Eat Out for Us: Buckhead's

Buckhead Mountain Grill is supporting the Elder Program in our Eat Out for Us series!  Come enjoy some post-Christmas food at Buckhead's on Bardstown Road on Tuesday, December 27th and help support the Elder Program.  Twenty percent of your check will be donated to the Elder Program and you'll get to enjoy some great food at the same time!

Just like with our Chick-fil-A Eat Out for Us event, you'll need to bring in a flyer in order for the 20% to be donated.  Be sure to print off the flyer and share with your family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, and random strangers!  You can enjoy lunch or dinner and support a good cause.  Click on the flyer to save and print:

The Piano Man

You may remember when we mentioned we've got some pretty talented elders and you probably remember when we shared Ler Htoo playing a snippet of The Star Spangled Banner in honour of Veteran's Day.  The same day Ler Htoo shared his rendition of the national anthem, another one of our amazing elders walked over to the piano and started playing the ivory keys.  We learned that not only can Tara play some beautiful music, he can sing as well.  He is the refugee elder version of the Piano Man!

Just Creations: Community Shopping Night

Join us for a community shopping night this Friday, December 2nd at Just Creations!

Just Creations is a non-profit fair trade store that carries merchandise from over 45 different countries; you can purchase home decor items, musical instruments, clothing, chocolate, coffee, and an array of many other amazing hand-crafted fair trade items.  It really is a great place to shop for unique and inspiring gifts!

Just Creations also gives back to the local community by hosting community shopping events.  On select nights, the store is open after hours for customers; a percentage of the profits are then donated to the non-profit or group hosting the community shopping night.  KRM will be hosting one of these community shopping nights this Friday!

Come start (or finish) your holiday shopping at Just Creations on Friday, December 2nd from 6:00-8:00 pm and 15% of the sales will be donated to KRM.  Just Creations is located at 2722 Frankfort Avenue in Crescent Hill.  We hope to see you there!

Happy Thanksgiving!

The elders wish you a happy Thanksgiving!  Last week, we held a mini-Thanksgiving meal with the elders; we wanted them to be able to taste many of the traditional American Thanksgiving foods.  Several staff and volunteers brought in their favourite Thanksgiving dishes- including turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing/dressing, sweet potato casserole, macaroni and cheese, green bean casserole, and pumpkin pie!

The plates before being served...

Pah seems to like those mashed potatoes!

Anna serves the meal to the elders.



Chandra finishes off his last bite of pumpkin pie!

A close up of what we enjoyed at our Refugee Elder Traditional American Thanksgiving...

See and Ah enjoy their meal together.

The elders all enjoyed the meal; several of them cleaned their plates and even asked for seconds!  Happy Thanksgiving from the Refugee Elder Program!  We hope you all have much to be grateful for this year!!!

Fun at Game Day!

Several weeks ago, we decided that instead of bringing in a community speaker for the month of October, the elders should enjoy a good old fashioned game day.  Our intern Anna went to town planning some massively fun activities for the elders to enjoy- they had a great time (and really are kids at heart)!

Yusuf works on his puzzle of the United States.

Ram shows off the elephant he made out of play dough- it was beautiful!

Tara plays the piano and sings some beautiful songs for us during break time.

Volunteer Amrit helps some of the Bhutanese learn how to play Wii bowling.  It was simply way too much fun!

 

Several of the elders enjoy a game of Bingo...some of them kept eating the oyster crackers that were supposed to be their playing pieces, but they had fun nonetheless!

Ler Htoo focuses on an intense game of checkers, Burmese-style.

Check out our photo gallery here to see the rest of the pictures from Game Day!

Volunteer Spotlight: Bethany

It's time to meet another one of our dedicated volunteers!  Meet Bethany:

The lovely Bethany!

Bethany is involved with the mentoring part of the Elder Program.  She's mentored two different elders: one from Somalia and one from Bhutan.  Even though we don't get to see Bethany at the Elder Program, she is vital to the success of the program!  Read below to learn a little bit more about Bethany:

How did you get involved with the Refugee Elder Program?

