Hands For Change 2007

On August 27, Club 11 went to Nokomis Child Care Center.

Nokomis Child Care Center is a non-profit daycare organization provided for low income families that have children ages infant to 8 years old.  This organization gives children better opportunities to learn and grow in a friendly environment.
At Nokomis, we played with children of all ages.  Whether it was playing with legos or picking apples out on the playground, we learned from the kids we were with.  We also got to play outside, go on walks, read books and play on the slides.
We made a positive impact in the kids' lives.  As one of the clubbies said, "I became a male figure for these boys who rarely have male influences in their lives." 
Children can be our best teachers.  They teach us the simple things we forget.
If you allow them, children can teach you all you need to know.  We realized it doesn't matter what your major is, each person has a way they can contribute to Nokomis.

Spanish - helping Spanish speaking families, teaching beginning Spanish
Accounting - budgets, bookkeeping, fundraising
Music - teaching songs, performing
Political Science - work for government funding
Nursing - caring for minor illness
Pre-med - healthcare at lower cost
Theater - entertainment
Communication/Speech Pathology - help kids with speech problems
Pre-dentistry - low cost dental care
Apparel & Design - advertising and fundraising
Religion - teach about God

We all come from different backgrounds and are heading to different futures, but we all found ourselves together at Nokomis.

 
Students' reflections on their service project at Nokomis Child Care Center through metaphors...
Building Lego towers was like building a foundation of service to apply the rest of my life.
 Reading to kids is like filling a treasure chest.  You are putting wonderful, new ideas into an open mind.
Children are like seeds; they must be nurtured and watched to procure a strong, healthy, and beautiful plant.

 

This page was created based on the words and experiences of Club 11 at Concordia College -- Kristi Aschenbrenner, Katherine Berg, Chelsea Brady, Taryn Brown, Kaitlin Cochrane, Lynlee Espeseth, Katherine Goetzinger, Jaime Goodwin, Anissa Hanson, Anna Haugo, Robyn Heppelmann, Sara Holmgren, Steven Johnson, Brittany Jossart, Seth Klostreich, Jamie Merten, Kara Nelson, Adrianne Philion, Angelique Savageau, Amber Sperling, Megan Thrasher, Whitney Uran
Oh yes, and their orientation leaders, Becky Grotluschen and Scott Maanum.

Go to Concordia College's Home Page
 

Back to Aileen's Home Page
 

This page is maintained by Aileen Buslig, buslig@cord.edu
Updated 9/3/07