Be a "Ghost Golfer"

Mother Nature will not stop us from playing golf! The 5th Annual Women Helping Women Golf Tournament, rained out on June 4th, is now back in full swing and will be held on August 6,  at MeadowBrook Country Club.  This great event helps the women and children at the Center of Hope. Unfortunately, we’re seeing more families at the Center.  Last year, the Center assisted 747 adult females and 160 female children. 

An option we're offering is Ghost Player. This is an easy way to be involved with the tournament, without actually playing. If you pay the individual player fee, $125, you get all of the amenities of playing in the tournament. That includes lunch and a special gift for participants.

"So if you wanted to play in the tournament, but may be injured, out of town or just not feeling up to "par," this would be a great option to help."

Text 85944 to beat the heat!

Think your utility bills are high? Our costs at the Center of Hope homeless shelter are rising as we keep the facility cool 24/7 allowing everyone a place to go and find relief from the heat.  As temperatures go up to 109 degrees this week, we're asking people to text TULSA to 85944, making a $10 donation to help us cool the center. After you text your donation, you'll get a text asking you to confirm it. Make sure you confirm it or we won't get your donation. 100% of your gift will come to TULSA to allow us to provide a safe place to eat, sleep and cool off for anyone in need!

Donations are collected by mobilecause.org and will be billed on your next cellular phone bill. Individual data and text message charges may apply. 

Meet a North Mabee family

Wednesday I met a remarkable young man. Dewayne Lucas Jr. was at the annual Target Back-to-School Shopping Spree Wednesday, when Target gives 60 kids from the Boys & Girls Clubs gift cards to buy their school supplies.  The Lucas family is a loyal supporter of the North Mabee Boys and Girls Club. For the Shopping Spree, the parent’s financial information is carefully reviewed to determine which kids have the greatest need. Most of the kids from the clubs meet a volunteer chaperone at the store  because their parents aren’t available to help them shop.But Dewayne works the overnight shift at a factory, so he chaperoned his own son, Dewayne III, age 8.

I guess a politician would argue that since Dewayne Jr. works but still qualifies for help he is part of the “working poor,” but I’m not a politician, so I don’t know. This I do know: Dewayne Jr.  is a bargain shopper.  Not only was he able to buy all of his son’s school supplies with his card, he also bought Dewayne III a pair of nice shorts and a shirt on sale.

Football season begins

'Isn’t it too hot to play football?’ I foolishly asked when I heard that football practice started at the North Mabee Boys and Girls Club yesterday. I should know by now that it’s never too hot to play football. I felt it was too hot to even watch the kids, but football mom Janise Rowe took pity on me and graciously invited me to join her under her umbrella on the bleachers. Her son, Jonathan Rowe, is five years old and was playing football for the first time. It would be hard to exaggerate his excitement. His cousin plays high school football and he wants to be just like him. I thought it was sweet that during the frequent water breaks Jonathan would make a beeline to his mom instead of to the water jugs like the other boys.

New Area Commanders glad to be "home"

Tulsa feels like home to us!  Fifteen years ago, we arrived in Tulsa for the first time, having never lived anywhere west of the Mississippi. What we found here were the most wonderful people and one of the country’s best secrets tucked into the Green Country of Oklahoma.  TULSA.  After 3 years we were moved to Fort Smith, for 3 years, then to Dallas Texas for 7 years, and then to Little Rock, for 2 years.  Much to our surprise, we find ourselves landing back in beloved Tulsa! 

Tulsa has been a pivotal place for our family.  Two of our children graduated high school from Metro Christian Academy.  One graduated from ORU, one graduated from Northeastern State University and one was a student at Western Oklahoma State for two years before finishing at U of Texas in Arlington.

Take a swing!

FORE!!! Take a swing, help thousands of Tulsa area youth!

Did you know that you can enjoy a beautiful view of Tulsa, work on your golf game and help 5000+ youth in the Tulsa area?  Grab your clubs and be a part of our 13th Annual Boys & Girls Clubs Golf Tournament. Mark your calendar to hit the links on Mon., July 23 at Tulsa Country Club.  100% of the net proceeds will be distributed to our six Boys and Girls Clubs located in the Tulsa area. Our goal this year is to raise at least $50,000 to support the comprehensive academic and athletic programs.

