Laurens-Spartanburg County Chapter

Four page newsletter: Laurens-Spartanburg County Chapter 2007-03

Four page newsletter: Laurens-Spartanburg County Chapter 2007-03

Laurens-Spartanburg County Chapter, 2007-03

2008 Laurens-Spartanburg County Chapter Leaders Elected 11/13/2007

President: Earle Dunham, Joy Lutheran

Vice President: Joann Smith, Joy Lutheran

Records Director: Mary Ann Crout, Joy Lutheran

Financial Director: Carole Oles, Joy Lutheran

Assistant Financial Director: Wanda Meadows, Joy Lutheran

Congregational Service Team Director: Scottie Burkhalter, Joy Lutheran

Communications Director: Byron Honbarger, Joy Lutheran

Community Service Team Director: John Burger, St John's Lutheran

Events Director: Claude Earnhardt, St John’s Lutheran

Youth Director: Teresa Foster, Joy Lutheran

Congratulations to these fine leaders.

2007 Projects and Amounts Provided

1     143 Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper
2     308 Growing God's Mission - SC Synod
3     500 Cash solicitation to purchase DNA test kits
4 1,000 20th Annual Andy Proia Sunrise Civitan Golf Tournament
5     500 Auction for A Cause
6     665 Garage/Yard Sale to Benefit Food Pantry
7 1,600 Red Door Festival (Proceeds to St. Luke's)
8 1,600 Fall Plant Sale
9     829 Sing for SPIHN Women's Choral Concert
10 1,600 Stepping Out for Lutheran Hospice
11 1,000 Charity Auction for Spartanburg Boys Home
12     700 Midway Christmas Party

10,445 Total Dollars Given Back to the Community

Letter regarding the Biloxi Mission Trip/ Pictures on the Web Site

    During the week of 10-21-07 through 10-27-07 Alan Ballou, Kevin Zeman and Jeff Valentine participated in the Thrivent trip to Biloxi, Mississippi to assist with Habitat for Humanity. There were about 150 Lutherans from North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia in all. We stayed at the Salvation Army facility at Yankie Stadium, 575 Division St. The Salvation Army provided the meals and beds, Habitat provided the work sites and Thrivent provided the labor. The volunteers were separated into 8 color coded teams of about 15 – 16 people each and each team was sent to different job sites to work on houses that were at various stages of construction.
    Kevin and I were on the green team and Alan was on the yellow team. Each team worked and ate as a group so they could get to know each other and it also aided in speeding up meal service. On Sunday night we had an orientation and safety training. Then we had devotion and broke up for the night. On Monday morning, each team was given their job assignment and sent to their work sites. Most of the work was cancelled because of rain. There was some inside work and some people were asked to help with electrical work and some cleaning and maintenance around Yankie Stadium. There was also a tornado on Sunday night and some of the teams were split up on Tuesday to help at other volunteer camps to repair storm damage. For most of the teams Tuesday was a regular work day.
    The yellow team worked on floor joists and putting in the floor for two houses and the green team worked on a new home that was just a concrete slab when we arrived. All teams worked hard and a lot was accomplished in a short time. The yellow team had two houses ready to have walls erected and the green team took their house from a slab to being ready to have the plywood put on the roof.
The folks at Thrivent worked extremely hard to make sure that everyone was well fed, supplied and busy for the entire week. There were activities each night, including a Mardi gras night that was catered by a local soul food restaurant and was attended by some of the Habitat partner families.
    When all was said and done I think the week was a tremendous success. Thrivent was able to organize a great trip where there was plenty of work, play and fellowship. I personally got a lot of satisfaction from helping someone to realize the dream of owning their own home and I believe that this was a common theme for all involved. I made some new friends and got to know some long time acquaintances a little better. To me, this trip embodied what the Lord’s work is all about. It was tiring, fun and most of all rewarding for all who participated. I can’t wait until the next time!
        Sincerely,
                                        Jeff Valentine (Holy Communion Lutheran Church)

Dominician Republic - Habitat/Thrivent Build

On August 1, 2007, a team of 8 from South Carolina and Michigan left the United States for the Dominician Republic on a Thrivent Builds. Three members of the Spartanburg-Laurens Chapter were among the eight (Doug McKenzie, Bob Pettis and Rick Sprang).
The team left Miami and landed in Santiago, Dominician Republic. They traveled 2 1/2 hours by bus to the city of Nagua where they stayed for 10 days. Each day they traveled to the village of El Factor to work on the house. The house was a concrete block, hurricane proof home of approximately 500 sq. ft. The diet consisted mainly of rice and chicken along with fresh tropical fruits. The team was overwhelmed by the support of the local community and local Habitat office. A special thanks goes to Thrivent for helping to fund this trip. Because of this trip, Thrivent will donate the cost of one house to Habitat for Humanity - Dominician Republic.

