MERF Looks Ahead to a Busy February

In a few short weeks, folks near and far will know if the Groundhog saw his shadow, therefore predicting the arrival of spring. But as I write, I am enjoying a purely beautiful winter wonderland outside the windows. The sunshine illuminating ice-covered branches, crystals glistening in the snow like diamonds, and pureness of white covering the land.

Winter like this gives us all the time to pause and rest for a reason. Before we know it, life will begin buzzing again with new obligations and plans and lists of “to-dos” that may or may not be crossed off. MERF has its own list for 2025. Here is a view of some of it.

February brings the start of the much-needed renovation of the MERF House.

When complete, the house will be ready to welcome all kinds of groups back to work and to play. Senior Lunches, board meetings, local clubs, and families will return to a safe and sturdy building. This is an exciting venture for 2025, and we are eager to see it through. Last fall’s fund-raising newsletter brought us closer to our goal of securing some of the needed funds for construction. We thank each of you who generously contributed to MERF during the fall campaign. If you have not had an opportunity to donate yet, no worries — we welcome donations any time.

February also brings a trip to the Huntsville Symphony for the fourth-graders at Valley Head School. Each year, the symphony conducts Young People’s Concerts and offers free admission. This year’s show is titled, “Carnival of the Animals.” Providing field trips like this is one of the ways MERF brings music education to students who might not otherwise receive it.

Senior Lunches return in February on Wednesdays at Moon Lake Baptist Church. Businesses and individuals alike helped make last fall’s season of lunches a terrific success. This spring season is planned to be just as wonderful. The seniors of our community come together to connect, to share their stories with friends old and new, and to enjoy a delicious meal while learning a bit about an interesting topic. Senior Lunches began in the early days of MERF, and it is still happening because of the commitment and caring of our local businesses, camps, churches, and volunteers.

February also brings the MERF board and others together to plan Family Art Night at Valley Head School, which is being held March 15 this year. This evening brings the students, their families, and the public together to see the beautiful art created in teacher Caroline Moore’s classroom during the school year. Her passion and dedication has developed the inner artists in her students. It promises to be an amazing night. Providing an art program in Valley Head School is one of MERF’s most important programs.

And to wrap up the month, MERF is launching its first-ever sponsorship campaign, which aims to achieve the financial goals of our non-profit organization for the foreseeable future. This is a new and exciting opportunity to have long-term financial support from our local corporate businesses and benefactors. We look forward to sharing more about this plan with you as the year continues.

A new year full of possibilities awaits all of us. We at MERF will continue to provide valuable programs and events for you, our local community and friends. We are only able to provide these programs with the dedication of time and energy from our many longtime volunteers. Whether you call it a list of resolutions or a “to-do” list, getting involved in your community in some way is a fantastic opportunity to do good and feel good. Give it some thought. MERF has a place for you.