6-11 newsletter
DESCRIPTION
6-11 NewsletterTRANSCRIPT
JUNE, 2011
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1 Life is a Highway
1 Bike-Adoption
2 Save the Date – B.I.D.
2 Simple Ways to Support
2 Volunteer Opportunities
3 Thank You
3 Success Stories
3 Meet the Interns
3 Bed Delivery
4 What’s Going On?
4 Smashburger Promotion
4 From Our Director
OUR MISSION:
To grow a healthy
community by meeting
essential needs, offering
life-skills training and
demonstrating Christ’s
love with authentic care
of the poor in the inner
city of Kalamazoo.
KALDREAM.ORG
Kalamazoo Dream Center hosted its Bike-Adoption, Wednesday, May 21 at the Dream
Center site on Portage Street in
Kalamazoo. Twenty one bikes of
all styles and sizes were grate-
fully donated to the Dream Center
to help people need. The annual
Bike-Adoption is targeted towards
needy families in the Kalamazoo
Community seeking means of
transportation. continued on page 2
Life is a highway by Brittany Click
During my first week at the Dream Center I met
John Skoff. He is one of the many clients in
Kalamazoo who has appreciated the work of
The Kalamazoo Dream Center for years. Skof,
a 91 year old war Veteran and Kalamazoo native,
shared the story of his experiences ranging from
surviving multiple cancers, heart malfunctions,
WWII, long lost love and his daily struggle
with poverty.
Skof shared his passion for the Kalamazoo Dream Center and his gratitude
for the volunteers who show him respect and kindness. Skof said,
“The Dream Center is a haven for people who are in need of assistance
with everyday living necessities.” Skof mentioned his appreciation
for executive director Rik Stone and his compassion for helping
the Kalamazoo community happily survive.
Skof smiled and reminded us all to look at life as if we were driving over
a speed bump. Skof said, “Life gets tough; there are bumps in the road,
but you learn to get over it.” Skof added, “It’s dealing with problems like they’re
not the end of the world and knowing that everything will be okay through faith.”
Speed bumps and people like Skof are our inspiration at the Dream
Center to help people hurdle life’s speed bumps.
SPEEDBUMPAHEAD
John Skof
DREAM CENTER HOSTS BIKE ADOPTION by Brittany Click
Donated bikes are appreciated by folks who need them for transportation to and from work.
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SAVE THE DATE! by Cara Mosley
S IMPLE WAYS TO SUPPORT
B.I.D. Building Inspiration and Dreams
Please plan to join us for a night of fun
and funding for the Dream Center on
September 16th.
Expect more than fast-talking, haggling,
and bargains at this next fundraiser. The
Dream Center’s been busy brain-storming
a fun-filled Friday night for everyone.
Enjoy a meal, entertain your kids
with carnival games, indulge in
Chocolamania, and experience
the excitment of both a live
and silent auction!
You can be a blessing to this event by
sharing quality goods and services from
either yourself or your business for the
auction tables. We also need volunteers –
for set up and take down, meal preparation,
activities, and more! For more information
please call 382.4760 or e-mail us at
kalamazoodreamcenter@gmail. com.
Watch for more details.
Bike-Adoption continued
“The Bike-Adoption event is a blessing; It’s knowing that we were
remembered, and they didn’t forget about us,” said Edna Vasquez,
supporting her 15 yr old son and self.
Vasquez added that she and her son would be thankfully utilizing the
bikes for transportation to the grocery store and to school.
Donations of bicycles for this event come from individuals and from the
Kalamazoo County Sheriff Department’s recent abandoned bicycles.
What excitement there was when a child who had recently had her bike
stolen found her own bike at the Bike-Adoption! “Nothing like this had
ever happened before”, said Executive Director, Rik Stone.
“There was so
much emotion
and excitement
from this one
particular
child; it made
this event well
worth the while,”
said Stone.
Seeing the smile
on her face was
priceless as she
was reunited with her bicycle which she recognized even though it
had been repainted. This fragment of the Bike-Adoption magnified our
mission here at the Dream Center and opened our eyes to how
beautiful it is when God’s grace is present.
The Dream Center was pleased with the turnout and high energy
of the Bike-Adoption this year and has even higher hopes for
other years to come.
Child and bike happily reunited
during our Bike-Adoption
YOU CAN HELP!
Meijer RewardsSign up at www.meijer.com/rewards
Our new number is 131257.
Zoo Cycle and SportsWhen making a purchase, ask for 3% of your
purchase to be donated to the Kalamazoo Dream
Center through the Giving Program there.
Tax Deductible DonationsAll financial donations to the Dream Center
are tax-deductible.
Reception: This position involves greeting guests, signing them in on the
computer and directing them to the clothing closet and/or food pantry.
A pleasant persoinality, basic computer skills, and a love for God and his
people are the only requirements for this position.
Clothing Worker: Sorting and carrying clothes and assisting guests
as they “shop” are the main tasks included in this position.