I first got interested in refugee/internally displaced people and the issues surrounding them on a trip I took to Colombia in 2010. While there, I met many internally displaced people and was inspired and upset about the stories they told me and all the violence and injustice they've witnessed. When I got home, I knew I wanted to work more with refugees in my own town.

How often do you typically volunteer and how long have you been volunteering?

I started volunteering with KRM in 2010. I usually volunteer once a week at an elder's home, talking with them and going over the things they've been learning in class that week.

What do you enjoy the most about volunteering with the refugee elders?

Most of all, I love just getting to know them! I've worked with two women, and they were both very quiet and reserved at first. But the more we got to know each other, the more they seemed to open up and welcome me. The last woman I worked with, Juna, is such a special lady. It had been so rewarding to see her gain more confidence in herself and to learn more about her background.

What is the most challenging aspect about volunteering with the refugee elders?

The language barrier is definitely the most challenging. It can be really hard to communicate when you speak different languages, but both of the elders I worked with live with younger family members who were able to help us with translating.

How has this experience changed you?

Working with the elders has helped me put faces and personalities with the stories about refugees/IDPs in the news. I feel more of a responsibility to learn about and advocate for refugee rights since volunteering as a mentor. I'm also inspired by the elders' determination and will to learn. The refugee elders have been through things that I can never fully understand, but they still want to learn and improve their situations rather than give up.

Please give us some background information about yourself (career, family, hobbies, etc)...

I'm a reporter with the Presbyterian News Service and I travel a lot for work. I've been all over the United States and to Nicaragua, Colombia, Venezuela and Jordan for my job. I'm also getting married next year!

Anything else you would like to share about the program or elders?

I love the elder program and the elders! I'm so happy this service exists here in Louisville, and I hope it continues to help elders and bring in more volunteers.

Bethany, thanks for all your hard work!  Congratulations on your upcoming wedding; we can't wait to hear all about it and see some photos.  If you're interested in becoming a mentor like Bethany, please contact either Jenny Heineken Johnson at jjohnson@kyrm.org or Chris Clements at cclements@archlou.org.  If you'd like to read the stories of some of our other volunteers, click here.

Don't Forget: Eat Out for Us at Chick-fil-A

Don't forget- our next Eat Out for Us is tomorrow at the St. Matthews Chick-fil-A at 5001 Shelbyville Road (across from the Mall St. Matthews).  The event lasts all day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) and both drive-thru and dine-in count!  Be sure to bring in this flyer in order for the 20% to be donated to the Elder Program.  Pass along to your family, friends, and coworkers!

(click to enlarge)

And bonus... if anyone brings proof that you ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the St. Matthews Chick-fil-A on the 15th, we just might have to recognize you for that and award you a special prize!

Oh Say Can You See...

In honour of Veteran's Day, I thought I would share a short clip of Ler Htoo playing a snippet of the national anthem on the piano:



Thank you to all the veterans who have served and continue to serve our country!

Eat Out for Us: Chick-Fil-A

Thanks to everyone who supported us at our first Eat Out for Us event last month; the event at Impellizerri's Pizza on Bardstown Road was very successful and we're looking forward to our next Eat Out for Us at Chick-Fil-A on Shelbyville Road!

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Chick-fil-A at St. Matthews

5001 Shelbyville Road

Tuesday, November 15th

All day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner!

Both dine-in and drive thru!

Bring in the flyer for 20% of your purchase to be donated to the Elder Program

You'll need to bring in this flyer in order for your purchase to count toward the Elder Progam's fundraiser.  Feel free to duplicate this flyer and pass it out to everyone you know; the only restriction is that we're not allowed to pass out the flyers on Chick-fil-A's premises.  Let me know if you have any questions!

(click to enlarge and print)



Happy Halloween from the Elder Program!

