Mississippi - Jonestown Family Center for Education and Wellness

Mississippi
Jonestown Ministries
Summer 2009
Sisters of the Holy Names
of Jesus and Mary
Washington Partners in Mission
In the spirit of Blessed Marie-Rose Durocher, Durocher Service
Development Program focuses on serving the educational needs of
the residents of Jonestown, Mississippi and then instilling in those
residents the desire and opportunity to serve in return. The program
works with youth and adults from grade six through college and
beyond. Education is the primary activity including GED,
after-school tutoring, summer school for grades six through eight,
piano lessons, cultural events, sports, gardening, carpentry and
mentoring young men and women grades seven through college.
Community service projects are a specific focus. Past projects
include clearing the track and softball field, resurfacing the tennis and basketball courts, clearing an old building of
junk and trash to create the Spot of Serenity, and currently, the “Hope Brings Change” project of cleaning the streets
of Jonestown.
Durocher Service Program is a sponsored ministry of the Sisters of the Holy Names
of Jesus and Mary. Please make gifts payable to Durocher Service Program.
a place of hope, a place of happiness—where children and adults are
respected and where they can increase their education and health
opportunities. Our mission is to improve the general welfare of people
in Jonestown and the surrounding area through all its programs.
With a staff of 10 and a newly created Board of Directors, our
programs include:
Half day toddler play group
Montessori pre-school
After-school tutoring and enrichment classes, grades 1-5
Girls to Women for ages 8-10
Summer enrichment and sports activities for grades 1-5
Parent education
Jonestown Fitness and Health Club
The Jonestown Family Center follows a Christian philosophy, focusing
on respect for each person as a child of God. All programs strive for
the full development of the human person. We believe that education
must be holistic—mind, body and spirit.
Jonestown Family Center for Education and Wellness is a separately incorporated sponsored ministry of the
Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. Please make gifts payable to the Jonestown Family Center.
Jonestown Family Center
Dear Friends,
The lazy days of summer are anything but lazy here at the Jonestown Family
Center. Our theme this June was “Healthy Food Makes Healthy Children.” We
studied fruits and vegetables, tasting different ones and learning about all the
nutritional benefits of “Five a Day.” Two to five-year-olds came in the morning
and the six to ten-year-olds in the afternoon. They spent two hours learning about
nutrition activities in math, science,
reading, singing, and art,
then went up to the
elementary school gym
to get fit and play games.
Thanks to Coahoma County
Schools, the children received
a healthy bag lunch every day.
We supplemented it with fruit
and veggies—and lots of
water!
First graders with “fruit basket” made in
Ms. Maxine Kinnard’s and Mrs. Mary Stoxstill’s art class.
Child and Teen Sport Camp
N
Above: Soccer practice with
Seattle volunteer Erin Raney.
ot only did we have our usual summer enrichment
program this year, but we added to the schedule Teen
Sport Camp and Children Sport Camp starting right after
school got out in May and going through July. Mr. Greg Neely,
Mrs. Cornelia Neely, Mrs. Lady Jackson, Ms Louretta Ewing are
spearheading these activities with consulting help from graduate
student Cory Adams from Delta State University. Erin Raney also
came down for a week to coach soccer. The campers exercised,
learned basketball, soccer, and football skills.
They also received a healthy snack and even
had time for field trips to the Tunica Pool.
All these healthy activities are thanks to a
Mississippi Department of Health grant
aiming to reduce hypertension and diabetes,
which is epidemic in the Delta.
Left: campers and coaches Greg Neely, Lady
Jackson, Louretta Ewing, and Cory Adams rest
between games. Mrs. Michellda Brenson (Left)
is our program coordinator.
Jonestown Newsletter 2
Spring Fling!
Phoenix Trip
Our wonderful Development Committee consisting of
Ann Harland Webster and Cindy Mitchell from the Board,
as well as Lynn Espy, Emily Broad, Dixie Street, and Shelley
Ricker, organized a night of live jazz, delicious appetizers, and
short presentations about the Family Center during May. The
event was held at Madidi Restaurant in Clarksdale, MS, co-owned
by actor Morgan Freeman and attorney, Bill Luckett. Mr. Luckett
donated the food and the space. The committee donated all the
printing costs. We set up seventy chairs, but I think we had twice
that many people. It was a great evening with lots of people
hearing about the Family Center for the first time.
Our friend Jeanna French invited me (and
two of my sisters) to her 50th birthday
party in Phoenix in April. Not only was it a
great party, but Jeanna asked that her
guests, instead of giving her gifts, would
donate to the Sisters of the Holy Names
ministries in Jonestown.
B
Guests sampling Madidi
appetizers at the Spring Fling.
Thanks, Jeanna!
