Clara's Way

Dine to Donate COUPON is here!

2010-11-22T06:44:00.000-08:00

Well it's here! Our Dine to Donate coupon is here! Please click the image above or the Dine to Donate Page Tab above to print your Dine to Donate coupon. Be sure to remember coupons must be in-hand for the YDC to get credit, and they will only be accepted at the 12th & Penninsula location. Event hours are between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 7th.

Thank you for your continued support and generosity. God Bless You at Thanksgiving and always.

"Dine to Donate" Program Benefits the YDC

2010-11-17T09:31:00.000-08:00

All are invited to join us for a "Dine to Donate" fundraiser at the 12th St. Applebee's in Erie, PA, on Tuesday, Dec. 7th. A portion of the proceeds from your dinner bill that evening will benefit the YDC's annual Christmas Party. A coupon will be posted here soon. Each year we distribute toys to over 300 needy children and provide food baskets for the most needy families among them.

If you cannot join us at the fundraiser, please consider making a donation to our cause. Children and families are struggling and this event really gives them hope in troubled times. Please be generous, and know that God loves you, and so do I.

Thanks for Your Support!

2010-08-23T09:58:00.000-07:00

A big thank you goes out to all those who came out to see us at Celebrate Erie. We enjoyed seeing so many nice people and we thank you for your support of the YDC kids. Many of you purchased ceramic tiles and T-shirts to help support our cause. Thank you again for your love and support!

Come Visit Us at Celebrate Erie!

2010-08-13T12:23:00.000-07:00

Be sure to stop by the Youth Development Center tent at Celebrate Erie next weekend -- August 20-22, 2010. You can find us on South Park Row near the Federal Courthouse building. Come say hello and support our cause by purchasing a Clara's Way T-shirt or a LIMITED Edition Clara's Way Tile! If you'd like to paint your own Clara's Way Tile, gift certificates to Claytopia will also be available for $12. Proceeds benefit the Youth Development Center.

We will soon be starting up the after school program for the children next month. This program gives the children homework help and computer instruction throught the week (along with food and fellowship with others.) We are still in need clerical help at the center, so if you can help, please contact us. As always, thank you for your continued love and support. See you at Celebrate Erie!

One Year Later: Thank You, Thank You, Thank You Erie and EMHE!

2010-06-25T20:32:00.000-07:00

Today is the one year anniversary of the "door knock" that changed my life and the lives of countless children in our neighborhood. Once again, I must thank each and every person who helped with the Extreme Makeover in any way. I give thanks to God in prayer every morning for all those who participated in the Extreme Makeover. Your kindness has changed the lives of the Youth Development Center children (and my life too.) My family and I are eternally grateful for your kindness and generosity. God Bless you all today and always!

I believe with all of my heart that this work is ours to do, and we invite you to join us in our mission. Remember that we always need volunteers and donations of gently used items. Please join us and share your time, talents and treasure with us. E-mail me at Clara@ClarasWay.com if you'd like to help. You can also support the children by purchasing a ceramic tile painted by me and the children. Click here to order!

Once again, I say Thank you, thank you, thank you and God bless you all!

YDC Kids Enjoy Backyard Picnic with WJET TV & Country Fair

2010-06-02T13:09:00.000-07:00

What a great way to start the summer! On Wednesday, June 2, the YDC kids and I enjoyed a backyard picnic courtesy of WJET TV 24 and Country Fair. Meteorologist Tom Atkins broadcast the weather live from our basketball court while the children enjoyed a nice picnic ... all part of WJET's Weather In Your Neighborhood segment. If you would like to buy a hand-painted ceramic tile designed by me or the children, (as seen on TV during this weather segment) click here to make your purchase!
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The children are very excited for summer. The YDC staff are looking forward to a short break in June before we make the transition from from our after-school program to our summer program. As always, we are in need of volunteers and donations of gently used items and monetary donations to help us continue our work with the children. Thanks again for your love, prayers and support during the past year. God bless and keep you in His tender care. Remember to love one another ... and enjoy the summer!

Erie's Ophelia Project Presents S.T.A.R. Program to YDC Kids

2010-05-04T13:32:00.000-07:00

Greetings friends! The children have been busy at the center with our after school tutoring program and other activities. They especially love Thursday afternoons because that's when volunteers from the Ophelia Project join us to put on the STAR program. STAR stands for Self esteem, Teamwork, Attitude and Respect.

