Kids Hope ended the 2016 year with our first ever Fun Activity Day at Third Reformed Church. This event was planned to enhance the relationship between mentors and their child in a more relaxed and fun atmosphere. Building relationships is one of the main goals that Kids Hope takes seriously as we find that building this base of familiarity leads to better communication, more academic success and an overall strengthening of the mentors and child trust.
If laughter and happy chatter could tell the success of an event this one was a winner! Mentors and sub mentors went hand in hand throughout the many activity stations set out for them. Everyone used their creativity in decorating a frame for a picture of themselves and making Christmas Cards. Another station they participated in was the always fun Pictionary game where both mentors and child got a chance to draw and guess. Other stations included the popular GaGa ball game, Matchbox car racing and a challenging maze building activity. Just ask any of our mentors and they will tell you a story from that day and how their mentor and child relationship grew by spending this social time together.
Speaking of mentors, Hope Church has 17 of them and since this is Mentor Appreciation Month I thought this would be a good time to recognize them in this newsletter. Our Kids Hope mentors are: Rhonda Edgington, Steve Berry, Linda Cook, Sandy Mulder, Connie VanderVelde, Andrew Bredow, Brad Bright, Tim Pennings, Peggy DeHaan, Barb Knoops, John Beyer, Stephanie Beyer, Dave Boelkins, Bob Luidens, Norma Killilea, Barb Blauw, and Terry Pott. If you see one of them give them a BIG thanks for taking time in their busy schedules to mentor.
We will be honoring these volunteers as well as our sub mentors and prayer partners at an Appreciation Dinner at the end of January. Praise the Lord for the difference each of these volunteers is making in the life of a Kids Hope child.
~Vicki Rumpsa, Kids Hope USA Co-Director