From the Director’s Desk This month is the month that we celebrate love. The 14th of the month is the day that we call Valentine’s Day. On that day we will spend millions of dollars on cards, flowers, candy, dining out, and many other things to show that special someone how much they mean to us. This is all fine and good, but when we think of love we really need to keep our focus on the one who loved us more than anyone could ever love us and that one is Jesus Christ. There are many kinds of love. The love that a man and a woman have one for another. When a young man sees that special girl the butterflies start to tickle their belly and their mind turns to mush. Then as time goes on those butterflies turn into something and a date is set and they get married. Out of that love comes children and before you know it there are grand children. All from just a little feeling called love. There is the love that one person has for another person, because they are friends. When we are in grade school and sometimes earlier, we find a person that we call our best friend. That friend is there for us through the good and the bad the happy and the sad. The relationship with that friend is like one has for a brother. We tell our best friend things that we would tell no one else in the world. They say that if a person can count their good friends on one hand they are fortunate. Then there is the love that God has for everyone. This love is best described in John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. One day God searched all through heaven to find a sacrifice to show how much He loved man kind. He looked to all the glories and beauty of heaven and could not find anything that would show that kind of love. He then looked at His Son and found what would show His love. He sent His only Son to die for the sins of the entire universe. That was and is still the greatest love that anyone has ever shown. As a matter of fact that love is still available for anyone and everyone to accept today. If you have never experienced the love of God, He loves you more then anyone ever will and that love is there for anyone and everyone. Jesus Loved us enough to come to this earth, live a perfect life, be crucified, die, and raise again. He loves us more then any brother or earthly friend could ever love us and is always there with us. If we want to be a friend we must show ourselves friendly, but there is one who loves us more then any friend Proverbs 18:24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. This month, lets show the kind of love God has for us to others!
Because of your investment Here is what we were able to do in December Meals – 2,547 Total for month per day (3 meals per day) Beds – 42 per night (Men, Women, & Children) Food Boxes – 304 *We appreciate all of our faithful volunteers Last month they put in over 350 hours of time
2024 in Review -The clothing days have been very well attended, there is no way to number how many people have come to our 2 monthly clothing days and the number of residents that have benefited from our clothing ministry. All the clothing that have been donated through out the years, helps with these clothing days. -In the Summer we had our Summer concert. We did it a bit differently this year. We had a concert on the grounds and had vendors participate. We had 2 praise bands come and play. For the first year I feel like it was a success, it brought in right around $3,000.00. We are looking forward to doing it again this Summer. -In the fall we had a very successful Hog Roast. We served over 400 meals and the donations were up from last year for this event. -In November we set a goal of $80,000.00 for our Harvest Time Share-A-Thon. Again we took a different approach to this. We had a company prepare and send out a nice mailing with a way to return a donation. Share-A-Thon was a great success, there was $113,575.00 that came in. We are still excited about what God did! -In December we did another mailing and over $10,000.00 came in for Christmas. We were able to give away 140 toys for Christmas and 147 Christmas bags.
Following are the stats for the year 2024: Total individuals per night staying – 16,692 that is an average of 46 people per night. Total meals served – 30,131. Total food boxes given out – 3,026 that is 252 boxes per month. Total volunteer hours were well over 3,000 for the year.
MEMORIALS In Memory of/Donor Name Ellen Basham Iona Boone Joyce Bogard Jim & Barbara Lenz Crystal Boone Iona Boone Gary Boone Iona Boone Jimmy Carter Raymond Pheiffer Joe Devlin Alan & Nancy Martin Pat Devlin Alan & Nancy Martin Susie Devlin Alan & Nancy Martin Tag Devlin Alan & Nancy Martin Duane D.J Swinger Della Foster Ron Cottom Della Jean Foster Diane Bonner Raymond Pheiffer Jeannie Foster Dorothy Appell Raymond “Pete” Graves Rick & Pat Varnold Dr. Jeffrey Hill Christine Hill Gayla Holmes Dorothy Appell Sally Hutchcroft Allan & Nancy Martin Charly Johnson Pudd Nelson Mable Johnson Pudd Nelson Agnes Kimbell William Richardson Evelyn Campbell Gwen Carr David & Rebecca Christensen Jo Ella Courter Kenneth & Debra Davis Gary & Nancy Ebersole David & Jan Farber David & Connie Flack Chuck & Sally Goff Michael & Kathy Hippler Dorothy James Lee & Joyce Johnson Terry & Pam Johnson Kathy Kennelly Linda King Suzanne Klohn Jim & Barbara Lenz Elisabeth Lindstrom Marilyn Looney Steve Main Sharon Mathews Kenneth & Rhonda McCracken Don & Carolyn Moffitt Barbara Olson Douglas Peterson Phil & Dana Price Dennis & Janet Riccio Dave & Kay Scholl Mariana Schrader John & Vicki Sibley Lane & Jacklyn Sunderland Patrick & Vicki Trant Rick & Sue Welty Dolores Westergren Mary Kay Wilson Brenda Witherell Dale & Mary Carlson Anonymous Danny & Linda Corzette Ron Cottom James & Deborah Goodrich Terry & Joyce Jackson Gerald & Karen Kleine Diane Wilcoxen Bill & Jenny Tarrant David & Teresa Baxter Anton & Barbara Greicius Larry & Constance Hatch Michael Robson Raymond & Edith Shawgo Roger & Gay Scott Dick & Jan Swanson Terry Hudson Catherine Olson RiverTree School Bob Linstrom Rick & Sue Welty Fred Madvig Raymond Pheiffer Jimmy Nelson Raymond Pheiffer Alice “Dizzy” Parker Rick & Pat Varnold John Rask Dean Nelson Maxine Rommel Angela Rommel Richard Rommel Angela Rommel Mary Herring Ruddy Jane Moore Bruce Smith Dean Nelson Jackie Welsham Paul & Jean Mileham Maggie Willing Anonymous Donald Swedlund Jeffery & Diane Fox Daryl Johnson Howard L. Johnson Martin & Melissa O’Connor O’Connor Family William & Karen Robinson Steven & Janice Swedlund Craig & Rita Curry Jim & Linda Carley Kay Barlow Nancy Gohlinghorst Brian & Jennifer Robinson Michael Robson Mindy Line Sharon Tebbe Jane Carr Steve Tolley Martin & Melissa O’Connor Bud Webster Marge Webster Fran Webster Marge Webster
HONORARIUM In Honor of Donor Name Kathy Abbott (Christmas) Estelle Higdon Lovann Kramer (Birthday) Pudd Nelson Cathy Nelson (Birthday) Pudd Nelson John Nelson (Birthday) Pudd Nelson Lennon Nelson (Birthday) Pudd Nelson
Women’s Pregnancy Center February is the month of love and the greatest love is Jesus Instead of flowers and candy for Valentine’s Day, give someone a gift of unconditional love, Jesus. During that dinner why not read Scripture or have devotional with the one you love. We see so many hurting women that come through our doors. Yes, pregnancy is their concern, but they have a hole in their hearts. They try to fill this hole with worldly things and emotions. Praise God that these women are able to come through our doors as such a vulnerable time. We offer them nonjudgmental love and compassion and we pray that the seeds of Jesus we share help them find a way to fill their hearts. True unconditional love of God can be seen in the eyes of an innocent baby. “Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth” 1 John 3:18. Thank you to our generous donors and volunteers for their financial contributions as well as their time. This is showing love indeed and truth. God Bless