December Campus Update
I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with football…oh, and family & friends. Seriously, I do hope that you were able to spend some time with people who you love and cherish. Holidays can be a difficult time for our kids, as most of them do not have great memories of family gatherings. I am truly thankful for our houseparents who go the extra mile to help our kids feel at home and safe during the holiday season.
During this month, we will have several kids transitioning back home or onto their next step. Please pray for them as many of them are getting anxious and concerned, as anyone would. We know they have the skills to be successful and they know that we are here for them anytime they need us.
November brought our Annual Staff Appreciation Dinner. The board brought the dinner on campus with an amazing meal cooked by Jon & Tim Miller (you may have tasted their amazing chicken on Annual Day). It was a relaxing evening with great entertainment and fun. The Board awarded the Board of Trustees Award to Jim & Irene Gordon for their years of services and continued support of Shults-Lewis. I found myself speechless as Angela Robertson, Executive Director, chose me for the Service to Children Award. I work with an amazing staff, all of whom are deserving of that award. I am truly humbled and grateful for the award and for the ability to continue to serve this incredible ministry.
Mrs. Terhune took our Star Students bowling in November. They “forgot” to take pictures, but claim they had some high scores. Not sure I believe that one, but I do know they had a great time.
Franky and Tosha Penney moved away in November. While we miss them, we know they will do an awesome job of reflecting Jesus to kids in Ohio. They are forever part of the Shults-Lewis family!
Their departure has left us with an empty home. Please continue to be in prayer for us for staffing needs. Not only for houseparents, but we have several positions that need filling: Therapist, Principal, Teachers. Please don’t skim over that. Please pray for us as we search and share with others that we need staff. Years ago, we were visiting a congregation who is VERY active with us, who does a lot for us and with us. While there, it was mentioned that we needed a staff person, and someone said, “Wait! You need a teacher? I’m a teacher!” I need you, my friends, to share our need for staff.
Thanks for all you do for the kids!
I pray you have an awesome holiday season!
For the kids,
Beth Frump, Director of Development
November Campus Update
Oh how I wish you were standing in my office at the end of the month when I ask the Development Team, “What all did we do this month? So I can share with my Helping Hands!” Because Kiana’s response today was “it was a whirlwind of chaos”. Though those aren’t quite the words I would use; she’s not wrong.
We were blessed to have a group from Greenfield, Indiana come visit. They brought amazing treats for our kids, and gifts for our homes. After providing pizza for lunch, they helped by working in the pantry. We truly appreciate our time with them! As always, you are invited to come visit campus anytime. Or schedule a time to bring a group to see campus, enjoy a meal with the kids & staff, and if you have some extra time, there’s always projects around campus that could use your help.
I was blessed to be a part of a ladies’ day in Adrian, Michigan. What an incredible day! We truly enjoyed the opportunity to get to know you all better! Please add us to your invite list when you have events at your congregation. While we can’t always make it to everything, we love the opportunity to spend time with you!!
The kids had an awesome time for Spirit Week! We had Bad Hair Day (don’t tell them, but on some of them, it looked kinda normal :), Nerd Day (our teachers really got into that day!), Hat Day, and Costume Day. The kids painted pumpkins for the Pumpkin Decorating Contest, and as usual, they were AWESOME! On Halloween, the teachers provided an awesome meal of treats—Mummy Dogs, Veggies shaped into a Pumpkin, cupcakes with melting ghosts, it was yummy!!
Please continue to pray for us as we seek out staff members. While we are utilizing a wonderful contracted counselor for our kids, we really need to find a full-time therapist on-campus. We are also needing a Principal, an English Teacher, and Director of Operations. If you are interested in being a part of this ministry or know someone who may be, please let us know. Word of mouth is usually the best way to find staff!! You could be the answer we are looking for, or know who is!!
While October was a crazy busy month, we all know that this month and next can be even more insane with all the amazing activities that are happening. So before we get too far into the holiday season, I would like to take a moment to thank you for all you do for our kids and staff. I pray that you have the most incredible holiday season and I am looking forward to an awesome 2020 with you!
For the kids,
Beth
Beth Frump, Director of Development
October Campus Update
September is always a blur for me. I try every year to soak up every moment, but somehow, it just goes too quickly.
We start September off with the Malden Labor Day Parade. This little parade that goes from the corner of our road (325 South) down ¾ of a mile to 400 South, back over to 150 East (½ mile, at most), and back down to right in front of our campus (corner of 325 S & 150 E) has grown into quite an event. We drive the truck in the parade, tossing out invites to Annual Day attached to candy and Frisbees. Anyway, this year, I think all of Malden PLUS a majority of Valparaiso was sitting alongside the road. And this is what I love, as we throw out our invites and the kids scramble for the candy, the parents say “See you at the garage sale”. You see, our Annual Day Garage Sale is huge in our community! Not only do they donate towards it, they shop it every year! The parade is such an awesome way for us to continue to show our mission, God’s light, in our little corner of Indiana.
After the Labor Day Parade, the Sojourners begin arriving. Oh, how we love our Sojourners. They are the reason Annual Day is ready on time every year. Without them, I’d be in trouble. They set up the garage sale, do many maintenance projects in preparation for the day, and as the tents arrive, they put up all the tables, chairs, signs, etc. to prepare for our perfect day! And while I appreciate them so much for all of their selfless, tireless work, the real reason we love them coming is the extra “grandparent” love they share with our kids….and our staff.
