Each year, over 200 people swing into action to plan and deliver on a promise through the Chapelwood United Methodist Women's (UMW) Spring Thing Market and Silent Auction. Among them is Valentina Atkinson, who is featured on the March cover of River Oaks Living Magazine, a publication that focuses on family, community, unity, philanthropy, and the arts.

The charity event's primary mission is to provide grants for women's and children's charities throughout the world, and its secondary mission is to help Houston partner ministries. And though the event has been in existence for over 55 years, this year the organization's local efforts took on added urgency; the The United Methodist Women, and its community of approximately 800,000 members, were focused on extending extra support to its partners in the Greater Houston area in the wake of the devastation left behind by Hurricane Harvey. 

As a visual artist, and as the owner of Serrano Gallery, Valentina Atkinson was proud to participate in the 2018 Spring Thing Market and three-day silent auction, and contribute to the efforts. "It's a small way to give back to the community that has given me and my family so much over the years," says Atkinson. Over the past 5 years, the event has donated almost $500,000 to women and children in need.

This year, Chapelwood United Methodist Women's (UMW) Spring Thing Market. was held on Thursday, February 28 and Friday, March 1, and included a three-day silent auction that began on Wednesday, March 27. For more information and getting involved in next year's event, please contact Chapelwood United Methodist Church at (713) 465-3467.