T.D. Williamson + Launch Pad = a winning combination!

This week, Major Taylor, volunteer coordinator Jenny, and case workers Kelly and Tara and myself were honored to attend a lovely volunteer thank you luncheon for the employees of T.D. Williamson. The luncheon was held at The Silo in west Tulsa.


Major Taylor and Jenny shared the impact that T.D. Williamson had on different volunteer areas this past holiday season. TDW employees adopted over 140 Angel Tree angels, volunteered at distribution in Sapulpa and Tulsa, AND were trailblazers for our newest sponsorship opportunity, Launchpad.


Major Taylor presented a certificate of recognition to Annie Tomecheck, Supervisor, Global Community Investment, for the Launch Pad program.

In particular, we want to thank TDW for being the lead sponsor for the Launch Pad program and for being such generous patrons for a family in need.

Launch Pad is a NEW volunteer/sponsorship opportunity designed to bless a homeless family with minor children who live at the Center of Hope and are participating in the Supportive Housing Program (SHP). SHP consists of 16 1-3 bedroom apartments that clients can live in for up to 24 months, with sliding scale rent, while they pursue education, employment and stability for their family. Launch Pad sponsors redecorate and replace basic household goods- including furniture and beds. When clients complete their program and move out to permanent housing, they can take the furniture and goods, ready to set up house in their new place.


TDW's volunteer crew did a fabulous job, from maximizing space to personalizing and thinking of creature comforts. We are really impressed with the end product. Check out these pics of the TDW apartment's "After"-- amazing!

If you or your organization would like more information on sponsoring a Launch Pad apartment, please call Jenny McElyea, our volunteer coordinator, at 918-587-7801. It's an amazing opportuniy to positiviely impact a homeless family on a very basic level.
-Vicki

Volunteers: Making the Impossible, Possible!

Food Packing Day

Impossible. That is what Christmas at The Salvation Army would be without volunteers.

This Christmas more than 1,800 volunteers provided 7,635 hours of service. That many volunteers is the size of a small army. Which is kind of perfect!


Volunteer Davey from Pepsi was up
to his ears in stuff animals!

As the volunteer coordinator, I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of people who were willing to give of their time just so others could have a Merry Christmas. As I was thanking our volunteers it blew my mind when they started thanking me!

The people who stood on their feet all day in a freezing warehouse were thanking me for this experience? Wow. I thought the cold or exhaustion had finally started getting to them. Then I realized something that everyone at The Salvation Army already knew. We truly have the most amazing volunteers in the world.

Serving a holiday meal.

If you gave any of your time to us this holiday season or even this year, thank you. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We couldn’t do it without you!

Thanks, so much,
 - Jenny




Activity              Volunteers             Hours

Bell Ringing *                 304               1520
Angel Tree                      240                 960
Christmas Eve Meal         35                   70
Gift Sorting                    150                 600
Checking Bags                  30                 150
Distribution                     750                3000
Food Sorting*                   75                  375
Thanksgiving                    46                    92
Food Packing                 217                  868

Total Volunteers/Hrs  1847               7635

Championship Wins for Two Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Tulsa Football Teams

After months of long practices full of throwing, tackling and wind sprints, the 2013 football season in the American Youth Football Conference came to a close.

It ended on a high note for two teams: the North Mabee Mustangs and the Mabee Red Shield Cowboys. The 4th grade Mustangs team and the 3rd grade Cowboys team both won their championship game!!!

The 4th grade North Mabee Mustang team has a lot of talent. This marks the third year in a row this team has won the championship, winning as Mighty Mites (1st & 2nd grade) and as a 3rd grade team. The 4th grade team has NEVER lost a game!

The 3rd grade Mabee Red Shield team won a hard fought championship game 13-6. Mabee Red Shield’s 6th grade team also made it to the semi-finals.

West Mabee’s football teams also had a successful season. The 3rd, 4th and 5th grade teams all made it to the semi-final rounds of the playoffs.

Congratulations to all of the football teams, coaches, parents and support staff involved in the 2013 season!


