Join us for a great night of food and music, and support Springfield city kids! SCYM's 13th annual Ox Roast is coming Saturday, September 18, from 5:00-7:00 pm at Faith in Christ Lutheran Church, on the corner of Moorefield Rd. and Ridgewood Rd. E. in Northridge (click for a map). This year's Ox Roast not only raises funds to support SCYM's year-round programs, it also features:
- Delicious roast beef, smoked and slow-roasted on site
- Sides from Rudy's Smokehouse Bar-B-Q
- Live music by local Christian artist Rick L. James
- The area's only Buckeye Hunt for kids, at 6:00 pm
- Inflatables and other activities for kids
- Silent auction featuring Cincinnati Reds tickets, 8x10 autographed photo of Peyton Manning, professional teeth whitening service, coffee lover's basket, professional cake gift certificate and gourmet cupcakes, and Christian books and CD's
Tickets are just $8 for adults, $4 for kids 4-10. Kids under 4 eat free.
You can also help support the 250 kids SCYM serves each year with a sponsorship of $250. Churches, individuals, families, and groups are all coming together to provides sponsorships - will you join us to help kids "crush the odds with the love of God" this school year?
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Pulling Weeds of Apathy
On a hot, muggy evening on the west side of Springfield, six 13- to 15-year-olds arrive at the Hannah House, a home for single moms. As the sun is setting, people appear on their front porches, driven outside by the lack of air conditioning and stifling heat. Some eye the kids suspiciously, wondering what a group of teens is doing in the neighborhood.
The kids themselves have questions about what they're doing. They're here as part of SCYM's REACH Student Leadership program - a two-week intensive experience for kids who've shown leadership potential through our year-round programs. Tonight's focus is service, helping kids understand practically that Jesus' model of leadership isn't about bossing people around; it's about serving.
Liz and Kevin, recent Cedarville University graduates, facilitate the program. Tonight Liz helps explain to the kids what we'll be doing to clean up the grounds, and I tell a little about Hannah House, how it's a place for single moms who don't have a place to stay. The kids nod understandingly. No doubt many of their families have been in the same boat at one time or other - without a place of their own, most likely living in a relative's living room for a while.
I ask the kids if anyone would be comfortable mowing the lawn. An enthusiastic young man named Scott shoots up his hand. "Can I change my shoes first?" he asks.
"Where do you live?" I ask.
"Over there," he points. His house is across the street. I agree, and within a minute he's returned wearing different shoes.
While we wait for access to the lawnmower, we start with pulling weeds in Hannah House's community garden. It's fenced in and locked to prevent damage or theft. The kids laugh as we talk and pull weeds together - trying to determine what's a vegetable and what's a weed (a few beets inadvertantly get pulled), seeing who can find the most disgusting bug. By the time we're done, the garden is weeded, the lawn mostly mowed (gasoline shortage), and trash picked up.
As I weeded with city kids that night, I was moved by what God was doing in these kids spiritually through REACH - pulling weeds from their lives. Weeds of apathy, indifference to the problems rooted in their neighborhood, like drugs, crime, vandalism. Weeds of hopelessness. Weeds of worthlessness. In place of those weeds, God is using REACH to plant in these kids a deep sense of their value, their potential, their ability to change their own community and neighborhood.
REACH isn't over - this week brings more learning opportunities, especially as they head to a camp retreat this weekend where they'll participate in high ropes and outdoor learning. Most of all, they'll bond together with peers and leaders who model a godly example and teach them about Christ's leadership for their lives. Pray for these kids - God is cultivating growth in them and in Springfield!
Faith Bosland
Executive Director
The kids themselves have questions about what they're doing. They're here as part of SCYM's REACH Student Leadership program - a two-week intensive experience for kids who've shown leadership potential through our year-round programs. Tonight's focus is service, helping kids understand practically that Jesus' model of leadership isn't about bossing people around; it's about serving.
Liz and Kevin, recent Cedarville University graduates, facilitate the program. Tonight Liz helps explain to the kids what we'll be doing to clean up the grounds, and I tell a little about Hannah House, how it's a place for single moms who don't have a place to stay. The kids nod understandingly. No doubt many of their families have been in the same boat at one time or other - without a place of their own, most likely living in a relative's living room for a while.