Our intern Ashley took Pah trick-or-treating last Thursday at the Elder Program.  He went around to each class, knocked on the door, and shouted 'Trick or Treat'!  He didn't get much candy, but check out his American flag shirt!

Don't Forget: Eat Out for Us on Wednesday!

Don't forget: our first Eat Out for Us event is this Wednesday!

(click on the picture to enlarge)

Impellizzeri's Pizza

1381 Bardstown Road

Wednesday, October 26th

4-11 pm

10% of sales donated to the Refugee Elder Program

Enjoy some pizza and support the Elder Program!!!

A New Series: Recommended Reading & Viewing

We're excited to announce the start of a new series on the Refugee Elder Program blog: Recommended Reading and Viewing.  We think it's important to be lifelong learners (as evidenced by our attempt at learning twitter) and encourage those individuals involved with the Elder Program to learn more about refugees and issues that affect them.  This can be a daunting task, as there are hundreds of books, films, and other resources about refugees and international issues; it can be difficult to sift through all these options. 

This is where our new series will come in; we need you to share reviews of books you've read and films you've watched.  We'll then choose some of them to post on the blog as part of the Recommended Reading and Viewing series.  We hope that by sharing your reviews on the Elder Program blog, you'll be encouraging others to learn more about refugees, their plights, and their successes. 

If you would like to submit a review of a book or film, please use the following guidelines:

•      Reviews must be of a book, film, or other resource that concerns refugees or other related issues
•      Reviews should be at least 200 words, but no more than 750 words
•      Please submit your review to jjohnson@kyrm.org with 'Review Submission' in the subject line
•      Please include your name, title, and any other information about yourself (including links to a website or blog) you would like included with your review
•     We reserve the right to edit for length and grammar, but no edits to content will be made without the author's permission

If you can't wait for some of our in-depth reviews, click here for a list of books and films compiled by the International Rescue Committee, one of the national voluntary agencies which resettles refugees throughout the United States. 

We look forward to reading and sharing your reviews and learning more together!

We're on Twitter (Finally)!

Hey folks, we're on twitter now!  We're not really sure what we're doing, but we look forward to utilizing twitter to help promote the Elder Program.  So start following us and tweeting about us all over the place! 

Click on the picture to be taken to our twitter page...

Really, we emphasize we have no idea what we're doing, but we're willing to learn.  If any Elder Program volunteers know anything about twitter, feel free to help us out.  Thanks also to Phil at Refugee Services in Columbia, Missouri for his help!

Eat Out for Us: Impellizzeri's Pizza

Our intern Anna has been hard at work putting together a new fundraising series for the Elder Program called Eat Out for Us.  The concept behind Eat Out for Us is for one restaurant each month to host a fundraising evening for the Refugee Elder Program.  We're proud to announce our first Eat Out for Us event!

Impellizzeri's Pizza at 1381 Bardstown Road has graciously agreed to host a fundraising night on Wednesday, October 26th from 4 pm-11 pm; 10% of all sales will be donated to the Elder Program!!!!  So come on out and eat some pizza to help support refugee elders!

PS- October 26th is also Anna's birthday, so show her some love by supporting the Elder Program...

In Every Language

Currently, approximately ten different languages are spoken at the Elder Program: Nepali, Spanish, Russian, Somali, Kirundi, Vietnamese, Karen, Arabic, and Burmese.  Some of our elders speak multiple languages, including several minor languages that very few people in the world understand.  We thought we were pretty diverse until several weeks ago when a new volunteer opened our eyes to another language at the Elder Program.

Two of our Bhutanese elders are deaf and can really only communicate in a form of sign language.  When these two elders first arrived at the program, we decided to focus primarily on writing skills, as they did not use American Sign Language, we didn't know American Sign Language in the first place, and we couldn't communicate in other method except through writing.  However, a new volunteer Christie came to the program in August; when she found out that two of the elders were deaf, she expressed a desire to work with them since she knew a great deal of sign language.