-Carrie

Celebrating Veterans

Let me first say "Thank you" to all our service men and women who have protected our freedoms. On behalf of the Tulsa Metro Salvation Army, we are deeply grateful and indebted to you.

The Salvation Army and the United States military have a long and mutually satisfying history. During World War I (the war to end all wars - so we had hoped), Salvation Army personnel were sworn in as Army Privates so they could serve alongside our fighting men in the European theater. Most of these "soldiers" were women. They were trained as nurses and sent to serve in makeshift hospitals behind battle fronts in France. They not only helped mend the bodies of wounded fighting men, they also brought healing to their weary, lonely souls. The Salvation Army "Lassies" sang to the troops, helped them write letters to home, prepared meals, and directed worship services. But the greatest spirit-lifter was the good old American doughnut. The "Doughnut Girls", as they became known, would fry up hundreds of these sugary pastries every day. Soldiers would line up and patiently wait for a taste of home.
During World War II many Salvation Army locations across the United States were used as local USO sites. Soldiers would often times go to the Salvation Army building for relaxation. Salvation Army personnel would play music, show movies, lead games, offer letter writing materials, and serve refreshments for free to help distract soldiers from thoughts of where they had just been, or where they about to go. It was a service that many said helped them get through the war.

Today, in some military towns Salvation Army canteens (mobile kitchens) greet returning soldiers as they disembark from overseas service, serving them and their loved ones snacks and beverages, and giving them "Welcome Home" gifts.

Numerous Salvation Army officers have been commissioned as Chaplains throughout the years and served alongside our soldiers bringing comfort and courage. It has been, and remains to this day, our distinct honor to serve those who serve this country.

Thank you all for your service.

God bless you!


Major Jim Taylor
Tulsa Area Commander

Holiday Volunteer Opportunities 2013

Tis the season! 

 For many people the holiday season is still far, far away. But here at the Salvation Army we have been gearing up for Christmas since July! If you are like us and already have holidays on the brain, we are now accepting volunteers!

   Great for parents and kids to do together!  

Every year thousands come out and help us with a variety of volunteer opportunities, such as: Bell-ringing, Angel Tree Booths, Gift Sorting, Meal Serving, Christmas Distribution, Food Sorting, Food Packing and more.

We hope you will be one of them!

To register for any of these great opportunities click here!

2nd Annual Winter Wonderland Experience 

                            Toy Shop!                             

I am so excited to announce our Winter Wonderland Experience was a huge success last year and we are thrilled to be continuing it again this year! Every year hundreds of volunteers come through our doors during the Christmas season, but most only participate in one holiday opportunity and never get to see all of the efforts taking place to make Christmas wonderful for thousands of local families.

The Winter Wonderland Experience is a unique volunteer experience; you are able to choose how much time you'd like to give and we give you the opportunity to see what goes into creating Christmas joy for thousands in need.

Do you have a heart to serve a holiday meal, but would like to do more? Sign-up for our Snow Flake experience.

Outback Steakhouse employees serve Thanksgiving dinner!

Are you really excited about the season? Already started singing "Silent Night"? Then we have the perfect opportunity for you! Be our Snow Angel and kick off the holidays right with a wide range of holiday volunteer opportunities!

Check out the other wintery opportunities click here! to decide which best fits your holiday schedule. 

Each Winter Wonderland volunteer will receive a limited edition 2nd annual collectable t-shirt to wear while volunteering-- showing the world how special you are to us! You will also be invited to a VIP reception (in January) where you will be honored for your dedication to making The Salvation Army Christmas programs a success!

Spaces are very limited, so I hope to hear from you soon!

-Jenny

Day of Caring Sheds Light On Increased Homeless Family Population

Volunteers from Jim Norton
Toyota paint family rooms.

The first thing I noticed when I walked into the Center of Hope during my Day of Caring site visit was a little baby about the same age as my infant son. He was smiling and giggling while being held by his mother, who had come to the shelter for help. The image stuck with me throughout the weekend. Although I know that the family is now getting the help it needs, I just couldn't forget.

