19th Ward honor citizens

Mitzie Collins, J. Bediaku Afoh Manin (President), and Susan Morehouse

The 19th Ward Community Association named Susan Morehouse, founder and leader of the Arnett Block Club, as its Citizen of the Year at its annual Awards Dinner on June 20. Click here to read Mitzie Collins' introductory comments and Susan's acceptance remarks.

Marian Boutet and Sheila Simmons were recipients of the Urban by Choice Award. Boutet is a Police and Citizens Together Against Crime (PAC-TAC) coordinator, Garden Tour chairwoman, and the association's office manager. Simmons is an Association Delegates' Council member and neighborhood volunteer.

David Hawkes, the area's Neighborhood Service Center administrator, and Katrina Hanson, NeighborWorks Rochester program manager, were each recipients of the Quality of Life Award.

Citizen of the Year

19th Ward Community Association
Citizen/Merchant of the Year Awards Dinner

Saturday, June 20

Reception 5:30 pm - Dinner 6:15 pm
Unity Health, St. Mary’s Campus Auditorium
89 Genesee Street (free parking in garage)
Tickets on sale now: $20 per person
Call 328-6571 to reserve your tickets

As reported in the May 2009 issue of Update 19:

Congratulations to our 2009 Citizen of the Year, Susan Morehouse. Susan's nominator wrote of the work she has done in founding and leading the "Arnett Block Club, one of the most active Block Clubs in the Ward. Susan brings in guest speakers, organizes numerous activities and maintains an ongoing dialog with the police about drug use and drug houses in the area. She is responsible for organizing the Block Club's summer event that draws people of all ages for a day of community building activities."

When informed of her selection as Citizen of the Year, Susan modestly claimed that she has a wonderful team of volunteers who work on these projects. True, but an effective team needs an effective leader. Susan is known for her persistence in working with City Hall, seeking donations and bringing people together to improve the quality of life in the Ward. Her newest project is sprucing up the foyer of the Arnett Library with a new community bulletin board and coat of paint.

If you have not yet seen the neighborhood garden Susan organized (and personally mows, weeds, waters, etc.), stop in at the corner of Arnett and Wellington. Susan's creativity has transformed a neighborhood eyesore into a restful, beautiful space to stop and enjoy the butterflies expected to visit this summer.

Susan and her husband, Bill, have lived on Wellington Ave. since 1976. Their beautiful home has been featured on 19th Ward House Tours. Susan is an accomplished harpist who teaches privately and offers therapeutic music to hospitals and nursing homes. She has produced two CDs of her music, which can be purchased at Creators Hands or directly from Susan.

Thank you, Susan, for all you do to make the 19th Ward a great place to live.

Please join us in honoring one of our own for her graceful contributions to our community.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas
from the Morehouses!

As time goes by we are more and more grateful for our family and friends, our health, the Life we have in Christ, and our spiritual family at Joy Community Church. We’d love to hear from you and spend more time together! In the meantime, click here to read our annual letter to friends and family and check out some of our candid pictures.

Board Elects New Officers

At its first Meeting of the new fiscal year, the Board of His Branches, Inc. elected a new slate of officers for the coming year:

President - William W. Walence, PhD
Vice President - David J. Beinetti, AIA
Secretary - Eugene F. Young, PhD
Treasurer - Thomas Smith, CPA

Dr. William Morehouse will continue on as Executive Director, joined by Steven Hays as Director of Development and Elaine Vigar as Center Administrator.

Dr. Walence, Director of the Division of Adult Professional Studies at Roberts Wesleyan college, responded to his election in this way: "Thanks again for your faith in me. I’ll do my best to lead you, the Board, and His Branches to a successful closure of the key initiatives we have before us."

Profile - Willie Lightfoot

The following profile of Willie Lightfoot, an active member of our Board of Directors, is taken from the Monroe County Legislature website:

Legislator Willie Joe Lightfoot represents the 27th District, which includes Rochester’s 19th Ward neighborhood, the Greater Rochester International Airport, and Genesee Valley Park. Willie was appointed to the Monroe County Legislator in 2006. He is the son of the late Honorable Willie Walker Lightfoot who was the 25th District County Legislator for over 20 years. Willie currently is the ranking Democrat on the Public Safety Committee and also serves on the Human Services Committee.