I ask the kids if anyone would be comfortable mowing the lawn. An enthusiastic young man named Scott shoots up his hand. "Can I change my shoes first?" he asks.
"Where do you live?" I ask.
"Over there," he points. His house is across the street. I agree, and within a minute he's returned wearing different shoes.
While we wait for access to the lawnmower, we start with pulling weeds in Hannah House's community garden. It's fenced in and locked to prevent damage or theft. The kids laugh as we talk and pull weeds together - trying to determine what's a vegetable and what's a weed (a few beets inadvertantly get pulled), seeing who can find the most disgusting bug. By the time we're done, the garden is weeded, the lawn mostly mowed (gasoline shortage), and trash picked up.
As I weeded with city kids that night, I was moved by what God was doing in these kids spiritually through REACH - pulling weeds from their lives. Weeds of apathy, indifference to the problems rooted in their neighborhood, like drugs, crime, vandalism. Weeds of hopelessness. Weeds of worthlessness. In place of those weeds, God is using REACH to plant in these kids a deep sense of their value, their potential, their ability to change their own community and neighborhood.
REACH isn't over - this week brings more learning opportunities, especially as they head to a camp retreat this weekend where they'll participate in high ropes and outdoor learning. Most of all, they'll bond together with peers and leaders who model a godly example and teach them about Christ's leadership for their lives. Pray for these kids - God is cultivating growth in them and in Springfield!
Faith Bosland
Executive Director
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Kids Can! Day Camp Photos - Week 4
Getting the word out about our sale!
Selling jewelry at City Hall!
Enjoying Popsicles on a hot day.
Day campers competing in Mini-World Cup!
The daughter of one of our volunteers models two of our hair clips.Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Summer Day Camp--2nd and 3rd weeks
The second and third weeks of camp have been great! The campers were split into five different businesses (jewelry, hairclips, baking, photography, and candles) that are each making products to sell downtown July 13th and 14th. Last Friday the campers had a lot of fun on our field trips to the Heritage Center and the Rock Garden. There are a lot of fun activities planned for the rest of this week-tomorrow we are having a cookout from 12-2 at the church and Friday we have a field trip to the Children’s Discovery Garden.
Kelsey
Kelsey
Friday, July 2, 2010
Kids Can! - this week in photos
The Kids Can Candle Co., hard at work. (You can buy theirs and all the campers' items downtown on July 13 and 14.)
AmeriCorps*VISTA Tim Voltz and two campers show some of their produce grown at the community garden.
Kids sing in chapel time
On Thursday the campers learned where India is, and the conditions that some children face there. 10% of their business profits are going to a home for orphans in India.
Playing with one of our campers at breakfast.
Stay tuned for two more weeks of updates and photos!
Monday, June 28, 2010
First Week of Kids Can! Summer Day Camp
Last week (June 21-25) was the first week of Kids Can Summer Day Camp! The kids are having a lot of fun and are keeping very busy. When they first arrive in the morning they have breakfast which is followed by chapel. In chapel the kids sing, dance, pray, and listen to a guest speaker. For the first week after chapel I, along with some wonderful volunteers, took the younger kids to the West Side Church for Junior Achievement and free time. Junior Achievement taught the kids about jobs and businesses, which will help them the next few weeks as the kids create a business and products to sell. When we are finished at West Side we go back to Zion where the kids have their lunch. After lunch there is chill time and the kids watch a show like Veggie Tales. This is followed by one more activity such as going to the park or playground. And before we know it, it is 2:00 and their parents are here to pick them up.
Kelsey
Kelsey
Kids Can! Day Camp: Week 1 Recap
It doesn't feel like it, but we are already 1/4th of the way through camp. Over 40 students spent last week playing, gardening, being taught basic businesses principles, and learning about Jesus! Our two interns, Michael and Kelsey, will be updating the blog periodically to let you all know what they are seeing and how our kids are growing in wisdom, stature, and in favor with God and man.
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