Share the Dream Celebration
Students from the Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten class at the Children of the World Preschool in St. Petersburg provided an enthusiastic opening to the United Methodist Cooperative Ministries’ “Share the Dream Celebration” on November 17 at the Ruth Eckerd Hall. Each little face beamed as they sang “This Land is Your Land” complete with lively hand motions and dance moves for the nearly 200 guests. The audience cheered with approval as the 17 children from a dozen different countries left the stage waving American Flags and singing “It’s a Small World.”
Celebrity Mistress of Ceremonies, Yolanda Fernandez of WFLA News Channel 8, explained that attendees at the event held a shared dream, “that all children will live in peace, have plentiful food and safe shelter, and get a good education.” Fernandez masterfully officiated at the celebration which raised funds for Cooperative Ministries’ dream making programs for children and families. She also helped the ministry to honor a group of outstanding volunteers who have given countless hours to make those programs possible.
Fernandez introduced the volunteer honorees while Cooperative Ministries Executive Director Pamela Qualls presented each with a crystal “kiss” candy dish. The honorees were: Joe and Mary Ann Brito, Pack-A-Sack-4-Kids Team Leaders, Bradenton; Betsy Kenas, Ambassador and P.A.S.S. (Producing Academically Successful Students) Tutorial Program Volunteer, Dunedin; Marion Lucciola, Board Member Emeritus, St. Petersburg; the Reverends Gene Watson and Lois Rogers-Watson, Program Support Volunteers, Palm Harbor; and Cris Wolfe, Families Learning Together Site Coordinator, St. Petersburg. The work accomplished in each of the programs was also highlighted during the evening.
Helen Sweatt, outgoing president of the Board of Directors, thanked donors and volunteers for making Cooperative Ministries’ work possible. She also introduced James Sharp, a classical guitarist, Pinellas County music teacher and member of Heritage United Methodist Church, Clearwater, who presented special musical entertainment at the beginning of the evening. Later, in keeping with the international theme, Ally Halchak, 16, a junior at East Lake High, delighted the audience with her beautiful voice when she sang “Mein Herr Marquis” by Johann Strauss.
A silent auction held at the event raised approximately $4,500 because of the generosity of the donors and those attending. Altogether, the event raised over $17,000!
