Len Dunstan was thankful to all Rotarians for helping to throw him such a great, surprise retirement gala.

Thor Cheyne was happy to be back after missing several weeks due to business and also to announce an upcoming trip to Florida where he will spend 1 month enduring the weather. Who knows? He may run into Larry Sullivan in that tiny place!

(Blue-Footed Boobies on Galapagos Islands, photo courtesy of National Geographic)

Craig Buhrendorf was happy to have attended Len Dunstan's retirement party, to announce his upcoming trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands and that upon his return, it will only be three days until the 2017 MLB Pitching & Catching report will be released!

Evan Cooper was happy to report her chickens were receiving at least 12 hours of daylight and as a result laying eggs despite it being winter. Three dozen eggs were available to Rotarians and she asks for recycled plastic egg boxes for her use.

Larry Sullivan was happy to announce his upcoming trip to Florida. (See also, Thor Cheyne, above)

Dale Bronson may have been happy to tell this joke, but it proves it wasn't only Evan Cooper's chickens that were laying eggs this winter! Dale related the tale of a hypothetical dying man who had spent half his life in Canton and half in Avon. When his son asked him where he'd prefer to be buried, the man reportedly said: "Surprise me." Now that's a stinker!

Creative Arts for Developing Minds

"Helping Foster Children Enhance and Advance"

Nan Arnstein, CEO & Founder

Paul Nelson introduced speaker and guest Nan Arnstein, CEO of the organization 'Creative Arts for Developing Minds' (CADM). CADM was founded by Nan in 2010 and Paul sits on its board of directors. Its purpose is to provide opportunities for creative expression and increase self esteem, social skills, confidence and a sense of community in foster children between the ages of 2 and 12. Music, art and movement related activities are all employed to achieve this outcome.

Nan related her personal story, revealing her own journey as a foster child, and characterizing herself as a "recovering foster adult." Never adopted, Nan lived in 7 foster homes as a child, as well as in a Catholic run orphanage. When she "aged out" of the foster system at 18 years old, she was given $20.00 and a bag of her clothes with which to make her way in the world!

Starting at age 5, Nan was given the opportunity to learn to play piano, a skill which became her lifeline to sanity and stability and which she still enjoys daily. "When I sat at the piano", Nan said, "the rest of the world went away." Eventually earning bachelors and masters degrees in music education, she went on to a career in accounting which she felt didn't really suit her. A change in the economy and in her corporate job provided her just the opportunity and push she needed to make music, and helping other foster children learn to cope, the focus of her new mission. Nan was inspired by Lisa Phillips who founded "The Artistic Edge" in Canada. Phillips has said, "I started to see connections of how the arts teaches leadership skills. I realized no one was talking about it! I had to share what I had learned."

Nan has also written a children's book entitled "Rocky Shores" (available on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Rocky-Shores-Nan-Arnstein/dp/1503386554) which describes the life of "Charles Farmer, a nine year old veteran of the foster care system, who has been relocated to live with the Williamsons', a family who live on the fictitious Hinkley Street in "Rocky Shores". Charles begins a new life , and as he navigates his new school and teachers, he learns that not all change is bad. Charles also discovers the power of music and the effect it has on his chaotic and unsure existence.

The Department of Health & Human Services statistics reveal that there were 415, 129 children in foster care in 2015, including the 251,764 that are added each year. More upsetting, their challenges do not end once they reach 18 and become "emancipated" as adults. 1 in 5 become homeless, 50% remain unemployed at age 24, <3% will earn a college degree, 71% of emancipated female foster children will become pregnant before 21 and 1 in 4 will experience PTSD symptoms. Clearly these children will benefit from early intervention which may lead them to opportunity and better life choices.

The CADM Program, "Creative Arts on the Go" consists of 8, 1 hour weekly sessions that are organized by age, both physical and emotional and include up to 10 participants. Students learn to interact with peers, to become unafraid to be themselves and to recognize that they have a place in the world that complements other people...that they are a part of a community.

Results for these children may be subtle, for example simply being able to make eye contact with adults, peers or strangers and express themselves,  but are unmistakably real.

Nan concluded her presentation with two quotes. The first, by Neil Gaiman, a British author is: "The one thing that you have that nobody else has is you. Your voice, your mind, your story and your vision. So write and draw and build and play and dance and live only as you can. The second quote, by Spanish artist Pablo Picasso, is: "Every child is an artist."

Creative Arts for Developing Minds website is: www.creativeartsdm.org

Nan may be reached at: narnstein@creativeartsdm.org and at 860.834.3359