HUB news --Aug. 9

Homeschool HUB Weekly News--Aug. 9 Homeschool HUB phone: (269)362-0651 email: homeschoolhub@yahoo.com website: www.hshub.org Editor: Annette Ernsperger The information below is offered to you as a service. Please research and decide for yourself the value to your family. The Homeschool HUB does not endorse any programs or services other than those offered at the Homeschool HUB resource center. Send information to be added to the update no later than the Thursday before the week you want it to appear: homeschoolhub@yahoo.com ON THE CALENDAR: Details for the following events are on the calendar at: www.calendar.yahoo.com/homeschoolhub Aug. 11--Homeschool swimming at Clear Lake (see calendar for details), $1 Aug. 12--Touch football, Oddfellows Park (near Hwy 12 and Bond St in Niles), 2:00 Aug. 14--Homeschool bowling, 1:00, Strikes and Spares, Mishawaka, $5 HERE'S THE BUZZ: 1) Fall art classes 2) Homeschool HUB changes 3) SMC open house 4) Volunteer opportunities 5) HUB homeschool picnic and water fun! And LAST BUT NOT LEAST: classified ads and links of interest at the end of your weekly news. 1) Dear art students and parents, I am pleased to send you our fall lineup of art classes. Drawing is one of my favorite things to teach and do! If you have never taken a drawing class, I will teach you how to draw. If you are more accomplished, I will challenge you to a new level in drawing. I welcome adults to try a class as well! It is never too late to learn. I hope to see you in September! Gloria Seitz New Creations Offers 2009 Fall Art Classes in the Michiana Area for Students in Grades 1-12. Adults and home schoolers welcome! Gloria Seitz, a certified K-12 art teacher, will be teaching classes on the topic of BASIC DRAWING. This seven week class will study the basic elements of shape, completing a series of drawing exercises, a detailed drawing and a variety of projects covering foundational drawing. Pencils, colored pencils, and markers will be used. CLASSES WILL BEGIN ON THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 21 AND END THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 2nd. Tuesdays, classes at Community Free Church in Niles are as follows: Ages 6-9 will meet at 10:30-11:30 a.m. Ages 9-13 meet from 11:45 -12:45 p.m. and 7th -adult meet from 1-2 p.m. Classes meet in the west (Bond St.) side of the building. Wednesday classes meet at Trinity Free Church on Miami Road in South Bend. Ages 6-9 will meet at 10:30-11:30 a.m. Ages 9-13 meet from 11:45 -12:45 p.m. and 7th -adult meet from 1-2 p.m. Classes meet on lower south entrance across from gym. Thursday classes meet at Hobby Lobby in Mishawaka at the following times: Ages 6-9 will meet at 11:30-12:30 AND at 12:45-1:45 p.m.. Ages 9-13 will meet at 2-3. 7th through adult will meet from 3:15-4:15. 8 through 13 year olds will meet from 4:15 -5:15 p.m. Classes meet on right side of building near fabrics. The cost for the seven week classes is $65 for the first child and $5 LESS for each additional child. You will save $5 on the total cost (not per student) if you pay by September 6. Cost includes supplies (except sketch book, erasers, pencil, rulers, and folder: These you will need to purchase), room rental, and Art Festival. The Art Festival will be held on Friday, November 6. You can register on line. www.newcreationsart.com You will need to print out a registration form on line and mail it (address on form) if you want to save $5. Classes do fill up, so be sure to get your registration in early. You may reserve your spot by calling Gloria at 574-271-8069 even before sending in your reservation. 2) The Homeschool HUB is making some changes!! Our Board of Directors has decided to make membership in the HUB free and to include all homeschoolers who are receiving this weekly update. The reason for this is that we no longer have a building to support, and we feel that one of the most valuable services we provide is the dissemination of information to homeschoolers throughout Michiana through our updates, website, and yahoo group. We bring in enough to cover telephone, mailing, and insurance expenses through volunteering at Silverhawk games, advertising on our website, and the Boxtops for Education program. If you are a homeschooler who is receiving this update you can get a HUB membership card which may be shown at Borders and Barnes & Noble to get their educator's discount card. To do so, either send a self-addressed stamped envelope to: Homeschool HUB Box 286 Niles , MI 49120 or pick one up at any HUB event – the next being the picnic on August 22nd(see details below). We