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Rainbow Acres Family Weekend - Coming September 2010
Join Rainbow Acres for our Autumn celebration, coming September 2010. This celebration will consist of Rainbow’s annual family weekend, as well as the dedication of the Ranch’s brand new Palmer Community Center, which has been under construction for over a year. Festivities begin the evening of Wednesday, September 22 with the arrival of Rancher Families for a night out with their Ranchers.
On Thursday, September 23, a Ranch open house will feature program updates and demonstrations. During the day, people will be able to see what’s new with the Neurodevelopmental Therapy program, the T.E.t.R.A. Equestrian program, Clavinova Connection and more. In the evening, families and friends will enjoy dinner in Rancher homes, as well as a reception hosted by the board in the new Palmer Community Center. On Friday, September 24, the day will be devoted to workshops on topics specifically informative for parents and guardians of adults with developmental disabilities. Topics include guardianship, end-of-life issues, financial planning and more. The evening will feature a banquet with keynote speaker Rev. Betty Wright-Riggins of the MMBB and a performance by the Rainbow Rancher Choir.
On Saturday, September 25, we will celebrate the dedication of the new Palmer Community Center . Festivities will end with a banquet luncheon in the Community Center that will feature keynote speaker J. Barry Griswell, former CEO of the Principal Financial Group. It will be a rich, full weekend of inspiration, fun and fellowship. Check back for more details over times, or contact Rainbow at
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for more information. Mark your calendars, because we hope to see you there!
UPDATE: We have decided to add a Prayer Breakfast to our Family Weekend and Community Center Dedication festivities, and we hope you can come worship with us! At this gathering, we will dedicate our stunning new sculpture called "Christ the Healer" as well as hear a few words from sculpture artist John Soderberg. Since this event was added after initial invitations went out (watch the mail for yours coming soon!) we ask that you RSVP to Kristi at Rainbow Acres by calling 928.567.5231. The cost of admission is $10. There will also be limited same-day admission available. We hope to see you there! ___
The Times They Are A-Changin'
The past few weeks have seen many changes here at Rainbow Acres. Changes can be difficult, but they can also be exciting. We are thrilled to announce these changes and what they mean for the future of Rainbow Acres.
We are saddened to announce the departure of Assistant Ranch Director Sam Gray. After much thought and prayer, Sam has decided to resign in order to move closer to his family in Florida. Sam has been a great asset to Rainbow since 2006, bringing strength to the Ranch counseling program. Though he will be greatly missed, we are excited for him and his wife Belva as they embark on this new adventure in their lives.
Rainbow is pleased to announce that David Perkins, former American Baptist Missionary to India, has accepted our invitation to become the Director of Programs & Counseling (aka Assistant Ranch Director), effective July 1, 2010. He is excited to begin and has already engaged in a series of meetings with Sam Gray to orient himself to the his new responsibilities at Rainbow Acres. David is a native of Chicago, IL with a professional background in education and community development. He and his wife Betsy just celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary and have three daughters. Betsy is a registered nurse and a seminarian at Bethel Seminary in Minneapolis, MN. David and Betsy will make their home in Arizona.
In September 2010, Rainbow will celebrate the dedication of the brand new Palmer Community Center. This dedication will mark the completion of the biggest construction project ever undertaken at Rainbow. Among other things, the new Community Center will house a beautiful and versatile banquet hall and accompanying state-of-the-art kitchen facilities. We anticipate that the surrounding community will utilize these facilities for weddings, banquets and other events. This is an exciting opportunity for Rainbow to better serve and connect with the community, as well as make our services more dynamic and diverse. Current Ranch Director Eldon Elmore has agreed to take on a new position and become the Director of the Palmer Community Center. In this new position, he will coordinate the rental and use of the community center and help establish a strong food service program. We thank Eldon for taking on this new role and appreciate his continued dedication to Rainbow Acres.
Mike Kowalski, who currently serves on the Rainbow Acres Board of Trustees, has accepted our offer to become the Director of Ranch Operations & Staff Development (aka Ranch Director), effective August 1, 2010. Mike currently resides in Rancho Cucamongo, CA where he is an active member of Hillside Community Church. His professional background includes 19 years of law practice and eight years of management (recruiting, hiring, etc.) at Lucky Supermarkets. His wife, Kelli, has also agreed to serve Rainbow in two important capacities: Coordinator of Outreach for the Palmer Community Center and Coordinator of Human Resources. Mike and Kelli will make their home in Arizona, and we pray for God’s grace for their family as they face this important transition.
Finally, we would like to announce the decision of Steve Gable, Rainbow Acres Comptroller, to move into retirement. While his resignation is effective June 30, 2010, Steve has agreed to stay on and assist in the transition until a suitable replacement is found. Steve has served Rainbow faithfully in the financial department since 2005, and we will miss his sharp eye and calm demeanor. While we are sad to see Steve go, we are excited for him as he begins to enjoy the next stage of life.
God has provided Rainbow Acres with extraordinary employees over the years. And while we are saddened to see some employees leave us, we are excited to welcome new faces and talents to the team. Please pray for Rainbow Acres as it enters this time of challenging and exciting transition.
UPDATE: Succeeding Steve Gable as Vice President of Finance will be Paul Higgins from Ripon, WI. Paul comes to Rainbow from Green Lake Conference Center, where he also served as Vice President of Finance for the past 12 years. He has an MBA from Mercer University and a Masters of Divinity from Candler School of Theology, both in Atlanta, GA. Join us in welcoming Paul and his wife Jeri into the Rainbow Acres family!
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