STAR is an Ophelia Project mentoring program which teaches character building and anti-bullying lessons to children. Fun, arts, crafts and games help the children learn and remember the STAR lessons each week . Guest speakers are also part of the program. On Thursday, May 6, Sonya Arrington, the mother of a young man who was a victim of violent crime, will speak to the children this week. If you would like to volunteer to work with the children as part of the Ophelia Project's STAR Program, you can contact Lora Caldwell,Volunteer Services Manager for The Ophelia Project, at 814.456.5437 - Toll Free at 1.888.256.KIDS or 814.455.2090 - http://www.opheliaproject.org/ or lcaldwell@opheliaproject.org. The Youth Development Center is always in need of donations and volunteers. Thanks to all who have been so generous in the past. We encourage more of you to come forward and join us in the future. God bless you today and always. Remember I love you all very much.

Mission Possible: Program Coordinator & Donations Needed

2010-02-21T14:47:00.000-08:00

Greetings to all once again! We have been very busy at the center tutoring children, offering homework help and providing them with a hot meal after school. (Sometimes it is the only hot meal the children get each day.)

I want to take a moment to thank the congregation and pastoral leaders at Erie First Assembly for the opportunity to speak on their local missions panel on Sunday, February 21. My family and I were warmly welcomed and we appreciated the opportunity to tell others about the work we do with at-risk inner-city youth.

For those who attended the event and would still like to purchase ceramic tiles painted by me or the children, send me an e-mail at Clara@ClarasWay.com and reference the Erie First event to receive our special pricing for that event. Click on the link below for more information about our Clara's Way Keepsake Ceramic Tiles. ttp://eriealitytv.com/ClarasWay/TileOrders.pdf

Well, today I have a special mission for you. I believe it is a mission possible. Since the center has grown so quickly (almost over-night ... or at least over seven days) we are now in great need of a part-time Program Coordinator at the center. Our hope is to raise enough funds over the summer to make this a paid position. We need someone who can help us with some basic clerical and organizational tasks as we expand our programs to meet the needs of the children we serve.

Please e-mail me at Clara@ClarasWay.com if your are interested or know someone who would be interested in helping us. As always, we are always in need of volunteers and monetary donations to help us continue feeding and caring for the children after school each day.

God bless and keep you today and always. Love one another and strive to do good always. God loves you and so do I.

Invite Clara to Speak at Your Next Meeting or Event!

2010-01-25T13:03:00.000-08:00

To ring in the New Year, we encourage members of the Erie community to consider having me speak at your next event! I am very anxious to share my story and message with others, so if you'd like me to speak at your next event, click on the speaker request form on this site or e-mail Clara@ClarasWay.com for more information.

The YDC children have been busy attending an after-school program at the center with homework help and tutoring provided by Mercyhurst and Gannon students. They are learning to use our new computers and they are looking forward to some fun field trips we have planned for them in the next few months. To support these and other YDC programs in the future, consider making a donation to the YDC by clicking the "donate" button on this site. To receive a keepsake ceramic tile for your donation, click the link on the previous blog post below to learn more.

God Bless You today and always. Love one another, be kind to one another and know that I love you.

2010-01-07T10:53:00.000-08:00

Receive a Keepsake Ceramic Tile With Your Donation to Clara's Way in 2010!

NEW for 2010! Click the link below to find out how you can receive a hand-painted ceramic tile designed by the YDC kids and me with your donation! http://eriealitytv.com/ClarasWay/TileOrders.pdf

Happy New Year to all! We have been so incredibly blessed this past year, and we want to thank each and every one of you for your kind words and support after the airing of the Ward Family Extreme Makeover:Home Edition on Sunday, December 13, 2009. We are so blessed and humbled by your generosity.
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Well, the national spotlight has faded, but we still continue our work with the children. The future is bright for the YDC children thanks to all of you. We are now using the computers donated from EMHE and Mercyhurst College to tutor the children and provide homework help for them after school. We also plan to take them on some fun field trips in the coming months. Stay tuned for more updates on our journey!

Remember, we can always use community volunteers and we invite you to share the gifts of your time, talents and treasures with us in 2010 and beyond. God bless and keep you today and always.
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TOUR THE HOME! Limited Tickets!

2009-12-08T04:17:00.000-08:00

John Maleno, Nick Scott and Clara Ward invite you to

TUNE IN to the Show,
then TOUR the Home!

Clara's Way

Thursday, December 17.
Limited Tickets Available!

If you are unable to attend, but would like to support the cause, please click the "donate" button on this site. Thank you for your support!

Clara's Way

DEADLINE: Monday, December 14

Please mail to: Clara's Way c/o Maleno Development

2340 W. Grandview Blvd. / Suite 1

Erie, Pa. 16506

Clara's Way

(NOTE: Event parking is available at Holy Trinity Church - 2220 Reed St.

Parking escorts are available to walk guests to and from the Ward home.)

