Friends of Children of Walla Walla
September 1, 2023
Welcome Back to Friends
Merri Anne and I hope everyone enjoyed their summer adventures with friends and family. The school year has begun in all our school district partners. Friends intend this newsletter to inform, celebrate, and connect all those involved with the Friends program. With that stated, we know the students are excited to see their Friends. We will start meeting with our Friends on Monday, September 11. If the office still needs to connect with you, please call us at 509.527.4745.
I am Scott Kasenga, the new Executive Director of Friends. Since July 1, I have been busy learning about Friends' history and the ins and outs of the organization. I was raised in rural Pennsylvania and moved to Washington State in 1996, where my wife and I, Amy, taught and coached in the White Salmon Valley School District. In 2016, our family moved to Walla Walla. With 27 years of educational experience, I will continue supporting students by matching caring, consistent adults to children in the community. I genuinely have a passion for students, knowing firsthand that a mentor can change a student's life.
Thank you to Merri Anne Huber, Friends' current Project Manager, and Jim Byrnes, retired Executive Director, for guiding me through this transition.
Jim has been and continues to be gracious with his knowledge and time.
On September 16, Friends will hold a new fundraising event called End of Summer Supper. There, we will share testimonials, auction off items, and enjoy one another's company. Please check out our revised website under the Event tab to learn more about the event, or you can click the links provided. There are still a few tickets left if you want to join us.
Friends will provide training on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Trinity Baptist Church and on Saturday at 9 a.m. at the Center for Children and Families. This training is required for brand-new Friends for the 2023-2024 school year and is an available option for previous Friends.
Our Board of Directors has added three new members. The Friends organization welcomes Michelle Gwinn, Roni Hosfeld, and Chris Schamer. These new members and our current board of directors provide a solid local connection for the Friends program.
Partnerships Needed
Friends thrives on relationships between a student and a positive adult who meet once a week during the student's lunch. This year, Friends will increase the number of friends in the ABC program from the previous year, and the percentage of matched Friends will average 90% by the end of this school year. If you belong to or know of an organization that may be interested in supporting Friends with positive adults, please let us know. Trinity Baptist Church, Walla Walla University, Walla Walla Community College, and Whitman College have been excellent avenues for returning and recruiting new friends. Please help us reach our mentoring goal.
Scott Kasenga - Executive Director
Email: scott@wallawallafrineds.org
Website: www.wallawallafriends.org
Location: 1150 West Chestnut Street, Walla Walla, WA, USA
Phone: 509.5274745
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WallaWallaMentoring/