NovatoSpirit Kids Give Thanks

Our NovatoSpirit students are passionate about living.

Why?

They’re dancing!

“Dancing is like becoming a work of art—a masterpiece,” said one of the girls pictured here. “I hope I can keep dancing forever. Thank you so much for supporting me.”

This thanks goes to all for caring about our children, as they enhance their lives through exercise.

NovatoSpirit’s ongoing mission is to improve the health of eligible children through after-school athletics. We help each child to develop lasting health benefits by placing her or him up with a compassionate coach or teacher for 5 years. Our kids are appreciative and engaged—evidenced by our successful yearly retention rates. Last year, for example, NovatoSpirit had an 85% retention rate of athletes!

Some of our kids say that sports enable them to imagine ideals beyond fitness.

One of our teens said: “In tae kwon do, I am learning different techniques that teach me self-defense, self-discipline, respect towards others and endurance. Some of these techniques are kicks, punches and locks. Although this may seem simple or violent, that’s not what tae kwon do is about. This is the art of self-defense and not violence. I have learned that showing up every day ready to participate and absorb the knowledge from my master is essential. I find myself wanting to learn more and better myself.”

And a young karate student said, “I want to learn this, because when I grow up I want to become a police officer and join the military to protect people and my country.”

We’ve got exciting news!

• Our partner One World Children’s Fund (www.owcf.org) hosted a party highlighting NovatoSpirit and other international partners at the Presidio Officers’ Club in San Francisco. This elegant event supported children in need—from Nan Auw village, Burma to Novato, USA.
• The Kenneth A. Berg Living Trust selected us as a grant recipient this year.
• We were nominated for two prestigious awards: “Excellence in Innovation” and “Achievement in Nonprofit Excellence” for the Heart of Marin Awards, hosted by the Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership of Marin (CVNL). This event, to be held in January 2017 will gather about 900 people from the county’s nonprofits and public-service groups.

• Our Executive Director Marian Schinske was nominated for “Individual Leadership” for the 2016 Leaders of the North Bay Awards, which honors those who contribute to the prosperity and quality of life in Sonoma, Marin, and Napa Counties.

• Soroptimist International of Novato, which empowers girls and women professionally and socially, gave us a generous grant and produced a TV show about NovatoSpirit that you can view on the “News & Awards” page of our website: www.novatospirit.org
• Rotary Club of Novato’s longtime member Alan Dunham, who is also Novato’s Citizen of the Year, invited our Executive Director Marin Schinske to be his guest at a recent Rotary meeting. What an honor to meet Alan and his fellow Rotarians!
• Unity in Marin, a spiritual center in Novato that has supported us for years, and All Saints Lutheran Church invited us to share stories about our kids’ progress with their congregations.

NovatoSpirit wants to help more kids dance and play sports!

This Holiday Season, please consider us or give during our February Fundraiser. To give a tax-deductible donation, please send a check to: NovatoSpirit, 936 7th Street, Suite B, PMB 236, Novato, CA 94945.

Thank you for caring about Novato’s kids!

NovatoSpirit is a 501c3 public charity. All donations are tax deductible according to the tax law. Please visit us at www.novatospirit.org