The Center of Hope is seeing more families like this one. According to caseworker Gale Baker, the number of families seeking help at the Center of Hope has tripled in the past seven years. On average, the Center of Hope will house about 20 families a night during the summer. Three years ago, only four to seven families would stay the night at the shelter. The Center of Hope has 11 rooms for these families, which means a room may have more than one family during those crowded nights.

“The face of the homeless isn’t what it was 20 years ago,” says Baker. “These aren’t all drug addicts or alcoholics. Some of these people lost a job or had unexpected medical problems that caused them financial trouble.”   

A pile of toys in the shelter's family
lounge where little ones can play.

Add in the cost of at least one child and it can lead to homelessness.

On Friday September 6, a group of United Way volunteers from Jim Norton Toyota were painting the walls of the family rooms at the Center of Hope as part of the Day of Caring.

“When children come to the shelter, by no fault of their own, we want a place that’s cheerful and not dull,” says Baker. “These volunteers are helping make that happen.”

Caseworkers at the Center of Hope are working hard to help families get back on their feet so they don’t have to stay at the shelter anymore. I’m thankful we provide a place for these families to go, but I’m hoping the numbers will start to decrease.

-Carrie

Back to School: Volunteer Needs

School is in session! Hearing this is music to any parent’s ears, to students…not so much. 

As we gear down and start getting our Boys & Girls Club members into a new routine it’s important to start establishing good habits. 

One habit that proves to be highly effective to improve students’ learning and retention ability is to have a study buddy or a homework helper to assist in what kids sometimes view as the mundane task of doing homework.  Study buddies or homework helpers are volunteers who assist our club members with homework assignments at any of our 6 Boys & Girls Club locations.

 A study buddy can help a student in many ways from just letting the child read out loud to you to you to reviewing basic math problems. As a volunteer tutor you can help as much or as little as you are comfortable with! 

There are lots of benefits for kids who have a study buddy!
•    Fewer distractions then in a traditional classroom.
•    Able to focus on a specific area of interest
•    Helps build confidence and self-esteem. Perhaps the single most important factor in learning.
•    Catch-up sometimes kids miss things in class, having a homework helper is the perfect way to review materials.
•    SHYNESS! Sometimes a kid who is shy will back away from asking questions in a classroom, having a tutor who is there just to help them makes it easier to ask questions.

Back to School!

Some of our Boys & Girls Club kids were selected from each of our 6 area Clubs to go on a Back to School shopping spree, on August 1st! Thanks to Target and Academy Sports for the gift cards and shopping help! We so appreciate your generosity!

Picking out uniforms!

Shopping!

What a haul!

Checking out at Target

Yay for post-shopping snacks!

Popcorn makes us happy!

A tired shopper is done for the day

Yay Target!

Silly kids are happy for new school supplies!

 Looks like these kiddos are ready for school! 
-Vicki

14th Annual B&G Club Charity Golf Tournament A Success!

Camaro from Jim Glover

 A sports car, dozens of door prizes and a random pop-up storm are just a few of the exciting aspects of the 14th Annual Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Tulsa Golf Tournament. The event was held Monday, July 22nd at Tulsa Country Club.

Title Sponsor Jim Glover Chevrolet added a little extra fun to Hole #14: a 2013 Camaro 2SS Convertible to the person who could hit a hole-in-one. Although a few golfers came close, no one was able to claim the prize. Mike Lewis from Doerner, Saunders, Daniel & Anderson LLP did claim a prize that has many co-workers excited: a recliner from Mathis Brothers. Lewis says there are a few pregnant women in his office that plan to put the recliner in what will be a “mother’s room.” As a new mom myself, I love that idea!

1st Place Midfirst Bank team

There are always a few surprises at golf tournaments but no one expected Mother Nature to put a halt on the tournament just before the second flight took off. A storm came through and knocked down a few limbs and the QuarterShare Beef Sticks tent! Many of the players checked their iPhones and grabbed a few extra beverages before their play began about 30 minutes later. The players got to enjoy cooler temperatures for about another hour before the July humidity came back!

The smallest volunteers present.

Club members from all six Boys & Girls Clubs got to interact with the players both on and off the golf course. The 2013 event is the most successful, bringing in 43 teams, several new sponsors and close to $70,000 that will go directly to our six Boys & Girls Clubs!

