Our fall programs are ramping up to serve Springfield city elementary and middle school kids once again, and we need many "heroes" to invest an hour or more a week in a kid's life! Would you consider joining our awesome team of volunteers this fall?
Here are some of our opportunities to connect with kids:
STARS Afterschool Program Mentor/Tutors: Mondays, Tuesdays, OR Thursdays, 4:30-5:30 (STARS Ramp-Up Day Meeting for all volunteers is Monday, September 12 OR Tuesday, September 13 at 4:00 pm, held at High Street Nazarene on Monday and Westside Christian Community on Tuesday) Contact: Tyler Worley, tylerworley33@gmail.com.
One-on-One Mentoring: Mentor a 5th-8th grade Springfield city student on your own schedule, one hour a week commitment for one year. Mentors must be 18 or older. Contact: Faith Bosland, 206-7812, faithbosland@yahoo.com.
GirlPower leaders: Help city middle school girls develop confidence and learn healthy habits on Tuesdays OR Thursdays, 4:00-6:00 pm. Contact: Angela Boblitt, 207-9463, angelaboblitt@gmail.com.
Training is offered for all volunteer roles. It doesn't take special superpowers to change a kid's life -- just availability!
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Celebrate Kids with SCYM this fall!
We're excited to announce a new event coming Saturday, October 8 -- Celebrate Kids! Held from 5:00-7:00 pm at Maiden Lane Church of God, Celebrate Kids! will feature a musical showcase of local children's and youth choirs and groups, a $5 roast beef dinner, fun activities for kids, and the chance to join together to celebrate our community's kids. Springfield Mayor Warren Copeland will be joining us as "celebrity host" for the evening's events.
SCYM is seeking to raise $15,000 in individual, church, and business sponsorships for Celebrate Kids!, which will help 250 Springfield kids "crush the odds with the love of God" through SCYM's year-round programs. Would you consider partnering with us as a sponsor of this event? For businesses, we're offering the following promotional opportunities:
Standing Ovation: $1000.00 or more
• Sponsor logo/name acknowledged on SCYM website and newsletter, event Powerpoint, printed program, postcard mailed prior to event, and 4x8 banner displayed prominently above performance area
Three Cheers: $500.00
• Sponsor logo/name on SCYM website and newsletter, event Powerpoint, and printed program
Round of Applause: $250.00
• Sponsor name on SCYM website and newsletter, name/logo on event Powerpoint
High Five: $100.00
• Sponsor name acknowledged on SCYM website and newsletter
If you'd like to participate in this great opportunity, and support Springfield kids at the same time, you can contribute online at our website, or by mail to SCYM, 1500 Broadway St., Springfield OH 45504. (Just write "Celebrate Kids" in the memo line.) Feel free to contact our office for more information, at 937-325-6183, or SCYMinistries@gmail.com. We hope to see you October 8 for a great night!
SCYM is seeking to raise $15,000 in individual, church, and business sponsorships for Celebrate Kids!, which will help 250 Springfield kids "crush the odds with the love of God" through SCYM's year-round programs. Would you consider partnering with us as a sponsor of this event? For businesses, we're offering the following promotional opportunities:
Standing Ovation: $1000.00 or more
• Sponsor logo/name acknowledged on SCYM website and newsletter, event Powerpoint, printed program, postcard mailed prior to event, and 4x8 banner displayed prominently above performance area
Three Cheers: $500.00
• Sponsor logo/name on SCYM website and newsletter, event Powerpoint, and printed program
Round of Applause: $250.00
• Sponsor name on SCYM website and newsletter, name/logo on event Powerpoint
High Five: $100.00
• Sponsor name acknowledged on SCYM website and newsletter
If you'd like to participate in this great opportunity, and support Springfield kids at the same time, you can contribute online at our website, or by mail to SCYM, 1500 Broadway St., Springfield OH 45504. (Just write "Celebrate Kids" in the memo line.) Feel free to contact our office for more information, at 937-325-6183, or SCYMinistries@gmail.com. We hope to see you October 8 for a great night!
Kids Can! Summer Day Camp 2011
What a great four weeks it's been at Kids Can! Summer Day Camp! This year's camp for 3rd-6th graders in Springfield City Schools focused on helping kids develop their creative writing skills while getting to know the Author of Life. Camp director Tyler Worley and assistant director Rhonda Fellows have done a great job leading the kids, along with many volunteers who have given hundreds of hours to help kids grow in their faith, their knowledge, and their relationships. THANK YOU to everyone who's generously given time and resources to make this year's camp possible and affordable for so many kids!
