Important Date Updates for iBELIEVE
We hope that update finds all of you well. We are experiencing unprecedented circumstances as we navigate a world now at a near stand-still due to the COVID-19 pandemic .
The past few months have certainly been less than normal for our organization. We’ve had a number of internal delays for a variety of reasons that were beyond our control - even before the current heath crisis. We appreciate all of your patience and generosity with supporting us through to this point. We try our best to be transparent with you all, so here are a few updates regarding our upcoming programs.
About 3 weeks ago we announced that Summer Workshop registration would open on March 30th. Unfortunately, that date will have to be postponed again. Our number one goal is to provide leadership opportunities to Appalachian youth, but we can only do that if it is in a feasible and safe way. Currently, we are working with our campus partners to determine whether our scheduled dates can still be used, but the circumstances surrounding COVID-19 are changing every day, and any decisions we try to make right now might not be the best decisions for the summer. In light of this evolving situation, we will be reassessing our summer schedule with our campus partners and share our plans on May 4th, 2020. We understand that this is not ideal, especially for families making potential plans for the summer. Again, we prioritize the health and well-being of all involved. It is our sincere hope that our workshops can continue without interruption this summer, but only if we can safely do so.
We are also announcing that our 2020 Benefit Gala, originally scheduled for May 15th, 2020, has been rescheduled to October 30th, 2020. This was also a tough decision for us because our gala has always been one of our most successful fundraising opportunities, and helped set the tone leading into our Summer Workshops. We recognize the need to move this event in order to guarantee everyone’s safety and insure our success. We are excited to announce that our location, The Fives, will remain the same for our October date. We are working on updating our gala website, but for now tickets will still be available for purchase here.
Our final upcoming event on the schedule is our iSERVE Day on April 25th, 2020. Although we had not officially announced an iSERVE project for this spring, we had plans in the works to host community service days at several locations in Ohio and West Virginia. Along with our other programs, iSERVE will have to look different this year. We are currently working on a virtual option so students can still make a difference in their communities. If we are unable to find a virtual replacement, we hope to reschedule iSERVE for some time in the fall.
Please continue to stay safe and support each other during these unpredictable times. Thank you all again for supporting us through these uncertain times and helping us to continue our mission.