Tis the Season: Holiday Volunteer Dates!

HO HO HO! What? It’s just July, why are you talking like Santa? Well, because for us over here at The Salvation Army Christmas season has already begun and one of the most common questions we get is, when can I sign up for volunteering? Well, mark your calendars! 

We have the most-up-to-date list of our Holiday volunteer opportunities. Additional details will be announced on the September 9^th blog. 

August 19 ^th—September17 –Angel Tree Appointment Letters

September 18^th– October 11 –Angel Tree Registration

September 9-Thankgsiving Volunteer Registration Opens and additional details about volunteering will be posted on our blog!

October 1^st—Christmas Volunteer Registration Opens

November 22- December13-Angel Tree

November28-Thanksgiving Meal Service

December 2-18 –Toy Shop

December 7 –Food Sorting

December 14- Food Packing

December 19-21- Gift Distribution

If you are interested in volunteering for any of these opportunities contact Jenny McElyea, Volunteer Coordinator at 918 587 7801 or Jenny_McElyea@uss.salvationarmy.org

    ALSO: We have a large need for Spanish/English speaking volunteers! If you or anyone you know is bilingual please consider volunteering your talent this year!
-
-   --Jenny

Keeping our kids 'Safe From Harm'

Staff and Volunteers trained on child abuse recognition and prevention

Each year thousands of kids pass through the hallways of The Salvation Army and Boys & Girls Club of Metro Tulsa.  With each kid that passes through those hallways is a promise, a promise that we will do our best to keep them safe from harm.  

Our top goal is to ensure that each child that comes to us is able to enjoy a fun and safe environment.  We are able to meet this goal through a class called “Safe from Harm”.  Safe from Harm is a training that is require of every volunteer and employee who work with children, in addition to passing a background check.  

Safe From Harm has six objectives:
 
1.      Educate leaders and workers about prevention of abuse or accidental injury.
 
2.      Enable leaders and workers to develop procedures and practices that reduce these risks.
 
3.      Protect adults from mistaken or groundless allegations.
 
4.      Reduce liability for Salvation Army units.
 
5.      Build parental confidence in Army programs, and
 
6.      Prepare Army representatives to respond should an incident or accident occur

Safe from Harm teaches volunteers and employees signs of child abuse and what to do if they spot one of the signs.  There are different levels of safe from harm classes depending on your position and how in depth you’d like your knowledge to be.  Safe from Harm teaches the most up to date research on abuse, prevention, and general child safety. 

We take our children’s safety seriously and do everything in our power to keep them “Safe from Harm”. 

- Jenny

 

North Mabee kids keep up their reading skills

Miss Trice reads during story time!

Even at Summer Camp, Salvation Army Boys &Girls Club helps kids with school 

It’s not easy to keep a group of kids still and attentive for 45 minutes when they are ages five to seven. But Latrice Fowlkes, director of The Salvation Army North Mabee Boys & Girls Club can do it and I enjoyed watching her work her magic one day last week. She read a book about lightning out loud to 25 members of Summer Day Camp at the Club. The book appeared to be at about a fifth-grade reading level, yet the kids listened intently and asked pertinent questions. It helped that the children respect “Miss Trice” and that she encouraged the kids to tell about their own experiences with lightning.

"Don't bother me, I'm reading!"

The story time is just one program Latrice uses in North Mabee’s Summer Day Camp to help prevent the “summer slide,” the new term for summer learning loss. Latrice has her own three children enrolled in the Club and she doesn’t want them to forget any knowledge or skills they attained during the school year, and she knows other parents are concerned about it too. Summer Day Camp enrollment is at capacity and attendance averages about 65 kids a day.

The North Mabee Boys & Girls Club partners with the Tulsa City County Library's Summer Reading Program, so every other week the library's Bookmobile parks in front of the Club and kids older than seven are able to select the books they're interested in. Every day all the kids have a forty minute reading time. I got a kick out of the girl in the photo above who is so interested in her book that the boy is going to have to "talk to the hand" until she's done!

