By Thomas Canterbury, Director of Development, The Shepherd’s Center of Kernersville, Inc.

The Shepherd’s Center of Kernersville (TSCK) recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of moving into our new facility. Last year, through the generous support of the community and bequests, TSCK was able to purchase a building and renovate it to fit our needs. On, November 1, 2021, we combined our services and programs under one roof. Since moving into our new location, The Shepherd’s Center has experienced substantial growth in the programs and services being offered and in the number of people we can serve.

You can now find The Shepherd’s Center of Kernersville at 636 Gralin Street. A location providing the center with spacious rooms, extensive available parking, and room to expand. To honor the one-year anniversary, TSCK hosted a weeklong celebration (lasting from Oct. 31st to November 4th) every day of the week, representing a different key aspect of the organization. The themes of each day were based on TSCK’s five guiding philosophies. Purpose, Compassion, Enrichment, Hope, and Life, all of which play a part in the decision-making process for how the center chooses to best serve the community. Program participants, volunteers, and visitors experienced a sampling of each focus through displays, demonstrations, and activities. Staff and Board Members also greeted guests, gave tours, and offered refreshments throughout the week.

The first day of the anniversary week focused on our Purpose. The activities for this day included making goodie bags to give to volunteers, sheep decorating, and collecting photos of the year. The photos became part of a slideshow playing throughout the building all week.

Tuesday’s activities focused on our Compassion. The activities included writing thank you cards for volunteers, to go along with the goodie bags made the day before. Our regular volunteers were then encouraged to stop in for a “thank you” treat and a goodie bag. We also made a game called “Guess the Volunteer” in which participants would try to guess which fun facts belonged to which volunteer.

Wednesday’s theme was Enrichment. For this day we highlighted the amazing programs TSCK offers daily, through mini-program demonstrations. Curious participants could try a new class or program they might have an interest in joining later. A few of the programs on display were ukulele lessons, basket weaving, and watercolor open studio.

Thursday was designed around Hope. The activities showcased the services we provide through service demonstrations, allowing visitors to experience some of the services offered. These services included our weekly flower delivery known as Project Joy, friendly caller, and visitations. In addition, we offered free “Sensitivity Training” to everyone. The sensitivity training utilized specially designed glasses to simulate the aging of the eyes. This training gave participants a new perspective and a better understanding of what aging is like for many.

Life was the focus of the last day of the celebration week. Participants were offered the chance to link their Amazon accounts to TSCK’s Amazon Smile Account. Amazon Smile is the same free online shopping platform as regular Amazon, but a portion of every sale goes back to a nonprofit of your choice. TSCK is a nonprofit available for selection for Amazon Smile, so any purchases made through the site directly benefit the center. The day also featured writing “thank you cards” to donors and an information seminar about life insurance and benefactors. The seminar gave guests information regarding planned giving as a method of supporting TSCK.

Since 1985, The Shepherd’s Center of Kernersville has championed, sustained, and advocated for the well-being of adults who are aging or with disabilities. TSCK relies on the support of the community to accomplish this objective. The anniversary celebration was our way of saying thank you to the wonderful people in town who contribute to our mission. The week turned out to be a big success with over 150 people participating in the activities all week long. While we just finished celebrating our first year in our new facilities, we hope to continue to serve in this location for many years to come. Individuals are welcome to stop in for a visit and to hear about how they can become involved, either as a participant, service recipients, volunteers, or supporters. We are open Monday – Friday from 8 AM – 4 PM. For program listings and times go to our website at www.shepctrkville.com or use the QR code below.