The Bailey Family Goes Digital

Family! Welcome to the spring 2010 edition of the Bailey Family Newsletter on line!
Yes, we have stepped into the new millenium and will be hosting our beloved newsletter right here.
Feel free to give us any suggestions and comments as our aim is to make this interactive, informative and exciting for all.
Love,
Bill Bailey & Wendi Cherry

Doronda Graduates from UVA!

Anthony is now the Chairman of the Deacon's ministry, teaches the Baptism Classes, Sunday School and Wednesday night Bible Study. He is actively involved with many community organizations and third in command at the Harrisonburg Rockingham County Commonwealth Attorney's office.

Pam continues to be actively involved in the Deaconess, Missionary and Youth Ministries. She is in her 11th year in teaching at James Madison University and 23rd year practicing as a Physician Assistant.

 
The biggest news is DORONDA MONIQUE BAILEY  graduated from THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA!!! She received a Bachelor of Science in Civil & Environmental Engineering and is gainfully employed by Balfour Beatty Company, Fairfax, VA (the same company that she completed her internship with). She will be coming back home! Hurrah! ....and commuting from Harrisonburg to Staunton, VA each day. Doronda's first project will be building a new jail in Staunton, VA.

Denean & Taylor are now 16-year old, rising juniors in high school and DRIVING!!! Wow! They are now arguing over WHO gets to drive and who gets the back seat! They are looking forward to getting Doronda's old Chrysler fixed up and painted. Taylor finished out his 1st year of wrestling w/o any MAJOR injuries. He is now putting in applications for summer employment, and had his FIRST interview last week.

Celebrating Bianca's M. Ed

Bianca graduated from Mary Washington University with a M. ED on May 7th...she thanks all of her family and friends for their love and support.

Brandon (Philadelphia, PA) is still working in investment banking and applying to grad schools with his first choice being Georgetown. Boddie, his pit bull, is getting bigger everyday. Keep him in your prayers.


Keisha, Sean-Paul and Helen (Macon, GA) 

• Keisha celebrated the big 4-0 in Las Vegas and Destin Florida.
• Sean-Paul-will be starting tackle football soon!
• Helen is still enjoying retirement and Sean-Paul

 
Marguerite is not as busy as usual because of her knee, but continues to participate in politics. She and Florence are still attached at the hip.


Lonnie traveled to Europe for two weeks and had a wonderful time. He is busy with KAPPA stuff and always graciously opens his home for our cousin's gatherings.

Dominick Studies in Switzerland

Dominick is currently attending pharmacy school at the University of Maryland-Baltimore planning to graduate in 2012.  He recently traveled to Switzerland to participate in an internship program with the World Health Organization (WHO) within their Pharmacovigilance department from May 24 - July 16.  This department oversees pharmacy protocol and policy on a worldwide stage, and will enhance Dominick's knowledge of global health and its relation to pharmaceutical global policy.  This was an honor as it is a competitive position to obtain as they only choose two interns from a global applicant pool.

"The Mayor” Keith finished up his second successful year in office as Mayor of Blythewood and is still enjoying the rigors of political life. First Lady Marilynn is the Ft. Jackson Volunteer Coordinator.

HU Pirate, Damon, Atlanta, GA is now a teacher in the Teach for America program.

MVP Defensive Player of the Year, Devan will be a senior this fall.

Wanda Celebrates Another Birthday

Wanda hung out with her cousins, Wendi, AJ and Erinn (Wendi's sister) for her birthday celebration which included the Erykah Badu concert.  The surprise was that she got to meet Erykah and got a birthday shout out!

Florence, Welt, Sylvia & Shirley - Fredricksburg, Virginia

Shirley,  as usual, has been jet-setting around the country. Here are a few pit stops:

The play " Sophicated Ladies" with dinner at Eatonville Restaurant. Also the Billy Taylor Trio Concert at V S U. Plus the commencement (VSU) exercises to celebrate brother, Bill Bailey receive  an award.  She just returned from Las Vegas helping a friend celebrate her birthday.  During the weekend July 4th, she will be traveling to New York to see Denzel Washington in Fences.

Welt and Thelma Fredericksburg, A are still hanging in there. They still have tons of visitors… Thelma has started dialysis; the doctors had been nursing her kidney along, but decided it was time for dialysis. Not a wished for condition, but the alternative was not even a close second. She still has a smile and a kind word for everyone.


Florence Fredericksburg, VA She is ALWAYS ON CALL….taking care of everyone’ needs.  THANKS FLO.

Sylvia was last in Chi-Town at an International Reading Conference and heard Al Gore speak.  She and Ted just arrived back from sunny Las Vegas attending a technology conference.  She was recently the M.C. at her divisions retiree banquet. 

The Cherry Gals

                    
Ariana (9) is enjoying her summer at the Boys and Girls club and Ameera (16) is working hard at her first job.
Gwen is still hanging on Garden Place awaiting the arrival of her grandbabies to be able to spoil them this summer in late July.

Sydni is going to the second grade and has a social calendar that rivals Aunt Shirley's!

Wendi is still plugging away at the GRAMMYs and thanking God she wasn't one of the 14 co-workers laid-off today.

George's Crew in NY!

George Tom (as he is called) is living in New Rochelle, NY with his youngest son, George Tom Jr. (aka GT) and his beautiful wife Susanne and their children Nigel and Nia. See pics below.

Aunt Eunice's Great-Grandbaby is the Bell of the Ball!

