Greetings!
It's hard to believe August is here! We are just 10 days away from the Northern Illinois Conference-Wide Back to School event, Seeds to Succeed! A lot of planning has been happening in the last few months to help make it a positive start to the school year for children in our communities. Opportunities are still available for you to get involved. If you've already registered to volunteer, thank you! Check below for details on how to get involved and we hope to see everyone on Saturday, August 11, 2012.
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 Volunteer From gardening to painting, there's a volunteer opportunity for everyone.
Service projects are being held in Chicago, Aurora, Elgin, Rockford and many other areas.
Visit www.seedstosucceed.org and click on 'event details'. Find a project near you and click on the 'volunteer' tab with the red shovel to register.
If your church is organizing a project, please encourage volunteers to register. If they don't have computer access, send the names and t-shirt size to Anne Marie Gerhardt at agerhardt@umcnic.org.
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| Backpack/School Supply Donations |
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Children at First UMC Arlington Heights collected a treasure chest of school supplies during summer VBS
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Collection Drives
Dozens of backpacks and school supplies are being collected in a variety of ways. Several churches held donation drives during Vacation Bible School including First UMC Arlington Heights and First UMC LaGrange. Urban Village Church plans to collect items during its upcoming VBS.
Some churches are collecting for Project Backpack in Elgin, where backpacks and supplies will be distributed to children in need at Elgin Community College on Aug. 11. First UMC Elgin has two donation boxes which are already overflowing!
Donations will also be distributed to children at Marcy-Newberry and Childserv and the Harlem School District in Machesney Park.
For a list of where you can bring donated items, go to www.seedstosucceed.org and click on 'donation drop off'.
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Activities, Workshops & Services on August 11
A send-off service will be held at 9am at South Elgin Community UMC at 400 W. Spring St., Elgin, IL . Volunteers will then head over to Willard Elementary School to paint the lunchroom and garden around the property.
A back to school fair with afternoon activities will be held at Hilltop Ministry Center, 8301 Mitchell Rd.,Machesney Park, IL from 12-3p with information booths and sign ups for youth based organizations including: Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Rockford Boys and Girls Club, Harlem Community Center, New Life UMC Church school, Rock River Valley United Way I-read program, Roscoe UMC Read and Succeed program and many others. An anti-bullying workshop will be held at 2:30pm. A celebration service will be held at 4pm with music and special guests.
A back to school rally will be held at Marcy-Newberry at 1073 West Maxwell St., Chicago, IL from 2-4pm. The afternoon will include a special presentation by the St. Mark Martial Arts Youth group and a blessing of the backpacks. From 3-4pm, parents and children are encouraged to attend an anti-bullying workshop and hear an anti-violence testimony.
For details visit www.seedstosucceed.org.
All are welcome - Bring a friend!
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For more information contact Anne Marie Gerhardt, Dir. of Communications agerhardt@umcnic.org or 847-931-0710 ext 14.
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Upcoming Anti-Bullying Workshop
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Saturday, Sept. 22
9-11:30am
at First UMC Elgin
216 E. Highland Ave.
Elgin IL.
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