A couple of weeks ago, we got to step out of our comfort zone a little bit- away from weddings- to do a fundraiser for the House of Hope of Alachua County. Being that this was our second year as planners for the House of Hope Prayer Breakfast, we were thrilled to work with the wonderful board members and directors, as well as all of the generous supporters of the House of Hope yet again. The event was held on an early (specifically at 7:27am) Thursday morning, September 4th, at the Hilton University Hotel and Conference Center.
The House of Hope is a faith-based non-profit organization which strives to rehabilitate criminals upon their release from prison. Many ex-prisoners fall back into their old habits once re-entering society because they are not equipped the handle the transition. The House of Hope is a place where they can come and live for 6 months during their transition into a new, Christ-centered life. This event is their primary fundraiser each year.
Given that the title of the event was "Prayer Breakfast", there was certainly a delicious breakfast enjoyed by all. The Hilton staff is always great about filling our bellies with yummy goodies!
The program was also, of course, full of prayer for the Gainesville community, the residents and graduates of the House of Hope, everyone who was present and those who were unable to be there, and most importantly for those people in the world who do not have a personal relationship with God. The program also included special recognition of several of those who have made a profoud impact on the House of Hope.
After taking care of certain business matters, such as the presentation of the annual status report by House of Hope board president Keith Perry, it was time to recognize one extremely noteworthy guest- the keynote speaker, Secretary Walter McNeil of the Florida Department of Corrections. Secretary McNeil not only spoke about his experience as a police officer for many years, a police chief, and now current Secretary of the Department of Corrections, but also about his upbringing and personal relationship with Jesus Christ. His words were incredibly motivating and inspirational. It was a true honor to have Secretary McNeil present at this event. He is quite an honorable man, not only professionally, but personally.
One of the most adored segments of the program is always the testimonies of the graduates of the House of Hope, as well as current residents. Led by Thomas and Rhonda Johnson- the Executive Directors of the House of Hope- each resident was given the microphone and allowed to share with everyone how the House of Hope changed their life and helped them have a true purpose to live for. Many of the stories were emotional, some were entertaining, but all were extremely touching.
For the first time ever, the House of Hope had a woman go through the entire program and graduate the week before the Prayer Breakfast. The women's program is rapidly growing and has the capacity to hold five women at a time. This program is sure to change lives within women's prisons as well as upon their re-entry to society.
At the end of the program, Pastor Mike Patz- our Master of Ceremonies for the morning- made an appeal for a love offering. This program could not function without the help of sponsors and loyal supporters who come back year after year because they believe in this program and realize the monetary assistance that it needs to continue changing lives. Of course, this event has very little to do with raising money in comparison to the love, hope, prayer, and fellowship that it fosters among the community.
As the lead planner, and on behalf of the A'vie staff, this event is truly one that touches our hearts and reminds us that people in our community always need support. It is such a pleasure to work with Thomas and Rhonda Johnson, as well as the rest of the Board Members and loyal supporters. We also could not have done this event without the wonderful Hilton staff. None of these incredible pictures would exist as everlasting captured memories without the generosity of Rob and Marian Witzel.
We can't wait to start working on next year's event- and look out- there is much more to come from the House of Hope! We will continue to use our abilities to help them raise awareness about their program, their faith, and their ability to change countless lives.
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