Through the Care Abounds in Communities™ chapter Care program, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans provides funding for members participating in community service teams. These teams are formed to conduct fund-raising activities (including appeals/collections) and/or hands-on service activities. Activity requests for funding are directed to the chapter leadership board.

A community service team is a group of at least six Thrivent Financial for Lutherans members (benefit, associate and/or youth members), each from a different household, who come together to conduct a chapter fund-raising activity (including appeals/collections) or hands-on service activity. Activities can benefit an individual, a family, a local community or an organization that is exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. (This includes charitable, educational and religious organizations, excluding congregations.)

Community service teams request activity and funding approval from their chapter leadership board through the Care Abounds in Communities™ or Care in Regions™ program. To qualify for funding, the six-member household requirement must be met. After this requirement is met, nonmembers may and are encouraged to participate in the activity.

Each chapter leadership board is comprised of five required elected positions. In addition, five optional elected positions and a number of appointed advisory positions are available.  Your chapter leadership board is elected by the chapter members.  All current leader terms expire December 31, 2004.
All elected leadership board members have equal voting rights—the advisors do not vote in chapter leadership board matters. The chapter leadership board is responsible for allocating dollars to community service teams through the Care Abounds in Communities™ program.

Your Chapter Leadership Board for 2004 is:
President                                                Vice President                           Records Director
Ken Sosnowski                                       Vacant                                      Gail Burnside
(262) 242-3350                                                                                        gburnside@wi.rr.com
kens@baron-snow.com

Congregational Service Team Dir.         Financial Director                       Communications Director
Ginny Seefeld                                         Paulette Healey                         Michelle Buss
ginnyseefeld@hotmail.comp                  phealey308@aol.com                mbuss1@wi.rr.com

Community Service Team Director         Events Director                         Asst. Financial Director
Mary Jo Nohl                                           Neil Traxel                               Annetta Teske
maryjo.nohl@cuw.edu                            runningdog@prodigy.net           aj.teske@att.net

Asst. Records Director                           Youth Director
Ann Ganyo                                             Karl Roeske
Anng1115@aol.com                              youth@fils.org

All members are invited to attend the monthly Ozaukee County Chapter meetings during the first week of each month.  The meetings are held at Concordia University Wisconsin, 12800 N. Lake Shore Drive, Mequon, WI.  Please contact us or one of your congregational coordinators if you are interested in attending and we can give you more details!

Did you know that Thrivent Financial for Lutherans has a program called Care in Congregations™ where funding is provided to Thrivent Financial members to conduct fund-raising and/or hands-on service activities to benefit your congregation or its related Lutheran institutions? In fact, Thrivent Financial members are encouraged to use the funds to help the congregation in its ministry to the community.

If you see a need in your congregation that could be helped through this funding, please contact a Thrivent Financial congregational coordinator in your congregation. If you don't know who your three congregational coordinators are, please contact a member of our chapter leadership board as noted in this newsletter, and he/she will help you get in touch with a coordinator.

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans is a caring organization like no other. One way Thrivent Financial shows its concern for members and their families is by offering a wide variety of benefits designed to enhance their quality of life.

As a member, you may order complimentary books, videos and CDs—valuable resources on personal finance, healthy living, caring for others, as well as help to support you in your faith. You'll also find other helpful products and services offered at significantly discounted prices.

These value-added member benefits distinguish Thrivent Financial from other financial services organizations.

Members can view and order benefits from Thrivent Financial's Web site at www.thrivent.com/fraternal/benefits, or order by calling 1-800-372-8236.

Due to this success, the Ozaukee County Chapter has been given $52,780 for community service teams in the county in 2004.  Community service team requests will be evaluated by the Chapter based on the following criteria:
• Level of Need/Compassion
• Number of Volunteers/Volunteer Hours
• Level of Exposure for Thrivent
• Impact to Lutheran Community
• Impact to Ozaukee County
• Uniqueness of Project/Service
• Level/Adequacy of Request Lead Time
• Number of Prior Requests