Pioneer Clubs coordinators eNewsletter–Plan a holiday service project

October 2005

Dear Christian Leader,

Welcome to the latest edition of the Pioneer Clubs^® Coordinator’s eNewsletter, where we provide resources to assist you as you plan, recruit, and train—enabling others to share God’s Word with children. This month we would like to give you tips for planning a service project for this holiday season.

Planning a Holiday Service Project

A service project can be a highlight of your club year. Millennial kids really want to make a difference. A service project gives them a chance to help others and feel good about their own ability to help.

The holidays are a logical time for such as a project, since they’re a “giving” time of year. You may want to plan one project that all club age levels join in, or you may prefer to let your leaders plan their own project for their own group.

If you’re doing the planning:

Choose the project. To maximize kids’ enjoyment, keep the project simple, fun, and hands-on. Find a project that the youngest and oldest kids can be equally successful with. If a particular service project from a past year went well, consider making it a tradition. Kids love traditions. They help identify and define club and give the club members something to look forward to. Or brainstorm project ideas with club leaders. Some ideas are listed below to get you started.

Get permission. If you’ll be visiting people or working with a service organization, you’ll need to work around their schedule and requirements. You may need permission from your church, too. Don’t forget permission slips to be signed by parents, if you’ll be going off church grounds. The Promoting Your Club Program book (catalog #2771) contains reproducible permission slips. (Order at the following link: http://www.shoppioneerclubs.org/store/product.asp?ItemID=1192&CategoryID=192&HeaderCategoryId=29&returnUrl=&RandomSeed=T6EC3).

Schedule a date and time. Keep school and church calendars in mind.

Inform parents and children. “Walk” club members through what to expect and what they’re to do. The more they understand ahead of time, the more comfortable they’ll feel and the more smoothly the event will go.

Plan with leaders. Allow four to six weeks. If you can let the club members make any of the decisions, too, they’ll be more invested in the project.

Delegate duties. Recruit parents, Pals, and other volunteers from the church. Offer choices of which tasks they would prefer. This would be a great time for people who are considering leading club to get a taste of what it’s all about.

Service project ideas:

Bake and deliver cookies to public servants (firefighters, mayor, etc.). (One club used a horse-drawn wagon to make their deliveries.)
Put on narrated Bible stories at a nursing home. An adult reads the stories while kids mime them.
Collect, wrap, and send gifts to missionary families.
Go grocery shopping for a food pantry.
Hold an “Everybody’s Birthday Party” to wrap gifts you’ve collected for a shelter or crisis pregnancy center.
Make ornaments to decorate the church Christmas tree or entry.

Action Ideas for October

Get the congregation interested in helping with club by including “service coupons” in a Sunday bulletin. Include a list of areas where you’d like help (snacks, transportation, etc.), and ask people to check off the ones they’d be willing to help with. The Promoting Your Club Program book contains reproducible service coupons. (Order at the following link: http://www.shoppioneerclubs.org/store/product.asp?ItemID=1192&CategoryID=192&HeaderCategoryId=29&returnUrl=&RandomSeed=T6EC3).
Recruit a “parent greeter” to welcome and chat with parents as they drop off their kids for club. This person can provide beverages and updates on what each club group is working on. As parents make a connection with someone from club, they will be more likely to take the next step of getting involved.
October is Pastor Appreciation Month. Encourage your leaders to have their clubs show appreciation for your pastor in some way. You and your leaders could also make a financial gift to the national ministry of Pioneer Clubs in honor of your pastor.

Ideas for Encouraging Leaders

Use the reproducible notes and tasty treat ideas in the Big Book of Volunteer Appreciation Ideas to say thanks to leaders. (Order at the following link: http://www.shoppioneerclubs.org/store/product.asp?ItemID=1263&CategoryID=205&HeaderCategoryId=29&returnUrl=&RandomSeed=T6EC3).
Give leaders a gift from the Pioneer Clubs catalog on their birthday.

Changed Lives

“Years ago I was a member of Pioneer Girls. I have some wonderful memories of Camp Cherith in Ohio. I will always be thankful for the time I spent with my Pioneer Girl sisters. I learned so much of God’s Word and his love. I can still remember all the silly songs and the wonderful campfires. [Now my sons also] know lots of the silly songs.”— Jaleyn Dobbs

We’d love to hear testimonies of how your club has made a difference for the kids or leaders. Please e-mail Becky at ballenpowell@pioneerclubs.org with your name, church name, and how you've seen God at work in your club.

Pioneer Clubs Announcements

Autumn Kids for Kids Hike

It’s not too late to participate in the Autumn Kids for Kids Hike. For information on our quick and easy hike option, which takes only a couple weeks to prepare, visit Pioneer Clubs’ Web site at www.pioneerclubs.org, or call 800-694-2582 and ask for the Development Department. Remember, even though October 15 is the scheduled date, your church can hike on any date that works well for you. Be sure to let us know your hike plans by e-mailing Norma at nscott@pioneerclubs.org.

Fall Phonathon

Many thanks to all who responded to our recent Fall Phonathon. We raised nearly $10,000 in pledges. Thanks for your generous support!

Training Teleconferences

Join us by telephone for training especially designed to meet the needs of Pioneer Clubs coordinators and leaders! According to Christe McKittrick, Coordinator, First Baptist Church of Evansville:

“...the Basic Training Teleconference...was awesome! I have been leading and now coordinating and leading club for several years. I thought, ‘Oh, I don't need to know this stuff. I'll just get it set up for the others and go home.’ Instead I stayed and was really encouraged and re-energized by the training. I learned a few new things, but most of all I was recommitted to do the right things. And it really met the need of my new leaders.”

For registration information, visit http://www.pioneerclubs.org/trainingwork.htm. We hope you can join us for the Group Discipline session on October 22, 2005, at 10:00 a.m. CST.

Need help planning your club year? For a sample club year calendar, visit: http://www.pioneerclubs.org/pdf/sample_club_year_calendar.pdf.

Reflections
What reactions do your leaders have to the idea of doing service projects? How can you help them get their club members excited about service projects?

Lighter Side
A Sunday school teacher asked the class why Joseph and Mary took Jesus with them to Jerusalem. A small child replied, “They couldn’t get a baby-sitter.”