By Tanya Buresh-Werby, Assistant Director
Friendship Circle of Virginia (FCVA) is excited to kick off this new year full of friendship and community!
Programs
With a calendar year full of programs and events, some new and some FCVA favorites, there is something for everyone. Their monthly Birthday Circles include bowling, adaptive horseback riding, adaptive rock climbing, friendship garden, and more. FCVA’s core programs, Friends@Home and Friends with Pens resume in September.
Community Events
Friendship Circle’s Walk N Roll and Friendship Fair returns this November 19th with new attractions. The whole community is invited to this free event to walk, roll, scooter, or skate for friendship!
FCVA is also working on a new community-wide event, their Disability Expo planned for Jan. 7th, which will offer several categories of resources to the disability community.
Last but not least is the return of Disability Inclusion Day at the Diamond May 2024! Stay tuned!
Teen Leadership and Orientation
The Friendship Circle Inclusive Teen Leadership Board (TLB) kicks off this September with new president, Anish Gutha!
The role of the TLB is to help plan events and recruit teens to participate in FCVA programming. There will be a teen orientation on Sept. 21st for any teen who is interested in joining Friendship Circle. You can text (804) 396-2926 for more information.
Meet the FCVA team!
Founder and Executive Director of Friendship Circle of Virginia, Dr. Sarah Kranz-Ciment, PT, DPT, MA, is a physical therapist and has been a strong advocate for the disability community for more than 15 years.
She serves on the Virginia State Board for People with Disabilities and the Disability Board for Jewish Federations of North America. She is also a proud mom of 5.
Assistant Director Tanya Buresh-Werby was the Director of Marketing and Office Operations at the Friendship Circle of San Diego for 5 years before returning to Richmond in 2020 to be near family.
Tanya contributed to the organization’s growth and success via her involvement in event management and numerous other functions. In her prior roles with state government organizations and within the private sector, Tanya honed her project management, personnel management, and administrative skills.
Tanya’s 8 year old son, Ari, loves attending FCVA events and meeting so many people of all abilities.
Director of Engagement, Alana Miller, dedicated advocate and founder of Say Hello Threads, brings a wealth of experience in therapeutic foster care to her work.
With a passion for supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities, Alana’s journey was inspired by her own son’s experiences. Her commitment to fostering inclusivity and raising awareness within the disability community drives her efforts, making her a compassionate and impactful figure in the field.
Teen Leadership Board Director, Carolyn Marks O’Donnell, M.A.T. joined the Friendship Circle of Virginia after experiencing LifeTown in Columbus via the Friendship Circle of Ohio.
She looks forward to supporting the Teen Leadership Board. Carolyn has ten years of experience as a special educator, working with children K-12.
Most recently, Carolyn worked as a teacher in the Integrated Services program at Glen Allen High School.
Visit FCVA.org to learn more about how Friendship Circle facilitates friendships and social opportunities for people with and without disabilities via their free programs enriching lives and building an inclusive community one friendship at a time.
Please consider joining our monthly giving circle to help support this nonprofit and the important work they are doing in our community.
Visit friendshipcircleva.org/donate.
See a full calendar below!