Additional Volunteer Opportunities: fundraising, volunteer recruitment,
job-seeking class coordinator, mentors, instructors for job-seeking class,
pregnancy counselor, data entry assistant, and computer repair.
Please call us at 382.4760 for more information.
Looking forward to meeting you!
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
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GIVING HOPE AND OPPORTUNITY TO KALAMAZOO MICHIGAN
THANK YOU
SUCCESS STORIES
Hi, my name is Cara and I am a senior at Western
studying Public Relations with minors in Marketing
and Psychology. I enjoy supporting the Dream Center’s
cause. During the school year I am involved in Inter-
national Programs Council and Pi Beta Phi.
I’m Brittany, and I’m a junior at WMU studying Public
Relations with minors in Psychology and Marketing.
I am a Southwest Michigan native, with roots in
South Haven, MI. Kalamazoo has always felt close
to home, so I genuinely care for and respect the
community. I look forward to building lifetime bonds
with the people at the Kalamazoo Dream Center
Hi, my name is Liz and I am a senior at Western
Michigan University studying Public Relations and
Business. My goals for the Kalamazoo Dream Center
are to promote the organization and increase aware-
ness of all the great things the many volunteers
do for the Kalamazoo community.
MEET THE DREAM TEAM (our summer interns)
Comforting Kalamazoo with “Good Night” project by Liz Bitters More than 300 beds were distributed over a three-week period beginning in
mid-January. The Dream Center partnered with Christ Followers for Change and various
other non-profit organizations to make a difference in the inner city of Kalamazoo.
Various fundraising campaigns held by the CFC churches were underway for
6 months prior to the donation of the beds.
Many families were squeezing themselves into one bed or even worse, sleeping
on the floor. The Dream Center made a difference in the lives of these families
by collaborating with local churches and agencies to meet one of the biggest
needs in the community.
Your donations enabled us to:
Serve 935 individualsand provide $31,656 total goods and servicesin April, 2011 alone.
Thank you for your help in raising
funds through the past two events.
Disciples Cafe Fundraiser Report:
The Dream Center interacted with
the community, making new friends,
resulting in $900 in donations.
Mongolian Grill Report:
The Dream Center was able to
raise $750 through a silent auction,
tips to our guest grillers, and a
percentage of each meal purchased.
A special thanks to
our guest grillers –
Tonya Schultmaker,
Marageret O’Brien,
Mary Balkema and TJ Duckett.
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Smashburger partners with KDC June 19-25Who: All Kalamazoo Dream Center staff,
volunteers, families and friends. Just
present this flyer or mention “Kalamazoo
DreamCenter” at the time of purchase.
What: Smashburger will donate 20% of
the total purchase by someone from
your group to Kalamazoo Dream Center.
(Cannot be combined with other coupons or discounts)
Where: Smashburger, 4315 West Main St. – just East of Drake Rd.
When: The week of June 19-25, 2011. Open from 10 am to 10 pm daily.
Häagen-Dazs Shakes / Smashsides / Smashchicken
Smashsalads / Smashdogs / Smashburgers
www.smashburger.com
Volunteer Donate
Financial Contribution Other
______________________________________________
Name
______________________________________________
Address
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
Phone
______________________________________________
All donations are tax deductible
GET INVOLVED
< Please cut and mail to:
Kalamazoo Dream Center
1122 Portage Road Kalamazoo, MI
269.382.4760 www.kaldream.org
Become a friend on
Adopt-a-BlockJune 11 – from 10 am to 12 pm
Smashburger PromotionJune 19-25
Next Level OutreachesJune 23 and 27
Adopt-a-BlockJuly 9 and 23 / August 6 and 20
September 3
B.I.D.Building Inspiration and Dreams
September 16
WHAT’S GOING ON?
FROM THE DESK OF OUR DIRECTOR
Why we serve. Each day we open the doors of the Dream Center we
are amazed at the number of new people who come to receive the services
which we provide. Those who come embody some of the most needy individ-
uals and families in our community. Each day we see 30-40 households who
are looking for practical resources for their daily needs. Many would ask then,
why you serve to the depth and capacity you do if you will never touch all
those you intend to reach through the Dream Center; after all didn’t
Jesus say that the poor will always be amongst us?
Although Jesus’ statement seems to be daunting for those who serve the
poor, there are two great reasons we choose to press on with the calling we
have been given. The chief reason that urges us on is that we have been
given a deep passion and an unquestionable privilege to share Christ along
with every loaf of bread and every garment that reaches the hands of those
reaching out to us. The second reason lies in 2 Corinthians 5:14 where Paul
states: “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one
died for all, and therefore all died.” Yes, we are compelled by a deeper moti-
vation that is fueled by the love of Christ. The King James Version describes
this motivation with the word “constrained” which implies “to force.” It is
our relationship with the loving Christ that forces us to act on behalf of those
suffering, just as the Good Samaritan acted in giving aid to the one who
had fallen on difficult circumstances. As the love of Christ constrains us,
we will then serve from the depths of our heart with extreme love
as though directly from His heart.
Rik Stone
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