are also planning a corn maze and hay ride for this fall, and tubing at Five Pines in the winter, as well as Mendel Center and Bethel plays throughout the year. Watch the updates for details. Our website is at www.hshub.org. Lots of good info there to browse through. On the homepage is a link to join the yahoo group. The group is not all that active because we do not throw out topics for discussion or try to make traffic in any way. It's used to make announcements or for questions people may have. For instance, a member recently wanted info on graduation for her son who is entering his senior year. She asked if anyone knew of any "cap & gown" ceremonies for homeschoolers in the area. Immediately someone who had a graduate this past year sent her the info she needed. She commented that it is valuable to have a place where you can get questions answered and we can all share our knowledge and expertise. We would appreciate it if you would bring your boxtops and soup labels to HUB events. 3) Please join us when Southwestern Michigan College dedicates its first student housing facility "McKenzie Hall" which will be home to 130 new students on Sunday, August 16, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. Southwestern Michigan College 58900 Cherry Grove Road • Dowagiac, Michigan 49047 Open house, tours & refreshments will follow the dedication ceremony. www.swmich.edu 4) What does the Humane Society and the Berrien County Youth Fair have in common? How can you get involved with both and why should you? Because with your help and support, the Humane Society is able to continue on with the mission to provide shelter and care for sick, homeless, abused and unwanted animals, with utmost importance on adoption services for the animals in their care and they hope to share that mission with the many people who attend the BERRIEN COUNTY YOUTH FAIR – August 17th through the 22nd, 2009. The Humane Society will again have a presence at the fair, but they cannot do it without the help of a team of volunteers. Volunteers help set-up on Saturday, August 15, 2009. They plan to meet at the shelter in Benton Harbor at 10am. They are still need of at least one more vehicle which can help transport – preferably a pick-up. They also need some good volunteers who can bring their own drills. They will be at the fair beginning Monday, August 17th through Saturday August 22nd from 10:30 a.m. until 10 p.m. every day. They are looking for volunteers to help with these time slots- for a minimum of 2 hours. The normal shifts are: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon 12:00 noon -- 2:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. -- 4:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. -- 6:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. -- 8:00 p.m. 8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. On Saturday, 8/22/2009 – they will need additional volunteers at the booth at 10 p.m. to begin tear down of the booth. The booth must be dismantled and moved out of the way Saturday evening. An ideal plan would be to load it on trucks and remove it from the Fair Grounds on Saturday night. It could then be returned to the Shelter Saturday night or Sunday sometime. Otherwise, the booth must be dismantled and moved to the side Saturday evening and then completely removed and returned to the Shelter by Sunday afternoon. If you are available to help, or have questions about volunteering at the Fair, please contact: Melissa Wilkinson melissareece21@hotmail.com Or Hella, the Humane Society Volunteer Coordinator hgrams@sprynet.com 269-408-1604 269-823-4443 If you have questions about this volunteer opportunity or you would like to know about other options, contact: Debra Panozzo Adult and Family Volunteer Coordinator Volunteer Center of Southwest MI www.volunteerswmi.org 269-983-0912 ext 303 269-683-5464 ext 322 --or-- Do you like to volunteer and have fun at the same time? Hogg Bash claims to be the biggest Labor Day Party in Michigan . You could have fun listening to dozens of bands but then help raise funds for Southwest MI Community Action Agency and the American Red Cross both providing important services here in southwest Michigan. WHERE: Elderberry Farms, 40700 63rd. St. in Bangor , MI (mid-way between South Haven and Watervliet) WHEN: September 4-6 WHAT: Camping, Hogg Roast, Music, NWA wrestling, bike show and contest and other fun activities. VOLUNTEER: Keep the site clean, assist with set up and take down, and tasks as they come up during the day WHY: Raise funds for 2 organizations: SW MI Community Action Agency and The Red Cross who