We congratulate our board member, Joe Fisher and his wife Donna, on the recent adoption of their new daughter, Maxine. Maxine has older siblings Lucy 5 and Simon 3. Our prayers are with them.

2007 Report: Community Outreach

On May 6th we held our annual pancake breakfast at The Garden Church and had the happy problem of having to send out for extra food.

In July we hosted a Building With Books intern Fredrica Gwyan, for four weeks.

October 7th we held our Bringing Nicky Home Concert featuring The Philadelphia Boys' Choir and Chorale. The concert was aimed to begin raising funds to help accomodate bringing Nicky, a severly disabled teenage boy to Epiphany House. opportunity to introduce Nicky O'Keefe to many of our guests. It is the plan for Nicky, a medically needy teen from Voorhees New Jersey, to be moving into Epiphany House once legal custody is arrnged and renovations in place for hs needs and care to be met here at Epiphany House.

In other outreach, our support to children included partnership with the Building with Books organization and Heart Gallery Philadelphia, having a summer splash party for 50 children, a fall car wash to benefit Building With Books student service and leadership activities and playing a key organizing role for the Angel Tree project at Christ Church in Philadelphia which provided over 150 gifts at Christmas to children in shelters.Our online newsletter regularly reaches over 700 individuals. We conducted over 25 small group information sessions, took our ice cream cart to numerous community events, including the Lansdowne 4th of July parade. We continue to work on community projects with the Upper Darby and Lansdowne and Vicinity Ministeruims and with several community health agencies involved in the special medical and therapy needs of our children.

Four of our children are adopted from foster care and late in 2007 we began the finalization process for our fifth adoption, Daniel, age 15, who joined our family in August of 2006.

Daniel 15... Adoption date is set for April 3rd 2008. In 2007, Daniel excelled in school and was recommended to all excellerated courses for 9th grade. He currently attends Upper Darby High School. Daniel is avid in Tai Kwan Do; attending five classes weekly at Cheng's Martial Arts in Upper Darby. Daniel is generous in service to the community. As a member of Building with Books, he takes part in several volunteer programs each month. On Easter Sunday of 2007, Daniel was baptized at Christ Church in Philadelphia where he volunteers as a tour guide, serves as an acolyte and is active in the youth group. Daniel also spent two weeks at Camp Wapiti, a youth ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania, in Northeast MD.

Sonty 13... Sonty continued to sing as a member of the Philadelphia Boys' Choir and Chorale in 2007 and travelleld with them to Greece and Turkey in June. Sonty an eighth grade student at Drexel Hill Middle School consistently achieves honor roll. He was a running back of their football team. He too has been active in various community service. Sonty also attended Camp Wapiti for two weeks in the summer of 2007.

Suky 12... Suky who turns 12 on February 20th, graduated from Garrettford elementary school in June and started sixth grade at St. Philomena School in Lansdowne in September. Suky who has been taking horse back riding lessons since age 7 is becoming an accomplished rider, she also has an exceptional talent in art. Suky attends Tai Kwan Do classes also at Cheng's and has earned a yellow belt. Suky attended 2 weeks at Camp Wapiti and serves as an acolyte at Christ Church.

Ebony 9... Ebony is noted for her whimsical artwork and she too likes horseback riding. Ebony attended Camp Friendship at Upper Darby High School and took part in a special summer stage production. Ebony attends autistic support and life skills classes at Hillcrest Elementary. She loves school, buying lunch and taking part in the walking club.

Salinna 8... Sallina is the "angel" in our midst. Sometimes though she too has her annoying habits. For example, she decides to chatter the most when someone is trying to watch a favorite TV program. Salinna laughs a lot, and is a favorite student in her class at the George Crother's School. Salinna likes to bowl and bake. She also has a multiple personality.

Andrew

Andy, born April 9th 1996, is an outgoing and endearing young man with lots of interests. He loves just about any outdoor activity - going to the beach, fishing, gardening or riding his bike. He also likes to work with his hands building toy houses and painting. Most of all he loves music and plays both the piano and the guitar. When asked what he wants to be when he grows up, he says without hesitation, an actor or a singer. Andy likes the fact that he’s smart and good at “taking care of things,” but says he’s trying to “get better at listening to his peers.” Andy’s three wishes: nice parents, a hamster and a go-kart, in that order.

If you would like to open your heart and home to Andy, please contact caseworker Stacy Wilson at (215) 340-8985.

Photographer: Karen Carey