February 7, 2020 was a very special evening for the residents of Protected Harbor who attended the local Night to Shine event, a celebration in which each guest was crowned Prom King or Prom Queen.

“Night to Shine,” is a worldwide movement sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation. It is a celebration to honor individuals, 14 years of age and older, who have intellectual or developmental disabilities. The event centers around uplifting individuals with special needs and celebrating humanity. It is about ensuring each individual feels accepted and appreciated.

Sanibel Community Church had the opportunity to serve as one of over 650 churches around the world registered to simultaneously host a “Night to Shine.” For the residents of Protected Harbor, it was an opportunity many did not get to previously enjoy their first time around in high school.

“Night to Shine” organizers have spent tireless months preparing and planning to make this magical night happen. Over 100,000 guests around the globe from over 720 churches, 50 states, and more than 30 different countries participated in the celebration and were crowned as Prom King or Prom Queen. Of course, this would not have been possible without the support of over 200,000 worldwide volunteers.

“We have decided to go out of our way to make the biggest, most special night of the year for people with special needs because they’re worth it and they’re special,” said Founder Tim Tebow. Sanibel Church reported that 124 guests registered for the event. In addition, more than 100 family members and caregivers, plus an estimated 200 volunteers, were also in attendance.

Activities began at 4:30 p.m. at the Sanibel Church. Registration, a visit to the men and women’s grooming stations, presentation of corsages and boutonnieres, a limousine ride, the Red-Carpet walk, a personal photo, karaoke, music, dancing, and dinner complemented the evening.

During the event, parents and caregivers were hosted in Fellowship Hall, where they received a meal, had time for fellowship, and engaged in activities as the event was streamed from the main sanctuary.

For more information and photos from the event, visit “Sanibel Church Night To Shine 2020” on Facebook www.timtebowfoundation.org/index.php/night-to-shine.

Protected Harbor would like to honor Board of Directors member, Patricia Ellis. Previous to joining Protected Harbor in 2012, Pat was a teacher and librarian who led special education classes at her local church.

Pat’s connection with Protected Harbor started with the desire of her and her husband Whitey, to have a loving, Christian group home to care for their son, Dennis, when both no longer would be able.

Pat was invited to serve on the Board of Directors 2 years after Protected Harbor’s ladies home was constructed. She happily accepted the offer, and since then, has been a leading force enriching our programs and lending support in fundraising and event planning. She has provided stewardship in counseling for parents of individuals with intellectual or developmental needs. Reaching out to others seeking guidance and making Protected Harbor’s mission known throughout the County, is a continued and everlasting process, but one that Patricia is honored to be a driving force of.

Pat’s experience as an educator and special needs mentor has provided invaluable expertise in helping to grow the awareness of Protected Harbor in the community. Pat continues to help expand the number of volunteers and donors who support Protected Harbor.

Pat spends most of her time developing two annual fundraisers for Protected Harbor, the annual Prayer Breakfast and Homes with Hearts Luncheon. When Pat was asked why she feels a close connection to Protected Harbor, she responded that, “Parents seek God’s guidance to look for a Christian home where your loved one can grow and prosper, and to become the person God intended him or her to be. It brings my husband and I comfort in knowing that our son will be cared for in the best possible way and we want all families to experience that same level of comfort.”

Protected Harbor is honored to have Pat Ellis as part of our Board of Directors. We value all that she has done to help ensure our residents have a safe and loving home to allow them to reach their full potential spiritually, emotionally, personally, and physically.

Ashley is a resident of Protected Harbor and lives in the women’s home. Her interest in cooking is no secret. While Ashley has many things that occupy her day, she always sets aside time for what she enjoys most – cooking. She works with support staff preparing an array of dishes, chopping and cutting the ingredients, and testing the final product. Those who know Ashley well, describe her passion for cooking as captivating. She loves to experiment, but most importantly, have fun in the process.

Adults living with developmental disabilities need to be able to complete essential tasks in a safe environment. Cooking has many hurdles that will arise. The benefit of learning to cook is that it provides an outlet for independence. This is a passion of Ashley’s as she can decide what she and the other residents will enjoy at dinner together. The life skills that Ashley is building are pivotal for her development and well-being. With each celebration in the home, Ashley participates along with the other residents in preparing their favorite dishes. Ashley is responsible for many tasks from start to finish. Support staff often assists in the process, ensuring that the meals are completed and the residents remain safe.

Preparation ahead of time helps adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities learn to cook. The recipe for success includes consistency, repetition, patience, and a dash of humor. Setup and preparation are vital in all meals cooked at Protected Harbor. The layout of items is important as the residents and support staff make decisions. Supplies must be able to be easily reached or moved. There are a lot of different compartments and equipment in a kitchen that can be confusing, but Ashley and the support staff make an excellent team. By helping to decide where to store items for ease of use, Ashley feels part of the process as she can complete each task seamlessly.

Safety is essential when learning to cook. A non-slip cutting board with a rubber backing is always helpful. Ashley focuses on the cutting, chopping, and mixing, while the support staff completes any task where Ashley could potentially injure herself. One of Ashley’s favorite dishes is chicken tacos with fresh-cut vegetables and spices. It may take a bit of preparation, but the tacos are always a favorite among the residents.

Finding a recipe that has a few ingredients with step-by-step directions, and a colorful picture can also be quite challenging for the team. It has been found that a simple recipe makes the process for adults with developmental disabilities much easier to follow and complete. All parties involved must be excited about the recipe they are cooking for a fun and successful experience.