Christie began working with the two men and immediately expressed her excitement over how much she was learning from them and how much they understood her sign language.  Eventually, she set up an effective system of working with just the two men for the first hour of class and then worked with them in Sarah's class the second hour.  This way, Tara and Janga were able to get some one-on-one instruction with Christie focusing on several signs but also maintain their involvement with the larger classes.  She also brought the two men to a few events in the larger deaf community and continues to work with them as much as possible.  Even though her work schedule permits her from being at the Elder Program each session, her dedication to the deaf elders is carried on through other volunteers.  It is truly amazing to see Tara and Janga's eyes light up when working with Christie or another volunteer using sign language!

Here is an absolutely wonderful video from our trip to the Iroquois Library: Christie and Annie going through a book with Tara to practice some signing skills.

TARC Travel Training

In coordination with Vesselina Romanov of  KIPDA (Kentuckiana Planning and Development Agency), TARC presented their Travel Training program to the Elder Program yesterday.  With the help of interpreters, the elders first watched a short film explaining the public transit system in Louisville before Janene Grantz and Nancy Snow from TARC explained more about the bus schedules, tickets and passes, and transfer requests.  Finally, all the elders were able to get onto a TARC bus to learn how to pay the driver, look for appropriate bus stops, and request to get off at a particular stop.  Check out some of the photos:

Yusuf and Hit get ready to board the TARC bus!

Abdel and Hawa are ready to go...

...as are Narmata and Sancha Maya!

The elders are all boarded and listening to Nancy Snow of TARC explain more about transfer tickets.

Zhamila and Pae demonstrate how to request a stop.

Jose gives volunteer Annie a thumbs up during the bus ride.

Aung and Pah are definitely enjoying this bus ride with the elders...

Just like in middle school...the back of the bus always seems to be having fun!

Thanks to KIPDA and TARC for this wonderful training!!!

Volunteer Spotlight: Rick and Mary Ellen

It's time to meet some more of our fabulous volunteers!  We are pleased to introduce to Rick and Mary Ellen:

Mary Ellen with Emma, the elder whom she and Rick have been mentoring for over two years!

How did you get involved with the Refugee Elder Program?

We have been supporters of KRM from its beginning 20 years ago, but since we worked full-time, our volunteer time was limited.  When we learned about the mentoring project to support the Elder Program, we thought it might be a good fit for us.  We were interested not only in English tutoring, but in helping elders prepare for the citizenship test in a few short years.

How often do you typically volunteer and how long have you been volunteering?

We have a one-hour tutoring session once a week in our elder's home.  We've been volunteering for over two years, and have rarely missed a week except for vacation or sickness.  Occasionally we're also gone on some of the Elder Program's field trips, such as to the Federal Building.  Now that we are no longer working, we both do more community volunteering, including Mary Ellen tutoring and substitute teaching in KRM's ESL program.

What do you enjoy the most about volunteering with the refugee elders?

We enjoy the friendship we have developed with Emma and others in her family.  We admire her positive attitude and joy of life.  We've had fun adding some special activities- an evening visit to Waterfront Park, a wine-tasting, going to an ice cream shop to celebrate a birthday, and a field trip to Abraham Lincoln's birthplace.

What is the most challenging aspect about volunteering with the refugee elders?

Learning a new language is never easy, but retention of new grammar and vocabulary as well as listening comprehension seems far more difficult for our older refugee arrivals.  The elders are isolated in their homes and do not have the advantage of a workplace or school for daily practice of English.

How has this experience changed you?

It has given us a broader understanding of the challenges of teaching a second language.  Upon retirement, we have both become certified in teaching English as a Second Language, so our tutoring gives us firsthand practice.  We hope to teach ESL abroad in the future.

Please give us some background information about yourself (career, family, hobbies, etc)...

