November Service Info & sign up for Nov. 8th Service Event

Hi AHG Families...blue papers were sent home tonight at AHG with info with service for the month of November!

Didn't get a chance to see the blue flyer?  We have the info below for you:

Here are 3 November Service Opps:

1) Bring in your coins and dollars during the month of November!  Let’s see which patrol can bring in the most $.  Look for your colored jars at the meetings in November and plop that change in...and let’s help send a girl in Cambodia to school!  All proceeds will go to Creating Hope 4 Cambodia, a local ministry that our troop will be helping this month.

2) Bake bread, cookies, muffins or something else that is yummy…wrap it up pretty and bring it to the AHG meeting on November 3^rd.  All items will be sold at our AHG table at the Creating Hope 4 Cambodia Sale on Saturday, November 8^th.  Attach the recipe on a note as well…give it that extra touch so we can raise another $1.  ;)  *I was asked if other handmade items could be brought as well...and the answer is YES!

3) SERVE!  Sign up to help at the AHG table at the Creating Hope 4 Cambodia event on Saturday, November 8th.  If you missed it you can always e-mail Jessica at mominmn@gmail.com to get the details or sign up for a time today!  

• 9:00am - 10:00am  - Brittany Kundert w/parent  (1 more spot open)                     
• 10:00am - 11:00am  ______________________ (2 spots open)
• 11:00am - 12:00pm  ______________________ (2 spots open)
• 12:00pm - 1:00pm - Kayla Reeve w/parent ______________________ (1 spots open

Can’t serve…then you should SHOP!!!!!!  Details below…

Creating Hope 4 Cambodia Sale

Saturday, November 8, 2014
9am-1pm at Christ Community Church gymnasium

WHAT IT IS:
Join us at our fundraiser to raise scholarship money for needy teens in Cambodia. Most girls in Cambodia quit school after 5th grade and begin to work to support their families. Partner with us as we give them hope for a future by keeping them in school.

Pink papers! Don't forget to bring these Monday.

Don't forget to bring those pink papers back to the AHG meeting on Monday, October 20th!   The pink paper included a few ways to make service part of your family without needing to spend money AND a few question/answer that we need all girls to fill out so we can plan the best service activities for our troop this year.

There were lots of questions about this paper and everything you need to know is on those papers.  Here are a few answers on some of the most asked questions from AHG parents:

Is this optional?  As I told the girls at our last meeting, AHG put service in the oath and creed.  AHG also came up with the stars to help recognize the time each girl in AHG is making service part of their life and journey in this program.  AHG also made service a requirement for their level awards, and in AHG a level award is a very big deal.
         We also chatted how we can have service in our lives be a "think" or a "do"...meaning, are we thinking too much about how much time it takes, how much it might inconvenience our schedules or finances for the week or how uncomfortable the service activity might be for us?  Is our overthinking making us stop before service is truly becoming an important part of our childs' heart?  Are we making the service log just a to-do and something that is routine rather than diving in to make sure that the moments spent in service are changing lives...our family and others?
        We want to help your family and AHG child make service more of a "do"...and see more of why this is such an important part of AHG.  We want hearts to melt and care for others.  We want the girls to realize that they can help someone with the talents and gifts that they have been given and feel the compassion for others and experience the joy with you.  If we just "do" and not let the "think" get in the way we are following the commandment that God gave us..."love one another just as I have loved you."  We are also following the example that Jesus gave us and spoke about when he said in Matthew 25:40 "I tell all of you with certainty, since you did it for one of the least important of these brothers of mine, you did it for me."

What if my daughter won't be at the meeting and can't turn it in?  E-mail Jessica at mominmn@gmail.com and an address can be sent to you where it can be mailed.  You can also scan in the forms if you have that capability and e-mail it in.  If these options don't work for your family, please just have your daughter return the forms at the following AHG meeting.   

My daughter was at the meeting but I never saw a paper.  What is this pink piece of paper?  Parents...this October activity had two purposes...1) to get your daughter and your family to learn that service doesn't require lots of time and money and 2) to make sure that your family is communicating about the service activities going on in AHG.  

          Along with the paper is a bit of homework for you parents...and it is important because it is how we can communicate best with you about service activities for your daughter.
        Please take a moment before Monday and sign up for the e-mail updates through this site.  There is a little spot on the right side of this website that lets you put your e-mail address in.  When we post a service activity or info it will go straight to your inbox.  No more needing to put in the website address for service updates...it will be waiting for you instead!

*thanks to the 20 families that have signed up for this...we aren't quite to the halfway point of reaching all of our AHG families but we are 9 closer than we were two weeks ago!  Thank you for making service a "Do" rather than a "Think"!

Salvation Army Bell Ringing Sign-Up starts NOW!

