Dearest Valentines,

Happy February!  In the United States and many other countries of the word, this month is associated with legends and traditions about St. Valentine, who according to an article from the History Channel, is a very mysterious character!Regardless of the origin of the tradition, we have embraced February 14 as a day to celebrate love. Indeed, red and pink flowers, cherubs, and chocolates have become standards for the occasion. Right after Christmas, stores get ready for the day of LOVE, sending the message: Be my Valentine!

While flowers, chocolates, and materials gifts in general can be symbols of our love, it is well known that many people prefer other expressions of love.  A famous author, Dr. Gary Chapman, wrote a book entitled The 5 Love Languages®: The Secret to Love that Lasts, proposing that each person has a predominant “love language”, and that relationships flourish when people learn to speak each other’s language.

One of those languages is “acts of service”, and we believe this is the love language that defines and unifies the ChesMRC community.   The generosity of our caring supporters gets translated into selfless acts of service every day.  To date, our staff has asked the question: “How can I help you?”   to nearly 4,500 people since ChesMRC’s inception.

Making a difference in someone’s life is the best gift we can give.  And you make that possible! Thanks for being our Valentines! Without you, we could not achieve the goal of providing 500 acts of service each month.

Today, we would like to invite you to gift an act of service by supporting our mission.  Perhaps you may want to honor someone special with your gift as well.  We would be delighted to send a note to inform that special person about your gift.

As a symbolic thank you, we would like to gift a copy of Dr. Chapman’s book to one of our supporters.  If you have already read the bestseller “The 5 Love Languages®: The Secret to Love that Lasts”, you are welcome to choose another book from his series (see below). All donations received until February 14^th will be entered into a drawing.  A winner will be announced on February 15^th.

With love and gratitude,

Matthew, ChesMRC Board, and Staff
Chesapeake Multicultural Resource Center
Empowering people from different cultures to become successful and engaged members of our community