House of Hope S.W. Michigan's Blog

SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN'S FIRST HOUSE OF HOPE ANNOUNCES BOWL-A-THON FUNDRAISER

Come & help us raise the money for the property for the House of Hope! Be a part of helping troubled teens and families in S.W. Michigan!!

KALAMAZOO, MI—Officials at Southwest Michigan's first House of Hope, a sanctuary for hurting teens, has announced plans for a Bowl-a-thon fundraiser for Saturday, September 20, 2008, from 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Kalamazoo's Eastland Bowl. All proceeds from the event will be used to purchase a 100-acre site in Barry County as a permanent site for the Battle Creek-area House of Hope, only the second such facility in Michigan. Tickets are $10 each and include three games of bowling and shoe rental. 

The Southwest Michigan House of Hope is the culmination of Val Norton's dream to formalize what she and her husband, both former youth pastors, have been doing informally at their own expense for decades. During the last 30 years, Valerie and John Norton have devoted themselves to finding, nurturing and healing hurting teens. They have mentored scores of such teens and provided temporary sanctuary for dozens more.

 During the course of this ministry, they have taken 18 young men and women into their home for periods of live-in counseling, nurturing and guidance lasting from a weekend to several years. Among Val's most prized possessions are photos of the young people they have rescued and a folder full of heartfelt endorsements from grateful young people who found healing under the Nortons' loving care.

"The National House of Hope organization will give us the strength and stability to extend this critical work to S.W. Michigan, to bring healing to troubled kids and their families," says Val Norton, President and Founder of House of Hope. "As an affiliate of the National House of Hope in Orlando, FL, we are an official non-denominational, nonprofit 501 (c) 3 organization established as a Christian residential program and boarding school for troubled teens from ages 13 to 18."

 The National House of Hope (www.nationalhouseofhope.org) was established by Sara Trollinger, a veteran of 25 years of public education, in 1985. Dignitaries, including Dr. James Dobson, President of Focus On the Family and Presidents Reagan, Carter and Bush, have endorsed the House of Hope organization and praised its success in providing real hope for troubled teens. To learn more, visit www.swmihoh.org.

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