The Village Network Celebrates Successes

WOOSTER, Ohio – June 26, 2008 – Hundreds participated in the annual Celebration Day at The Village Network (TVN), Boys’ Village Campus, Wooster, Ohio, on June 25th. Local citizens, volunteers and supporters, city officials and new board members toured the campus, viewed displays highlighting the year and celebrated the organization’s successes with a barbeque picnic.
One success was being named Agency of the Year by the Alliance for Children and Families, a national membership association of non-profit human service providers in the United States and Canada. TVN’s impact on advocacy at local, state and national levels as well as its innovative programs earned the organization the top honor. TVN experienced an 18 percent revenue growth and a 23 percent program growth over the past year.                                                       
                                                                                                                                             "The support of our private and public partners is critical to our success with the children," said James T. Miller, executive director, The Village Network. "The board, staff, foster families, donors and volunteers have established an organizational culture which fosters excellence.”
                                                                                                                                          The organization also honored its first female Alumni of the Year, Tessa Walters. Walters spent five years inside Ohio’s foster treatment care with the last several years in The Village Network.
Walters will graduate from the University of Akron this spring with an associate degree in Health Care Office Management and is currently employed by the United Way of Wayne and Holmes Counties. She oversees the Wayne/Holmes RX. The plan assists uninsured families by helping them obtain prescription medications.
                                                                                                                                        Other highlights included a performance by the Boys’ Choral Group and a proclamation from Ohio governor Ted Strickland praising The Village Network’s efforts. Peter Goldberg, president and chief executive officer of Alliance for Children and Families, was the keynote speaker.