EMAIL INQUIRY: Clara@ClarasWay.com

"Save-That-Date!"

2009-11-06T08:36:00.000-08:00

We've just received word from WJET TV that the air date for the Ward Family Extreme Makeover: Home Edition on ABC is scheduled for Sunday, December 13th from 8-10 p.m. (It’s a two hour special!) We have been anxiously awaiting this important announcement and we’re so happy to finally begin the official countdown to the “big day!”

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Because this home makeover would not have been possible without the support of the entire Erie community, we invite you to make this exciting journey with us by registering for updates on the latest, most exclusive EMHE news at ClarasWay.com. Some exclusive information you’ll only find here is that the Youth Development Center is planning a special VIP Extreme Open House Event slated for Thursday, December 17th. Guests will be given an exclusive tour of my home, sample fabulous food and enjoy the music of the legendary Mary Alice Brown. All proceeds from this event will benefit Youth Development Center programs.

Limited Edition Tiles created exclusively by the Youth Development Center children will be sold at this event for $25 each. My family and I also painted a series of Special Limited Edition Tiles that will be sold for $40 each.

Clara's Way (The Youth Development Center) is also working on a very special ceramic tile project with Claytopia, and YOU can be a part of it! I was so touched by the beautiful tiles the children made for my driveway and back patio this summer. That's why we decided to give even more children and adults a chance to participate in an ongoing art project to benefit Clara’s Way. Soon you’ll be able to paint and personalize Clara’s Way pre-stamped tiles with our logo on it! Children and adults of all ages are invited to add their own special touches to these pre-stamped tiles, and the proceeds will benefit The Youth Development Center.

Individuals, school groups and organizations are invited to visit the Claytopia studio at 2503 West 15th Street (Yorktown Plaza) to paint and personalize their very own 6x6 keepsake tile (so our home can be a part of yours!) These “Clara’s Way” general public tiles will be sold for $12 each and will be available at Claytopia after December 13th. With your support, we can “pave the way” to a better future for inner-city kids in our community.

Finally, a very important project I need your help with is my annual Youth Development Center Christmas Party scheduled for on Saturday, December 19, 2009. Each year we distribute toys to over 300 needy children and feed them a Christmas dinner with all the trimmings! We are collecting monetary donations and new, unwrapped toys at the center, so if you can help, please call us at 814-456-7199, e-mail me at Clara@ClarasWay.com or click the "Donate" button on this page to support our cause.

Remember that God is good, and He has blessed my family and the Erie community in a very special way. My prayer is that you will join me on this exciting journey as we count down to the “big day” on Deceber 13th. My hope is that you will continue to support our ministry in the months and years ahead (long after the national spotlight has faded.) Please consider volunteering at the Youth Development Center or supporting our programs with your time, talents and treasure.

This work is ours to do. Hand in hand, we can make a difference.

THANK YOU!

2009-08-17T06:33:00.000-07:00

Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!

We cannot say it enough. To everyone who helped with the Extreme Makeover Home Edition project in any way, we say THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts! My family and I were completely overwhelmed by the generosity of the Erie community during EMHE’s visit to Erie.

I want you to know that your hard work and support has not only helped me and my family, it has also helped the ENTIRE COMMUNITY. Your generosity and hard work has helped rebuild my home and The Youth Development Center. You have also helped me (and my family) strengthen our will to serve the children in our community for years to come. All praise be to God!

While I cannot possibly mention everyone by name who helped make this Extreme Makeover possible, I would like to thank John Maleno and his entire family and staff, Nick Scott, Dr. Thomas Gamble and the city of Erie for their overwhelming generosity. Thanks also to the organizations and businesses who donated services and items for our family and the children we serve. We are truly grateful and humbled by your generosity.

All my life I have given of my time and resources to help others in need. All of you have done the same for me by donating your time, talents, sweat and resources to make my life and the lives of countless children better. You have also made a lasting difference in our neighborhood by landscaping and doing other odd-jobs for so many who live nearby. For this we are forever grateful. God bless each and every one of you.

This experience has truly been a whirlwind. Sometimes I feel like my feet have not touched the ground! I believe the Extreme Makeover Home Edition’s visit to Erie has helped all of us take the first steps of a new adventure together. Let’s keep that spirit of giving alive in the future by helping one another and loving one another just as you did during EMHE week. We can accomplish great things if we all work together. My new home and youth center are proof of that.

If you would like to learn more about our history and mission, or if you’d like to support us and our continued efforts to help inner-city youth, please visit us at ClarasWay.com.
Once again, on behalf of the entire Ward Family, we say THANK YOU and GOD BLESS YOU for your love and support!

-Clara Ward and the Ward Family

Clara@ClarasWay.com