Sue Thomas spins an inspirational story at Founders Club Dinner; awards presented
Sue Thomas, whose success-in-the-face-of-steep-odds story has few equals, kept her audience spellbound at the 2009 Founders Club Dinner at Cross Keys Village – The Brethren Home Community. She also thanked them repeatedly for their work for others.
Thomas, profoundly deaf since the age of 18 months, became the Ohio figure-skating champion as a child, synchronizing her routine to music she couldn’t hear. Later she was a lip-reading special agent for the FBI, and that part of her life reached a worldwide audience through the television series “Sue Thomas: FBEye.” Today she continues to work as a highly successful public speaker, despite having added Multiple Sclerosis to deafness as obstacles to overcome.
Her story features a strong personal faith, another theme that resonated with her Cross Keys audience.
The Founders Club includes leadership donors to The Brethren Home Foundation, which supports the Good Samaritan Fund and other objectives at Cross Keys.
The dinner also featured the presentation of two awards for service and one “big check” for the Founders Club’s 2008 project.
Cross Keys Villagers Rosemary and Bob Benjamin were given the 2009 Distinguished Volunteer Service Award for the thousands of hours they have volunteered in various capacities on campus. Villagers Gerry and Harry Graybill were given the Distinguished Community Service Award for another litany of volunteer activities, at Cross Keys and at the Brethren Service Center, among other places.
Founders Club Chancellor Tom Miller presented Cross Keys President/CEO Vernon King with an oversized check for $25,000 to be spent on the Assisted Living Secure Living neighborhood and for lifts to be used in the Health Care Center.
The 2010 Founders Club Dinner will be held on Saturday, Nov. 6, in Nicarry Meetinghouse. Chet McDoniel, who was born without arms and with only shortened legs, will relate the inspirational story of his life journey.
For information about the dinner or to become a Founders Club member, contact Don Wilkinson at the The Brethren Home Foundation, 717-624-5208 or d.wilkinson@crosskeysvillage.org.
Guest speaker Sue Thomas holds the audience’s attention with her riveting life story, and as these photos show, she was a very animated speaker.
Bob and Rosemary Benjamin receive the Distinguished Volunteer Service Award from Founders Club Vice Chancellor Jean Zumbrum.
Gerry Graybill holds the Distinguished Community Service Award after it was presented by Founders Club Secretary Letty Coffman. Harry Graybill, Gerry’s husband and follow award recipient, was unable to attend due to illness.
Founders Club Chancellor Tom Miller, right, presents the “big check” for $25,000 to President/CEO Vernon L. King for the Founders Club’s 2008 project.
Vice President of Development Vanessa Berger updated Founders Club Dinner attendees on the “State of the Brethren Home Foundation” and its projects.
