August Campus Update
In August, we said goodbye to the Zandstra family and welcomed Fred & Kim Lucas as houseparents for our boys’ home. The Lucas’s returned back to Shults-Lewis after a 2 year stint away. Fred is teaching Science and Math at the school. Kim brings her creativity to campus, which the kids enjoy. David Warren, our program director’s husband, joined our team and serves as a teacher assistant. He brings his experience with kids from Tennessee Children’s Home. We are excited to have three new staff aboard.
Mark your calendars for Saturday, September 9th for the Annual Orville Redenbacher Popcorn Festival in downtown Valparaiso. We will be selling food and distributing brochures at this event. Be sure to stop by and see us on the corner of Lincolnway and Lafayette Street. What a great opportunity for us to share our mission of serving kids who face trauma! Hope to see you there!
We are excited to welcome all our donors and visitors to campus on the 16th of September for Annual Day. Breakfast starts at 8 am and includes the following festivities: rummage sale, tour of campus, food and crafts, silent auction and a live auction with our very own, board member, Rick Root.
July Campus Update
In July, our staff and residents attended Brynne (age 12) & Brighton (age 9) Vermillion’s birthday party in Genoa, Illinois. Brynne and Brighton requested that donations be made to Shults-Lewis in lieu of presents. They sacrificed presents from their friends in order to support the kids at Shults-Lewis. What an awesome act of kindness and selflessness! During the party, I made a bet with Phillip Vermillion. If he donated $1000 to Shults-Lewis, I would go down the Toilet Bowl slide with my clothes on. To my amazement, a $1000 check was in the envelope with other donations. Phillip and I both accepted the challenge and rode down the Toilet Bowl Slide! Thank you to the Vermillion family for inviting us and helping to support the kids at our children’s home. It was a lot of fun!
Day of Prayer and Giving results are in! We raised $42,719 in money to help fund capital improvements here on campus. These funds will be used to purchase the following: a zero turn mower, new computers, new floors in the bedrooms of Home 5 and 7 and seal coating the parking lots. Thank you for your generosity as we continue to serve kids and spread God’s word in their lives!
May/June Update
In May, our staff and residents attended an end of the school year celebration with box tickets to the Railcats game courtesy of Mike and Jenn Zandstra. For some of the residents, it was the first time to a baseball game. Everyone enjoyed hamburgers and hotdogs at the game. Lots of screams and laughter were heard as we cheered on the Railcats.
In June, we were blessed with a visit from the Youth Group from Naperville Church of Christ. Rusty his wife Heather brought the youth group to help do some much needed work on our campus. They did an amazing job boxing ink cartridges, weeding and mulching around the homes, cleaning out rooms, painting sheds, and much more! Our residents enjoyed lunch with the teens from the Naperville Youth Group and interacting with them in a volleyball, basketball and foosball game. We all shared devotional time each morning as well.
In addition, we started taking DCS (Department of Child & Family Services) public placements this month. We are so excited to see God’s plans unfold at Shults-Lewis.
March Campus Update
The first two months of the year have been busy at Shults-Lewis! In the months of January and February we welcomed lots of new staff members!
Stephanie Balcerak stepped up to the task of balancing the work load of Director of Development and Finance! We are so grateful for her endless supply of energy and frugality.
Staci Kociara has taken on the role of case worker with ease and excitement. It has been a joy to watch the kids spending group time under her leadership and direction!
Sarah Turnmire has gladly joined the team as Executive Assistant and loves that she never knows what tasks she may have to tackle that day! A real jack of all trades!
Sadly in February we said goodbye to Kiana Baldwin as she moved on to a job more specific to her career desires. We are overjoyed for her and this opportunity, but her presence will be missed!
Jasmine Lindley has stepped into the role as Development Assistant with grace and vitality. We are so blessed to have her on staff to strengthen our admirative team!
The residents have been enjoying opportunities that the winter weather has provided them with to get outside! They are also looking to new hobbies to explore indoors!
December Campus Update
We ask you to pray for Hannah Baldwin, Joy Smith, and Jenn Swartz as they have all moved on to different chapters in their lives. We welcome Tammy Warren, Director of Operations, to the team!
I know I keep asking you all to pray, but that’s what this ministry is all about. Not only do we ask you to pray for our new kids for their transition, but we ask you to pray for them during the holiday season. It is very hard for our kids during the holidays, no matter what their situation is. As we prepare for Christmas, we thank you all for the prayers and for your donations to help make this holiday special for our kids.
I just wanted you all to know how much I have appreciated working with you. I stepped into the role as Development Director after Beth Frump passed away to help fill a void. However, it is time for me to step out. Thank you for your patience, love, and support. -Lissa Baldwin
Happy Holidays from the Staff and Kids at Shults-Lewis!