Pat and Tyrone's daughter, Octavia, is raising her beautiful family near Atlantic City, N.J.  Her daughter, Amira, was beautiful at the Absegami Senior Prom (N.J.).  Having won Prom Queen in her junior year, she still was the bell of the ball in this gorgeous baby blue gown.

Octavia, son, Abdullah Jr. (Double A), husband Abdullah and daughter, Amira enjoying some fun in the sun.

Eugene and Denise take on Australia

Eugene and Denise, had a great time in Australia exploring Sidney, The Great Barrier Reef, Ayers Rock and Melbourne.

   

Gabriel Celebrates his First Birthday

Jarvis and Monica's Crew

Jarvis and Monica are preparing to become empty nesters. They will let Keith and Marilyn, and Anthony and Pam know what it is like come August.

Omari is still enjoying his academic status as a Richmond Scholar, is on the Dean’s List, and has declared his major in Leadership Studies with a minor in Rhetoric and Communication. He sings bass with his a cappella group “Off the Cuff” and the university concert choir “Schola Cantorum”, is active with the Black Student Alliance, and spends his free time working out and chilling with his friends.


Skyler has flourished at Virginia State University. She a Trojan through and through and has made quite a name for herself as a songstress. Skyler was inducted into the Honors Program and is excelling in all of her classes and especially loves those in her music major. She participated in numerous musical performances, competitions, events, and toured with the VSU’s Concert Choir.


Matthew will be graduating from James Monroe High School on June 18 as a prestigious Monroe Scholar. He has had four fantastic years and enjoyed every aspect of high school life. He excelled both academically and athletically. He completed his football career as JM’s Defensive MVP and made first team All-Area, All-district, and All-Region. Matthew displayed his singing talent as an awesome tenor soloist with the Monroe Singers again this year and as a lead character in his senior play, the musical “Guys and Dolls”. He definately has the Bailey gift of singing. Matthew turned downed several opportunities to play college football and opted to hang up his cleats and be a regular college student. He has chosen to attend Old Dominion University in the fall.

Jarrett, Tyra and the Boys in Hawaii

 The family spent spring break at the Waikoloa Village Resort.

Jaylon was recognized for outstanding character and citizenship. He was also selected to participate in the Spelling Bee. Jaylon continues to make the honor roll and has advanced to a level 7 in swim kids which comes with an invitation to join the swim team in the fall. He has also been invited to attend the HU/Mike Vick football camp which will feature some of best players in the NFL such Adrian Peterson, Percy Harvin, Donavan McNabb, DeSean Jackson, Roddy White and Hall of Famer Bruce Smith.

Justin received the Principal’s Award for outstanding achievement in music, all star award in physical education, and the character award for citizenship. continue to excel in school and have received Certificates of Achievement and Pride of the Pack Awards. He is also doing very well in Swim kids.

Jordan is busy at preschool learning his ABC’s and 123’s. continue to excel in school and have received Certificates of Achievement and Pride of the Pack Awards.

The Garner Family

Rodney and Karen just celebrated seven years of marriage, and are in the process of closing on a timeshare in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Rodney is now an Asst. Defensive Coordinator and LB coach for the varsity football program at Churchill High School in Potomac, MD.

Erika and David (Maplewood, NJ) : Visited in Maryland a couple of weeks ago. Erika surprised her mom with a visit Mother's Day weekend. Erikam while still gainfully employed with Blue Cross Blue Shield of NJ, is also pursuing her own business. Contact her for details.

Faye is doing well and involved with community activities within the development of which she resides.

Both of our girls, Ayanha & Isis are well, too!

Dr. Eugene R. "Gene" Bailey - YMCA Legacy

Gene's labor of love with the Jackie Robinson Family YMCA began in 1985 when E.G. Hearn, a Navy colleague and then-board chair of the Jackie Robinson Y, asked if he'd join the board of management. What Gene anticipated to be a three-year commitment to accommodate a friend's request turned into more than two decades of exemplary service.



In those early days, the Y wasn't doing very well and was fairly disorganized. Gene, who has a doctorate in business management and master's in human behavior, convinced the board and staff that the Y needed to get its respective act together. Gene took a leadership role in the reorganization of the Y, which was challenging in itself, as at the time he



was the "commander of a U.S. Navy amphibious ship. Over the years, Gene served multiple terms as board chair and has chaired the president's round table section of the annual campaign for 10 years.


Needless-to-say, thanks in large part to Gene's leadership, the Jackie Robinson Family YMCA got its act together and currently operates with a board of management of more than 50 dedicated volunteers and raises more than $500,000 per year to ensure that no child is ever turned away for financial reasons.


Although Gene is most proud of these accomplishments, he relates an incident that happened several years ago that "keeps me going when I get tired." The incident involved several boys who jumped the wall of the Y's pool one Sunday when the Y was closed. The boys were caught and taken back to their home by Executive Director Michael Brunker. Michael found several children living in terrible conditions with their single-parent mom who was addicted to drugs. The next day, Michael brought Gene with him to the home; the boys thought they were going to be taken to jail. Instead, the Y took them in, found medical assistance for the mom, and today, the family is doing well and mom is gainfully employed. For Gene, there is no better example for the Y's "reason for being" in the Southeast San Diego Community.


Along the way, Gene became a member of the YMCA's Heritage Club to sustain his support "after I'm gone." Gene, for all you have done, and continue to do on behalf of the Jackie Robinson Family YMCA, we salute you.