The Clubs help children like eight-year-old Jay Carroll. Jay's older brother was in jail and his parents were worried about their younger son following in a similar path. Jay's parents turned to the Mabee Red Shield Boys and Girls Club. Club Director Jerome Smith says the 8-year-old acted "street" when he first arrived, but has now turned around."The kids think acting street is cool and that’s hard for us to combat. Jay didn’t want to be recognized as a good kid, because then he wouldn’t be cool. But he’s come a long way,” Smith said.

The Great Commission

It is with sadness and excitement that last week I said goodbye to The Salvation Army Tulsa Area Command. I felt sadness for missing the wonderful people and ministry at The Salvation Army, and excitement for what God has planned for us. My family and I are moving to Russia to live as missionaries for the next season of life. I’ve been asked to write about this commitment for the last devotional blog post; I hope you enjoy this story.

Matthew 28:16-20, known as the great commission, was preached often when I was in college. It seems like I heard it at least once a week. The scene opens with eleven disciples hanging out on the mountain, after Jesus’ death. They are waiting for Him to get there, because He said He’d meet them on that mountain. I imagine, like any employee today, one of them asking “is this where the meeting is scheduled? Are you sure?”

Even after seeing him resurrected, some still doubted. Sometimes, I’m that doubter. Do you know that Jesus said the same thing to the doubters as he did to those who were firm in faith? The scripture reads: “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’”

These were Jesus’ disciples, and now He is telling them to go make disciples. In the book of Acts and other New Testament books you read a lot about Jesus’ disciples making disciples!
 "It is an incredible feat that because 12 men obeyed, you and I are Christians. Imagine that!"

Chow down on Nostalgic Bean Chowder

Take one step outside and you can feel it: the hot, humid temperatures of Oklahoma. Our air conditioning units and fans are already getting a work-out! Trying to survive yet another hot Oklahoma summer is difficult for thousands of people in Tulsa.  The Salvation Army Center of Hope and several utility companies are trying to help those struggling to pay their bills during Home Energy Aid Week on July 15th-21st.  And you can help too by doing something simple: eat lunch with us!

The Center of Hope is hosting a Home Energy Aid Bean Chowder Fundraiser on Monday, July 16th from 11am-1pm at 102 North Denver in downtown Tulsa. Tickets are $5.00 and include bean chowder, cornbread, green salad and iced tea. Cinnamon rolls will be available for an additional donation.  One dozen tickets can be purchased for only $50.    The bean chowder may taste familiar to alumni of Tulsa Public Schools. The chowder is made from a nostalgic TPS recipe.  If you share pictures of your own school days, or any childhood memorabilia at the fundraiser, you will be entered in a drawing for a chance to win $100 of your August electric bill.

All proceeds from this event will go towards the Center of Hope program which helps those who are facing financial problems pay their utility bills. In 2011, the program helped 3,167 people by distributing $288,450.  So far this year, the Army has spread more than $154,157 to 1449 people who need help.

Local utility companies supporting the Army’s year-round fundraising efforts include Public Service Company of Oklahoma/AEP’s Light a Life program, Oklahoma Natural Gas Company’s Share the Warmth program and Oklahoma Gas and Electric Company’s Lend a Hand program.

  So make your co-workers, friends and family happy by buying their lunch! Contact Heather Houston at (918) 582-7201 ext. 208 if you’d like to buy a ticket (or a group of tickets) now. “Take-out” boxes are available, just call ahead to order.

-Carrie

Challengers swing!

Would you look at that smile? The girl on the left, a Challengers member, is sitting in her wheelchair and swinging at the Broken Arrow Boys and Girls Club, Her swing and four other ADA-certified swings were installed by Jacob Pinley, a volunteer at the club. Jacob is a member of club-chartered Boy Scout Troop 995 and earned his Eagle by researching, raising money and leading the troop in installing the new swing set.  Jacob is pictured at right. The new swings are in back of the BA Boys and Girls Club where anyone can use them. Congratulations Jacob and Challengers - swing on!

-Sallie