A lifelong resident of the City of Rochester, Willie often refers to himself as “Home Grown”. Willie has had a long history of civic service. He is a 12-year Veteran of the United States Air force. He has served in two wars, Desert Storm and Operation Enduring Freedom. Willie also currently works for the City of Rochester Fire Department. He holds the position of Fireman at Engine 7, which is located in his Legislative District. Willie is a Peer Reviewer for the Federal Government and reads and evaluates Federal Grants written all over the United States. Willie is a 2005 graduate of the African American Leadership Development Program and is a Center for Dispute Settlement Board Member. Willie has numerous community awards and recognitions.

Willie is the owner of a Real Estate Investment company called OHAD, LLC. He is the developer of a 4500 square foot mixed-use building called LIGHTFOOT SQUARE. Willie is also a NYS licensed Barber and a NYS Barber Examiner. He owns and operates his own Unisex shop called New Creations Unisex shop. Willie is an Ordained Minister and works with the youth at his church the Greater Adams Street Church of God By Faith. He has two Associates one from Monroe Community College for Business Administration and the other from the Community College of the Air Force for Fire Science. He also has a Bachelor Degree from Empire State College.

He is married to wife Verdina and has two children, daughter Precious and son Willie Joe Jr.

We are privileged to have Willie on our Board and living in our neighborhood with his family.

Willie in "about...time"

In the most recent issue of "about...time" magazine, our very own Willie Lightfoot was featured in a delightful cover article about his role in the community as a barber at New Creations Unisex Barbershop. He is quoted:

"New Creations is tailored after the expression that when you come into Christ you are a new creature: old things are passed away ~ behold all things are created new," explains Lightfoot. "We are a Christian shop. Anybody should be able to walk in here and get respect and feel comfortable. Our shop is always clean. We really believe in maintaining a positive atmosphere for the family. The sign in our shop that says 'No negativity allowed,' is taken from our understanding of Philippians 4:13. that we can do positive work through our faith in Christ."

Click here to download and read the entire article in PDF format.

Leadership Team Growing

To meet the expanding services of the ministry and undergird our conversion to Community Health Center status, His Branches has added three new members to its Board of Directors over the past several months. Tom Smith, Vice President of Finance for Catholic Family Center, joined our team earlier this year, followed by Willie Joe Lightfoot, Monroe County Legislator, and Dr. William Walence, Director of Adult Professional Studies at Roberts Wesleyan College. All three have a vision and commitment to fostering renewal in the lives of those who live in our neighborhood and the city's Crescent.

We are also delighted to announce another answer to prayer: the generous offer of Steven Hays, Assistant Professor of Health Administration at Roberts, to serve part-time as our new Development Coordinator. In his new position Steve will be reaching out to foundations, corporations, and the broader community for support as we move forward to expand our outreach programs, especially our medical ministry.

Dr. Morehouse Honored

The Rochester Business Journal has recognized Dr. Morehouse as one of 3 physician recipients of its 2005 Health Care Achievement Award! This award, now its third year, was created to recognize excellence, promote innovation, and honor organizations and individuals who are making a significant impact on the quality of health care in our area. Three tables of well-wishers joined nearly 350 members of the community in honoring Dr. Morehouse at a special Awards Luncheon on April 12. Dr. Ralph Pennino was the keynote speaker and spoke about his experience as a medical volunteer with InterVol, a missions support group he was instrumental in founding.

Click here to read the Rochester Business Journal article.

Grace Family Medicine News

Under the guidance of our new Executive Director, Scott Sittig, we are actively in the process of establishing the services offered by the physicians at Grace Family Medicine Associates as a Diagnostic and Treatment Facility under Article 28 of New York's Public Health Law, a designation that will help us to expand the scope of the clinical care we offer to better serve the needs of the community. The doctors in the practice are at full capacity and yet are receiving multiple requests for expansion of their services to new patients. In conjunction with a major transition to a new software package that keeps charts entirely electronically, the office is really "hopping"! Please pray that we will have God's wisdom and favor as we pursue the Article 28 license and make decisions for how to grow and expand our services. As of the end of 2004, the application will be in the hands of the State for review by the various departments and we ask for the Lord's favor with each and every one!