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Together: Canby Center News August 2025
- The Canby Center
- Jul 31
- 5 min read
The windows might as well be stained glass. To me, they are sacred. As I walk the hallway of The Canby Center’s new 18,000-square-foot facility, I am washed in light. Our space was designed to be welcoming — a place where dignity can be renewed. The building doesn’t even have a front door yet. And still, as I walk these unfinished halls, I find myself renewed.
Windows of opportunity open and close all around us.
Not long ago, I sat across from a 40-year-old woman looking for work. She had been managing technology at a company before being laid off during a restructuring. Her sullen face and fixed attention said more than her words. She was searching for purpose, provision, direction.
If you’ve ever been in her shoes, you know how overwhelming it can be. In these conversations, I’m reminded of those who sat with me when I was searching. And I'm grateful.
Windows of opportunity abound. Here are a few things to consider if you are in a season of change.
Pray: God delights to answer your prayers. He is listening.
Clarify: Take time to define what you want in the season ahead. I use a simple tic-tac-toe grid of nine boxes to describe my personal vision or the future I desire. Clarity is the seed of vision.
Step: Take small steps toward your preferred future. Apply for the job, get the certification, do an informational interview.
Grow: Significant growth often comes during seasons of personal and organizational transition. Count on this being a season of great personal benefit.
As I walk these sun-filled halls, I know that these windows aren’t just architectural features.
They’re reminders to keep our eyes open for the sacred windows of opportunity that transform lives and communities. These windows will soon frame bright laughter and the soft glow of eased burdens. They will shine with the hope of renewal.
It’s a hazy summer afternoon in Canby, and inside the Canby Public Library, something special is unfolding: The Canby Center’s Summer Book Club! It’s a haven far from the noise, dust, and interruption of our construction site activity, where pairs of young readers and volunteer mentors gather weekly.
This 10-week program is about connection! Each session begins with a read-aloud from The Tale of Despereaux, a Newbery Medal-winning novel by Kate DiCamillo. (This book is 52 chapters, 276 pages; completing a book of this size by the end of summer is an accomplishment these emerging readers can be proud of!)
A hands-on activity deepens engagement with the story and invites collaboration between students and mentors. A special craft was inspired by this line from the story:
“Stories are light. Light is precious in a world so dark.”
Using paper towel rolls, tissue paper, and LED candles, together students and mentors made personal “torches” to represent the light their life brings to the world.
Summer Book Club would not be complete without one-on-one reading! Students choose what to read and are able to wander the library shelves; some students will check out books with a mentor's supervision.
"It’s a simple act," one leader shared, "but significant! Learning to search, choose, and use the check-out kiosk is growing practical skills for these kids. We love to see it."
At The Canby Center, we believe that kids who read for fun will read to learn. Summer Book Club isn’t just a way to pass the time over the school break. It's a way for kids to keep the spark of learning burning bright all year long.
Who helped your spark grow? Was it a teacher, a parent, a sibling, or a mentor?
This coming school year, we invite you to pay it forward.
Become a Reading Mentor, giving an hour a week to read alongside children in a Canby elementary school. Help nurture the spark of learning in a young life, and fan it into flame.
To learn more and apply to be a mentor, click the button or follow this link: https://www.thecanbycenter.org/reading
What began as a $3 million estimate grew to a $4 million feasibility projection, then to a $7.2 million campaign goal, then $8.2 million, and ultimately to $10 million. Now, on the cusp of completion, both the funding and the construction are nearly finished. Praise God! Together, we're addressing our community’s greatest challenges for dignity and learning.
This fast-paced video shows the incredible progress so far!
Back and better than ever, this summer's CREATE Summer Theater Camp has been a joyful partnership between The Canby Center and Canby Alliance Church.
For a week, 41 kids experienced a program thoughtfully designed to communicate the God-given value of each person. Students developed theater skills while exploring faith and growing in friendship. With costumes made of fabric scraps, safety pins, and rubber bands, the barrier to creative expression is low. "I love that the kids are making use of materials they could maybe find around the house," one leader shared.
"It doesn't have to be fancy or polished to be special."
With a little help, a table cloth becomes flowy pants; a scarf becomes a cape; the possibilities abound!
The week culminated in heartfelt performances. Squinting in the bright stage lights, clinging to his script for reassurance, one brave youngster recited his lines from Max Lucado's You Are Special: “You are special because I made you. And I don’t make mistakes.”
At The Canby Center, we believe that every person carries inherent worth.
It's not because of what they do, but because of who they are. Whether it’s through a moment of learning, groceries for today, or a standing ovation at theater camp, we are reminding one another of what's truth: you matter. You are special. You belong. And you are not alone.
CREATE Theater Camp is made possible by volunteers, donations, and partnership. Through The Canby Center, you can be part of something truly special.
Volunteer: you have skills and we have needs. Learn more at:
Support: select “Where Most Needed” and make an immediate impact.
This summer we extend our heartfelt thanks to Angie Navarro, retiring from board service after nine remarkable years.
Angie has served as Board Secretary, offering steady support through seasons of tremendous change. A Canby native, Canby High School graduate, and principal of Trost Elementary School, Angie has brought wise counsel and fresh ideas to both The Canby Center Board and Programs Committee. We’re grateful that she plans to continue serving through the Programs Committee, where her insight will continue to bless local youth and families.
Thank you, Angie!
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