Echoes …… The Barnyard Summer 2009
What’s in a Name? Are we The Barnyard or Coconut Grove Cares, everyone asks? We are both. The Barnyard is our big blue building where everything happens and Coconut Grove Cares is the name under which we operate. Coconut Grove Cares Inc, is the not-for profit organization created 60 years ago to help build a better community for the children and families in the West Grove under the good graces of Elizabeth Virrick, a community activist and Father Theodore Gibson. Thirty-five years later, Sylvia Jordan, our founding and current director, under the aegis of Mrs Virrick, started the Barnyard as a small summer camp in an old mule barn, owned by the City of Miami, offering essential children¹s programs, parenting classes, mentoring and outreach programs. Today, the Barnyard continues to exemplify these original goals. We support hundreds of kids each year offering after-school programs including supervised play (we have a state of the art playground, thanks to the generosity of The Taplin family,) tutoring, homework help, counseling, encouragement and hugs. Lots of hugs. It doesn¹t matter to whom the checks are written, we will accept your generous donations made out to The Barnyard or to Coconut Grove Cares. But from now on, we would like you to call us The Barnyard.
		Thanks to the Taplins, we now have a very fun playground. Here at the Barnyard our playground is safe and secure. Our playground may not have swings. But we have ropes like a web. It¹s hard to maneuver. But you¹ll get used to it. Also we have a bed made of ropes. Counselors like to chill on it. I don¹t like to chill on it. I can slip through. Last but not least our slide. At first I was scared to go down. The next day other kids went down. I decided to go down. That was the thrill of my life. Other kids were scared to. They went the next day. Keyshawn, age 8
60^th Anniversary Celebration On Saturday, December 13^th, the Barnyard celebrated a big anniversary – sixty years of serving the children of Coconut Grove. Over two hundred people came to enjoy the big day. Milam’s Market very generously donated enough chicken for everyone and our staff, assisted by Reverend McCray, barbecued it to perfection. Shell Lumber generously provided the paper goods. We celebrated with many of the activities that always go on at the Barnyard – art projects, skits by our kids, sports and fun. Cool  J DJ spun the records and Afrikan Drum & Melody, Inc. played the African drums. The Barnyard honored some of our special supporters who help us continue to serve the kids of Coconut Grove. The Taplin Family, whose donation made our new playground possible, was recognized with a totem pole made in their honor. Miami Commissioner Mark Sarnoff, who advocated so effectively with the City to get our new playground and tennis courts built, was also there to celebrate with us and to receive our thanks. Remembered posthumously for over forty years of service as a board member was Hafey Krech. We honored Dwyane Wade and Kirk Landon for their generous financial support. We are so grateful that the children, neighbors and staff who come to the Barnyard every day and those who make it all possible were able to enjoy this momentous day together.
	It's Summertime, summertime, summ, summ summertime.... Lest anyone think our kids are on their own each summer, we are celebrating the 26th Summer Camp at the Barnyard starting on June 15. True to our mantra, summer camp is a great place for our 5-13 year olds to do what we do all year: learn, play, connect and share. While August through May is after school care and activities, Summer Camp is all day, 9-5. In fact, we ensure that there is supervision at the playground by 8 AM so parents can leave their kids for the day as they head off to work. As always our summer camp offers the kids field trips to parks, pools and places around town including museums and the zoo. We will continue skill building, dance and theater programs; and this year, we have added a new series on diversity and drug awareness funded by The Ethel & W. George Kennedy Family Foundation. Our brand new beautiful MAC computers, purchased through funds donated by Bank of America, The Allegany Ministries, and Carolina Argiz and friends, will allow us to improve our kids' computer literacy. If you're around, don't miss the summer talent show on July 24th which will mark the finale of the 2009 Barnyard Summer Camp.
Be a Friend of The Barnyard…	Contribute!
If you are interested in helping, these are some of	our summer needs:
Sponsor One Child for the Summer - $500	· Field Trips (including transportation) - $75
	· Summer Snacks and Supplies per Child - $50
To Contribute via our Website http://www.coconutgrovecares.org/donations.htm	To Contribute By Mail Make checks payable to The Barnyard