Our office, the week before camp. Yes, that is a ping-pong table and a basketball hoop!
Patty Rose and kids from Maiden Lane Church of God led the camp in worship:
During "backyard camping" week, kids learned how to build a campfire (and of course, toasted marshmallows!)
Alongside daily chapel time, creative writing and art activities, kids have also trekked to Carriage Hill, Cedar Bog, Freshwater Fish Farms, the Air Force Museum, and the Columbus Zoo (coming this Friday, the camp's final day); and choices of specialty activities like "backyard camping," fishing, hikes in the Snyder Park woods, gardening, basketball, soccer, wiffleball, watercolor painting, photography, and music. Here are a few of those moments caught on camera:
Our office, the week before camp. Yes, that is a ping-pong table and a basketball hoop!
Patty Rose and kids from Maiden Lane Church of God led the camp in worship:
Kids revved up their imaginations with daily writing activities:
Kids made some cool "illuminations" during art time led by local art teachers:
Kids made some cool "illuminations" during art time led by local art teachers:
A photo taken by one of our campers during a photography session led by Thor Bisher:
During "backyard camping" week, kids learned how to build a campfire (and of course, toasted marshmallows!)
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Want to drop a grace grenade?
Recently in our staff meeting we discussed how "transactional" our society gets, and how it colors our relationship with God -- the mindset that I'll do something for you, if you do something for me in return.
But when you start looking at Scripture, you realize that God's love is not transactional at all. In fact, a better word for God's love is extravagant -- a flood of grace and blessing in return for the small tokens we can give him.
This got us thinking: Could we plan some moments at our upcoming Summer Day Camp that go far beyond transactional -- you signed up for this, so we're going to do what we said -- to extravagant? Could we drop some "grace grenades"?
So we're looking for help. Are any individuals or small groups out there interested in pulling off an extravagant surprise for our day camp kids -- like a fancy breakfast, an amazing experience, a gourmet snack, something that they may have never experienced before? We'd like to pull off one grace grenade a week, for the four weeks of camp.
Give us a shout if you think you can help. (And it doesn't get any more "feel good" than this -- just make some kids feel special and loved!)
But when you start looking at Scripture, you realize that God's love is not transactional at all. In fact, a better word for God's love is extravagant -- a flood of grace and blessing in return for the small tokens we can give him.
This got us thinking: Could we plan some moments at our upcoming Summer Day Camp that go far beyond transactional -- you signed up for this, so we're going to do what we said -- to extravagant? Could we drop some "grace grenades"?
So we're looking for help. Are any individuals or small groups out there interested in pulling off an extravagant surprise for our day camp kids -- like a fancy breakfast, an amazing experience, a gourmet snack, something that they may have never experienced before? We'd like to pull off one grace grenade a week, for the four weeks of camp.
Give us a shout if you think you can help. (And it doesn't get any more "feel good" than this -- just make some kids feel special and loved!)
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Blake Shaffer wins "Celebrity" Dance-Off for SCYM!
Accountant, SCYM Board President, and newly-minted dance champion Blake Shaffer "crushed it" on the dance floor to help SCYM kids crush the odds last Friday! SCYM was selected to participate in the 3rd annual Dancing with Clark County Celebrities with six other charities, and with Blake's drive to dance (and the votes of many), he took home the Audience Favorite award.
Most importantly, SCYM raised well over $4,000 to keep investing in the lives of Springfield city kids through our year-round programs. Thanks to Blake, his family, and all who came out to support and vote for him!
A special thanks goes to all of our Dancing sponsors as well -- thank YOU for helping kids crush the odds with the love of God!
LWS Tax and Accounting
Springfield Smiles Family Dentistry
Team Title and Closing
Richards, Raff & Dunbar Memorial Home
Jerome Vinson - Broker, Stegall & Associates
ADP Small Business Services
Jenks Electric
Courtyard by Marriott
Most importantly, SCYM raised well over $4,000 to keep investing in the lives of Springfield city kids through our year-round programs. Thanks to Blake, his family, and all who came out to support and vote for him!
A special thanks goes to all of our Dancing sponsors as well -- thank YOU for helping kids crush the odds with the love of God!