Often the support staff read the recipe with Ashley before they begin. The purpose of this is to bring the task into focus. A helpful hint for anyone teaching adults with developmental disabilities to cook is to cover the recipe with a piece of paper leaving only the part they are working on visible. Once that task is completed, the teacher can move the paper as the student completes each task. This practice helps to ensure that a good focus is kept from start to finish.

Learning to cook has taken a bit of time for Ashley, but it is a rewarding and fun process. Spills and mistakes occur, as not all recipes are easy. Ashley and the support staff work together very well and don’t mind. Teaching adults with developmental disabilities to cook is well-worth the time. Assisting an individual on their journey toward independent living not only helps to shape that individual’s self-esteem and confidence, but it is quite rewarding for all involved, not to mention the delicious reward!

The true meaning of Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus. It is the celebration of the historical event in which God entered into our world to display perfection and holiness through his work of living perfectly. It is important to remember the true meaning of the holiday. At Protected Harbor, we celebrate with our residents in a way that allows the individuals to enjoy the festivities of the holiday while attributing the celebration to Jesus. Of course, having celebrations, attending parties, and watching the big game is not wrong. It’s just that the meaning of Christmas is supposed to be the recognition and appreciation of the birth of the One who loves us and died in our place. This Christmas we ask our supporters to remember the true meaning behind the holiday. We don’t ask that you uproot your traditions or change your plans. We ask that throughout the holiday season, you keep the Lord in your mind throughout. Express gratitude to Him for the blessings in your life. Remember that He is with you through this holiday season even through times of trial. We ask that you thank the Lord for all that he has provided for Protected Harbor and our supporters throughout the year.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for sending us Jesus so that we may have a perfect example of how to live with Your Holiness. Thank You for another year of blessings and trials. Thank You for time spent with family and friends during the holiday. Thank You for providing for Protected Harbor throughout this year and since conception. This Christmas we ask that You continue to walk closely with all of Protected Harbor’s residents and supporters as they fulfill Your purpose. We ask that You walk with every person this holiday that is in need of your peace. We ask that you provide all of our residents with the gift of health and happiness throughout this Christmas season. We ask that with the closing of this year, that You place blessings into the lives of our Protected Harbor resident’s lives and our supporters. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

John 3:16-17

During this holiday season when we reflect on everything God has placed in our lives, we have the unique opportunity to place emphasis on giving thanks. Believing in God allows us to be thankful when things go well and patient when things go against us. It is crucial at the times when things are going against us to thank God for granting us the learning experience he has placed in front of us. Sometimes at the moment, it is hard to see God’s greater plan for you and to trust in him. Remaining patient during times of adversity allows us to completely retain the lesson that God is trying to teach us. Paul sums things up this way. He says it is God’s will for us to be thankful “in all circumstances.” Well, it may help to note that Paul is not saying we should be thankful for all circumstances, but in them. When things seem to go against us, God expects us to be grateful that his hand holds us and helps us to endure under the strain. That’s a big challenge – to look for reasons to be thankful when the going is tough. Sometimes it can be equally difficult for us to be thankful when things are going well. The very nature of human beings, even if we are Christian, is to overlook the crowd of God’s good gifts to us every day. Here’s a great exercise you can do today: sit still where you are and exercise the gift of noticing. Notice what you see, what you have, and who is with you. Notice the color, beauty, and variety around you. Keep noticing and make a list of the gifts you notice. Then give thanks to God, the great giver!

Prayer:

Today we thank you God for everything you have placed in our lives. We thank you for the good and the bad. We thank you for allowing us to be patient through the bad in our life so that we may learn what it is you want us to learn from the situation. We ask that today you give us the great gift of being able to notice all of your gifts. Open our hearts to a spirit of thanksgiving we pray. Amen.

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

Colossians 3:17

This year, on Tuesday, December 3, 2019, Protected Harbor is participating in #GivingTuesday, a global day dedicated to giving. Support Protected Harbor on #GivingTuesday! Join us in our mission of building and operating Christian care group homes for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Stay tuned to our social media pages on Tuesday, December 3^rd to see how you can get involved or donate early at #GivingTuesday to let your friends and family know you support Protected Harbor!

Or, Click Here to donate now!

Janie is one of the six ladies at Protected Harbor’s first house. When you first visit the home, you won’t be surprised if Janie wants to show you her room. Her love for animals ever-present has an electronic cat that purrs and reacts to her touching it. Janie loves “Snuggles” very much and loves to introduce her to every visitor.

Janie is part of the wonderful community of women who live at Protected Harbor, which provides a caring and nurturing environment in a loving, Christian home.  The ladies work together to help out in the household.  Together they plan dinner with the staff, including checking for recipe ingredients, shopping for needed items, and preparing the meals.  Janie recently made a 3-bean salad and chicken in the crockpot for everyone to enjoy.

Other volunteer activities that Janie engages in are the prayer shawl ministry at McGregor Baptist Church and the Church Prayer team.  Because of Janie’s love of prayer, she was invited to join the prayer team to pray for the Sunday services and she is regarded as the Prayer Warrior of the group.

Janie is an avid exerciser and uses the elliptical trainer in the home’s workout room every day.  She also loves to knit and crochet and takes pleasure in presenting staff and visitors with her handmade gifts.

We are so grateful that the ladies have this home to provide them with opportunities for community fellowship and an environment that allows them to deepen their relationships with each other and God. Please pray that these ladies continue to be blessed in a home where they feel loved, respected, and needed, and where they can grow spiritually and emotionally.