Rick and Mary Ellen are married with adult children and just retired at the end of 2010.  Mary Ellen had been Executive Directive of GuardiaCare Services, a non-profit agency serving seniors and the families who care for them; she began her career as a university advisor to international students.  After an earlier career in banking, RIck was an email administrator for MMC, a large global corporation in Louisville for the last ten years.  Rick is also active in the Rotary and Scouting.  Together, Mary Ellen and Rick have hosted many foreign visitors and have traveled to many part of the world.  On nice days, you'll find them kayaking!

Anything else you would like to share about the program or elders?

The resilience and adaptability of the elders is inspiring!  We have such administration for the hard work, creativity and dedication of the Refugee Elder Program's staff and volunteers.  The support provided by this program is absolutely essential to help our older refugees succeed in adjusting to their new country!

Rick and Emma celebrating her birthday!

Thanks Rick and Mary Ellen for your long-term service!  And on a personal note, I'm always excited to see Mary Ellen when she is able to spot by the office for a visit- she is always so encouraging!  If you would like to meet more of our volunteers, be sure to read our Volunteer Spotlight series!

Global Gourmet Photos

Thanks to everyone who attended this year's Global Gourmet last Friday.  I think we can call the evening a success; thanks to the generous donations of everyone involved (from the corporate sponsors to the restaurants and companies that donated in-kind items to the attendees and those who bought silent auction items), we raised roughly $48,000 for services at KRM!

Two of our amazing interns enjoy the evening!

One of our former elders (former because now he is a brand-new citizen) is an artist and was able to set up a table at Global Gourmet to sell some of his paintings.

 Lazaro and his friend Pedro, who is also an artist, were able to set up a table to sell some of their work... by the end of the night, all of their business cards were gone.  Hopefully some of the Global Gourmet attendees will commission these two to do a painting or sculpture.

Lazaro discusses his story and paintings...

Mayor Fischer also attended Global Gourmet and was gracious enough to spend a few minutes speaking with Lazaro about his new citizenship and his artwork.  He asked Lazaro which was his favourite painting; Lazaro explained his favourite was titled 'Kentucky Cuba' and that it symbolized how Cuba was broken for him, but that how America represented hope and chance to begin again.  It was a very moving conversation. 

Lazaro and Mayor Fischer meeting again...

You might remember that the Mayor spoke with Lazaro when he visited the Refugee Elder Program back in June. We are very thankful for our mayor and his support of programs like ours!  Thank you Mayor Fischer and to everyone else who helped make Global Gourmet a success!

Meet Our Intern: Kyle

So you remember when we mentioned we have three amazing interns this year?  Well...we lied.  Unintentionally, of course.  After we began our Meet Our Intern series, we were lucky enough to have another intern join us!  Kyle is a BSW student at the Kent School of Social Work at the University of Louisville.  While Anna, Ashley, and Sarah are completing their internships at the Elder Program and KRM, Kyle is completing his internship at the Elder Program and Catholic Charities.  Friends, meet Kyle.

(and his super cute girlfriend Sarah)

Why do you want to complete your internship with the Refugee Elder Program?

I am primarily interested in administrative and policy practice, and I feel that it is crucial to experience and understand the smaller details of the bigger picture in order to practice effectively.  I felt that the Refugee Elder Program was a perfect setting for me to acquire the interpersonal contact with clients that will enable me to see things through a clearer and more realistic lens when working on larger projects that pertain to their community.

What about your internship are you most excited and most nervous? 

The diversity of the people that participate in the program is what excites me most.  I thoroughly enjoy learning about the cultures of the world, and I believe there is no one better to learn from than the elders of these cultures.  I am most nervous about language barriers.  It is hard for me to realize, as a native English speaker, that sometimes I need to alter my words in order for someone who is not a native English speaker to understand me.  I must raise my awareness of this fact in order to better communicate with the elders.

What are your long term goals for your career and life?

