Managers Meeting, Staff, and Pre-Trip Packs

There is so much going on at the CHWC Office these days. We had the second managers meeting last week. We had the remaining 25 managers from all over the country come to sunny Orlando for the weekend. Johannin our new musicians from Portland played music for the event. The meeting was very successful.Also going on this week we are picking the 2010 CHWC Staff. Applications were due on 2/1 and the staff will be picked by the 15th. We had over 145 applications for about 75 positions. There are so many qualified people, it is a rather difficult process. The picture below is a snapshot of the process of picking the staff.

If that wasn't enough, the pre-trip packets are going out to all of the groups registered for camp also this week. Over 400 packets and 10,500 pre-trip planning books. Wanna see what 11,000 pre-trip planning books look like.

Support for Haiti

Our prayers go out to the millions of people effected by last weeks earthquake in Haiti. There are many ways that we as Catholics can help. One good organization to donate to is Catholic Relief Services. Catholic Relief Services is the international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Founded in 1943 by the U.S. bishops, the agency provides assistance to 80 million people in more than 100 countries. Their website is http://crs.orgThe American Red Cross is a humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education. They are providing invaluable assistance to Haiti. http://www.redcross.org The easiest way to donate is to text the word "Haiti" on your cell phone to the number 90999, which automatically adds a $10 pledge to your phone bill. This money goes to the Red Cross. So far over 22 million dollars has been raised via text.Locally here in Orlando the company we purchase our T-Shirts from, Uth Stuph, is preparing to take supplies directly to Haiti. They are in need of tarps, cords, blankets, inexpensive tents, medical supplies (triage, operation, gauze, Neosporin, bandages, stuff for casting) powder Enfamil, liquid Enfamil, diapers-all sizes, bottoms and baby items for Our Hands and Feet and other orphanages Send them to the Stuph Clothing office as soon as possible. (6790 Edgewater Commerce Parkway Orlando, FL 32810). They are preparing 4 planes to make a drop next week. The project that Stuph is involved with is Change this World. http://www.changethisworld.com

CHWC Managers Meeting 2010

Every year the managers of Catholic HEART Workcamp come to Orlando for a weekend of fun, fellowship and learning. The first meeting was last weekend. Here is a picture from that meeting.
The managers are some of the hardest workers in the CHWC family and without them our camps would not be possible. We really do appreciate all they do for the camp.

CHWC Donations

As many of you may know the proceeds of our Love 140 shirt went to help the children of Peidras Negras, Mexico. We sent a check for $7000 to Sr. Ursula, a nun who lives in Eagle Pass, TX and helps support various orphanages across the border in Mexico. Some of that money went to help give these children a very special Christmas. Below are photos of Steve and Rochelle and some of the gifts that were given to these children.

Did you know CHWC is on YouTube?

Yes, that is correct we have are very own YouTube Channel with all kinds of videos from our camps in the summer and other videos to help you prepare for camp.

http://www.youtube.com/CatholicHEARTWC

Here is one of the videos on the channel.

CHWC FUNDRAISING IDEAS

We are constantly asked if we have any fundraising ideas, so we asked a bunch of youth ministers what they did to raise money for CHWC this list is a compilation of some of the best ones. If you have any fundraising ideas email us at catholichrtcamp@msn.com

Flamingo Sale…Your youth can sell pink flamingo yard ornaments. People in the parish pay for a flamingo (or 100) to be put in someone’s yard. The group would then one night drive to the homes and “deliver” the flamingos. The group can also sell “flamingo insurance” for the homeowners that don’t want any in their yard. Joe Welch, Oklahoma City, OK

Make a map that shows the distance from our church to Workcamp. Parishioners can buy a mile to help you get closer to your goal of getting there. Make a cross or a hammer cutout and put their family name on it. Could say something like: The ________family supports St. Joseph Youth. Rene Platten, Memphis, TN

At CHWC we have Taco Tuesdays…TACO TUESDAYS NIGHT…Invite the parish for a free taco dinner (have someone sponsor the food). Have the teens give witness talks and show pictures and videos of their work at CHWC. You can then ask the people to write checks and leave them in the paint cans on the tables. The pictures and stories will touch people’s hearts! Maggie McGowan, Lakeland, FL

“Change for Change” Have your teens talk at mass about what they will do at CHWC. Ask the parishioners to donate their spare “change” (bills and checks) to help us make a change in the world. Have your teens stand outside of mass with paint buckets for the people to put their money in. Michelle Murphy, Sanford, FL