Mississippi Hope
illed as a down-home bar-b-cue, over 160 people gathered at
Our Lady of Fatima Church in Seattle on June 25 to show
their support for the Jonestown Family Center. A Southern
bar-b-cue, complete with libations, provided a delicious dinner for
our friends. The program included short presentations by Katherine
McAuliffe from Seattle, Akilah Miles from Jonestown, and Sister
Teresa. A short DVD was shown highlighting the SNJM ministries in
Jonestown. We were thrilled with the response, thanks in large part to
our Development Committee. Special gratitude goes to Julia Odland
and her Development Committee: Sister Kathy Beckley, SNJM,
Bruce Carter, Lori Conroy, Denny Duffell, Joan Duffell, Mary Kay Dyckman,
Connie Edwards, Theresa Fujiwara, Lisa Green, Jennifer Odland,
Betty Sanders and Sister Celine Steinberger, SNJM.
Toddlers and Parenting
We had fourteen toddlers in our
group this year. They spent their
two hours playing, singing, learning
about colors and numbers and other
necessary concepts to get them
ready for success in school.
Their brains are so ready to learn
everything at this age. Our monthly
parent-child meetings reinforced
our teaching strategies, showing the
parents and grandparents different
ways to help their children learn.
Left: Kaitlyn Galmore and Roosevelt Pryor
(right) work puzzles.
Jonestown Newsletter 3
Montessori
It was a very busy year for the 28 Montessori
students and their three teachers. Every day was
spent exploring the beautiful environment with
its materials for math, maps, writing, vocabulary,
and reading. Working in the Practical Life area
helped them get focused and to concentrate.
Often when I would come in, they would not
even look up because they were concentrating
on their materials.
Above: Cameron Eagins slides
down the playground pole.
We had five students graduate who will
attend first grade next month. They’re all
ready to become excellent
JaTerrick Campbell, Hanna Espy, Aaliyah Davis, Kaylin Brooks,
students.
and Mishon Jones after the Montessori “graduation” celebration.
Fitness
After School
and Health Club
The children from first through fifth grade
learned problem-solving and anger management
skills through the Second Step program, received
homework help, and had fun with art activities,
singing, storytelling, and P.E. (P.E. was always
the favorite!) They also enjoyed the
healthy snack they got when they first
came into the Family Center. On Fridays
we had “Fun Day”—everything from
going to the nearby park to play on the
equipment set up by St. Bridget’s Youth
Group a few years ago to driving to
Tunica for a swimming trip.
Above: Katie
Coyle sent
new books for
all the children
by way of
her Habitat
volunteer
father,
Owen Coyle.
Fourth graders find the continents.
T
Membership and use are
increasing, especially
during the summer
months when the heat
index rises to 100
degrees! Louretta, our
manager, keeps
everyone active and
healthy! The teens used
the Club in July for
weight training under
the supervision of our
four coaches.
THANKS
here are so many people and groups who help the Family Center! We thank our energetic Board, all of
you who donated to the Spring Fling, Jeanna’s party, and the Mississippi Hope fund-raiser. We also thank
the MS State Department of Health, our friends who donate and send supplies from all over the country,
Coahoma County School Board for the use of the Jonestown gym, and the town of Jonestown for the use of the
multi-purpose building in July. For all of you, we thank you for the support you give to the children and families
of Jonestown,
Gratefully in Christ,
Director, Jonestown Family Center
PO Box 248
401 Main St.
Jonestown, MS 38639
Phone: 662-358-4335, Fax: 662-358-4651
Jonestown Newsletter 4 tshields5145@bellsouth.net
Family Center Needs
School supplies
Khaki pants—all children’s sizes
Navy blue collared t-shirts—no logo
Board games
Personal hygiene supplies
Prizes and gifts for birthdays and celebrations
Durocher Service Development Program
Dear Friends,
With your collaboration via donations, prayers, supportive words, and volunteer service, I am
completing 20 years in Jonestown! Here are a few words and pictures of some of the recent
activities.
Summer School
The Durocher 2009 Summer School ended its successful “run” in late June. Nearly twenty
students in grades six, seven and eight were taught by the most wonderful volunteers over a period of five
weeks. I am particularly proud of the Jonestown volunteers, many of whom participated each day from the
beginning to the final bell.
Above: Jalissa, Marsheena, TaQuita, Ashley, Jalisa, Mattie, Shava and Natasha (all from Jonestown) were the teachers for the first
week. Below: Help for the second and third weeks came in the persons of Laura, Corey, Arielle, Siobhan (Seattle) and Liz (St. Paul)
pictured between Shava and TaQuita.
W
e had a second session with mostly
new volunteers who taught during the
fourth and fifth weeks!
Below: Six from Seattle arrived: Kathleen, Sarah, Meg,
JoJo, Kate and Ms. Clark; five came from Albany:
Meredith, Kathleen, Kierra, Shannon and LanJin; Ms.
