Pioneer Clubs leader eNewsletter Print–Show appreciation to your club leaders

February 2006

Dear !*Address1*!,

Welcome to the latest edition of the Pioneer Clubs^® Leader’s eNewsletter, where we provide resources to help you build your Pioneer Clubs ministry. This month we would like to suggest ways to show appreciation to the people who help you with your club.

Encouraging the People Who Help with Your Ministry

Everyone needs recognition, and you’re in a position to make a difference in the lives of your coleader, club coordinator, parents, and other club helpers. Small things can mean a lot to them as you let them know their help matters to you and the children. The suggestions below are categorized by type of volunteer, but many of them will work for anyone.

For your coleader:

Create an award to give to your coleader to say thanks for some special quality or contribution (silly or serious). Ideas: Money Management Award (a framed coin or bill) for taking care of the club budget; Critter Gitter Award (small stuffed animal) for chasing away a critter on the club campout; Super Glue Award (tube of glue) for helping your club develop a sense of unity.
Use the photocopiable suggestions in Big Book of Volunteer Appreciation Ideas to leave a treat and an encouraging message for your coleader.
Order at the following link: http://www.shoppioneerclubs.org/store/product.asp?ItemID=1263&CategoryID=205&HeaderCategoryId=29&returnUrl=&RandomSeed=T6EL7

For guests and helpers:

Think of guest speakers, snack providers, people from the church or community who help with projects, even the custodian. It doesn’t hurt to go a little crazy spreading around the encouragement!

When guests come to help, take a picture of them with the children. Give each guest a photo signed by all the children.
Make certificates for other helpers, proclaiming them honorary club members.

For parents:

Without parents’ permission for their children to attend, you wouldn’t have a club! And many parents do much more to help.

Help club members make cards to thank their parents for letting them come to Pioneer Clubs.

For your club coordinator:

Make a tape of the children saying “thank you.”
Have kids label paper “Why I’m glad we have Pioneer Clubs...” and draw a picture of a favorite activity. Have them sign their pictures with “Thanks!” and their names.

Action Ideas for February

Give yourself a boost by writing down a few things you’ve done in club that worked well. Thank God for the talents he’s given you.
When new kids attend, have a visitor information card they can fill out with their name, parents’ names, address, and phone number. Be sure to give a copy to your club coordinator.

Changed Lives

“When our club wanted to find a way to help a Pioneer Clubs program hit by Katrina, we contacted Pioneer Clubs headquarters and got the name of a church in Mississippi. Last year, our club raised under $100 for a missionary for the entire year. When we told the kids about the church in Biloxi and how they lost everything, we were able to send them a Christmas check for $100, and that is in only four months. Our children are learning about kids like themselves who went through this hurricane and they want to help with prayer and support.” — Peggy LeSuer, Lockport Christian and Missionary Alliance, Lockport, NY

We’d love to hear testimonies of how your club has seen God at work. Please e-mail Becky at ballenpowell@pioneerclubs.org with your name, church name, and how you’ve seen God at work in your club.

Today’s Kids...
Today’s kids need consistency from adults. When adults are consistent, kids tend to push and test less, since they know where the limits are. Calmly enforce the same rules every time. If there are ongoing behavior problems, talk with the parents to see if the same behavior occurs at home and how parents handle it.

Pioneer Clubs Announcements

Annual Phonathon

Pioneer Clubs staff, board members, and volunteers will be calling our current leaders and donors during the months of February and March to thank you for your partnership, let you know what’s happening in the national ministry, and ask for your financial support. Please prayerfully consider a generous gift when we call.

Pioneer Clubs Sunday

We hope you celebrated Pioneer Clubs Sunday with us on February 12! If not, you haven’t missed out—your church can still participate on any Sunday that works for you. Visit www.pioneerclubs.org and go to the Leader Resource Center (password: kids) for ideas on how to share with your congregation the exciting things that are happening in your club. Whenever your church celebrates Pioneer Clubs Sunday, be sure to let us know what you did by sending an e-mail to info@pioneerclubs.org.

Kids for Kids Hike Countdown

The spring Kids for Kids Hike is coming up on Saturday, April 22 (or any date that best suits your church). Planning steps for this month are located on Pioneer Clubs’ Web site at www.pioneerclubs.org. Just click on Kids for Kids Hike. Be sure to let us know your hike plans!

Special Events

Are you having a club Valentine party, Pal party, or other special event this month? If so, we’d love to hear about it! Please send photos and a brief summary of your event to Connie Powers at cpowers@pioneerclubs.org. (The photos and stories we receive become the property of Pioneer Clubs^® and receiving them indicates your permission to print them in our publications, advertising, and Web site.)

Join us for a Pioneer Clubs^® training teleconference!

You may participate in these sessions from any location that has a telephone for only $20 per telephone line. These teleconferences are scheduled throughout the year. Upcoming topics are:

Basic Training
Evaluating Your Club Program
Leader Recruitment and Retention

Pioneer Clubs training teleconferences will benefit every club coordinator and leader—and it’s easy to register today! For a complete schedule and online registration forms, visit http://www.pioneerclubs.org/trainingwork.htm. We hope you can join us!

Camp Cherith

Schedule a Camp Cherith Theme Night for your Pioneer Clubs! Camp Cherith^® is the official camping ministry of Pioneer Clubs. Do your clubs know about this camping opportunity? A Camp Cherith Theme Night is a great way to tell them all about it! Contact your local camp representative and schedule a visit during your regular club time. He or she will make a brief presentation of what a Camp Cherith experience is like and why your club members would want to go. If you like, serve s’mores or trail mix as a snack, and encourage club members and leaders to dress in camp clothing (hiking boots, bandanas, etc.)

The 23 Cherith^® camps in North America all provide Christ-centered, Bible-based outdoor programs designed to help children and youth learn about Jesus Christ and how to make Christ Lord in every aspect of life. Camp Cherith provides a unique setting away from normal activities where kids learn Christian values and life-skills, and can experience genuine life-change. Camp Cherith has proven to be a mountaintop experience for thousands of young people over the past 60-plus years. Cherith is Christian camping at its best.

If you’ve not yet contacted your local Camp Cherith’s director, do so right away! You’ll want to book your clubs’ Camp Cherith Theme Night before the representative’s time is committed!

To find your local Pioneer Clubs Camp Cherith, visit http://www.pioneerclubs.org/campcherith_locations.htm.

Reflections
Supercharge your club leadership skills. Talk with your coordinator about what resources could help you.

Lighter Side
From a church bulletin: The 8th graders will be presenting Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” in the church basement Friday at 7 p.m. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.