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A Hope and A Future
United Methodist Cooperative Ministries/Suncoast, Inc. |
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P.A.S.S. Provides Hope and a Future to First-Grader | |
We received a note from a mom whose son is in the Producing Academically Successful Students (P.A.S.S.) Tutorial Program.
 "To Whom It May Concern:
I wish to extend my gratitude to all those in charge of the tutorial program. My son's mathematical levels were low, prior to being tutored. His elementary school teacher is now quite satisfied with his progress and significant improvement during this period.
The tutoring is truly helping him.
I now really know that there truly exist people very qualified to teach, who care about children's education and about their overall scholastic development. Thank you."
Each day, students in the P.A.S.S. Tutorial Program complete their homework under the guidance of qualified tutors. When homework time is done, the children participate in fun enrichment activities that grow their vocabulary and hone their basic educational skills. Their grades go up, their FCAT scores rise, and their school experience becomes one of success rather than failure.
To support the P.A.S.S. Tutorial Program, check out our upcoming fundraiser below.
To learn more about P.A.S.S. and read the P.A.S.S. blog, click here. |
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Coming Events
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March 2011 Ditty Bag Info for 2011 Available at UMW President's Luncheon and at www.umcm.info April 3-5 Florida Advocacy Days Tallahassee April 9, 11:00 am - 1:30 pm "Out of This World" Tea to benefit P.A.S.S. Summer Learning Camp May 20, 6:30 pm Gametime Threshers Baseball against the Charlotte Rays - Benefit night to support the programs of Cooperative Ministries |
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Tea and Scholarship Drive is "Out of This World" |  It's time for our annual tea and scholarship drive to support the P.A.S.S. Tutorial Program and its Summer Learning Camp. Did you know that children who do not participate in summer enrichment activities fall up to 6 months behind their peers academically? It's one of the challenges that low-income children face each year as they struggle to succeed in school. You can help one of the P.A.S.S. students overcome that obstacle. This summer, the children will be learning about space and our solar system. To provide a full or partial scholarship for a child, or to help out with their expenses, click here. Our Scholarship Drive will culminate in an "Out of This World" Tea with Lunch on April 9, 2011, 11:00 am-1:30 pm at First United Methodist Church of Clearwater. Festivities will include a short program, silent auction, and door prizes. To learn more and/or register to attend, please click here. |
| A Tribute to Jay |
 | | Jay, far right, with one of his ESOL groups. |
Jay Beyersdorf, one of our most beloved and dedicated tutors, passed away on January 29, 2011 at the age of 74.
Jay began tutoring with Cooperative Ministries in 2005, shortly after his retirement from Kennedy Middle School. In addition to working directly with students, he served as a site coordinator for the ESOL program at Skycrest United Methodist Church. Through the years, his efforts have helped dozens of students improve their ability to read, speak, and write English.
Jay was a patient and caring man with a passion for helping other succeed. He will be missed by all of the staff, volunteers, and students who were fortunate enough to know him.
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| Ditty Bag Thank Yous | |
The 2010 Ditty Bag Project continued a tradition of success as
 | | Loading the bags for pick up - each plastic bag holds 5 ditty bags |
3572 bags were distributed to farmworker's children and the homeless this past holiday season.
Much gratitude goes to the people who helped make this possible:
Over 2300 UMW members who sewed, strung and packed bags, all while providing project leadership in their local congregations
The members of those congregations who helped prepare the bags and donated personal hygeine products to fill them.
The Pasadena Community Church (UMC) Youth Group and UMW volunteers who loaded bags as they were delivered to the church and transported them to our offices in Clearwater.
Over 30 volunteers who came out on November 20, Ditty Bag Day, to count bags and sort them according to the requests from homeless-serving agencies.
Mark Harkness of Yacht Harbor Inn of Dunedin, who donated travel size toiletries to help fill bags.
The agencies themselves, who are able to use our bags to provide help and hope to those in need.
For a full list of those who received bags, click here. |
| Welcome New Tutors! | |
This fall, several individuals attended our English for Speakers of Other Languages Tutor Workshop and are already serving faithfully, working with small groups or one-to-one with students. We'd like to formally welcome them into our volunteer family! They are:
Erin Coburn Sister Alice Condon
Dan Verin Rahul Chettri
Lenora Bryant Marcia Dougherty
Greg Plantamura Anne Reynolds
Barbara McDonald Molly Babcock
Thank you, all, for giving your time and talents to those who need your help adjusting to a new country and language. To learn more about the work of an ESOL tutor, click here. |
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Florida Advocacy Days |  Do you have a heart and passion for children in need in your community? Florida Advocacy Days, Apr 3-5, 2011, during Children's Week in Tallahassee, provides an excellent opportunity to "Stand Up to Speak Up." The Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church and the 11th Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church are partnering with Florida Impact and United Way to host the annual legislative briefing during the 2011 Children's Week. Join us to advocate for programs and budget priorities that serve the interests of our most vulnerable citizens. Together we will explore our shared Biblical/religious traditions of economic justice and learn how to apply these to the policy and budget priorities of our state. You will receive education in legislative priorities that apply to children, training in effective advocacy, and go with fellow advocates to voice your concerns. Won't you come be a voice 'for the least of these' and bring a friend? Registration is $80; some scholarships are available. Go to: http://www.flumc2.org/event_detail.asp?PKValue=3083 |
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Save the Date for A Night with the Threshers |  Join us for a Cooperative Ministries Fun Night with the Clearwater Threshers! On May 20th, come out and see the Threshers take on the Charlotte Rays (and get a look at some future Tampa Bay Rays players). Game time is 6:30 pm, and $17 tickets include the game and all you can eat and drink in the Hot Corner Cafe from 5:30-8:30 pm. For more information or to order tickets, click here. |
| Please update your address book! |
Just a reminder that we are no longer using our Verizon email addresses.
Please update our general email address to contact@umcm.info.
For staff email addresses, go to our website at www.umcm.info/staff.Thank you! |
| Info | |
United Methodist Cooperative Ministries/Suncoast, Inc.
1625 Union Street
Clearwater, FL 33755-1363
(727) 442-6881
www.umcm.info
contact@umcm.info
Pamela Qualls, Executive Director |
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