No Lying! COBYS Is Turning 30 - COBYS Family Services

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Family Groups to be Featured atWenger Foundation Praise DinnerThe 15th annual WengerFoundation Praise Dinner willfeature plenty of good food andSouthern Gospel music from theAllen Family and the DiplomatsQuartet. Slated for Thursday, April29, at 6:00 p.m., at the LebanonExpo Center, the event willbenefit COBYS Family Servicesand three other ministries.Known for their goodharmony and humor, Todd &Michelle Allen and their eightchildren live in their bus 365 daysa year and fill over 275engagements annually. Industryprofessionals awarded Todd,Michelle, and their oldest son,Caleb, a first place finish at the2000 National QuartetConvention Talent Search inLouisville, Kentucky. In the yearsto follow, the other Allen childrenjoined in, and they quicklybecame a favorite family group.Learn more about them atallenministries.com.Based in Carrollton, GA, TheDiplomats Quartet(diplomatsqt.com) is a mixedquartet anchored by threemembers of the Pearsonfamily—Jimmy & Rita and theirson, Corey. The Diplomats havebeen performing on the SouthernGospel circuit for many years.In addition to the inspirationalmusic, the evening will include abuffet meal catered by CountryHome Catering. Other ministriesbenefitting from the event areEvangelical TheologicalSeminary, Friendship Community,and On Fire Youth Ministries.The cost to attend is $100 perThe Allen Family (above right) and The Diplomats Quartet headline thisyear’s Wenger Foundation Praise Dinner. The April 29 event benefits COBYSand three other ministries.person or $1,000 per table of 10guests. One hundred percent ofdonations support thedesignated ministries.Underwriting all of the event’sexpenses are the Achey family,Plain & Fancy Custom Cabinetry,Schaefferstown; John and JudyByler, Lancaster; Bud & JoyceMitstifer, Myerstown; the WengerFamily, Wengers of Myerstown;and other anonymouscontributors.The Wenger Foundation, Inc.,was established in 1996 as thecharitable giving arm of theWenger Family of Companies,which includes Wengers ofMyerstown; Reading Kubota, Inc.;Ag-Industrial, Inc.; Wenger Farms;and Champion Leasing, Inc.Since then, the Foundation hasawarded more than $1 million toa variety of Christian andcommunity ministries, includingmore than $200,000 to COBYS,which first became a beneficiaryof the Praise Dinner in 1999.Last year’s Praise Dinnerattracted some 750 people andraised $85,259, including$21,407.75 for COBYS.Invitations will be mailed inMarch. For more information,please contact the WengerFoundation at 717-866-2130 orrwalmer@wengers.com.16th Annual FamilyCOBYS Family Services will hostthe 16th annual Family Fun Walkon Sunday, May 2, at PeterBecker Community, 800 MapleAve., Harleysville, beginning at4:00 p.m.The event consists of a threemilewalk, followed by icecream, refreshments, andawarding of door prizes. Walkersenlist sponsors to benefit COBYSministries.Sixty-six people participatedin the 2009 Family Fun Walk,raising nearly $9,000 for COBYSministries. Goals of 100participants and $10,000 havebeen set for this year’s event.Top fund raisers can chooseFostering Hope 4
After 30 Years: Remembering COBYS’ BeginningsWhile COBYS Family Services iscelebrating its 30th anniversaryin 2010, the organization’s originsactually extend back into theearly 1970s.COBYS grew out of twoqueries that came to the 1972Church of the Brethren AtlanticNortheast District Conference.Alarmed by signs of familybreakdown, the Mechanic Groveand East Petersburgcongregations challenged thechurch to respond. Specificissues raised in the queries werethe need for “counseling servicessympathetic to the Christianperspective” and “care foremotionally disturbed childrenand youth.”The “Mental Health TaskCommittee” appointed toaddress these concerns exploreda variety of options over severalyears, including establishing aresidential facility to care fortroubled youth and working inpartnership with the MennoniterunPhilhaven Hospital to offerservices.By 1979, focus had shifted tocreating a “therapeutic fostercare program for young peoplewith emotional and behavioralproblems.” Mennonite mentalhealth professionals Carl & LoisFrey were employed in 1979 todraft by-laws, begin establishingEarly COBYS Boardmembers (from left)Mary K. Graver, SaraKoser, John Gibbel,Betty Lou Nyce, AlbertSauls, Victor Ziegler,and Amos Cunningham(rear), father of COBYSExecutive DirectorMark Cunningham.relationships with other agencies,and generally get the programup and running. The result was anew organization called Churchof the Brethren Youth Services(COBYS). (The name later waschanged to COBYS FamilyServices to reflect a broadeningrange of programs.)When the Freys resigned inJune 1980 to dedicate(continued on back page)Fun Walk Slated for May 2between grand prizes of a night’sstay for two at Willow ValleyResort, near Lancaster and twotickets to Sight & Sound Theatre’snew production, Joseph. (Grandprizes subject to change.)Participants can earn additionalprizes by raising certain levels ofRaindampenedspirits,attendance, anddollars raised atthe 2009 FamilyFun Walk.Planners arelooking for arebound in allthree categoriesat this year’sevent on May 2.support. All participants receivea free t-shirt and are eligible fordoor prizes.Costs of the event areunderwritten by grants from theWal-Mart Foundation and theBauman Family Fruit Butters andCider, Sassamansville. Additionalbusiness sponsors and door prizedonors are being sought.Printable Family Fun Walkbrochures with sponsor sheets willbe mailed in early March andalso will be available atwww.cobys.org/news.htm. Formore information, contact DonFitzkee at 800-452-6517 ordon@cobys.org.Fostering Hope 5
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No Lying! COBYS Is Turning 30 - COBYS Family Services

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