UPS & DOWNS
December 2000

WAYFARERS' NEWS

WELCOME to new residents Dorothy, Barbara, Aggie, Lois, Audrey, Amanda and Josh.
FAREWELL and good wishes to residents who have moved our recently: Dianne, Dawn, Roxanne, Lora, Cassie, Donna, Jennifer and Zachary.

HAPPY DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS to Carl and Marsha Mazza and to Amanda.

THANK YOU to Renie Newman for all the Christmas gift wrapping she completed for us, and to May Yokoyama for the Christmas ornaments she taught us to make. And thanks to all the sandwich makers, the makers of hundreds of them, who provided food for the marchers in Wilmington on December 21, National Homeless Day. For more details about the event, see attendee Nancy. Many thanks to all who made the Community Thanksgiving Dinner such a happy time for over 200 people. The puppet show, face painting (Raven) and balloons and food and fellowship were all cause to celebrate. Muchas gracias, too, to Lynn Rodden for all that the herbs and spices sales have involved, many many hours of labor to benefit Meeting Ground.

Ups & Downs is a monthly newsletter for the residents of Wayfarers' house. We hope it will provide a place for the people in the house who like to write to have their work printed, a place to share their thoughts. It is usually published the weekend before the last Monday of the month, and anyone may submit material to Esther Smith for the paper on any Wednesday, the day she is usually at the House.

Sometimes an author would like her name published, sometimes she prefers that it not be or that only her first name be used. We will do it as you request.

If you would like to express ideas, make suggestions, or relate some experience of yours, but you don't enjoy writing, you may just dictate it to Esther, who will take notes and put it on her computer to be included in the next issue.

Ups & Downs hopes to provide information about what goes on at Wayfarers' and anywhere in the Meeting Ground Community to residents, staff, volunteers, including the General Council of Meeting Ground, and interested groups in the community.

We like to include programs and events that might be of interest, whether in the Meeting Ground community or the larger community we are part of in Elkton, in Maryland and beyond. Please make suggestions about what you would like to see in the paper.

Our residents, staff and volunteers receive copies as well as places in the town where people who do not know Meeting Ground can find out about us and the services we can provide. We distribute copies to Clairvaux Farm, the George Porter House, the Domestic Violence Center, the Emergency Room at Union Hospital, the Social Services Center, The Elkton Center for Adult Education on Railroad Avenue and the Family Support Center in Hollingsworth Manor.

Overheard: a Rave for Raven's group for fostering self-esteem, which meets as Wayfarers' on Tuesdays.



ABOUT CHRISTMAS

As we sat admiring the Christmas tree in the living room at Wayfarers' ......
The younger residents were showing us some of their gifts a few days after Christmas, and we were learning new things, like what a karaoke radio is and how it works, and how what looks like a fierce bee can turn into what looks like a man-warrior. We were seeing how some things don't change that much, like the gleam in a young lad's eyes as he plays with a new toy vehicle. We thought how Christmas is always such a mixture of past holiday pleasures and pain; what reminds us of past Christmas joy is wonderful and what brings up unhappy memories or contrasts gives us sad feelings.

Mandy (12):What I liked best was the karaoke radio with tapes and mike I got, and the clothes, too, and being able to be with my family. I didn't like the long ride (three hours) it took to get to Salisbury, and I also missed Tiffany who was here.

Josh (10): I liked my Beast Wars toy, the bee that turns into a guy, and the pads and helmet I got so I can go to Skate Park. You can't use your skate board at the park without pads and a helmet. I liked the clothes I got, too. I didn't like the long ride, either, but I least liked not being able to fall asleep on Christmas Eve. It was after mid-night.

Tiffany: Usually everybody's happy and excited on Christmas, but Ii don't like how stressed everyone is. I think the holiday brings out both good and bad in people.
Terry: I got to spend Christmas with my children. I enjoyed every minute of it. I didn't know if I was going to get to be with them. (Jennifer is 16; Bonnie, 8; Anna, 6; Royce, 4 and Travis, 3.) I got very little sleep. On Christmas Eve only two hours. We were up most of the night putting things together and then we were up at 6 a.m. with the little ones. I talked late into the night with my teen-age daughter. I played Nintendo with my son. I saw my grandma who is in her 70s. We all call her Gee Gee (for great grandma). It was all good; there was nothing bad about it.

Pat: For me the best was being with my new grandson (Christian is four months) for his first Christmas. That was wonderful. I don't like, though, being around complainers, people who are not happy for what they have and keep going back to what is lacking. But it didn't really seem like Christmas to me; maybe being here in a shelter does that; though when I hear about other people's situations, it makes me appreciate what I have.

Barb: I liked my son's getting presents. Nathaniel liked everything. He especially liked his truck. (Nathaniel is two and a half.) The unhappy part was that I couldn't get him the things I wanted him to have.

Tiffany: What I liked about past Christmases was that my family was always with me.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!