Look at this incredible video made for CWE365 by Storytime Productions! Here's a great look at our annual Beaver Lake service project. Don't forget to get involved next September in this fantastic opportunity.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Rogers Ozone Lends a Hand with Miracle League
The following was written by Rogers Ozone Director Cass Trumbo.
One of the attractive aspects of Ozone is the community service component. While some students attend club for the silly games or to see their camp counselors, parents often endorse our program because we generate projects and hours of service that fulfill student’s requirements elsewhere.
However, as a participant as well as a director in Rogers, I believe the best part of Ozone’s community service is the character building.
On fall Saturday mornings, Miracle League hosts games in a park in southern Springdale. The fields have been built in miniature on a foundation of rubber to create spaces that look more like playgrounds than ballparks. It’s built just so because the players are all handicapped. Either physically or mentally challenged, the players come to the park to play ball on a equal field.
Over three games that morning, our students were paired with a buddy and together they hit balls, ran bases and fielded flies. But baseball is a slow game and those pieces of action were only a small portion of each buddy’s game. The real work – the unadvertised and at times overlooked work – was relationship building.
Most of the students in the Ozone program have been campers at Camp War Eagle. Often that’s what leads them to Ozone. As long-time campers, or even long-time club attendees, our students have been exposed to the kind of top-notch counseling and mentoring that makes CWE great. Our counselors strive to make each camper feel special. With Miracle League, our students found a chance to practice this for themselves.
Through the course of the morning, students played baseball on their knees or pushed wheelchairs, chased rogue players or simply sat against the fence with their buddy. They did their best to make those players feel special. At the end of the morning, our Miracle League liaison was full of praise for our students, who did what adult volunteers seldom do: they made their service about the kids.
Check out some pictures from our time with the Miracle League!
The following was written by Rogers Ozone Director Cass Trumbo.
However, as a participant as well as a director in Rogers, I believe the best part of Ozone’s community service is the character building.
On fall Saturday mornings, Miracle League hosts games in a park in southern Springdale. The fields have been built in miniature on a foundation of rubber to create spaces that look more like playgrounds than ballparks. It’s built just so because the players are all handicapped. Either physically or mentally challenged, the players come to the park to play ball on a equal field.
Over three games that morning, our students were paired with a buddy and together they hit balls, ran bases and fielded flies. But baseball is a slow game and those pieces of action were only a small portion of each buddy’s game. The real work – the unadvertised and at times overlooked work – was relationship building.
Most of the students in the Ozone program have been campers at Camp War Eagle. Often that’s what leads them to Ozone. As long-time campers, or even long-time club attendees, our students have been exposed to the kind of top-notch counseling and mentoring that makes CWE great. Our counselors strive to make each camper feel special. With Miracle League, our students found a chance to practice this for themselves.
Through the course of the morning, students played baseball on their knees or pushed wheelchairs, chased rogue players or simply sat against the fence with their buddy. They did their best to make those players feel special. At the end of the morning, our Miracle League liaison was full of praise for our students, who did what adult volunteers seldom do: they made their service about the kids.
Check out some pictures from our time with the Miracle League!
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Beaver Lake Clean Up 2012
Every year the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Benton County Solid Waste District partner together to clean the shores of our beloved Beaver Lake. As an organization that enjoys these warm waters throughout the summer, CWE365 dedicates a Saturday morning each year to work alongside these organizations and pick up trash around the lake.
With registration beginning over a month in advance, numerous families were quick to sign up for the opportunity on September 29th to serve the community in this way. Upwards of 120 Ozone students and family members from Bentonville and Rogers cleaned up around the old Monte Ne Hotel. After loading the trailer with trash of all shapes and sizes, they relocated and did the same at the Highway 12 Bridge. With so many volunteers helping out, we are proud to say that those areas were picked clean of trash.
The southern cities had similar results at their locations. With over 90 volunteers from both Fayetteville and Springdale Ozone, they collected a full trailer’s worth of trash at Blue Springs Park and the Old Bridge off Highway 12. After cleaning for a couple of hours, all four Ozone chapters met at the Prairie Creek Pavilion, where the Corps of Engineers served an appreciation lunch for all volunteers. Some of the Rogers and Bentonville students brought camp to Beaver Lake Cleanup by doing a chow hall cheer favorite, the Beaver Call. Although there were some confused and strange looks from onlookers, the students really enjoyed sharing lunch together and spending time with other campers. After a big group picture the cities parted ways with each camper having completed 3 hours of community service which will help them get accepted into CWE summer camp 2013.
As an event we look forward to each year, it was exciting to see the turnout of students who had the desire to help clean their community. It is a blessing to be able to love God through loving his people and caring for the beautiful environment surrounding us here in Northwest Arkansas..
With registration beginning over a month in advance, numerous families were quick to sign up for the opportunity on September 29th to serve the community in this way. Upwards of 120 Ozone students and family members from Bentonville and Rogers cleaned up around the old Monte Ne Hotel. After loading the trailer with trash of all shapes and sizes, they relocated and did the same at the Highway 12 Bridge. With so many volunteers helping out, we are proud to say that those areas were picked clean of trash.
The southern cities had similar results at their locations. With over 90 volunteers from both Fayetteville and Springdale Ozone, they collected a full trailer’s worth of trash at Blue Springs Park and the Old Bridge off Highway 12. After cleaning for a couple of hours, all four Ozone chapters met at the Prairie Creek Pavilion, where the Corps of Engineers served an appreciation lunch for all volunteers. Some of the Rogers and Bentonville students brought camp to Beaver Lake Cleanup by doing a chow hall cheer favorite, the Beaver Call. Although there were some confused and strange looks from onlookers, the students really enjoyed sharing lunch together and spending time with other campers. After a big group picture the cities parted ways with each camper having completed 3 hours of community service which will help them get accepted into CWE summer camp 2013.
As an event we look forward to each year, it was exciting to see the turnout of students who had the desire to help clean their community. It is a blessing to be able to love God through loving his people and caring for the beautiful environment surrounding us here in Northwest Arkansas..
If you’d like to see more pictures from the event, visit our CWE365 Facebook Page!
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