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"Christmas is the season for kindling the
fire of hospitality in the hall, the genial
flame of charity in the heart".
Washington Irving
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Japanese Cultural Exchange at The Club
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This fall, the students of The Club at
Collington Square after-school program have
been engaged in a cultural exchange with
elementary and middle-school students from
Okaya-Shi, Japan.
This seven-week study of Japanese arts and
culture will culminate in an international
family dinner where students will exhibit
their art
work, serve Japanese food, and share their
new international
friendships with their
families.
Students at The Club have taken to this
program with great enthusiasm and are
currently able to solve basic mathematical
problems using the Japanese language!
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Caring is a family affair at 'The Ark'
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This Christmas, the daughter of one of The
Ark's longest-tenured volunteers picked up a
tradition started by her father way back when
the program was first established.
Mr. Tom Johnson, who passed away early in the
year, was a familiar face at The Ark, and
loved nothing more than donning his Santa hat
at Christmas and giving gifts to the
children.
This year, Tom's daughter, Donna
Johnson-Marsalis, picked up the family
tradition and brought gifts into the Ark for
the annual 'Parents Shopping Day' where
parents choose donated Christmas
gifts for their children.
We would like to thank all of our donors who
provided gifts for this occasion, including
Loyola's "Presence for Christmas" program and
Johns Hopkins Hospital.
The Ark is Baltimore's only free preschool
for homeless children, and is fully
accredited by the Maryland State Department
of Education.
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Christmas at Jericho
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December
19th is
the date of the annual
Christmas dinner at the Jericho program in
East Baltimore.
Jericho is ECSM's prisoner reentry initiative
for non-violent ex-offenders, and the annual
Christmas dinners can be moving for all
concerned. Jericho Director Bonnie Ariano:
"For some of these men, this is the first
Christmas in years that they've spent with
their families, with freedom, with a proper
Christmas meal in front of them. These men
are so grateful to have a second chance at
life, and being around them and hearing their
stories is a
remarkable experience".
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Give a Gift Worth Receiving!