Ring The Bells! with the Salvation Army

We will soon be hearing those bells ringing for The Salvation Army very soon...and we will be part of that fun again this year!

Did you know that an average amount of money that is brought in through the ringing the red kettle bells is over $50/hour?  This money helps residents in our area that are in need.  

Sign-ups have started to pick a time when you can help raise money for The Salvation Army!  Look for the sign-ups at the registration tables at the next meeting or sign up online now.

Here are the details on The Salvation Army Bell Ringing:

• Find a time frame that works for you and your family
• You can sign up as a parent/child (2 people), a parent/child pair or trio (3 people max) or a group that is a maximum of 5 people.  Someone must always be with the AHG child during this event.
• Time to ring bells is 30 minutes.  
• The location that we have is for Hobby Lobby.  This location is in their lobby, between the inside doors and the outside doors.  You won't be standing out in the cold but you may get a little breeze every now and then as the doors open.
• Uniforms should be worn...and bring gloves or a long sleeve shirt/sweat just in case you get a little chilly.

Parents, sign-ups start now...
so if any of these days and times work, please e-mail Jessica at mominmn@gmail.com with what your family would like to do and how many people will be ringing during that time.  We will keep this page updated with the times available and will be as fast as possible with any changes that occur.  We will also have this list available at the meetings in late October/November at the AHG table.

Dates and Times Available:
Saturday, December 6th
         
          Times available in bold

• 9:00- 9:30am  (Kundert - 2)  (Korinek-2)
• 9:30am - 10:00am (Amaya Gatzke & parent - 2)  (Mauck -2)
• 10:00am - 10:30am (Jones Family - 3)  (Thorstenson - 2)
• 10:30am - 11:00am (Stepanek Family - 5)
• 11:00am - 11:30am  (Haselius Family - 5)
• 11:30am - 12:00pm (Kayleigh Olson & Janet Olson- 2)  3 spots left
• 12:00pm - 12:30pm (Lilly & Marsha Gee- 2)  (Rectors -3)
• 12:30pm - 1:00pm (Brinker family -5)
• 1:00pm - 1:30pm  (Mosman -4)
• 1:30pm - 2:00pm (Steph Dickie Family)
• 2:00pm - 2:30pm (Baum -4)
• 2:30pm - 3:00pm (Kayla R. and parent)
• 3:00pm - 3:30pm (Gisi family)
• 3:30pm - 4:00pm (Nelson Family - 2)  (Lydia G. and parent - 2)
• 4:00pm - 4:30pm  (Mary Johnson family)
• 4:30pm - 5:00pm  (Brase Family - 5)

If the date and times our AHG Troop has committed doesn't work for your family there are other times to help out too and are available through The Salvation Army!  It is quick and easy to sign up and is a great way to get your family involved this Christmas season.  You can find out more information here:  Salvation Army Red Kettle Website

Can't help out in person?  The Salvation Army has another way for you to help with The Red Kettle!  An online Red Kettle is available also and bell ringing can be done virtually.  You can work with your child as they tell your family, friends and others in our virtual world that bell ringing has begun and donations can be made online.  For more details on the Virtual Bell Ringing...check out this link:  Virtual Bell Ringing.

Winter Items Needed!...people in our area are in need.

AHG Families...at our last meeting we had a great talk about two words...Think and Do (ask your AHG child what this means if you missed our closing announcements at the last meeting).

This is one of those Do moments...and here is an example:

We have many individuals and families in our area that don't have the money to get the winter items that are needed to stay warm.  If you have a pair of gloves, a scarf, hats, boots, coats...any winter outerwear items that you can spare, consider donating those this weekend to the Fill the Truck event.  Check out the info below from the United Way of Olmsted County.

It's that time of year again! With winter quickly approaching, it's time to start collecting coats and more for the annual Winter OuterWear initiative! This collection provides winter outerwear items to Olmsted County individuals and families who have no other means to get winter outerwear items, and the number of items distributed is based on the number of items collected through our community partnership. We need your help to make this a success!

Fill the Truck

Our annual Fill the Truck event will take place on Friday, October 10 from 3 to 6 p.m. and Saturday, October 11 from 11 am to 3 pm at all three HyVee stores in Rochester. You're invited to bring coats and other winter outerwear items to the truck at each site! THANK YOU Hy-Vee!!

Volunteer

In addition to donations, we need volunteers! Individuals and groups can help out by sorting coats beginning in mid October. All current volunteer opportunities are posted on Get Connected. Additional volunteers will be needed on our distribution days on October 28 and 29.

