From the desk of Board President, Francisco Chavez

There are some outstanding people that you just can’t help but notice.  As a new student to GMS in 2003, in all the commotion of getting around in a new campus, new classrooms to find and so many students to meet, I recall an energetic instructor zooming by me with a group of students he was teaching orientation and mobility skills.  A few years later Mr. Poole became my instructor for a brief time.  His positivity and encouragement made the lessons and instructions something you wanted to pay attention to.  Years later, as I worked with other board members on how to take GMF to the next level, how to engage more people in the visually impaired community and how to do more for the students, Rod Poole joined our board.  He nominated himself, always willing to lend a hand when it was most needed.  Same energy, kindness and optimism.  It was hard to keep up with him.  As vice president and fundraising committee chair, he was instrumental in organizing our annual Season of Giving event.  We will miss him hosting the event as Em Cee.

It is with a heavy heart that we share with you that Rod Poole passed away on July 18.   The Governor Morehead Foundation and board members thank him for every contribution and all the inspiration he gave us until his last days.

As the students return to class we’ve been working to make sure they have what they need to succeed in the classroom, at conferences, and in extra-curricular activities.

We are planning our annual Season of Giving Dinner!

We need your help!  We need some BIG auction items to help us reach our funding goal.

Do you have a contact who can donate a trip for our silent auction? A hotel-stay, airplane tickets?   Sometimes supporters donate points that can be cashed for a trip.

Additionally, we would appreciate any other times you think would create excitement at our silent auction:   crafts, wine, art pieces, vouchers or gift cards to restaurants or businesses.

Thank you in advance and we can’t wait to celebrate the Giving Season with you!

Foundation Aid

At recent board meetings, the foundation board approved several funding requests from faculty at the Governor Morehead School:

• Request to celebrate teacher appreciation week.
• Field trip to Durham Bulls
• Request for lunch money for children who will make a visit to Crabtree Valley Mall on February 26. The visit is to enhance students’ orientation and mobility skills.
• Generation Genius
• Model UN
• GMS Charger Station Cafe
• Parent Gas Cards

New Board Member Highlight – Rachel Groff

What drew Rachel to serve on the Governor Morehead Foundation was attending a holiday school fundraising event and watching the visually impaired students light up when they held their band instruments to play live music to the audience and witnessing the pure bliss across each of the band children’s faces. Helen Keller said, ‘The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched, they must be felt with the heart.”   

Upcoming Events!

  GMF is hosting our annual Season of Giving on October 24th this year! There will be student performances, a silent auction, food, & more. Be on the look out for more information.            

Braille Monitor from the National Federation for the Blind

Interview with GMS Superintendent Melvin Diggs

Accessible Outdoor Learning Center

We did it! Thank you to everyone who donated and supported this large endeavor. Check out the video of the Grand Opening Ceremony below or check the page on our website ribbon for more pictures and info! GMS Playground Opening Video