Community 4:12

School Supplies in May

We are trying something new this year.  Every August we always do a school supply collection at Community to make sure the kids at Brady Elementary come to school prepared to learn.  This year we decided to try something that a lot of the surrounding school districts do . . . order pre-packaged kits that contain all the supplies for each grade level that the teacher requests.  It's great---no shopping and not being able to find the right things, no trying to stuff everything into one bag, no hauling tons of supplies from church to the school, and it actually ends up being a lot cheaper this way.  So, all a person has to do is say they will commit to sponsoring a child for $25.  The challenge is, we hve to place the order now for next fall.  People at Community are not used to this rhythm, so I knew we couldn't expect to get a lot of people to commit to school supplies NOW when they are thinking graduation, summer, etc.  So, I had to take a guess as to how many people I THOUGHT would sponsor children and lay that cash out up front.  Yikes.  I committed to 300 kits (about 1/2 the school) for this year.  That's $7,500.  Double Yikes.  Thankfully, I've been pleasantly surprised at how many people ARE willing to sign up now (and pay now) for supplies for the fall.  In fact, we have gotten some terrific feedback that people love this idea.  Everyone will get names of specific children that they are sponsoring, because Brady families will order a kit at registration in August (and pay a small amount so that this will still be a fundraiser for the school).  So, sponsoring families can actually write a personal note to the child(ren) they sponsored to help them start the year off right.  I have to attribute this brilliant idea to Ron Kelso who has done all the leg work to make it happen.  We have had a good response already, but we are no where close to 300 yet, so if you'd like to sponsor a child with school supplies for next year, email Ron at ronkelso@sbcglobal.net and let him know how many ($25/child)!

Habitat Groundbreaking

Three years ago, Ron Kelso's (2nd from left) life was shattered when his 19 year old son tragically lost his battle with depression and ended his life through suicide.  With the strength that only God can give, Ron committed to fulfilling a dream he and his son had shared---to build a Habitat for Humanity Home.  Ron sponsored a fundraiser and raised $35,000---enough to purchase land for a Habitat build.  Because of his ties to Community 4:12 and the work we are doing in East Aurora, he was determined to do the build in that community.  However, there has been no land available, so for the past 2 1/2 years, the money has sat in a Habitat account. 

This spring, Habitat decided to embark on a project they had not done before . . . rehabbing a foreclosed home.  It is on the East Side of Aurora and the approximate cost?  About what Ron had secured in cash and in-kind donations.  Ron got to meet the Craft Family (mother and 2 teenage twin daughters in this picture) and immediately knew this was the family "Kevin's" home had been waiting for.

Today was the groundbreaking ceremony.  Even though the house is built, it was gutted to the studs due to extensive mold damage and so for the next 2 months, every Thursday and Saturday teams of volunteers will work to build the Craft Family their new home.  If you'd like to participate in one of the build days, click here to contact Ron. 

I am so proud and humbled to have Ron as a dear friend and long-time leader with Community 4:12.  Thank you for your faithfulness, Ron.  I can just see Kevin's smiling face, and I know his loving and generous spirit is being built into this home.

Introducing Serving Jesus Blog!

I'm really excited to introduce a brand-new blog at CCC.  Our Small Groups Director, Eric Metcalf, has created a site so that small groups and others can stay informed about upcoming service opportunities offered through a variety of ministries.  Click here to check it out!

Come Read To Us Day!

Have 30 minutes you can spare next Wednesday, April 16th, between 9:00 am and 2:00 pm?  Then come be a guest reader for Brady School's "Come Read to Us!" Day.  I'm going to be reading for a Kindergarden class at 9:00.  You can pick your own book to bring, or have the teacher provide one for you.  I did this last year and it was so cool to see moms, businessmen, government officials and college kids coming to the school to read.

It makes a huge statement to the kids that you would take time out of your schedule to spend 30 minutes with them!  For more information or to sign up, click here to email Michele Zwart!

Bringing The Arts to Brady

It's really going to happen!  Thanks to a bunch of Community adult and youth volunteers, we are going to offer several weeks of arts classes as part of a VBS/Summer Camp that Wayside Cross is running at Brady this summer.  We met with interested volunteers last night, and there are drawers, painters, dancers, cheerleaders, martial artists, and musicians who are super excited to share their talent and passion for the arts with children who don't ordinarily get exposure to that world.  One woman actually broke down in tears when she learned that elementary students in East Aurora do not have art class in school.  She signed up on the spot, not just to work at the camp this summer, but to be part of an after-school program next year!  I have dreamed for a long time of Community 4:12 being able to offer this kind of thing to East Aurora kids, so I am so excited that it is finally going to happen!  And I am just humbled more and more every day by people who are excited to give generously of their time and talents and treasures.