are doing good things in southwest Michigan. If you have a few hours over the Labor Day weekend to volunteer or would like more information contact: Debra Panozzo Adult and Family Volunteer Coordinator Volunteer Center of Southwest MI www.volunteerswmi.org 269-983-0912 ext 303 269-683-5464 ext 322 --or-- Are you available to volunteer for a few hours on 1 day and assist people who are homeless or have housing issues? Imagine a community that has strong partnerships and collaborative efforts that combine existing strengths and creates new opportunities to overcome challenges. Project Homeless Connect Consists of: Assessment of each individual/family; One-Stop Shop location to access numerous community resources/services. Some of the agencies include: Berrien County RESA-McKinney Vento Program, Berrien County Cancer Services, Berrien County Health Department, Big Brother/Big Sister, CARES, Child and Family Services, Emergency Shelter Services, Fair Housing Center of SW Michigan, Lakeland Regional Health Center, Lake Michigan College, Legal Aid of Western Michigan, The Link Crisis Center, Michigan Works, Neighbor to Neighbor, Residential Services of SW MI, Safe Shelter Services, Social Security Administration, Tri County Head Start, USDA Rural Development and Volunteer Center. Join us at First Presbyterian Church, 13 S. 4th Street, Niles on Wednesday, August 26th, 2009, 10:00am-3:00pm- Clients and 9:00am- 4:00pm- Agencies/Volunteers Volunteers are needed to greet and guide participants through the process. Breakfast, Lunch and giveaways will be provided thanks to the following businesses: Christian Service Center, Creative Cuts, Dr. Beckermeyer, Dr. Beistle & Dr. Jilek, Dee's Hair Design Studio, Eagles Lodge 2094, Harding's in Buchanan, Hob Nob, Hot Dogs Plus, Kozy Kitchen, Krispy Kreme, Lowery's, Martin's Supermarket, Milano's Pizza, Off Main Street Saloon, Papa Johns Pizza, Pizza Hut, Prime Table, Dr. Rusher, Rise N Shine, Roger's Barbershop, Save A Lot, Small Smiles-South Bend, Veni's Sweet Shop, Walmart, Wings Etc., Dr. Wyant & Dr. Gourlay. Contact Holly Pomranka or Pam Thomas at Residential Services of Southwestern Michigan at 269-687-6550 ext 10 or 17. 5) Congratulations, If you are receiving this e-mail you have become a member of the Homeschool Hub and you are invited to attend our ANNUAL HOMESCHOOL PICNIC on Saturday, August 22, at Ideal Beach Family Water Park. It is located at 52256 Ideal Beach in Elkhart IN (near Exit 96 Elkhart Toll Road) 574-262-1769. The cost of admission is $2 and a wristband for all day sliding down the two corkscrew slides is $3.(This is a special rate for our group.) Cost to rent a canoe, kayaking or paddle boat is $5 a half an hour. Miniature golf is $2 a game. There is also a certified lifeguard on duty at all times so you can play in Heaton Lake. There is also a kiddie pool, volleyball, horseshoes, and playground. There is a concession stand that sells hot dogs for $1.25, pop $1 and other goodies. The park is open from 10 am. - 7 pm. We are planning on grilling and eating our meal at 12:00 and then having a meeting at 1 p.m. If you want to join us for our meal bring meat to feed your family and the buns. Also bring a picnic dish to pass. Charcoal, Drinks, Condiments and Paper products (including plastic silverware) will be provided. We sure hope that you can join us in the fun! Come and bring your friends and family and anyone else you know that may be interested in homeschooling. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TOTAL RECALL (These items will run until their pertinent information expires) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CLASSIFIEDS Have something for sale, free or trade? Advertise here! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LAST BUT NOT LEAST--LINKS OF INTEREST (links do not imply endorsement): Incredible maps: http://www.mapsorama.com Virtual tour of the Goodyear blimp: http://www.goodyearblimp.com/basics/index.html Do you have any favorite websites? Send them to us and we'll share them! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DISCLAIMERS: While the Homeschool HUB believes that these events or opportunities may be of value to home educators, announcements do not constitute an endorsement by the Homeschool HUB, or its Board of Directors. It is the responsibility of individual parents to determine the appropriateness of any event or opportunity for their children. Participation in any event is voluntary and the participant assumes complete responsibility and liability for themselves, their family, anyone accompanying them, and their personal property.