The Following
stories are sample cases of Whaley Children living the philosophy
of the Circle of Courage.. The names have been changed to protect
their privacy.
Dorothy Bush...
I would like to introduce you to Ms. Dorothy Bush. Ms. Dorothy is
a previous resident of Whaley Children's Center. I am proud to say
she has become a friend of Whaley and a friend of mine. Ms. Dorothy
spent nearly 10 years of her life at Whaley Children's Center during
the 1930s and 1940s.
Belonging: Although Ms. Dorothy's family of origin
was disrupted early in her life she went on to establish her own family.
She is the proud
mother of two sons and three grandchildren. She is also the widow
of Mr. Jim Bush whom
she met while the two of them were working at Sears.
Generosity: Ms.
Dorothy has maintained a 48-year relationship with Glenda Driskill
who became her little sister through the Big Brother/Big
Sister Program. She
was one of the first Big Sisters soon after the Big Sister program began. She
has also been a financial supporter of Whaley Children's Center and a volunteer.
She served on the volunteer committee in the late 1980s when planning the renovations
of the original Donald M. Whaley Memorial Building.
Mastery: Early on in her
life, Ms. Dorothy worked at Whaley as a "sort of" Aid.
She use to read bedtime stories to the kids and she would sweep the hallways
when they went off to school.
Independence: Ms. Dorothy is a successfully retired
realtor. She was a real estate agent in Flint and the surrounding
area for over 40 years. She is a
savvy businesswoman.
She is beautiful and assertive. No one has to wonder what Ms. Dorothy is thinking
because she will gladly tell you.
Years later Ms. Dorothy still remembers her life at Whaley as though it was
yesterday. We are so appreciative that she has allowed us to share her story
with you. Ms.
Dorothy is evidence that Whaley Children's Center really does "Transform
Lives and Create Futures".
Thoughts from Ms. Dorothy
"My frail Irish mother
died of Tuberculosis and my shy Greek father of heart disease, both before I
was 7 years old. This being the reason for me and my brother
becoming
wards of the state and subsequently placed at Whaley Children's Center."
"Besides
my husband, sons, and grandchildren I believe my association with
my, “Little
Sister” Glenda Dreskill for 48 years has brought me the most joy in my
life, she’s been part of our family for fun times and sad times. Many
times the only source of comfort."
"I feel the good choices I made in my life
were, in part, are a direct result of the examples set by the people at Whaley;
punctuality, order, caring about
others, and love of beauty. However, I cannot disregard my heritage of strong
and able people who were my ancestors."
….more Whaley stories
that will warm your heart…
