Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

TRYON—The aging walls of the Roseland Community Center reverberated with sounds of joy as the 39 RISE! 2023 participants sang, danced and recited their way into the hearts of a full house at the Closing Ceremony for the 30th anniversary of the Roseland Institute for Summer Enrichment (RISE!) on Thursday, July 20. 

Parents, donors and community members were overjoyed by the accomplishments of the young people who had spent two intensive weeks in the summer program. Field trips, workshops, painting and crafts, flower planting, music, fun excursions and mini-sessions on etiquette, entrepreneurship, empowerment and personal responsibility, along with loads of playtime, group sports, puzzles, board games and “me-time” for reading and reflection all made for two weeks of learning and excitement for the children and hard but fulfilling work for the directors, staff and volunteers. Board members noted that this was the largest group of RISE! participants in recent memory and immediately began discussing plans to expand next year’s program beyond the customary two weeks.

Toward the conclusion of the evening’s festivities, The Roseland Board of Directors took the opportunity to recognize several Roseland products for their service to the Eastside Community. Board VP Dr. Joseph Fox and RISE! Program Director Latisha Miller were presented with the Carrie Lee Massey Award for Community Service for their many years of service. Town of Tryon employees Shawn Miller and Wade Smith were presented with citations of appreciation for going over and beyond their normal duties to care for the Eastside. Dr. Warren Carson, Roseland President, noted with pride that he had watched all of the awardees grow up at Roseland and challenged this year’s RISE! participants to always remember to give back to the Eastside.

Roseland is grateful to the following major funders of RISE!: The Polk County Community Foundation, The Tryon Riding and Hunt Club, the Unitarian Fellowship of the Foothills, the Garrison Chapel Baptist Church, and Dr. & Mrs. Olin Sansbury.

 

Submitted by Dr. Warren J. Carson