Scenes from 05 22 2018 A Stronger Village (Single Moms, Returning Dads, Future Dads)

On Tuesday 5/22/2018 The Golden Fold, a mentorship program of the Gamma Xi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi, and GMAC, a mentor program of Green Run High School, produced an event named A Stronger Village. This annual event is an involved-fatherhood program of The Golden Fold to promote involved fatherhood, to support single parent mothers, and to teach young men the awareness that leads to future responsible fathers.
     At this event three workshop leaders present information to an audince of approximately 90 guests, The Golden Fold and The Hampton Roads Committee of 200+ Men presented a "Fathers of the Year Award" to a father who has supported the activities of Fathers In Training (F.I.T.). The FIT program assists men who are struggling with aspects of their fatherhood journey to address and solve their current fatherhood problems and to prevent future fatherhood problems. This activity of The Golden Fold meets the Omega Psi Phi, Inc. requirement of having a Fatherhood program.

This event was FREE and open to the public with a target of Single Mothers, Fathers returning to involvement with their children, and 6th - 12th-grade young men and their families. Sponsored by Green Run High's mentorship program GMAC (Gentlemen Making A Change), The Golden Fold Mentors from Omega Psi Phi, National Call Dad inc., Fathers In Training (F.I.T.) of Virginia Beach Social Services, and the Hampton Roads Council of 200+ Men. For more information on this event contact TheGoldenFoldMovement@gmail.com . Here are some photos from the event!

Four members of The Golden Fold welcome the guests to the event.

Author Eddie Howard teaches fathers and families how to re-invite fathers into the lives of their children.

Above - Leon Sankofa from National Call Dad Inc. shares how Fathers impact communities and how young males can seek male mentors to teach Fatherhood skills.

Below - Omega Man Coach Elisha Harris teaches the young men and fathers the power of forgiveness and how we can raise a new cadre of responsible fathers.

Above - The members of The golden fold with author Eddie Howard, Father of the 2018-2019 Year Ryan Lynch, and Coach Elisha Harris.

Below - Ryan Lynch was selected as Father of the year by The Golden Fold for his work with Fathers In Training. He is pictured here with two of his three sons. Father of the year, Ryan Lynch's story was depicted in the Virginian Pilot. Ryan was chosen by The Golden Fold as The Golden Fold partners with Virginia Beach's Fathers In Training fatherhood mentoring group. Since 2016, Fathers in Training picks a Father of The Year, who is honored at The Golden Fold's annual Fatherhood event named A Stronger Village and named Project Daddyman in earlier years. Ryan's work with Fathers In Training's alumni program made him eligible for the award this year.

Below - The Hampton Roads Committee of 200+ Men, The mentors and volunteers of The Golden Fold, and the members of The Golden Fold with with author Eddie Howard, Father of the 2018-2019 Year Ryan Lynch, and Coach Elisha Harris.

Raising 3 boys with special needs, Virginia Beach man wins "Father of the Year"

https://pilotonline.com/news/local/article_9d3973c4-4e40-11e8-9bf9-335beaefd574.html

David Macaulay | For The Virginian-Pilot 

Ryan Lynch was named Father of the Year by the mentorship group The Golden Fold, which is a mentorship program of the Gamma Xi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi.

Ryan Lynch has been named Father of the Year by the mentorship group The Golden Fold. He is a facilitator with the Virginia Beach-based parenting program Fathers in Training. He will receive an award by The Golden Fold during the 05/22/2018 Golden Fold event named “A Stronger Village”. The award of Father of the year is being sponsored by The Hampton Roads Committee of 200+ Men.

Lynch is a single father of three boys with special needs. He has been divorced for five years and has custody of the boys.

His 10-year-old son, Yeshua, was born prematurely and had airway and heart surgeries. He spent the first three years of his life on a ventilator at the hospital.

Lynch juggles looking after his kids with running an IT company he set up.

Ryan will receive the fatherhood award May 22 at Green Run High School.

What do you enjoy most about what you do? I enjoy helping people in general. I love to help out. I love to help other fathers become better parents and better men.

What is the greatest challenge you face doing what you do? Finding the time to balance being a single father, work and helping the community. We have numerous medical visits.

What do you love most about the people you work/volunteer with? I love to watch their growth as men and fathers. I love just watching the evolution of change within them.

Who or what inspires you to do what you do? My kids.

Who or what in your background best prepared you for doing what you do? Brian Hawkins, the founder of Fathers in Training

If a snapshot was taken of you enjoying a perfect day, what would it look like? Peacefully quiet

Favorite gadget: None. After work, I don’t want to use technology.

Favorite movie: “Goodfellas”

Pet peeve: Dishonesty

Hobbies: Whatever the kids are into. Now it’s Legos and Ninja turtles

Best/worst job: Worst, Burger King as a kid; Best, Tekserve, the company I set up.

First car: Honda Accord

Favorite Virginia beach spot: Sandbridge

Comfort food: Fried chicken

A favorite TV show from the past: “Spenser: For Hire”

A recently read book you’d recommend: “The 48 Laws of Power”

A recently watched movie you’d recommend: “Avengers: Infinity War”

Of what achievements are you most proud? Starting my own business

Something you’ve done that others might not expect of you: Raising three kids on my own.

If you could invite three famous people, living or dead, to dinner, who would they be? Al Pacino, Morgan Freeman, Robert De Niro

What is your good luck charm? I don’t believe in luck.

The most memorable words of wisdom you received and from whom: Provide, protect and be present, by Brian Hawkins

The words of wisdom you’d share with someone interested in doing what you do: Never give up. Always strive to do better things and be greater at what you are doing.

David Macaulay, maccaz17@hotmail.com .

Fathers in Training (FIT) provides a supportive environment where young fathers can learn to parent their children, become financially responsible and learn about relationships, health and sexuality. The primary purpose is to strengthen families, by focusing services on the father. It is the healthier father that is most likely to create a healthier environment for his family. We have created a safe, but challenging environment for fathers to engage in conversations of the joys and challenges of fatherhood with other fathers. 

• FIT provides an environment that is conducive to learning and will address some very serious barriers to effective fathering such as domestic violence, anger management, conflict resolution, responsible fathering and working with support systems.
• FIT has an employment component.
• FIT has an alumni group for those fathers who have completed the program and wish to continue, or expand their involvement in the community.FIT is geared to the protection of children and family. Domestic viol ence issues are at the forefront of every group meeting. FIT has zero tolerance for violence in the home.

Twenty week (20 sessions) training sessions on Monday nights from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Participants must complete at least 17 out of 20 sessions in order to receive a certificate of Program Completion.
For additional information on Fathers in training, contact Brian Hawkins (757) 385-3490.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Golden Fold Mentor Movement serves 6th - 12th grade youth by providing seminar based Big-Brother-type activities in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Contact: thegoldenfoldmovement @ gmail (dot) com . The Golden Fold is a "Brothers and Others" Community Improvement activity of the Gamma Xi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi and the Gamma Xi Uplift Foundation.