Spirited family support and enjoy a ghostly family gathering

Nonprofit focus

Photo by @Dizanna

I’m proud to say that we raised two children to be healthy, happy, caring, and confident adults. However, it still had its challenges. While my husband is a teacher and trained to deal with youth, it would have been good to have some additional training. If this is something you are seeking, you are in luck.

Tumwater-based Family Education and Support Services (FESS) is sponsoring the 4^th annual Strengthening Families Conference, a virtual event on Friday, November 3 for adults who work with children and youth to learn about the latest strategies to support them. “This is a great opportunity for many families and for those who work with them to communicate with each other, share ideas and make new contacts,” said Shelly Willis, Executive Director at FESS.

Support For Families

FESS is a nonprofit organization launched in 2000 with the mission of inspiring healthy child development by providing quality, evidence-based family education and support services that help build resilience. According to Willis, FESS is guided by the belief that strong families begin at home, and that by supporting adults in raising healthy children, families are strengthened.

“FESS also strives to create a thriving community,” said Willis. “As part of fulfilling its mission, FESS provides training to ‘frontline’ social service providers, teachers and all community members who influence the health and well-being of children.” Serving Thurston, Mason, Lewis, Grays Harbor, Pacific and Pierce counties, FESS helped more than 8,500 individuals in 2022.

According to Scott Hanauer, Program Director at FESS, the Strengthening Families Conference was created for individuals and human services organizations whose work or advocacy centers around children and families, including those in education, child welfare and advocacy, medicine, mental health, law enforcement, law, and juvenile justice. “Parents, foster parents and kinship caregivers, along with members of service organizations and daycare providers, also are encouraged to attend, as is anyone interested in the health and well-being of children, youth and families” said Hanauer.

“The value of having parents, caregivers and professionals with varied backgrounds talking to each other is highly important, especially in a post-Covid world where ‘extraordinary stressors’ have been observed in both parents and children. Their collaboration sends the message ‘they must care about me,’ to children,” he said. To register or for more information, go to the Strengthening Families Conference webpage on the FESS website – or call FESS at 360-754-7629.

A family getting spooky in their Halloween costumes with their Jack-O-Lanterns

A ghostly family gathering

Get your family and fiends together for a screaming-good time at “Ghostly Gathering,” a one-of-a-kind family event Saturday, October 28 from noon to 8 p.m. The Thurston County Fairgrounds in Lacey will be the scene of non-stop Halloween revelry with Cornhole Challenges for adults, teens, and families, along with activities and games for all ages, costume contests, live music, raffles, prizes and much more.

Community partners will have booths, and local food trucks will be on hand to nourish all the ghouls and sprites. “It’s going to be a really fun event with lots of surprises along the way,” said Willis. “We’ve planned it to ensure goblins of all ages have a great time.” Proceeds from the event fund FESS programs that help protect the health and welfare of children, strengthen, and support families and build stronger communities.

The Ghostly Gathering’s mayhem includes:

• Too Cute To Spook (Recommended for Families with children 12 and under). Family Cornhole Challenge begins, Trunk-or-Treat, kids activities, children's costume contest, raffle prizes, booths from our sponsors and community partners, food trucks and more!
• Eat, Drink, and Be Scary (Recommended for All Ages) Adult and High School Cornhole begins, teen and adult costume contest, cake walk, other games and activities, raffle prizes, live music, beer garden, food trucks.
• Ghoul's Night Out(Recommended for Adults) Halloween-themed Drag Show featuring Valerie Veeta and Special Guests!
• In addition, there will be a raffle to win a guitar autographed by members of the popular rock band STYX.

Willis said FESS had a popular Cornhole challenge earlier this year, drawing about 180 adult Cornholers. The organization decided to expand it and tie it to Halloween so families could enjoy competition, as well. To register for the Cornhole Challenge, or for more information on the Ghostly Gathering, go to the FESS website.

Volunteer and Community Opportunities

• The City of Olympia is looking for community members interested in serving on City advisory committees. Advisory committees provide a structured way for residents to share opinions and perspectives, study issues, develop recommendations, and provide advice from the community perspective to the Olympia City Council.
  The advisory committee application period is now open and runs until Friday, December 15 at 5 p.m. Membership terms are for three years, with appointments beginning on April 1 and ending on March 31. Applications and details on the application process are available online through the City’s website.
• Applications are now being accepted for the 2024 Winter Cohort of The Change Leader Institute. This professional development program is designed for artists, culture bearers, arts professionals and community leaders connected to the arts.
  Each weekly session is held online Wednesday mornings and is designed to teach attendees how to lead change in their community or organization. Attendees are guided through lessons, such as: mindful listening, understanding group dynamics and leadership styles, navigating through resistance, negotiation, and group facilitation techniques.
  Each hands-on training has 12 participants. Cohorts are small so attendees can engage directly with the teaching. Elected officials, entrepreneurs, board members in the cultural sector, and city and county staff who support the arts are also encouraged to apply. Learn more and apply to this website by Wednesday, November 8.
• Arbutus Folk School is moving one block up to a bigger space and they need "people power" to make this move happen! Help is needed hauling items from one building to the next, building shelves and cabinets, organizing our supplies, and much more. If you can join our volunteer team to support this effort, fill out this simple form For more details on the move go to the Arbutus Folk School website.

Soliciting your ideas

If you know of a nonprofit that is doing something great, celebrating a success, needs some outstanding volunteers, or hosting an event, let me know! This column (aside from a little education) celebrates nonprofits!

Mary Beth Harrington, CVA (Certified Volunteer Administrator) lives in Tumwater. She travels the country speaking at conferences and to individual organizations articulating issues facing nonprofits. Send your ideas to her at  MaryBeth@theJOLTnews.com