News
A Successful Haven House Leader Training
Eleven were in attendance at the Haven House Leader Training on November 6, 2008. Three new Haven Houses Leaders have committed to begin connecting their neighborhoods.
There will be two trainings in January and a Celebration for the current Haven House Leaders. We appreciate all those who attended the training and look forward to having many more.
North Park Friendship House Holds Fall Festival
On October 31, 2008, the North Park Friendship House held a fall festival. There were numerous activities and treats that both children and adults could enjoy!
The North Park Friendship House’s Youth Club decided that they wanted to host an activity that would unite the neighborhood. They decided that hosting a fall festival would be a great way to get the neighbors together. The youth and the volunteers from the youth club worked for several weeks to plan this event. Some constructed a “fishing” and a dart throwing booth, while others made signs for each booth. Activities included an air-castle, a cake walk, a “fishing” booth, dart throwing, a pi
cture booth, face painting, cookie decorating, balloon animals, and a three-legged race. The six white horses from Hardin Simmons came out and gave the children, and some volunteers, a ride. Volunteers from Hardin Simmons came out to help man the booths. Many families from the neighborhood enjoyed the opportunity to mingle with neighbors and students. The delicious food, activities, children, and volunteers helped to make the Fall Festival a tremendous success.
By Sara Darden and Danyel Rogers
Neighbors Enjoy Fall Carnival
College Heights neighbors come together for a fun evening
Nearly 150 ninja warriors, butterflies, football players and princesses, along with their friends and families came together on Thursday, October 30, for the annual Fall Festival at the College Heights Friendship House. The event was sponsored by CCC, with special assistance from the Hispanic Leadership Council and numerous community organizations.
The kids enjoyed a wide variety of game booths and other activities, including two Air Castles, a miniature golf game, football toss, a cupcake walk, basketball toss, and a dunking booth. There were also games especially for the little ones, including bowling, a duck pond, tabletop basketball, and more. All the youngsters received prizes and candy at each booth. Families enjoyed the perfect fall weather while they ate jumbo hot dogs and got better acquainted with their neighbors.
The carnival was also a chance for the young neighbors to learn about helping others - the price of admission for the festival was a non-perishable food item. The canned goods were collected and donated to the Food Bank of West Central Texas.
Our thanks to all those who came together to make the carnival such a success. We especially want to express our thanks to
- ACU Men's Soccer Team
- Alliance for Women and Children
- First Abilene Federal Credit Union
- Food Bank of West Central Texas
- Samuel Garcia State Farm Insurance
- Hispanic Leadership Council
- Noah Project
- Dr. Keith Savage, D.D.S., Family Dentistry
- University Baptist Church
Photos courtesy Mike Hernandez and HispanicAbilene.com.
CCC Leaders Attend Evidence-based Conference
Faith & Works Conference promotes research and evidence-based work in faith-based non-profits
Nancy Coburn, CCC board vice president, and Brad Carter, executive director, attended the first Faith & Works Conference in San Antonio on October 27 & 28. The conference was led by Baylor University's Institute for Studies of Religion and sponsored by the OneStar Foundation. Conference attendees included researchers and evaluators as well as non-profit leaders who discussed the merits, challenges and need for evidence of our work-- especially as faith-based organizations.
Conference speakers included Jay Hein, formerly of the White House Office of Faith-based and Community Initiatives; Dr. Byron Johnson, co-director of Baylor-ISR; and many others. OneStar Foundation scholarshiped travel and attendance fees for CCC's participation in the event.
CCC Welcomes back Sarah Mulkey
Former board member joins CCC staff as Volunteer Impact Director
Sarah Mulkey, a founding board member of Connecting Caring Communities, returned to CCC this week as Volunteer Impact Director. Sarah was on the board while Director of Community Intiatives at Hendrick Medical Center and was directly involved in the College Heights Friendship House sponsored by Hendrick. She resigned from the board in late 2007 to take a new adventure at the National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature (NCCIL). Now she returns to community renewal excited to help connect volunteers and supporters in making a difference in our community.