LWS Tax and Accounting
Springfield Smiles Family Dentistry
Team Title and Closing
Richards, Raff & Dunbar Memorial Home
Jerome Vinson - Broker, Stegall & Associates
ADP Small Business Services
Jenks Electric
Courtyard by Marriott
Thursday, April 28, 2011
"It'll take a miracle"
Perhaps it's my inner 12-year-old, but one of my all-time favorite movies is The Princess Bride. (Or perhaps I just haven't seen that many movies.)
One of my favorite scenes in the movie comes when a ragtag band trying to thwart the evil Prince Humperdinck visits the village miracle man, Miracle Max, to bring their leader back to life. Max (played by a young-ish Billy Crystal) coats a magic pill with chocolate, gives it to the visitors, and sends them on their way. "Bye bye, kids!" he and his wife yell as they leave. "Do you think it'll work?" she asks Max under her breath. "It'll take a miracle," says Miracle Max dryly, as they cheerfully wave and call, "Bye bye!"
"It'll take a miracle." As best I can define it, a miracle is a transformation that can only be explained by a supernatural act. We think of dramatic healings, resurrections, reversals of the inevitable, as miracles.
Yesterday at our staff meeting, we reflected on how important it is to remember that true transformation of lives - whether the urban kids we serve at SCYM or anyone in the human race, for that matter - happens the way Miracle Max said it: "It'll take a miracle."
It's like the seed that the apostle Paul wrote about in I Corinthians 3:6-7 - "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow."
We work alongside kids - loving, encouraging, challenging, listening. We help make the conditions - the soil - conducive for growth and change. We faithfully wait, we water, we pray. But ultimately when life springs forth in a seed - something that is mysteriously dead but yet possesses the potential for life - well, it wasn't us.
It's a miracle.
The young man who has anger bottled up inside, but who is learning how to forgive and love others? Miracle.
The girl who didn't care about her homework, her education, her future - or, frankly, herself - but who is beginning to care? Miracle.
The young men and women who have had lives full of conflict, violence, and fighting, but who make a choice to walk away from a fight for the sake of a future goal? Miracle.
As we work alongside young people who have faced many challenges in their lives - far more than most of us have had to face - we humbly recognize that any lasting change, any inner transformation, any community that begins to turn the tide of generational problems - does not come from us.
It'll take a miracle. And we rejoice to know and serve the God who delights in miracles.
Faith Bosland
Executive Director
One of my favorite scenes in the movie comes when a ragtag band trying to thwart the evil Prince Humperdinck visits the village miracle man, Miracle Max, to bring their leader back to life. Max (played by a young-ish Billy Crystal) coats a magic pill with chocolate, gives it to the visitors, and sends them on their way. "Bye bye, kids!" he and his wife yell as they leave. "Do you think it'll work?" she asks Max under her breath. "It'll take a miracle," says Miracle Max dryly, as they cheerfully wave and call, "Bye bye!"
"It'll take a miracle." As best I can define it, a miracle is a transformation that can only be explained by a supernatural act. We think of dramatic healings, resurrections, reversals of the inevitable, as miracles.
Yesterday at our staff meeting, we reflected on how important it is to remember that true transformation of lives - whether the urban kids we serve at SCYM or anyone in the human race, for that matter - happens the way Miracle Max said it: "It'll take a miracle."
It's like the seed that the apostle Paul wrote about in I Corinthians 3:6-7 - "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow."
We work alongside kids - loving, encouraging, challenging, listening. We help make the conditions - the soil - conducive for growth and change. We faithfully wait, we water, we pray. But ultimately when life springs forth in a seed - something that is mysteriously dead but yet possesses the potential for life - well, it wasn't us.
It's a miracle.
The young man who has anger bottled up inside, but who is learning how to forgive and love others? Miracle.
The girl who didn't care about her homework, her education, her future - or, frankly, herself - but who is beginning to care? Miracle.
The young men and women who have had lives full of conflict, violence, and fighting, but who make a choice to walk away from a fight for the sake of a future goal? Miracle.
As we work alongside young people who have faced many challenges in their lives - far more than most of us have had to face - we humbly recognize that any lasting change, any inner transformation, any community that begins to turn the tide of generational problems - does not come from us.
It'll take a miracle. And we rejoice to know and serve the God who delights in miracles.