Family Fun at Brady

I had such a fun time at our annual Family Fun Day at Brady Elementary yesterday.  It is so much more low-key than our Christmas Gift Mart, so there is more time for just enjoying and connecting with volunteers and people from the community.  We had a tremendous response for stuffed Easter Eggs, cupcakes, and volunteers, and Myra Melanson (who was filling in for our usual event planner, Beth, who recently had surgery) did an incredible job of organizing everything and leading the great planning team.  So, thank you everyone who contributed!!

We tried something new this year and added a Craft Fair to the event.  Some of the moms from the community set up booths to sell their homemade crafts and food items.  The crafts were a moderate success, but Maria and Marcela's "restaurante" was a HUGE success.  These women must have been up all night cooking, but they came in with piles of authentic Mexican food and I am quite sure they sold almost all of it.  This will be a definite addition to future events!

If you were there yesterday, let me know what you thought of the day!

Saturday Fun

Had a great day yesterday!  Started off by visiting our Saturday Stars tutoring program at Bardwell.  What terrific and dedicated tutors we have coming to that every week!

Then dashed the boys off to their piano lesson at our Montgomery Campus---I LOVE that Community offers School for the Arts lessons, and I am excited about the possibility of starting some SFTA classes in East Aurora--but that's another post.

Then we picked up our friend and headed over to East High for the 5th Grade Girls' Basketball Tournament.  Triple Threat Sports Mentoring did a terrific job of bringing in volunteers (mostly from our Montgomery Campus) to ref, score, set up kids activities.  So, while Scott worked the score board, I got to hang out with kids cheering on our schools.  Unfortunately both Brady and Bardwell lost in the early rounds, but it was so fun to see girls from 12 different schools out there doing their best and having fun.  Next Sunday is the boys' tournament and girls' cheerleading competition.  That is a blast of a day every year, so if you want to come have some fun, come on out from 10:00 - 3:00 at East Aurora High School.  And Triple Threat could still use some help that day, so click here and let Caleb know you can help!

Left there and went to pick up 2 more neighborhood friends, went to the downtown branch of the library and let each kid pick out 5 books to check out---which they were all eager and excited to do!  Then we took them all to our Montgomery Campus for church.  After service Steve Kirby led us in a terrific Concert of Prayer for East Aurora.  There weren't a ton of people there, but I was so honored that Randy Schoof, pastor at Warehouse Church, and a couple from his church and Obe and Jack Arellano, from CTC, came to spend that time with us.  To have them praying for a campus pastor for our East Aurora Campus was just awesome. I know that unity in the church is what makes God smile.  I know God is doing a mighty work in East Aurora, and my biggest prayer is that we don't get in His way!

Merry Christmas, Aurora!

5,435 toys.

260 volunteers setting up on Friday night.

600 volunteers at the event--at least half of whom were first time Community 4:12 volunteers.

Approximately 3,000 community members attended (the picture shows people lined up around the school to get in).

$9,562 raised for Brady and Bardwell Schools.

Smiles galore.  Lines for the prayer rooms (offered for the first time this year by Family and Faith Christian Center).  Many unchurched volunteers asking for more information about CCC and service times.  More groundwork layed for the planting of our East Aurora Campus to HPFTWBTG!

If you attended, leave a comment or send me an email with a story or feedback from the day! 

And The Winner Is . . .

And the final count came in tonight at 5,435---exactly 20 more than last year, and a very respectable amount of toys!  And we are trusting that it is just the amount God knows we need.

That means Tricia will be going to Starbucks on me!

What's Your Prediction?

On Sunday we had collected about 3,200 toys.  Our goal is 6,000.  I'm hoping we get to at least 5,000.  We've had lots of people step up in the past few days and we have another day before we set up the mart.  So, what's your prediction?  How many do you think we'll end up with?  We always ask the team of planners for the event (which is 40 people this year) to make their prediction and then we give the person who is closest a funny toy that Event Planner extraordinaire, Beth, so creatively picks out every year.  So, let's have our own little competition here.  Post your prediction in a comment.  Given that Starbucks is donating coffee and snacks for 550 volunteers on Saturday and providing a team of volunteers to help that day, I"ll support them by sending a Starbucks gift card to the person who comes closest to the actual number--which we will know on Friday night.