Volunteer Readers Needed 10/28
As part of drug awareness week we are recruiting 23 volunteers to read to the 23 classes at CF Carr on Thursday, October 28th from 1:30-2:30. If you can assist please contact Stephanie at sschweinfurth@watermark.org
We have a new External Focus blog!
Click here to view our new External Focus blog – http://watermarkblogs.org/externalfocus/impact-area/education-mentoring/.
We hope this new blog will allow you to find more stories and learn more about how you can immediately begin to serve others in our community, across the nation and around the world.
See you there and please give us feedback!
School Partnership Changes
We are sad that DISD decided to close Sequoyah and merge students into Carver. Carver had already pursued partnering with Park Cities Presbyterian so we are excited to announce our new school partner in West Dallas, CF Carr Elementary. We will have one time serving events and also ongoing service opportunities, please refer to those pages frequently as the information will be updated frequently.
Our next two Impact Education events in West Dallas are:
Saturday, August 28th – Back-to-School Celebration at CF Carr – 11-2 Chuck Wagon, Snow Cones, Face Painting, Bounce Houses! If you can assist please sign up at https://spreadsheets1.google.com/ccc?key=tsQppoNeVX40H6HywL3Y4Ow&authkey=CL7wm_0D#gid=0
Saturday, September 18th – West Dallas Pep Rally – 10am-12pm – Field across from Lakewest YMCA, 3737 Goldman Ave. Please sign up at https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0Am83_gmRiSwndDF5aWN2MU5VOFlyOEpzZm9OMnYzT3c&hl=en&authkey=CLO5j6kN
Eggstravaganza 2010
Eggstravaganza…hope, love, and Jesus!
“Eggstravaganza” was last Saturday and it was so fun to see over 1,000 folks from West Dallas playing, bouncing, egg hunting, and not only hearing the gospel proclaimed but also demonstrated by volunteers from Mercy Street, other West Dallas organizations, Watermark, IBC, and PCPC.
Stephanie Schweinfurth coordinated the event for Watermark and said that the event is designed to expose West Dallas residents to Mercy Street and other ministries there. “It’s also a way to share the gospel with a ton of kids and even the prizes remind them what Easter is about. It’s also a way to build trust between that demographic and our demographic and to expose our people to the poor and oppressed in a non-threatening way.”
Quite a few mentors would tell you their first exposure to West Dallas was through Eggstravaganza and it was so encouraging to see so many mentors bringing their kids to the event as well. Following the event, there is great follow-up through mentoring, after-school care, or sports programs offered by Voice of Hope r Mercy Street. Stephanie said “I like to think it’s a burst of light in an otherwise dark situation and all in the name of Jesus. I hope adults and kids walk away feeling more hope, feeling more loved and knowing that we’re there because of our love for Jesus.”
Great Start to Saturday School
Thanks to the 23 Watermark Volunteers who showed up at Sequoyah this morning, we had a great start to Saturday School. We were able to team one volunteer with two students for a hands-on tutoring session that will no doubt benefit the 41 children that attended this morning. These children desperately need help and Saturday morning is a great time for them to receive it, they come rested and ready to work. The concentrated time with such a great ratio of volunteers to students will surely lead to success. The dates for future Saturday School are 1/23, 1/30, 2/6, 2/13, 2/20, 2/27, 3/6, 3/27, 4/10, 4/17 and 4/24. Please join us as often as you can from 9 until noon. YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!
Saturday School Starts 1/16
We need your help on Saturdays from 9-noon. Seventy-eight children at Sequoyah fall in the lowest academic category and need tutoring to succeed. Please refer to January serving opportunities for more information or contact Stephanie at sschweinfurth@watermark.org.
Board Game Drive for Christmas a Success!
Thanks to you and our partnership with University Park Elementary School we were able to gift over 700 games to kids attending Sequoyah Elementary and CF Carr Elementary. Each child received a game and they were thrilled to take home something they could play with their siblings and families. Thanks to all of you who made this possible.
SEQUOYAH SERVICE DAY – SEPTEMBER 26th
Thank you for your incredible support on Service Day. Thanks to over 50 Watermark volunteers and Sequoyah staff and families we were able to install a garden, an outdoor classroom, paint the teacher’s lounge and arrange the new donated furniture, clean and sort books in the library and decorate the hallway to encourage the children’s participation in the Accelorated Reading Program. A BIG thank you to Seth Fox, www.fourseasonslandscaping.com for providing valuable time and materials in planning and installing the garden, also to Jason Hulcy who oversaw construction, Jeff Stouffer of HKS who was able to get furniture donated and to Travis Cole who was able to get the labor for texturing the walls and installing new flooring in the teacher’s lounge. The generosity of these individuals allowed us to have major impact on the students and staff at Sequoyah. THANK YOU!
Panther Paw Pride Rallies!
A big thank you to Bobby Rodriguez and Dave Kimball, WM Crossroads staff, for their participation in the Sequoyah Paw Pride Rallies! The guys do skits that teach important character lessons and lead the staff and kids in the Panther anthem, pom-poms and motions included. The next Paw Pride Rally is October 16th at 8:00 a.m., come join us and wear ORANGE!