Please know that my heart is full today as we reopen Pinwheel Place and we welcome you all into our home. And I mean our home. This home is for the community and built by the community. We wouldn’t be here without all of you! When Quady and I started Pinwheel Place we wanted to build a community of people who wanted to give kids a happy childhood and that is what is happening here now, today. 

 

Mr. Rogers said look for the helpers so we have and I see many helpers here today. I see teachers, not surprisingly. Many of whom I have had the pleasure of working with and one is who is Quady’s high school teacher who won teacher of the year this year Mr. Nappi. I see workers  from many different agencies we partner with to help families in our community. I see counselors, I see local politicians, Vin Gopal, Kim Eulner, Marilyn Piperno, welcome. I see church members. I see people strong enough to help themselves so they could help their children. We as a community are here for each other , for our children and that is so important.

 

Our community is built from relationships. Bruce Perry, a renowned child trauma specialist states “The more healthy relationships a child has the more likely he will be able to recover from trauma and thrive. Relationships are the agents of change and the most powerful therapy is love!” Teachers know that forming a relationship with students in class that more learning takes place, politicians know that without relationships important work will not get done, counselors and social workers know you need to build trust with a client to be able to do the work. We all need relationships in our community to thrive. And we all know the phrase “it takes a village”. Many in our community are looking for that village. Times are difficult for many. We here at Pinwheel Place are forming that community to be that village. That is what we do whether through emergency child care, diapers, or baby baskets. We are providing that safety net. 

That’s what we do here with your help. ( I shared a story of a family we served here and you can check out impact stories on our website www.pinwheelplace.org)

 

As I said before it takes a village and I want to thank our village of volunteers who have seen the need and the importance of the mission and stepped in to help. I want to thank the agencies we work with for all that they do for our community. I want to thank the families who entrust us with their children, that is an amazing gift and one we don’t take lightly. I want to thank my family for all of their support as Pinwheel Place would not exist without them.

 

Before we cut the ribbon I want to mention the pencil cases that we have put out. New sharpened pencils remind me of a brand new school year. It is one of the things that I like about working at a school, every year is a fresh start, a new beginning and this is a new beginning for Pinwheel Place and often the families we work with and so for that symbolism I hope you take them with the meaning they were intended. Thank you again for being here and welcome to Pinwheel Place. Come on in!!!!!