin and Barb De Young
David and Verna Evertsberg
Thomas and Marian Grant
James and Sue Holwerda
Elaine Ike
Robert and Yvonne Jasperse
Peter and Jan Malek
Doug and Lois Nagel
Donna Nymeyer
Dennis and Janice Oeverman
Yvonne Pylman
Henry and Arlynne Ritsema
Charles and Ignasia Snider
Richard and Wilma Van Dyk
Robert and Barbara Vander Wal
Douglas Vander Wall
Leone Vellenga
Trudy Vermaire
Mae Hendricks
Edward and Mildred De Graaf
Stephan and Jane Doezema
Harold and Bette Hartger
Willard and Dorothy Hendricks
Betty Hoffman
Dale and Ruth Penning
Dwight and Elaine Penning
Gary and Neda Raterink
Craig and Patricia Seeley
Brian and Julie Sikkema
Elizabeth Stacey
Tom and Mary Stuit
Thelma Van Der Schie
George Ann Victor
Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell
Dave and Bea Zylstra
Timothy and Teresa Housel
Stacy and Stacey Jackson
Bruce and Lorna Jarvis
Jin Kim
Myron and Madeline Kukla
Jong-eon Lee
Herbert Martin
Chris and Leslie Muller
Richard and Carol Ray
Ray and Sue Smith
Thomas and Cheryl Smith
Richard Parramore
Milton Briggs Jr.
H. Roger Froman
John and Joyce Gackler
Dick Gritter
Al Knudsen
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Snyder
Richard and Jean Stuber
Richard and Christine Verberg
Barb Voges
Mary Monsma
Bob Mersereau
Muriel Mersereau
Cal Nagel
Peter and Jan Malek
IN HONOR OF
Jim Boelkins
Isolde and David Anderson
Kurt and Dawn Brinks
C. Baars and Margo Bultman
Glenn and Susan Cherup
Brian and Nancy Cook
Richard and Lisa Frissora
Charles and Fonda Green
Lynne Hendrix
Jack Holmes
Hope College Social Science Dept.
Todd and Susan Steen
Vicki TenHaken
Sonja Trent-Brown
Glenn Van Wieren
Scott and Jill Vander Veen
John and Charlotte Witvliet
Marv Besteman
Alvin and Marilyn Lobbes
Mr. and Mrs. James Swart
Daniel and Ruth Ann Swart
Muriel Meindertsma
Bob and Trudy Van Wieren
Keith Hopkins
Association of Fundraising Professionals
Wedgwood Christian Services’ Mission Statement
Extending God’s love to youth and families through professional counseling and educational services.