Summer Club

About five years ago the Church of Peace began serving lunch to children in our neighborhood who are eighteen years of age and younger. We were asked to do so when our local elementary school was closed for the summer for reorganization. After that first year we have tried to provide some enrichment program for children as well. It seemed a little thin to bring kids in, feed them a meal, and then shoo them on their way.

Well, today we began our Summer Club for 2009. We serve these children breakfast and lunch, and provide enrichment activities for the children during the morning. The Club meets from 9 am. to 12:30 pm. The Club is jointly sponsored by the Church of Peace and the Community Caring Conference of Rock Island. We have some 50 children signed up, and about 35 showed up on this first day. This is not too bad, and we made phone calls to the homes of the kids who were not here. The club is divided into three groups.

They are the Lions, the Tigers and the Bears. O my.

The youngest group is the Lions. These children are 6 & 7 years of age and the focus of the group is on reading. These children were identified to us by our local elementary school, the Primary Academy, as kids who would benefit from an intensive reading program. Our instructor is Sylvia Elliott, a reading specialist with the Rock Island Schools and a member of the church. She is assisted by three college students who are working with us for the summer. Of course it will not be all reading, there is music and art, and field trips scheduled as well. Here they are on their first day.

The oldest group, youngsters 12 - 14 years of age, are the Bears.

Here are the Bears working with Katie Casey and Mary Kae Waytenick on music in the sanctuary. It is hard to tell from the photo but these youth are clapping, snapping and slapping out a very complex rhythm. The academic focus of the Bears and the Tigers is on social relationships in community. Mary Kae is a retired music educator from the Rockridge District, and Katie teaches in the Sherrard School District.

The last photo is of the Tigers, the middle group, age 8 - 11 years, with their art teacher, Hillary Plog, in the Fellowship Hall of the church. I think I must have been making my rounds with the camera just as they were beginning their time together. Hillary is explaining to them what it is like to be in a wheelchair, as she is. It seems a double privilege to receive quality art instruction
and to learn about how people are able in different ways. Hillary teaches with Katie in Sherrard.

Our Outreach Director, Angela Richardson, is coordinating the program, and there are teachers from RICCA as well, including Deacon Al Edgeworth, from the Truth Temple Church, across the street.

And this is just the first day. More to follow later.

This program is supported with special gifts from the Doris and Victor Day Foundation of Rock Island, the Junior Board of Rock Island, and a generous donation from a couple who helps support educational efforts for youth in our area. The food program is funded by the US Department of Agriculture.