Collect

Businesses around the community are currently collecting, and you can always bring by your new or gentle used coat to United Way (903 West Center Street, Suite 100). If your business would like to collect, register here. We're always in need of more coats for kids, so keep that mind when you bring in your donation! Financial contributions designated to Winter Outerwear are also welcome. Collection sites include: Boldt, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Church of St. John the Evangelist, Custom Alarm, Community Celebration Church, Costco, Dison’s Cleaners (all sites), Dunlap & Seeger, Edward Jones, Evangel United Methodist Church, Family Service Rochester, First Alliance Credit Union, Folwell Elementary, Heartman Insurance, Hunt’s Silver Lake Drug, Hy-Vee Barlow, Hy-Vee North, Madonna Living Community, McGladrey LLP, Minnwest Bank, Olmsted Medical Center, Peace Church, Rochester Montessori School, Rochester Public Utilities, Smith Schafer & Associates, Super Target North, The Reading Center, Think Mutual Bank, TJ Maxx, United Way of Olmsted County, Volunteers of America-High Pointe Senior Community, Winona State Rochester – SASWR, Y Mentors, Rochester Area Family YMCA

If any of your coats need cleaning, please drop off at any Dison Cleaners! Dison's has 5 convient locations to serve you best - 214 North Brodway, Miracle Mile, 304 Elton Hills Drive, 4120 18th Avenue NW and 102 20th Street SE. Thank you Dison's for all your help!

Please drop off your winter coats and other winter outerwear items by October 17, 2014 to United Way of Olmsted County, 903 West Center Street Gym, Rochester MN  55902.

Distribution

Distribution occurs on Tuesday, October 28 and Wednesday, October 29. An appointment is required and can be made by calling (507) 287-1958.

October Service Info...and a little Q&A

Hi AHG Families!
October is here and our meetings are up and running for the 2014-2015 year.  The girls have so much excitement during the meetings...and the badgework has already started in groups.

This site is to help you stay up to date with what service activities are going on with our troop.  Some of the activities posted have been submitted by you...others are ones that are found throughout our community that you could do as a family...a portion are events that our troop is doing as a whole.  The goal is to provide you with what you need to help your daughter earn the service stars that are required for the level award.

Each month I will provide a flyer at our AHG meeting and it will talk about one troop event that we will be working on for the month.  Here are a few tips for our monthly service opportunities:

• Please take the time to read this with your daughter and see if it is something that you can help with.  
• Record the time spent on this project on your daughters AHG service log.  
• Pray about the service event...for the people that are impacted by what our AHG troop is doing.

Our October flyer had some Q & A's for your daughter and a little activity for you.  We are asking that the girls bring these papers back, all filled out, to the October meetings.  They will need your help in filling out this paper so please set aside 5 to 10 minutes with your child for this activity...and have a computer close by for one part.

Didn't get the flyer?  Additional flyers will be available at the meeting on October 6th or you can find a .jpg of the flyer below.  To print this off, you can right click and save on your computer.  :

Thank you for being part of AHG and giving your daughter the opportunity to make service a part of their AHG experience!

Jessica Williams

AHG National Day of Service - September 20th Volunteer Event

AHG has declared the third Saturday in September as the AHG National Day of Service!

Mark September 20th down and join others from our AHG Troop to serve others in our community!  This is a parent/child or family event and a variety of times are available to help out.

Many people live with diabetes on a daily basis...and that includes some of our very own AHG members.  Volunteer at this event and show your support to those who stand next to you at our AHG meetings.  Our AHG board member, Jessica Williams, will be riding for one of those girls this year and for her dad.

Tour de Cure Rochester, MN Volunteer Information
What:  Volunteer at the Tour de Cure bike ride in Rochester, MN
This is a ride that helps raise money for the American Diabetes Association.  The ride also brings awareness and support to those who live with diabetes on a daily basis.

Who:  Anyone can volunteer!

When:  Saturday, September 20th.  A variety of time slots are available throughout the entire day.

Where:  The ride starts and finishes at the Rochester Area Family Y (by Soldiers Field).  There are volunteer locations in additional places as well that help with the bikers on the bike route.

Why:  The riders have all raised at least $200 just to be part of the ride...but they need YOU to be there for encouragement, pass them a snack, cheer them on and ring those cowbells (they are provided!) so they can go that extra mile.

How to sign up:  The Tour de Cure organization has a website where you can sign up to volunteer.  Follow this link to get more information and see what is available:  http://www.volunteerspot.com/group/7310343262041#!/show

More information:  You can find more information about the Tour de Cure and even sign up to ride at this link:  http://tour.diabetes.org/site/PageServer?pagename=TC_homepage

If you have any pictures from the event, please e-mail them to mominmn@gmail.com and we will post them on this site!  

Thank you for volunteering!

Flyer with Service Info From First AHG Meeting - Sept 8th