Faith Bosland
Executive Director
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Think Summer!
We know, we know - spring is barely here, but at SCYM we're hard at work planning for our 8th year of Kids Can! Summer Day Camp, scheduled for June 20 to July 15. Around 40 kids from city elementary schools will gather each weekday on the grounds of Zion Lutheran Church for five hours of fun, faith-building, learning, field trips, and good old-fashioned camp stuff.
I am amazed each year at the huge amount of donated resources and time that are poured into Summer Day Camp, enabling us to make it extremely affordable for kids from low-income families who would otherwise be sitting at home for four weeks. We don't just want to offer these kids "something to do" - we want to make it an amazing camp experience for them!
To this end, we need a lot of people and a lot of stuff. Can you help us make this year's camp another great one for city kids? Here is our current camp wish list:
Volunteer Wish List
- Folks (from 7th graders to grandparents) who can assist daily, weekly, or occasionally in all kinds of roles
- Field trip drivers and chaperones (Fridays only - June 24, July 1, July 8, July 15)
- Teachers for learning activities (mornings, 10:15-11:30)
- Lunch and snack preparers and servers
- "Janitors"
- Leaders for special activities such as archery, fishing, tennis, art, photography, woodworking, music, drama, crafts, chess, card games, board games, martial arts - or give us an idea! What did YOU love doing at camp as a kid? (afternoons, 12:00-1:30, one time or up to four times in a week)
- Two more summer ministry interns (10th grade and older) who will work with us from June 13 to July 15, daily from 8:00-4:00. If you know a mature high school student who loves kids, send them our way!
Items We'd Like to Borrow for 4 Weeks
Archery set
Tennis equipment
Fishing equipment
Cornhole
Horseshoes
Digital cameras
Foosball table
Ping-pong table
Board games
Chess sets
Karaoke machine
Badminton set
Croquet set
Bocce (lawn bowling) set
Portable basketball hoop(s)
Kids' hockey sticks
Items We'd Like to Have Donated
Art supplies
Craft supplies
Games of all kinds - cards, board games, puzzles, brain teaser books, mad libs, chess sets
Tie dye materials
Snacks of all kinds
Lunches for volunteers
We're excited about these four weeks and praying that God will use this camp to change kids' lives. Summer day camp is just one way that SCYM is "helping kids crush the odds with the love of God!"
Faith Bosland
Executive Director
I am amazed each year at the huge amount of donated resources and time that are poured into Summer Day Camp, enabling us to make it extremely affordable for kids from low-income families who would otherwise be sitting at home for four weeks. We don't just want to offer these kids "something to do" - we want to make it an amazing camp experience for them!
To this end, we need a lot of people and a lot of stuff. Can you help us make this year's camp another great one for city kids? Here is our current camp wish list:
Volunteer Wish List
- Folks (from 7th graders to grandparents) who can assist daily, weekly, or occasionally in all kinds of roles
- Field trip drivers and chaperones (Fridays only - June 24, July 1, July 8, July 15)
- Teachers for learning activities (mornings, 10:15-11:30)
- Lunch and snack preparers and servers
- "Janitors"
- Leaders for special activities such as archery, fishing, tennis, art, photography, woodworking, music, drama, crafts, chess, card games, board games, martial arts - or give us an idea! What did YOU love doing at camp as a kid? (afternoons, 12:00-1:30, one time or up to four times in a week)
- Two more summer ministry interns (10th grade and older) who will work with us from June 13 to July 15, daily from 8:00-4:00. If you know a mature high school student who loves kids, send them our way!
Items We'd Like to Borrow for 4 Weeks
Archery set
Tennis equipment
Fishing equipment
Cornhole
Horseshoes
Digital cameras
Foosball table
Ping-pong table
Board games
Chess sets
Karaoke machine
Badminton set
Croquet set
Bocce (lawn bowling) set
Portable basketball hoop(s)
Kids' hockey sticks
Items We'd Like to Have Donated
Art supplies
Craft supplies
Games of all kinds - cards, board games, puzzles, brain teaser books, mad libs, chess sets
Tie dye materials
Snacks of all kinds
Lunches for volunteers
We're excited about these four weeks and praying that God will use this camp to change kids' lives. Summer day camp is just one way that SCYM is "helping kids crush the odds with the love of God!"
Faith Bosland
Executive Director
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