Sarah brings a depth of knowledge, vast connections, and an extended history with CCC. We are excited for her to help us begin our Volunteer Impact Program (VIP) and increase our impact for a better Abilene-- one neighbor at a time.
Abilene Rotary Club Welcomes CCC
CCC Staff members present at Wednesday Rotary Club
The Wednesday Abilene Rotary Club welcomed Christine Brockman, CCC Haven House director, and Brad Carter, CCC executive director, to their club meeting at the Abilene Country Club on October 22. Brad Carter presented about community renewal to the group.
The Club has had presentations in the past from other CCC staff and supporters. CCC is always honored and ready to present to local groups, churches, civic clubs and organizations. To schedule a presentation, please contact our office.
United Way Cornerstone Award Received
CCC contributions earn honor from United Way campaign
At the United Way of Abilene's "Halftime" Campaign Luncheon on Tuesday, October 21; CCC executive director Brad Carter received one of thirteen Cornerstone Awards. Awards were given to businesses who had increased their United Way campaign contributions by at least 20 percent, CCC employees increased their 2009 giving over 120% from 2008.
CCC's Haven House strategy is funding primarily through a community impact grant from the United Way of Abilene. CCC is also part of a coalition of organizations working to overcome poverty called Getting Ahead in a Just-Gettin-By-World that is recipient of a United Way Vision Grant.
Hispanic Leadership Council visits Friendship House
Members of the HLC held their October meeting in College Heights
The monthly meeting of Abilene's Hispanic Leadership Council was held at the College Heights Friendship House on Tuesday, October 14, 2008. Members of the HLC followed their meeting with dinner and learning more about Connecting Caring Communities and our Friendship Houses from hosts Dusty and Kathy Garison. The Garisons live at the College Heights FH where Dusty serves as community coordinator.
The HLC has partnered with CCC in the past as founding donors to the establishment of the W. Craig Turner Award, CCC's annual award to champions of Community Renewal, among other activities.
Picture credit: Mike Hernandez's HispanicAbilene.com
CCC featured at National Night Out
Abilene's NNO event highlighted CCC as partner in building safe, caring, whole neighborhoods
Each year, the Abilene Police Department's Community Services Division hosts Abilene's National Night Out event. This anti-crime event attracts members from throughout the community, including Neighborhood Watch groups and captains.
This year's event was held at Rose Park Senior Center on Tuesday night, October 7. APD Chief Melvin Martin gave the keynote address and talked about many great accomplishments in lowering neighborhood crime over the past ten years. One featured neighborhood was North Park where Chief Martin credited the work of Connecting Caring Communities and the North Park Friendship House in significantly reducing crime with little help from APD.
Danyel and Brandon Rogers have lived in the North Park Friendship House on Hickory Street for almost five years. They have certainly seen changes in the neighborhood during that time. Now they hear stories of neighbors caring for sick neighbors, watching out for suspicious activities, children playing together and relationships built throughout the area.
Connecting Caring Communities, along with partner 211 A Call for Help Community Resource Center, were the two featured organizations at Abilene's National Night Out. Target was a sponsor of the event.
HSU Freshmen Lend a Helping Hand
On September 18, a freshmen class from Hardin Simmons University came to the North Park Friendship House. They assisted with decorating and cooking for the neighborhood lunch. A few students also worked on landscaping for a neighbor.
Hardin Simmons University offers a Student Success Seminar to help freshmen adjust to college life. The seminar aims to teach the students good study techniques and habits as well as provide them with life skills. This year, the professors wanted to incorporate community service into their curriculum. They felt that the students should learn to work together to help a community. The professors hope that by instilling a sense of community into these freshmen, the future communities of these students will benefit. The professors chose the North Park Friendship House as the place to carry out their community service. A neighborhood lunch is served bi-monthly at the House and the students were able to assist with the lunch. Several students prepared a casserole and cookies, while others assisted in decorating the House for the lunch. Several more aided a neighbor by landscaping. This experience and the seminar will hopefully encourage these students to be active in their own communities after college.
By: Sara Darden