In addition to reading time, the day campers spend 30 to 40 minutes each day in the computer room. They're required to use a learning program called "Kids College" for 15 minutes before they're allowed to browse the Internet. Of course, North Mabee, like all our Club's Summer Day Camps, offers all the traditional  fun activities for campers such as swimming, playing in the gym and field trips. Older North Mabee kids also get to enjoy photography, which professional photographer Turner Goodrum volunteer teaches year round. And, campers can stay over some evenings to take advantage of ballet and music lessons  the Club offers for a little extra.

I imagine there are some kids who will look back on their summer camp experience and fondly remember that their favorite activity was Miss Trice's story time. I know I would!

 -Sallie

Youth sports + grants = a winning combination!

Salvation Army Boys & Girls Clubs Wanna Play

Mabee Red Shield Cowboys, right

A few weeks ago, Boys & Girls Club Executive Director David emailed me about a grant opportunity for the Boys & Girls Club of Tulsa for sports programming. Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA)and Buffalo Wild Wings has an "All Star" program which offers mini-grants to Clubs that have existing football and cheerleading programs, or that want to start one. After looking at each of our six area Clubs-- from Broken Arrow to North Tulsa-- I submitted the West Mabee Boys & Girls Club in West Tulsa for the grant. It would be primarily used to  buy new sports equipment such as football helmets and pads.

Boys & Girls Club basketball

We're also going to be applying for a "Wanna Play" mini-grant through the Major League Baseball Association's partnership with BGCA. Wanna Play includes weekly activities and a field day!

We're excited about the late summer/fall sports programs at our Clubs- they are a great outreach tool to the community and are super beneficial for the kids. Sports teach so much about teamwork, having a good attitude, and also get kids engaged in healthy movement and exercise.

I'm excited to hear back on these grants in the coming weeks!

-Vicki

~~~~
If you'd like to help financially support sports' programs at the Tulsa area Boys & Girls Clubs, you can call our Director of Development, Lindsay Sparks at 918-587-7801 to directly donate.

If you'd like more information on volunteering or coaching one of the Club's teams, call our Volunteer Coordinator, Jenny McElyea, at 918-587-7801, ex. 113.

If you'd like to get your child involved in a team sport, call the Club Admin office at 918-835-6902!

Volunteer coordinator helps in aftermath of tornadoes

Jenny shot this amazing photo.

Tulsa Salvation Army staffer plays critical role in recovery

When Volunteer Coordinator Jenny McElyea taught her most recent disaster training class, she had no idea that within a few weeks she would be working in her first disaster, much less recruiting and processing hundreds of volunteers in the aftermath of tornadoes. When she arrived in Oklahoma City on May 31st, she also had no idea that by 1 a.m. she’d be sitting in the stairwell of the Arkansas Oklahoma Salvation Army Headquarters, waiting out tornadoes in El Reno.

“Factors are changing constantly. There’s change at a moment’s notice. You have to be willing and be flexible,” Jenny said recently. As soon as she arrived in OKC, she was named as Incident Command Volunteer Coordinator. “Originally they thought they’d have to find someone from out of state to take the position,” she said. “So they were glad to find me. I was honored to be chosen.”

Jenny is on the far right in this photo from Incident Command.

Although volunteers were plentiful immediately after the May 20 tornado in Moore, by the time Jenny arrived, interest in volunteering was waning, especially interest in volunteering during working hours. So she put out the word by utilizing special website for people to sign up and using social media.

The largest site she was responsible for filling with volunteers was the old JCPenney at the Plaza de Mayor Mall, where donated items such as bottled water and cleaning supplies were collected. Volunteers sorted the donated goods and helped tornado victims “shop” the aisles for items they could use.

Jenny also found volunteers for MARCS, Multi Agency Resource Centers, where volunteers and social works helped tornado victims fill out the necessary paperwork to apply for aid. And when the combination of on line and social media volunteer recruitment didn’t seem to be enough to get those workday volunteers, Jenny turned to old fashioned techniques, ones that were in abundance during the tornadoes and the aftermath.

“I prayed and I cried,” she said.
By all accounts, Jenny’s first disaster experience was a success.

-Sallie