Oh the Places You’ll Go at Marian Hope…

Merry Christmas Appreciation Poem written with love by MH CEO…

Inspired by Dr. Seuss

Oh the places you’ll go and the things that you’ll do,
at Marian Hope where life is made new.

Let’s start with our development team if you will,
As they try to raise money so we can pay each bill.
God gives us our daily bread so we can sustain,
And he assigned Kira and Crystal so Marian Hope can remain.
They work and they work with little guided direction,
But needless to say, they do their jobs with perfection.
They love the cause and hold it dear to their hearts,
And we all pray that they will never want to depart.

Moving on to the ones who keep us afloat,
By watching our budget and taking diligent notes.
They write our policies and keep us legally intact,
Rarely do they stop for even a snack.
Without their brilliant minds and attention to detail,
Our organization would certainly derail.
We would not survive without their keen eye,
Sue, Cara and Cinda truly keep us alive.

Our board of directors always has our back,
They guide and assess to make sure we’re on track.
They dedicate their time without any condition,
Because of their love for the children and our mission.

And to all of our donors who fund our mission,
We wouldn’t exist without your position.
Your generosity and love to the children we see,
Gives them the resources so their best they will be.
It is community working together that allows us to grow,
Lives more blessed is what you sow.

The Mayor (as I call her) will brighten your day,
And you all know her as our sweet JJ.
She keeps us all “in the know”,
And for anyone—oh the places she’ll go.
Special is what she makes everyone feel, and she will be the first to bring you a meal.

Now the places you’ll go if you are our COO,
Are beyond all measure because she’ll never say no.
From toilet bowl plunging to taking out trash,
Whatever you need, Heather will be there in a dash.
On yellow sticky notes all around,
A great deal of her to-do’s will be found.
From counselor, to therapist, to para, to friend—each will be her role,
For our COO has the kindest, gentlest, most humble soul.

Now being a therapist will change your life,
But let’s admit it, some days may bring strife.
The things that you’ll say and the actions you’ll do,
To get a child to speak when he is just two.
“What do I do” will flounder around in your mind,
Until a great solution you will suddenly find.
It may be acting like a clown or growling like a bear,
But no matter who is watching, you do not really care.
You’ll do whatever it takes to help a child out,
Because you believe she CAN and you never doubt.
You work hard to serve some pretty tough kids,
But when the day is done you should be proud of what you did.
You may have been puked on, spit on and possibly hit,
And there is a good chance you will even get bit.
But you know the scars of hard work are worth the smiles you get,
And when a child finds his voice, it is the best feeling yet.

When we started a school, great teachers were a must,
For the education of children should be in hands we can trust.
To teach a child is more than teaching to tests,
It’s helping them in all areas to be their personal best.
It is understanding how each child learns,
And strengthening their strengths, not just their concerns.
It’s teaching them truth in who God made them to be,
And helping them appreciate their own special identity.

The pay is not great, let’s face it, it stinks,
But our life is a vapor and goes by in a blink.
What we do for a child is more valuable than gold,
The payment comes from above and in things we can’t hold.
The joy in the eyes of the families we serve,
Are worth the sacrifices and the hope they deserve.

For every child on earth is worth our attention,
For in God’s book of life, their names are all mentioned.
Thank you all for being a shining light for the world to see,
I hope you all know how truly I love and appreciate thee.
Merry Christmas my sweet friends at Marian Hope!

With Love – Angie Knight,
Your friend and your sister in Christ!