Even in the midst of a pandemic, Sunrise has much to be thankful for — particularly the ongoing gifts that pour into Sunrise offices all around the state from people and organizations who deeply care about hurting children and families we serve.
David Lyninger
Our thankfulness begins with our churches. Sunrise continues to receive generous donations from Kentucky Baptist churches and other churches who champion our mission.
Every Thanksgiving offering, Sunday School class donation, WMU gift and church love offering means so much and makes a huge impact on the kids and families we serve, especially during this time. We cannot do what we do without our churches’ partnership and support.
We are grateful to businesses and groups who remember us during this COVID-19 crisis with generous financial gifts and with masks, sanitizers and more. These businesses and groups include Tempur Sealy, Delta Dental, Sew Masks (Georgetown and Lexington group) and the Paul Mitchell School in Lexington and Louisville.
These gifts are especially appreciated when we need them most.
But our gratitude also goes inward — to our staff on the front line, those working directly with our boys and girls — like Sunrise Assistant Lead Direct Care Counselor Carrie Adamu from Glen Dale Center in Elizabethtown.
“In many ways, Carrie helps us create the backbone of Glen Dale,” said Marissa Walker, Sunrise program director at Glen Dale Center. “When the clients see Carrie on shift, a calm comes across the milieu. They know she will get things done and she will always help them … we are so blessed to have Carrie at Glen Dale. Her love for the Lord shines through in all her hard work and dedication to the clients and the staff.”
Carrie recently shared her hopes and prayers for Sunrise: “My hope for Sunrise is that all persons that come in contact with the clients remember that one day these children will be the adults of this world, and we should do our very best to invest in their future,” Carrie said.
“My prayer for Sunrise is that God gives us the wisdom and grace to always treat the clients with love, kindness and respect. And may we never forget if it was not for the grace of God, there go I. We should be to the clients who we would want, if we were on the other side of the desk.”
Carrie is just one example of the many faithful servants at Sunrise who shines as true role models and heroes for the boys and girls throughout all of our programs.
Finally, we are most grateful to our God who has led our ministry for more than 150 years through both challenging and bountiful times. We are forever grateful to Him for His grace.
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17).
David Lyninger is associate director of communications for Sunrise Children’s Services.
David Lyninger