Bellringing 101

DO’S & DON’TS of BELL RINGING

DO’S

1.      Do smile and say hello to everybody who walks by.
2.      Do be neat and wear warm and clean clothes.
3.      Do what the manager of the store asks you to do.
4.      Do say “Thank You” to everyone, no matter what amount they put in your Kettle.
5.      Do be courteous at all times.
6.      Do have fun; you are raising money to help needy children for Christmas.

DON’TS

1.      Don’t ask for money.
2.      Don’t eat at the Kettle.
3.      Don’t smoke, or use smokeless tobacco at the Kettle.
4.      Don’t argue with anyone at the Kettle.
5.      Don’t make change for anyone.
6.      Don’t sit down while at the Kettle.
7.      Don’t shop while you are on duty.
8.      Don’t ring the bell too loud, or in anyone’s face.
9.      Don’t have friends or anyone else hanging around the Kettle.
10.  Don’t ever leave the Kettle unattended.
11.  Don’t wear any clothing or hats with logos or advertisements on them.

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Are you interested in volunteering as a bell ringer this year? Call 918-587-7801 and ask for Rhonda.

Kids Care Week

Happy Kids Care Week! This week is special because it is nationally recognized as a week to introduce children to volunteering.  The theme this year is, “Make your mark on the world: Go the extra mile.”

As most of our blog readers know, we are very proud to operate 6 local Boys & Girls Clubs in Tulsa, Sapulpa, Sand Springs and Broken Arrow.  This week, we are getting the kids involved by teaching them about volunteering.  They will be actively participating by working on a service project of their own this Friday.  What are they doing? Creating nearly 300 Christmas cards!

Every year, The Salvation Army’s Community Care Ministries help hundreds of seniors in our community by providing them with a Christmas gift and special visit by one of our officers or Corp members.  Many of these seniors have no family or friends to visit them during the holidays.  Well, this year they will also be getting something else very special… a Christmas card handmade by one of our Boys & Girls Club kids.  Some will have glitter, some will have stickers, many will wish a Merry Christmas and I am sure that most will offer a priceless glimpse into the imagination of a child.

I can’t wait until Friday to see what they come up with!

Here's the website for more information about "Kids Care Week," a national volunteer week. http://www.kidscare.org/about/kidsCareWeek

P.S. Adults can volunteer this Christmas too! Click here to learn about our fun holiday opportunities for individuals and groups.

~Lindsay

Thank you Salvation Army Employees

Ramona Lytle is honored for 25 years of service.

Recently, I was honored to spend time thanking my employees for their dedication to The Salvation Army.  I am amazed by their quality and dedication everyday.  The employees honored had give 5, 10, 15, 20 or 25 years of service to our mission, with a total of 451 years of service.

I am blessed to be in Tulsa and to serve alongside these
wonderful employees. I also want to thank the other staff who

Jake Law, Rosemary Brown & Latrice Fowlkes

work hard everyday and give of themselves daily. We are a
blessed Army of true dedicated men and women who
love their God and community. After our special luncheon all employees were granted an extra day off for the Labor Day weekend, I hope they enjoyed it.

 “Rejoice and be thankful! As you walk with me through his day, practice trusting and thanking Me all along the way. Trust is the channel through which My Peace flows into you. Thankfulness lifts you up above your circumstances.

I do My greatest works through people with grateful, trusting hearts. Rather than planning and evaluating, practice trusting and thanking Me continually. This is a paradigm shift that will revolutionize your life.”  Phil. 4:4; Ps. 95:1; Ps 9:10

I am truly thankful for your work each and every one of you.

