PASSING THE BATON

CRC has new directors!

     Passing the baton in a relay race is a tricky and well practiced process. You can’t simply “hand over” the baton with no thought, preparation, or follow through - it will be dropped. The “best” process is when the person carrying the baton gets close to the person receiving the baton, they start to run and pace themselves to receive the baton, the person who is handing off the baton paces with the receiver they both hold on to the baton for awhile, until the baton is securely in the receiver’s hand and then they run a few more moments together and receiver takes off - the hand off is complete. After 20 years of carrying the “baton” known as Children’s Rescue Center, Co-Executive Directors, Nancy Lutz and Susie Rastatter have handed their baton to Meredith Berzins and Nikki Tighe.

     Nancy and Susie began “running” with a pass off in mind in 2007, realizing after the death of Nancy’s husband, Gary, that a plan for the future needed to be put into place.  Meredith & Nikki were not actually “in sight” for the hand off until February of 2011. Meredith had been a volunteer at Ark West during her community service hours for Wittenberg University three years ago, and Nikki came on staff as the Office Manager five years ago. Meredith and Nikki started pacing with Nancy and Susie in February and they ran together until September 1. Now Meredith and Nikki are leading the CRC striving to hold onto the Master’s hand and follow His lead, just as they have been trained.

     The Children’s Rescue Center runs a collection of ministries - The Ark & The Rock afterschool programs, the Daily Bread Food Pantry, Un Mundo on Main, the Gary Lutz Gopher Dome and they also own Un Mundo Café downtown. The dedicated staff and new Co-Executive Directors take seriously the mission of the CRC, “to facilitate the love of Jesus to children and families in need in the inner city and beyond, by providing services and activities to meet individual needs with a holistic, comprehensive approach.”  As they begin this race they are excited about the people they will meet and be impacted by on the journey. You can learn more about the CRC and its ministries at www.childrensrescuecenter.com