I plan on moving on to the MSW program focusing on administration and policy practice at either the University of Washington or the University of Texas and settling down where I end up.  My goals may change, given the multitude of social problems I am interested in alleviating, but I have the most experience with refugee resettlement, so perhaps I will seek a career in the state department for refugee resettlement of whichever state I attain my graduate degree and then attempt to work at the Office of Refugee Resettlement in Washington, D.C.  A doctorate accompanied by a career in research may be my future as well, but we will just have to see how things go!

Anything else?

I love anything that has to do with being outdoors or traveling.  I am also pretty brave in terms of trying new things, especially when they have to do with outdoor recreation or venturing to unfamiliar places.  I want to someday hike the entire Appalachian Trail, which is almost 2200 miles!  I also have a list of sites around the world that I wish to visit; the number one item is the Coliseum in Rome.

Kyle works with Naina and Hong in Carolyn's class.

Welcome Kyle!  Remember, you can meet the rest of interns by reading their stories here.

Summer Supply Drive: A Success!

Now that we're into September, the Refugee Elder Program's Summer Supply Drive is officially over.  Thank you to everyone who participated in our first annual Summer Supply Drive; we have definitely deemed the drive a success!  Take a look at just some of what was donated:

And once our famous intern Anna sets to organizing all of the supplies...



Even though the Supply Drive is over, you can still donate to the Refugee Elder Program!!!  We're always in need, so we're always accepting school supplies (notebooks, pencils, paper, etc); you can check out our Needs page for more details or just look to the right under the Urgent Needs section to learn about what our most pressing needs are.  And don't forget to join us again next July and August for the Summer Supply Drive!

On behalf of the staff, teachers, volunteers, and the elders- thank you so much for your donations!

Global Gourmet

Please join us for the 12th annual Global Gourmet

Global Gourmet is KRM's annual fundraiser.  Please join us for an evening of international food and drink, live music and entertainment, and a silent auction.  Some local artists will also be present with selections of their work.  Come to Global Gourmet and help KRM continue its work in refugee resettlement; funds raised from the event help provide services to our refugee clients.

The event will be at Creation Gardens (725 East Market Street) on Friday, September 23rd from 6:30 pm to 10:30 pm.  Tickets are $60.00 ($30 of which is considered a tax-deductible donation) and can be purchased at KRM, online (click here), at Carmichael's Bookstore, or at the door.  Even if you can't make it to the event, you can still make a donation.  Thank you for your support!

And we forgot to mention Lazaro should be there selling some of his amazing art...

Volunteer Spotlight: Annie

Since our 'Meet Our Intern' posts were so well received, we decided to continue with a series we've been wanting to start for quite some time.  The Elder Program relies heavily on our amazing volunteers; without them, the Elder Program would not be what it is today.  Our volunteers come from a variety of different backgrounds; some are university students, some are retired, some are professionals, some are from the United States, some are from other countries.  Our in-class tutors and at-home mentors donate their time consistently each and every week.  I would like to thank all of our volunteers for the amazing work they do; words cannot thank you enough and we cannot truly express just how much your dedication means not only to the elders, but to all the staff and teachers as well.

From time to time, we would like to introduce you to one of our incredible volunteers.  We'll get to know them a bit, just like we did with the interns.  Without further ado, let us introduce you to Annie!

How did you get involved with the Refugee Elder Program?

I become involved with KRM in the fall of 2010 through an organization at UofL called Bonner Leaders, which asks students to make a significant commitment of service hours to a non-profit.  I knew I wanted to work with international populations and learn more about refugee issues, so I was very excited to begin working with KRM.  During the first half of the year, I focused on youth services and job-readiness ESL, but I will wanted to do more...I received an email saying the Elder Program needed more help, so I started coming on Thursday mornings.

How often do you typically volunteer and how long have you been volunteering?

I starting volunteering with the Elder Program on Thursday mornings in early February of this year.  I now volunteer both Tuesdays and Thursdays; even though my Bonner term in over, I just couldn't get enough of this program!

What do you enjoy the most about volunteering with refugee elders?

