Feeling grown up...

Some days/weeks at BigHouse, I feel a little more "grown up" than others. This week has been one of those weeks! We started the week with a board meeting, and then had a meeting yesterday with the group hosting a golf tournament for us. This morning, I met with an AU Social Work Professor because we are blessed to have a practicum student with us this summer. For those of you who may not know what a practicum student is/does, it's a student preparing to start their social work classes who gets field experience by spending 90 hrs working with a community organization. This is our first time to have a practicum student, so we are learning about the program as we go!

This morning, I felt very "growny" while reporting on this student's performance (which has been great!) and what things she has been able to do so far while at BigHouse. This was our mid-term report and I will also evaluate her experience at the end of the summer semester. It has really helped me think about what kind of opportunities and experiences we can expose our volunteers to while they help at BigHouse. They are learning and growing right along side us and thankfully, they don't expect us to have all the answers yet. We will also have a practicum student to help this fall! I am excited!

Here is a little introduction to our summer practicum student!

Elana Greenwood

Rising Junior in Social Work at Auburn.

"I lean not on my own understanding,
my life is in the hands of the maker of heaven."

Sometimes I feel a little bit like the blind leading the blind at BigHouse. I am 2 years out of college trying to tell college juniors and seniors all I "know" about running a non-profit and helping kids in foster care. Needless to say, I don't know "a lot"... but I do know who has the answers, the plan, and the means to make our dreams for BigHouse a reality. Please join me in praying that God will continue to guide our steps and help us feel more equipped to do the job at hand!

Golf Tournament!

BigHouse is excited and honored to be the recipient of the Auburn Links Men's Golf Association Charity Classic on August 6th! This is our first time to be a part of a golf tournament and we truly appreciate the time and effort these men are putting in to raise money for us. And from what we hear, it's gonna be a GOOD time!

There are several ways YOU can support the ALMGA's Charity Classic and BigHouse!

Become a Sponsor!

-Event Co-Sponsor- $500- includes 2 player's entries, 2 rounds of golf at Auburn Links, flag stick and signage

-Flag Stick Sponsor- $175- includes 2 rounds of golf at Auburn Links, flag stick and signage

-Tee Sponsor- $100- includes 2 rounds of golf at Auburn Links, signage

Play in the Tournament!

-8:30 shotgun start, two person scramble, lunch and prizes provided

-One Player Entry- $75

-Team(2 players) Entry- $150

To register as a Player or Sponsor- go to the Auburn Links Website OR call (334)887-5151 or email John at jkarabpga@msn.com

Please come out and play with us on August 6th!! We look forward to seeing you there!

-m

What's new at BigHouse!

Here is the latest news at BigHouse...

We have completed the BigHouse 2011 Swimsuit and Towel Drive! We raised over $10,000 in monetary donations + thousands of swimsuits and towels and were able to give every child an embroidered towel and swimsuit, and every teen an embroidered towel! We estimated it would cost about $25 per child for a new swimsuit, towel, and embroidery so an estimated value of our entire collection is about $85,000!!! WOW! Thank you to EVERYONE who donated, embroidered, or volunteered to help pack up the suits and towels! We have received wonderful feedback from foster parents and social workers across the state...

"Thank you all for the beautiful towels and swimtrunks!!!!! All four boys loved them,they feel very special to know that a complete stranger thought so much of them to get them something special. May you be blessed in every way possible!!!! Not many people relize how something so small means so much to these little guys!!!!! We are beach bound in the a.m. So you can only imagine what was first to be packed.LOL."

-Foster mom in Chilton County

"We, too, got our towels and suits today! All 4 of 'my babies' were THRILLED! They put them on right away and even took their naps STILL wearing them and used the towel as their covers. Took the towels to bed with them tonight too!! They kept saying, "Is that 'my' name on there? Show me where it says my name." I assured them that it WAS their name! :) So Thank-You, Thank You to EVERYone involved. They were definitely a 'hit' at "Our Big House". :) Now we gotta go swimming!! :)"

- Foster mom in Shelby County

‎"What a beautiful gift you sent for our little girl! She is autistic and carries her new suit and towel every where with her to show people. "Look, look!" is a phrase I hear from her all day. She repeatedly traces her name on the towel with her fingers and says her name. I wish you could see her twirling, trying to get the ruffles on her suit to sway.You couldn't have blessed her more and in doing so, you have blessed me. Thank you so much! "

- Foster mom in Calhoun County

"The children were so excited to have a towel with their name monogrammed. For many of them, these towels are the only thing that they have ever had which was personalized just for them. Even the older teenagers wanted me to let you know how much your gift meant to them."

- Dallas County Service Supervisor

And here are a few pics from the drive.

We also just finished an awesome week of kid's camp at BigHouse! We were blessed to have Danna Coffey, a preschool teacher from Atlanta who loves science, prepare an awesome week of experiments for our kids! We also had some fun afternoon adventures to Storybook Farms, mini-golf, and swimming! Here are some pics from our fantastic week!

We have also been incredibly BLESSED with some terrific interns this summer! It is so clear to me God knew exactly what we needed when He directed these wonderful girls paths to BigHouse. They are such awesome young women with big plans to make life better for those in their community! We are loving having their energy, ideas, and brains helping at BigHouse this summer. Here's a little bit about them... (i totally jacked their fb info without asking...)

Gina Henderson

I'm 23.
I go to Auburn University; I'm a Social Work major.
I pretty much love my life; it rocks.

"Let patience have her perfect work that ye may be perfect and entire wanting nothing" - James 1:4

Erin Hutchins

Grad. Student at Auburn in Business Administration, non-profit management

I am rare, precious, trustworthy, kind, disciplined, energetic, diligent, compassionate, generous, industrious, influential, poised, wise, distinguished..I am a Proverbs 31 woman

Shealy White

Senior at Furman University in Human Services and Faith- Poverty Studies

"shed a little sunshine in the heart of one, that one is cheered to pass it on,

and so My vitalizing joy-giving message goes..."

We have many things on the horizon at BigHouse... I am going to make a conscious effort to keep the blog up to date! Please also check out our website for more info about BigHouse!

www.ourbighouse.org

-m