Joyce came from Atlanta; Jalissa, Tyeshia, Natasha,
Shava and TaQuita from Jonestown also helped!
Left: Chess
continues to
be an
important part
of our
Summer
School
curriculum!
Tyeshia and
Antowyne
play a very
competitive
match!
Jonestown Newsletter 5
Clutter to Compost
This project is a great one! Lance Burnett, hired by the project owners
(Girls, Now Women) is more than busy chipping limbs and branches into
mulch and compost. Already, many bags of the product have been sold.
Our pickup, newly
purchased with grant
from State Farm.
Lance is shown demonstrating to the crowd
who gathered to celebrate the Clutter to
Compost Event in mid-June. Note the
background! The
chipping site now has
a beautiful mural to
indicate the goal of
this project. The
design and painting
were completed
during the last week
of June thanks to volunteers from Albany,
Jonestown, Atlanta and Seattle. Thanks to volunteers
from Albany, Jonestown, Seattle and Atlanta.
Hope Brings Change
T
rash is collected, flowers are planted and plans are made to continue
this wonderful project. Girls to Women II members, under the
leadership of Carlisha Smith, are generous
and loyal volunteers. Other community participants
are doing their part, too. Putting on one of the bright
orange "Hope Brings Change" shirts, one young man
said, “Yes, I’ll help! I want to give back to the
community!”
After all the posies (marigolds) were set,
we posed.
Music
Our Durocher piano students and
Girls to Women II choir had the
opportunity to perform in front of a
large, appreciative audience, May
1. The setting was
Immaculate
Conception
Catholic Church in
Clarksdale! The
result? Beautiful!
Thank you, Delores
Fields Mason!
Jonestown Newsletter 6
GED
A successful planting!
Almost three-quarters
of the GED students
improved in their skill
levels during the
academic year. Two
passed the difficult GED
test! Several “alums”
are now in college;
several have received
AA certificates.
Alum Mary Horton is now a proud graduate from
Coahoma Community College! Her family is proud, too!
Extraordinary Help
F
or the sixth year running, Seattle’s
St. Bridget Volunteers arrived
in mid-June for another service
learning experience. Their tasks this
year included installing additional
playground equipment (purchased by
Jonestown’s Project Healthy Kids),
adding fences to the softball field, etc.
All of these projects help provide
needed recreational opportunities for
the community and a valuable cultural
education to the volunteers .
Girls, Now Women
Members of Girls, Now Women are very involved doing service in the
Jonestown community. In addition to administering their project, Clutter
to Compost, they mentor the younger girls, they help teach Summer School
and they chaperone field trips.
Seventh and eighth grade members of
Girls to Women II, learning to give
service, took siblings to the playground
in Clarksdale, then to enjoy lunch.
Thanks to each one who cares so much about our SNJM mission in Jonestown. This work is surely in God’s
hands. I feel grateful to be here and able to participate with the residents, young and not so young, who are
successfully serving one another in bettering the community.
God bless,
Kay Burton, SNJM
P.O. Box 628
164 Second St.
Jonestown, Mississippi 38639
Phone: 662-358-4674
Fax: 662-358-4785
E-mail: burtonkay@bellsouth.net
Jonestown Newsletter 7
Durocher Service Needs
Personal products for high school students
Air conditioner for the Resource Center
Piano scholarships
Dictionaries for GED students
Funding for volunteer projects
Giving Opportunities
SNJMs serve in the Names of Jesus and Mary. Our ministries educate and empower people, especially those
most in need. We have been doing this work since our founding in Quebec in 1843 and in Jonestown since 1984.
We are dedicated to the full development of the human person through education, social justice, contemplation,
and the arts. You join us in that vision every time you support us with your time, talents and resources.
We want to thank you and are grateful for all the ways you have supported the Mississippi Ministries now
and in the future. Although both Durocher Service Program and Jonestown Family Center for Education and
Wellness are sponsored by the Sisters of the Holy Names, they are each a separate ministry in their own right. In
the past year, Jonestown Family Center became a separately incorporated ministry. We want to encourage you to
continue to support the ministry of your choice in Jonestown, but we also want to clarify this distinction and be
sure that your gift goes to your chosen ministry. Please be aware that you can also split your gift between the two
ministries. Please write separate checks if you wish to split your gift.
Please make checks payable to either Durocher Service Program or Jonestown Family Center.
If you would like to split your gift, please write separate checks.
All gifts are tax deductible.
Monthly Gift
Annual Gift
Memorial
Tribute
Matching Gift
Bequest
For more information about leaving a legacy gift in your will for either program, please
contact Sr. Celine Steinberger, Director of Development at 509-328-7470 ext. 126
or email her at csteinberger@snjmwa.org.
Girls to Women program,
Durocher Service Program.
Fun at After School program,
Jonestown Family Center.