Walsh named All-Star athlete
Bishop Kenny High School senior Rose Walsh was recently selected as an All-Star Athlete by WJXT-TV 4 and VyStar Credit Union.
The program honors high school athletes
DAR presents flag to Nowikowski
The Fort San Nicholas Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution presented a distinctive flag to local resident Erin Nowikowski last month.
The group gave Nowikowski, a graduate of the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind, an American Braille flag to honor her good citizenship within the community.
Molly Knight, a San Marco resident and regent of the DAR, presented Nowikowski with the handmade flag. The flag was made with different materials so the visually impaired can feel each star and stripe.
Nowikowski works in the neighborhood at San Marco Deli and the Bark and Howl Bakery. DAR officials said she creates goodwill with her salesmanship and willingness to do good work.
Do unto others…
Students in the Bolles Lower School Whitehurst Campus third grade presented The Golden Rule on Feb. 29
St. Paul’s students excel at science fair
St. Paul’s Catholic School students won nine awards at the Northeast Florida Regional Science and Engineering Fair
Ortega student crowned Mr. St. Johns
St. Johns Country Day School junior Jess Wilsensky held off 10 other handsome and talented young men to win the coveted “Mr. St. Johns” title at a late February event held in the school’s Performing Arts Center. Event chair and Ortega resident Caroline Robbins and co-chair, Ellen Crist, chose “Mr. St. Johns Hits the Beach” for this year’s theme. The guys entertained the audience competing in casual wear, lip sync and formal wear. Luke Dill was the first runner-up, Garrett Hays was the second runner-up, Cole Ferguson was the third runner-up and Drew Petty was the fourth runner-up. Other contestants included Ryan Lindholm, John Stribling, Joe Capps, Madison Duff, Collin Hudson, Trey Teahan. The Mr. St. Johns contest is sponsored by the Interact Club and proceeds go to benefit Relay for Life/American Cancer Society. This year’s total was $1,762.
Swish! Riverside basketball scores this season
Riverside Presbyterian Church Basketball organizers said this past season was its best yet.
Go-Giver: Mark Rosenberg
By Julie Kerns
Garmendia
Mark
Rosenberg, a Jacksonville native and local attorney with a private law practice
in Riverside, lives with his wife Natalie, daughter Charlotte 10, and son
William 6 1/2, in Avondale. Several years ago Rosenberg first began supporting
the nonprofit The Sanctuary on Eighth Street through a friend’s involvement.
Later a chance personal encounter with the Sanctuary children introduced
Rosenberg to the group of underprivileged children and teens who would become
nearly a second family to the busy attorney.
“At
first I was just the typical check-writing supporter of The Sanctuary — then we
ran into the kids at Boone Park where they were enjoying an Easter egg hunt,
” Rosenberg said. He explained how he reconnected with Sanctuary director
and nearby resident, Vicky Watkins during the run-in. Rosenberg’s interest in
the Sanctuary was rekindled a year later in the same park. “I was at the
park again with my family when I saw a friend, Robert George, who was trying to
set up a ‘not-for-profit week’ at Camp Rockmont in Black Mountain, North Carolina
for kids who would never be able to attend summer camp otherwise. I knew I
could pull some people together and make something happen. I wanted to help
send Sanctuary children to the camp, and through that goal, my involvement with
the organization grew over time.”
Through
his connection with the summer camp, Rosenberg was able to arrange for the
first group of five Sanctuary children to attend Rockmont. For the past several
summers, more children have earned the trip through their behavior and academic
accomplishments in The Sanctuary’s enrichment and scholastic programs.
“I
got to know the children, the staff and their mission and began to spend alot
of time there personally, as well as working for them on my own,” he said. “I
was asked to join the board and served as president for the past two years.
Those kids are my little friends and they mean alot to me. What I do for them
pales in comparison to the blessings they have brought to my life.”
The
Sanctuary began as Urban Ministries of Springfield in 1992. The organization
changed its name to The Sanctuary on Eighth Street in 2001. The organization
will celebrate its 20th anniversary September 21, according to Rosenberg. It
has grown from an after-school program for a few children to serving more than
100 inner-city children and youth in after-school, summer school and a small,
but successful home school program taught entirely by volunteer teachers. Their
programs seek to encourage and empower youth and families in need by
ministering to their spiritual, physical, social and intellectual needs with
the goal of expanding opportunities through education, social services,
recreation and the arts.
“It’s
funny, but the Sanctuary Board is littered with my friends because not only did
I want to bring on more strong board members, but I know how my own involvement
has affected my life and I want to share that,” Rosenberg said. “A perfect
example of how we can encourage and help the kids, is their Sanctuary
basketball team practices and games. Sometimes I have been the only adult there
to cheer for their games, or it’s just me and my children, the staff, teachers
or other board members watching them play. It just means so much to them.”
Rosenberg
has already contributed successful ideas to help The Sanctuary kids and he has
more future plans and goals. His daughter Charlotte’s Brownie Troop painted the
computer lab. He came up with the idea for Party Partners, where a church or
other community group hosts a party for the Sanctuary children.
“When
I learned that many of the Sanctuary children never had parties given for them,
even birthday parties, all I could think of was how many parents and
grandparents of my childrens’ classmates attend the many parties and holiday
celebrations held at Riverside Presbyterian Day School. There is always an
abundance of families, food and fun and the comparison to these children was
heartbreaking to me. I just wanted to change that,” he said.
Now
several churches and organizations host parties for every holiday at The
Sanctuary, and many return each year. Rosenberg said the program has been a
wonderful success for the children and has simultaneously introduced many
people in the community to the Sanctuary children, their programs and needs.
Vicky
Watkins, executive director, says that Rosenberg transformed everything since
he came, through his personal involvement and commitment to the children. She
called him a blessing to the organization and a strong, committed leader with
vision, who gets things done and always follows through.
“Mark
strengthened the board tremendously and expanded our reach into the community.
He brought so much to us with his full involvement at every level,”
Watkins said. ” He personally gets to know the kids and loves them and his
commitment to their well being and futures is contagious.”
Rosenberg’s
goals for the future of The Sanctuary focus on funding and sustainability of
programs so that every child can improve behavior, school performance and
succeed in life. His concern when he speaks of their difficulties and
challenges at home and elsewhere is sincere. He said they have little
opportunity to meet their personal potential, that most are working below grade
level and some are in danger of dropping out of school. He proudly speaks of
The Sanctuary’s goal of helping children to attend KIPP Impact Middle School
(charter) or a public magnet school, and that three alumni entered college last
year. One deserving student received a full scholarship.
The
Rosenberg family moved to Avondale from San Marco when Natalie found her dream
Tudor style home, which they completely renovated. Later Mark relocated his
office to Riverside. Natalie is also an attorney, a fulltime mother and active
volunteer. She too can be found with the Sanctuary children, where she listens to
their individual reading. Natalie serves on the Women’s Board of Wolfson
Children’s Hospital. The Rosenbergs also support the Sulzbacher Center, the
Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, American Cancer Society, the Juvenile
Diabetes Research Foundation and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
“I
just want to help these kids become all that they can be. I want to do for them
what I do for my own children,” he said.
