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Greater Memphis Chapter
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The Greater Memphis Chapter of IAHSP chose the Memphis Family Shelter, a refuge for abused women and their children, as our project for WWSD. Ten ASP’s and four of their husbands participated.
We were very fortunate to have access to a sorority Panhellenic Building that had recently been vacated, and many items had been left behind that were no longer wanted. The day before the Salvation Army was scheduled to come, we were granted access to the building and allowed to take anything that we wanted. Needless to say, we were able to fill a trailer and two SUV’s with many items of furniture and accessories.
The shelter had two community rooms that were bare except for some couches, a few tables, pictures and some lamps. Also the lobby needed some work and the upstairs loft area was practically bare.
What we accomplished that day was nothing short of a miracle! We turned that lifeless and dull facility into a bright, cheerful home where these families could forget that their lives had been turned upside down. After our ASP’s worked their magic, the former shelter was unrecognizable. Donna Fortson, the Executive Director, was going to work while we staged, but she was so fascinated with the whole process that she went from room to room marveling at what was happening. Today she is "still basking in the glow of our beautiful rooms".
We were fortunate to have the opportunity to see some of the residents return before we left. They were so surprised and grateful to see what we were able to accomplish. The gratitude they expressed made all the hard work worthwhile.
Not only did we stage the rooms that we had originally planned, but we were able to improve an interview room, a small waiting area and a board room by rearranging and replacing some furniture and some art. We just couldn’t quit staging!
We were so taken with the residents and staff of the shelter that we have decided to "adopt" them as a project on a long-term basis. We will continue to upgrade their furniture and hope to be able to help some of the residents when they are able to move out and become independent.
This project turned out to be a win-win situation for all involved. Though the shelter was the beneficiary, the Greater Memphis ASP’s feel that we received more than we gave. Not only were we able to better the lives of others, but we worked as a team to accomplish our goals. This was certainly a bonding experience for all involved.
We are grateful to IAHSP for the vision to initiate WWSD and thankful for the funds donated. May we continue to better the world not only this day, but each day we touch the lives of people with whom we come in contact.
Cindy Grown
Melissa and Rick Douglass
Susan DeRossitt
Jan Gordon
Cheryl and Jim Haas
Carmel and Johnny Hopper
Melanie Presnall
Kellie Slaughter
Janiece Todd-Parsons
Rebecca and Greg Veneklasen
Dear Sweet Barb,
I just wanted you to know that your vision is alive and well in Memphis, TN. I know you personally and I know that you would have been so happy to see the good work that our chapter did last Saturday at the Memphis Women's Shelter! My letter to our co-chairs will sum it up for you. I am so blessed to have you in my life and I just wanted to say thank you for being the person that you are. You inspire me to be a better person. I feel so fortunate to consider you my dear friend.
Love ya,
Janiece Todd-Parsons, ASPM
Staged-2-Sell
GMIRC-Vice-President Greater Memphis Chapter of Accredited Staging Professionals
"Dearest Carmel and Melissa,
My heart is full of gratitude this morning for the two of you! I am so impressed with the amount of staging items that we had to work with yesterday. We had furniture, accessories, florals, rugs and anything else a person could dream up! I just wanted you both to know, on a personal level, how much I appreciate the time, dedication and effort that you both put into this project. I know it was not easy. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
I would like to say a special thank you to your husbands, Johnny and Rick for all the manpower that they provided. Thanks to them..... as well as our other two "back-savers".......Greg and Jim......well it's safe to say that we could NOT have done the job we did without their dedicated efforts both before and during the event. We obviously have the greatest guys!
I am so proud of the way we were able to leave the Shelter yesterday........I believe the residents will truly be blessed by our actions. It makes me tear up to think about the sweet little eyes of the smallest people that live there and their excitement when they see their new Rec rooms. The mothers also will hopefully feel a little more warm and cozy in their temporary home. I personally cannot imagine how they must feeling being in that situation, but it does my heart good to know that we might have made their lives just a little bit better. All of this would not have happened without you two!!! Thank you just doesn't seem like enough! Suffice to say.........you are both heros in my book! I wanted you to know exactly what I am feeling this morning. I am proud to be in this association, and most of all to call you both my friends!"
Love & God Bless,
Janiece
David Flaum from CommercialAppeal.com wrote:
Volunteers to spruce up shelter Staging Service Day will bring volunteers to the Memphis Family Shelter Saturday to brighten the lobby and two community rooms.
It's part of the second annual worldwide event sponsored by International Association of Home Staging Professionals (IAHSP) Foundation. Home staging involves making and carrying out a plan to organize, de-clutter and otherwise spruce up a home, usually for sale.
The regional chapter will work from 1 to 5 p.m. decorating the rooms at the center for abused women and their children, said Carmel Hoope of Collierville, who is helping organize the work.
The stagers will hang curtains, bring in furniture, pillows and draperies to make the areas "more inviting," she said. The international gave the local group $300 for the effort, she said. The rest will come from donations.
-- David Flaum
See CommercialAppeal.com
Visit the Greater Memphis Chapter Website.
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