Pancake Sausage Breakfast…Ask all the teens going to camp to donate a specific food item for the breakfast, that way you will have no cost and everything you make is pure profit. They are “All You Can Eat” breakfasts and all you ask is a free will donation. Mickey Nickrent, Mahomet, IL

Sell wreaths, garland, etc. for Christmas. Get merchandise from www.sherwoodforestfarms.com. There is no money due until a couple of weeks after after delivery of merchandise, which is nice. Mickey Nickrent, Mahomet, IL

Homemade Pizzas…order all supplies from Sam’s. Make them available for pick-up Superbowl weekend. This makes very good money. Mickey Nickrent, Mahomet, IL

Take Stock in our Youth…Make a flyer that will say…Our youth will be participating in Catholic HEART Workcamp (explain what CHWC is). Add what the total cost of the trip will be. Our Teens are selling “STOCK” in themselves to raise money for this service trip. A donation of $10.00 or more entitles the donor to a piece of this experience. The donor will be invited to attend the Saturday evening mass before the trip, with a cookie and punch reception following to meet the people they have invested their money in. They will be sent a “dividend statement” from the camp updating them on the work being completed. And finally, invite them to another cookie and punch event to view pictures of the week and hear stories of the participant’s adventures and how their experiences enhanced their faith. To purchase stock ask them to mail their contribution to (put name of contact and address where to send.) Maureen Ragsdale, St. Louis, MO

Super Bingo...We pre-sell tickets...$25 per person...$1,000 jackpot...20 regular games with specials and other "rip-off" games of chance. We start with a plate lunch that the kids serve and we really make money when people buy extra cards and specials. The last few years we have averaged $4,500-$5,000 for one afternoon of work. We have found that the Saturday between the last NFL playoff game and before the Super Bowl weekend is ideal to catch all of the Bingo Aficionados...male and female...also we advertise the Bingo at the local area bingos several weeks before the event...the diehard bingo players...not necessarily our parishioners are the ones who support these Bingos. They like the lunch and helping the kids too! Mary Blythe, North Huntingdon, PA

Murder Mystery Dinner Theater...The kids in the youth group do a dinner theater play...we serve a dinner and give away a few door prizes. We love it because the kids have a ball putting the play together...it doesn't require a lot of extra practices or scenery etc. The audience likes getting dinner and guessing "who dun it". Mary Blythe, North Huntingdon, PA

We sell Advent Supplies (Calendars, Candle sets, Wreaths, Religious Cards etc.) after Masses for two weekends before Advent begins...the Parishioners are grateful to get their Advent sacramentals and we make about $1,500 for very little work. Mary Blythe, North Huntingdon, PA

"Cross Ornaments"...We make crosses out of construction paper...attach a small envelope (coin size) to the envelope and on it write..."You're invited to..." then inside the envelope we ask the people to pray for our youth who are going to NCYC OR CHWC etc. so that they will grow spiritually...then we also invite them to share the monetary burden if they choose by returning the envelope through the collection basket with any donation they care to make. People put in $5 - $500. We hang the cross ornaments on a Christmas tree in the back of church for a couple of weeks about 2 months before the designated event. Mary Blythe, North Huntingdon, PA

We do Hoagie sales after all Masses one weekend every 3 months. Mary Blythe, North Huntingdon, PA

We host a 32 team 5th and 6th grade girls and boys basketball tournament. We have $4,000 in the bank from entry fees before the tournament even starts. With admission fees and concessions, we will make around $8,000! A lot of work over two weekends (we only play Friday night and Saturday) but great rewards…AND we use it as an opportunity to show everyone what we are doing at CHWC with a video playing the entire time. Randy Alderman, Greenville, IL

Websites for additional ideas http://www.catgear.com/ http://totallycatholicfundraising.com/ http://www.crownofthornsprints.com/

CHWC 2010 Theme

When we choose to follow Christ and respond to the call of service

to others …. We choose a Life with a new Rhythm! The world

invites us to rush through life, to keep going, to get ahead and

achieve for ourselves. Yes, we should achieve, but this is the

beat of the world. God invites us to be a part of His rhythm,

to walk at His pace, to stop and look at the world around us

and to be a part of a Cadence of change!

Sure we can have high goals, but within the motion of life

we must look at the needs in our world where suffering,

loneliness, hunger, poverty, and injustice are real! God has

been calling an army of young people to serve through

Catholic Heart Workcamp. When we come together as the

body of Christ we are in harmony with one another and

with our God who calls us to choose a life with a new rhythm!