Thursday, April 3, 2008

Rainbow Village

Rainbow Village is an organization that helps families in domestic crisis the opportunity to rebuild their lives through a community based transitional housing program. On Tuesday evenings, the families have to attend life skills training, and dinner and childcare are provided.

Kristina, Kelly, and I went to help with childcare Tuesday evening. We helped the parents feed their children, so that they could eat, and then we helped the children make a craft while the parents attended the life skills class. The kids painted picture frames that the coordinators are going to fill with photos for Mother's Day.

We had a blast and hope to return to help out.

Monday, March 17, 2008

Family Promise Workdays


Christopher Sanford has been busy volunteering with Family Promise. He has helped them prepare their new day center facility for the past two Saturdays. He spent the first Saturday painting, and Chris joined him this past Saturday as they helped haul trash and prepare the facility for opening.
Family Promise is an organization in Gwinnett County that helps homeless families get back on their feet. The Mission of Family Promise of Gwinnett County, Inc. is to mobilize communities of congregations that partner with social service agencies to end homelessness - one family at a time. Since the average age of homeless people in the US is 9 years, Christopher and Chris are making an impact on future generations.
Here is the website for family promise so that you can find out more and how to get involved yourself... www.familypromisegwinnett.org

Friday, March 7, 2008

Power Soccer




Power Soccer is an awesome sport that gives kids (and adults) who are wheelchair bound an opportunity to play together. It is a rapidly increasing sport along the east coast, and they are even trying to get into the paraolympics. There is a tournament of 16 (or more) teams in Suwanee this weekend. Just a couple of years ago, there were only four teams. It is like soccer (with an oversized ball) with cages on the front of the players power wheelchairs. The players "kick" the ball with the front of their chairs. Some of the kicks are really amazing as you watch a player make a 360 degree turn around the ball to "kick" with force.
This player is setting up for his 360.


You can find out more about this sport at http://www.powersoccerusa.com/
This little boy was so precious. He was sipping a Venti Starbucks drink that was bigger than he was.


Richard and I were able to be scorekeepers for one of the games today. It was so much fun to watch.

Bri and Dylan, Richard's youngest children, were there to cheer the teams on.

Amish Workday

An Amish Workday is when our group gets together to serve one another.
Chris, Rich, and Christopher helped the Bell's paint several rooms in their new home. They had a blast working together, but of course there were no photos of the fun. Next time (at our house).

Friday, February 15, 2008

Valentine's Day

The kiddos made Valentine's to take to a retirement community this past Tuesday. As of Tuesday night, as the kids are cranking out Valentines, I still had no clue where I was going to take them. I know of some retirement communities in Winder, but I really wanted to try to take them closer to where everyone lives.
Wednesday morning as I was mailing some random items at my favorite Mail & More, I picked up a brochure about a retirement home in Dacula off of Hamilton Mill. Coincidence? I think not. The activities director was thrilled with the cards and said that her patients would love them. She is also going to contact us with future service projects.