Summerhill Newsletter November 2015

Newsletter - November 2015

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Giving Thanks

We are thankful for
- All of the children and parents that attend our programs.
- Our SCM staff and our weekly, monthly, and seasonal volunteers.
- All of you who support SCM through gifts, prayer, and service.

We are thankful for our faithful returning volunteers and our new volunteer partners, the Foust family and Nissa Scott.

We are thankful for Sally Doster- who recently recently moved to Florida. Sally has been a faithful volunteer at SCM for over 12 years. She has built relationships with the children for years and has sewed seeds of love through her service of tutoring, reading, making fun nutritious snacks, cooking hot meals for families, making Christmas goodie bags for all the after school kids and staff, chaperoning camp field trips, attending games, and more. Sally and her husband, Dick, have been generous supporters and prayer partners and have become dear friends to the Dix family as well. We love you Ms. Sally!

Allen Vigil's (of Allen Vigil Ford), daughter Dawn and a friend, delivered turkeys for the SCM families and our dinner. We want to say, "Thank you!" to Allen Vigil for his Thanksgiving gift to the families.

Our Thanksgiving kitchen crew -
Marcia Rafig, Justina, Ashley, Nissa Scott, and Sue Bishop

You can help this holiday season!

Although many Summerhill families are in need, SCM has identified six families that are going through a very rough financial time and could use some assistance this Christmas. Wal-mart, Kroger, and Publix gift cards would be great to give to these families, along with a few gifts for each child. SCM will provide transportation for the parents to purchase food for a nice Christmas dinner. Any gift card amount will be a help. If you would like to send a donation or purchase a gift card to help a family, please contact Justina Dix or Susan Parker at 404-323-1877 or sparker300@hotmail.com .
We are asking that all gifts and gifts card be in by December 21^st.

Happening Soon:

December 10th - 6:00 pm:
Annual Christmas Program & Fundraiser located at Desire Street Ministries

(754 Glenwood Road, Atlanta, GA 30316).

Hardy refreshments will be served. All are welcome.

Please RSVP via email, phone call, or text to Justina.

December 17th:
Christmas Wrapping Party at the SCM Center at 4pm.

Stockings at the Annual Christmas Program / Fundraiser

On December 10th, the Annual Christmas Program (hosted at Desire Street Ministries) will have stockings available with specific needs of Summerhill for you to fill . Here are just a few items that need funding:

The After School Program roster has 50 kids. Several students are getting one-on-one tutoring and homework help from a staff of college students, college graduates, as well as dedicated volunteers.
Flag football season just ended and the basketball season starts in January.
The second semester of school is approaching and has program and operational needs to be funded.
Our outreach of assisting needy families with food, electric and heating bills has grown.

Hope to see you December 10th at 6:00 pm.

As we enter into the holiday season please be in prayer for these families:

Eight year old “Amy” recently came to the SCM Center and broke down uncontrollably. She shared that mom and dad divorced and mom moved many states away with her little sister. Dad is raising Amy alone and doing his best. He promises to let Amy call and talk to her little sister. Christmas will be a difficult time for them to be separated.

One of our parents, who we have shared about before, is very discouraged about her condition. Her kidneys have failed. She is weary of going to dialysis 3 times a week. She is not able to eat her already strict diet, because she can hardly keep the food down. She is weary of the pain and meds. Her two daughters are often present around her during her personal struggle. She and her mother (grandma) have a very strained relationship with lots of harsh words and negative history, but grandma always shows up when mom needs help. Emanuel was recently able to get them to agree that they both loved each other and suggested they consider family counseling.

Based on the experience of another SCM family dealing with diabetes who has benefited tremendously from counseling, we were able to make a recommendation to a specific counseling center. Mom has finally agreed to counseling for her and her daughters. Please pray that mom will follow through to get this process started ASAP, and that grandma will also accept that she too would benefit from counseling.

October Highlights:

Character Day
During Halloween, the SCM kids at the after school program dress up for a special time story time and character day celebration.

Paul Bishop
Glad to see how well Sue Bishop's husband has recovered from several surgeries. He is even back volunteering at SCM!

Flag Football

This football season, Coach Will and Coach Justin taught this rambunctious group of boys and one girl, the good lesson that how you play and how you act on and off of the field is key! The coaches had to make some hard decisions to help build character. Certain skilled players missed one game because of negative behavior. One coach made the decision to forfeit a game because of an entire practice full of negative behavior, even though the team was undefeated up until that point. At SCM, we believe in teaching good character over good stats.

Our 18-under team (top left with Coach Justin) went on to win the championship!
Our 14-under team (top right with Coach Will) placed 2nd!
Our 14-under team's first win & good sportsmanship.

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