18 Thrivent Builds Awarded in the Southeast Region for 2008!

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans will build 322 Habitat for Humanity houses in ’08, increases commitment by $20 million

ATLANTA (Dec. 3, 2007) – With the addition of $20 million, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans is expanding its four-year commitment to $125 million to help build additional Habitat for Humanity houses nationwide. Called Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity (www.thriventbuilds.com), the alliance between the two nonprofit organizations will build 322 houses in 42 states in 2008. An additional 200 Thrivent Financial volunteer teams will travel to help build homes along the Gulf Coast and overseas next year.
    “Having made the largest four-year commitment in Habitat’s history, Thrivent Financial has created an incredible model for corporate involvement,” said Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. “It has helped us increase the number of U.S. Habitat homes built by nearly 6 percent and added a new dimension for those interested in building homes abroad. It is difficult to express how grateful we are for Thrivent Financial’s incomparable financial support and volunteer efforts of thousands of its members.”
    Thrivent Financial for Lutherans made the largest four-year financial commitment in Habitat for Humanity’s history with the $105 million original pledge in 2005. This was increased in response to the significant interest and involvement by thousands of Thrivent Financial members.
    "The plan from the beginning was to add an additional $20 million if the alliance between our nonprofit organizations proved successful," says Brad Hewitt, senior vice president of Fraternal Operations at Thrivent Financial. "Given the high member interest and our results to date, we're ready to make that additional commitment."
    In 2006 and 2007, the first two years of the alliance, more than 650 families in 46 states and Washington, D.C., achieved the dream of home ownership through Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity. On top of that, more than 130 teams traveled to U.S. locations and abroad to help build hundreds of additional Habitat homes.
    “It makes a difference to Thrivent and to our members that we can help more families with this large step toward economic self-sufficiency,” said Bruce J. Nicholson, chairman, president and CEO of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. “Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity has provided a way for us to positively affect so many people’s lives —both now and in the future. Our members have supported our involvement by volunteering by the thousands. We are all proud of this alliance and the positive impact we can make together in the coming years.”
    The programs of the Thrivent Builds with Habitat alliance are Thrivent Builds Homes and Thrivent Builds Worldwide. Also a product of the alliance, the Thrivent Builds Mobile is a “multimedia exhibit on wheels” that tours the United States advocating for affordable housing and informing visitors about the Thrivent Builds alliance and how they can become involved.

    Laurens-Spartanburg County Chapter is one of 18 Thrivent Builds awarded in the Southeast Region
State                        Chapters
Georgia                 Gwinnett, North Fulton
South Carolina     Aiken, Charleston, Anderson-Pickens, Horry-Marion, Spartanburg-Laurens
North Carolina        Central Blue Ridge, Cabarrus-Stanly, Catawba, Gaston County,
                                Guilford-Rockingham, Cape Fear, Capital, Greater Charlotte, Davidson-Randolph,
                                Southwest Rowan/East Rowan (joint), Yadkin River
Help us build 322 more homes across the U.S. in 2008.

Spartanburg County Thrivent Builds/ Habitat for Humanity Home

                    The chapter will begin the building of the Spartanburg home in early April.
                                        We will need volunteers to help with this project.
           This includes both Thrivent and non-Thrivent members of congregations from our chapter.
                                           This project is open to both men and women.
                                If you like to hammer, saw, paint, etc., we will have a job for you.

Holiday Greetings

                                        from the officers of Laurens-Spartanburg Chapter.
                                                   May you and yours have a wonderful
                                                    Christmas Holiday Season and a
                                                                Happy New Year.

Visit our website www.lutheransonline.com/laurensspartanburgcountychapter

For members, by members.
This newsletter is written for you by volunteer leaders of your local Thrivent Financial for Lutherans chapter, and any views expressed are those of the writer. For questions, comments or to learn more about chapter activities in your area, please contact one of your chapter leaders, who are listed on our Web site at: www.thrivent.com/members. Just click on Information About My Chapter.