Employees honored:

ARLETTA ROBINSON, BETTY BRADBURY, BJ ROBISON, CATHY KUMM, CHARITY MITCHELL, CHRISTOPHER WALLACE, DAVID LITTERELL, DAVID MASON, DENNIS HENDERSON, ERMA LANDRUM, FRAN SADLER, GREG PARKER, GWEN BESS, JAKE LAW, JAMAR GIDDING, JANIS FRALEY, JEAN SMITH, JEROME SMITH, JO BRIGHT, JOSEPH HUDSON, JULIE BEAULIEU, KELI JOHNSON, KENNY KING, LATRICE FOWLKES, LINDA SCOTT, LIZ LAW, ODELL NORMAN, POLLY CHEATWOOD, RAMONA LYTLE, RICHARD STEWART, ROSEMARY BROWN, SAMANTHA MESSICK, SHELLEY CRAMER, TARA RICKETSON, TERESA BOWERS, TRACY HAMILTON.

-Major Roy Williams

Helping a Community by Action

This past summer, the Sand Springs Public School System announced a new dismissal time for all elementary schools in the Sand Springs district. This change meant that secondary students would not get out earlier than the younger kids, a problem for many parents whose older children typically watched the younger ones after school.“We were inundated with phone calls from parents who really didn’t know what to do with their kids after school,” said Salvation Army Sand Springs Boys & Girls Club Director Greg Parker.

Immediately after the announcement was made the Club began to work toward a solution to the child care issue facing many in the community. Parker met with school administrators and discussed the concerns of the community and how the Club could help relieve the pressure on parents. A plan was made to extend programs offered at the club and begin new on-site after school programs at local elementary schools.

This project offered flexibility for the community but left the Club scrambling to grow very quickly. “Everyone had to pitch in to make it work, we were shorthanded but all our staff responded great,” noted Parker.

Following a phone call from the administration to district parents directing them to contact the Club for information on the new options, after school programs grew from serving 35 children to 120—in just a few short weeks, surprising Parker.

The two new onsite programs include one at Angus Valley Elementary serving students from Angus and Limestone Elementary Schools and one at Pratt Elementary. Students come in for free time, homework and snacks, structured physical activities and one-to-one tutoring. The established program at the Sand Springs Boys & Girls Club (4403 S. 129th W. Ave.) offers daily programming also, focusing on a routine that includes tutoring, homework, fitness and the arts.

The Sand Springs Boys & Girls Club is glad to host so many activities and programs for the people in the community and is blessed beyond belief with support from residents of Sand Springs. Parker and his Club staff have shown that dedication to “Doing the Most Good” brings exciting—and sometimes unexpected—rewards.

As always, it's a great time to be involved with The Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club of Sand Springs! Call 918-245-2237 to get more information on this or other Club programs.

~Lindsay

Thanks-giving for United Way

Have you ever wondered what it is like to eat Thanksgiving dinner at the shelter? It is one of the busiest days of the year at The Center of Hope.  Many families and individuals join The Salvation Army that day for a warm holiday meal and to give thanks for what they have.

This year, as we work to raise funds for The Tulsa Area United Way the Center of Hope is fixing up an early Thanksgiving lunch! For only $10.00 they will be serving all the holiday favorites (turkey, dressing, potatoes, gravy, green bean casserole, salad, cranberry sauce, pies) on Friday, October 15th from 11a.m.-noon.  This meal is open to the public and will raise much needed funds to support local non-profit agencies.

OCTOBER 15th

11:00 a.m. - Noon

Center of Hope

102 N. Denver

To-go meals are also available.  To place an order for you or your workplace, call Tara at 918-582-7201 x208.  

~Lindsay

No One is Immune from Homelessness

Gale Baker’s resume is three pages long and includes stints as an adjunct college professor teaching managerial statistics and corporate finance management. Gale has her MBA and has completed half of the studies needed to obtain a PhD. One of the items she left off her resume is her address, which is 102 N. Denver:  The Salvation Army Center of Hope homeless shelter and social services center.

Gale was living in Dallas when her employer, a medical case management company, gradually cut back her hours from full time to part time to one or two days a week. She lost her car and her apartment and tried living with family and friends but said it was too difficult. “I don’t want to be a burden,” she said. Gale moved to Tulsa a month ago where she had lived and worked from 2002 to 2006. At the Center of Hope, she lives in the Project Able women’s dorm and is in the Genesis program. Check out this link to a story OETA-Channel 11 filmed about Gale: 

-Sallie