Annual Day arrived and was perfect. We had some hiccups and some rain, but no one seemed to mind. We laughed together. We ate together. We shopped together. We raised money for the children at Shults-Lewis. You’ll read more about that in the November Telegram.
We had one girl leave our program in September as she headed onto the next phase of her life. She calls often and tells us how much she misses us, but she’s doing really well! Keep praying for her. As she left, we placed two new girls and two new boys. With 3 full-time homes and one relief, we are able to continue to help more kids and families which is incredible.
We still need some staff members though. One is Director of Operations—basically accounting. Currently, I’m trying to wear both hats while we find someone, and as much as I don’t mind filling in, we need someone who can focus on it full time and allow me to get back to raising fun…I mean, fundraising. Who do you know that loves accounting and who would love to come be a part of this ministry?!
We are also still looking for a full-time counselor. We have a contracted counselor who is great, but we really need someone on staff. Finally, we still need a Principal. As much as I love seeing Vickie on campus again, she deserves to enjoy her retirement. She’s an amazing woman who continues to serve this ministry in HUGE ways. All positions come with a competitive salary, retirement, and benefit package. And beyond that, you get to be a part of a ministry who is striving to serve God by serving His children.
For the kids,
Beth Frump, Director of Development
September Campus Update
“Ms. Beth, I need the Campus Updates to mail!” I responded, “Yes, I know, but what happened in August.” “Well…” as she glanced at the calendar, “You had a vacation, we had a group, and the rest of the days were just….normal?” with a little shrug on the word “normal”.
Over the last several months, we’ve had so much happening with visiting groups and staff changes that each day was full to capacity with activity. And while not every day in August was full of chaos, there was still a million awesome things happening on campus every day. Sometimes, it takes me a moment to sit and think about all the everyday things that make this ministry work and function to help me remember it’s not always the BIG stuff.
For instance, today the Development Staff is working hard on preparing for YOUR visit on Annual Day (Saturday, September 21st). Sojourners are here getting things all set up for the garage sale on Annual Day. It’s going to be an awesome day!
The social services team have placed four new kids into our program over the last few weeks. They are busy with paperwork, getting the kids settled, and continuing to interview more kids for placement.
The maintenance staff is working on the air conditioning in Homes 3 & 4, mowing the lawn, testing fire alarms, getting vehicles maintained, fixing washers and dryers, and so much more.
The teachers are working with the kids in the classrooms. They are teaching, sharing, and helping our kids grow academically. They are patiently working with kids who are so far behind in school (11th grader who doesn’t know their multiplication tables!) and meeting their educational needs and striving to get them to where they should be.
Houseparents are busy in the homes. They are meal prepping, menu writing, filling out paperwork, and preparing for their evenings. They work diligently at being proactive during the day so that they can fully focus on the children in the evenings, helping with homework, listening to each child share about their day, and being an example and providing a Christian home environment for our kids.
And all the support staff are busy getting five billion things done, always several steps ahead of what needs to be done, and always being the support the administrators need.
It is amazing how as each person does their specific role to the best of their abilities that we form this awesome ministry. How amazing that I am so blessed to work with all of this incredible people—from James, putting away those commodities, to Angela, our Executive Director—and together, we are changing the world, one child at a time!
THANK YOU!!!
For the kids,
Beth Frump, Director of Development
August Campus Update
I was having one of those days where I was feeling a bit overwhelmed. The “To Do” list seemed too long, the day too short. The meetings were eating my day and I just couldn’t find a moment to even think. It was at that moment I looked up and read one of my favorite verses, “Be Still and Know that I AM” (Psalm 46:10) and so I did. I went outside and sat down on a picnic table and just took some time away from it all.
As I did, I began to look around our beautiful campus! Have you been to campus? If not, COME TO CAMPUS. But there I sat on newly painted picnic table (thank you, Wheeler Road Youth Group), looked at the castle that Florissant Youth Group created for our goats, and simply enjoyed how amazing our campus looked (thank you, Plymouth).
July was BUSY! We had amazing youth groups and chaperones who truly worked tirelessly on every task we placed before them with no complaints, including mucking the goat barn! Besides all of the hard work, we played 9-Squre and Left Right Center, enjoyed the No Fun Color Run, bonfires with S’mores, played Ping-Pong, shared many meals, Oreos, and ice cream, and simply enjoyed being with our family.
We had two kids successfully complete our program and move on. We are so proud of them and their accomplishments. We are already hearing back from them about how they are doing and so far, they are doing great! Continue to pray for them as they will both be entering school this month and that can be a difficult transition for our kids.
It should be on your calendar to come visit us on our Open House, we call it Annual Day, on Saturday, September 21st. While you are welcome any time, this is a perfect opportunity to see campus, enjoy some amazing entertainment and eat some of the best food you will ever taste! Come see me!
Thank you for being a part of this ministry! Thank you for ALL you do for the kids, their families, and the staff of Shults-Lewis. We are blessed!
For the kids,
Beth Frump, Director of Development