The Elder Program is great because the elders are such vibrant people.  I love the relationships we form with one another; how many other people can say they get to spend four hours a week with Bhutanese, Cuban, Karen, Russian, Vietnamese, Somali, Burundi, and Iraqi people (among others)?  Building relationships definitely requires coming to the program quite regularly, but it so worth it when the elders know your name, ask how you are doing at school, and pull out a chair for you to sit down next to them.  Lately, I have especially loved working with two Bhutanese men, Praja and Tara; all week long, I look forward to seeing them!  Because of this, every day at the Elder Program is highly rewarding.

What is the most challenging aspect about volunteering with the refugee elders?

The most challenging aspect is definitely the communication barrier.  It is much more difficult in general to learn a new language at an advanced age.  However, the elders surprise me all the time; yesterday, one student who routinely struggles wowed the entire class with his grasp of numbers- he started counting in English and just kept going!

How has this experience changed you?

Working with the elders has helped me learn more about global politics and conflicts in places like Bhutan and Burma.  I have also become less concerned with the general drama of every day life.  Knowing that someone will appreciate me today, even if all I do is spend a couple of hours with them practicing English, means so much when I'm in the middle of a hectic day...Time is a gift almost universally accepted, and being able to give my time to welcoming people to the U.S. is highly fulfilling.  That helps me put my stress and challenges into perspective and keep a positive attitude in life.

Please give us some background information about yourself (career, family, hobbies, etc)...

I am a senior studying at UofL studying French, English and Humanities.  I try to squeeze a political science class in there every semester as well.  Academically, my interests include second-language acquisition, post-colonial literature, and East Asian politics.  I spend a lot of time reading for class, but when I'm not doing homeworking, working at Breadworks, or hang out at KRM, I enjoy watching 'Everybody Hates Chris' with my younger brother, hiking, and traveling.

Anything else you would like to share about the program or elders?

I would urge anyone interested in international relations to try to spend some time with refugees.  It's one thing to think about international relations as what you hear on the radio or read about in a book, but once you start seeing the person side, it becomes impossible to see political issues the same way.

Tara and Annie enjoy the Annual Refugee Elder Art Show!

Thanks for all your hard work Annie!  Be sure to check back as we spotlight more of our wonderful volunteers!

"My Grand Day in America"

This past Friday, another one of our elders took his oath of naturalization and became a citizen of the United States.  The ceremony, which saw 268 individuals from 65 different nations take the oath, was a part of WorldFest, one of our favourite celebrations here in Louisville.  President Obama delivered a special video address to the new citizens, and Congressman John Yarmuth and Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer both gave beautiful speeches as well.

Lazaro, from Cuba, has been a regular attender of the Elder Program basically since its inception; he is an excellent student and is always willing to help in just about any way possible.  You may also remember that Lazaro is an exceptional artist.  His work is simply stunning, but he hasn't spent much time painting in the past year because he has been studying so diligently for his citizenship test.  Now that he is a citizen, we hope to see Lazaro begin to paint again and to share his incredible talent with the rest of Louisville.

Here are some photos from Lazaro's citizenship ceremony:

Lazaro with his mentor Rachel before the ceremony.

You can see Lazaro at the front in the middle waving his American flag as they introduced all the applicants from Cuba.

Lazaro proudly holds his certificate of naturalization!

With his daughter and wife after the ceremony...

Jenny, Lazaro, teacher Christine, and volunteer Frank after the ceremony.

Louisville's Office of Globalization had a large American flag made out of cupcakes for the new citizens after the ceremony.

After his ceremony, Lazaro exclaimed, "This is my grand day in America- my dream..." We are so very proud of Lazaro and all that he has accomplished; we are so happy he finally got his "grand day" and cannot wait to see everything he will do as an American!  Congratulations Lazaro!

The ceremony was also featured in the Courier-Journal; Lazaro is actually on the video as well!  Click here to read the article and watch the video.  And, if anyone is looking to commission a piece of art by Lazaro, let us know- we'll be happy to introduce you to one amazing artist and now one amazing American!