Homeschool HUB News Update--July 29

Homeschool HUB News Update--July 29 Homeschool HUB phone: 269-240-6094 email: homeschoolhub@yahoo.com   website: www.hshub.org Editor: Andrea Bikfalvy   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 by the Homeschool HUB.   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 2--Homeschool Beach Day at Fuller's $1/pp Aug 5--Bowling at Strikes and Spares, 1:00-3:00, $5/pp August 19--Homeschool Skate at USA Skate 1:00-3:00, $3/pp including skate rental. GENERAL INTEREST G1) New at the website G2) Congrats to the Homeschool "Boggers"! G1) New at hshub.org Added to the website this week: College JumpStart Scholarship For students in grades 10 – 12, as well as college students.  Based on a 250 word essay.  First prize - $1,500, second - $750, third - $250.  They run it twice/year with deadlines of Oct 17 and April 15. Get more information here: http://www.hshub.org/College_Scholarships.html G2) Congrats to the Homeschool "Boggers"! "Boggers" win recognition for their great work!  Kudos to this great group of students! Check it out by going to this link and clicking on Michigan on the map: http://www.wecanchange.com/middle-school/about-challenge/2011-challenge-winners/2011-middle-school-state-finalists/ MICHIANA EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES 1) Homeschool HUB Annual Picnic Coming Soon! 2) Niles Riverfest Celebrates 19th Season 3) Debate Camp 4) AMERICORPS VISTA position available 5) Volunteer Opportunities 1) Homeschool HUB Annual Picnic Coming Soon! The Annual Picnic and Info Meeting will be coming up in August and will take place at Fuller's.  Date and Time TBA  Stay tuned for more info!. 2) Niles Riverfest Celebrates 19th Season Niles Riverfest 2011 has been one of Southwestern Michigan's most popular family festivals for 20 years. It will be held from Thursday, August 4 through Sunday, August 7, in downtown Niles, Michigan at Riverfront Park along the St. Joseph River.  This fun-filled event is free to all who attend. People of all ages can come to enjoy the variety of recreational activities and events, entertainment, great food, craft booths, kids games and more.  See www.nilesriverfest.net for more info. 3) Debate Camp GOOD NEWS!  Ethos is holding the "early registration" price to allow more families to get in on Debate camp in Niles, MI August 22-26.  Please check out all the information at,http://www.ethosdebate.com/seminars/registration-niles-mi/ .  This is a day camp with prices at $180 for the first student in a family, $130 for the second and $80 for the third.  Staffing can change but we are pleased to plan on having Isaiah McPeak and Tim Snyder for our trainers for this camp.  You can read their bio's here;http://www.ethosdebate.com/about/staff/ .  If you're looking for a great experience please consider joining us.  This will be a smaller camp being our first year holding one so there will be lots of opportunities for connection with the trainers and personal attention, no need to feel intimidated or overwhelmed.   We will be having optional meals available; we'll send information to those registered about 1 week prior to the camp. We are also trying very hard to place anyone who needs host housing, so, though we cannot guarantee it feel free to inquire.  Niles is just North of South Bend Indiana and would be less than an hour commute from Kalamazoo, St. Joseph/Benton Harbor, Elkhart etc…  For hotels in Niles you would have the Niles Inn and Comfort Inn but any of the hotels on North 933 in South Bend would be about 10-15 minutes away as well.   For questions or more information, check out the Ethos website, and for information on housing, meals, or the Niles area, contact Gina Reynolds reyncg1@aol.com or 269-684-8253. 4) AMERICORPS VISTA position available The Volunteer Center of Southwest Michigan currently has an opening for an AmeriCorps VISTA.  This is a volunteer position with a small living allowance and some health insurance coverage.  This is a full-time (40 hours) per week service position with the Volunteer Center 's youth volunteer program.  Qualified applicants must not have additional employment, but may be part-time students; applicants will be largely based out of the Volunteer Center 's St. Joseph office, but will spend at least one day each week in the Volunteer Center 's Niles office.  A successful candidate in this position will be expected to build capacity for youth volunteerism as part of the Volunteer Center team.  He/she will be involved in creating, planning, and coordinating new and ongoing activities that promote youth volunteerism and that create youth volunteer service opportunities and  projects throughout the Volunteer Center 's service area of Berrien, Cass and Van Buren counties.   The candidate will focus on youth service projects that seek to alleviate and address poverty-related issues.  It is suggested that serious candidates check out the AmeriCorps VISTA resources found at: www.nationalservice.gov and www.americorps.gov.  Interested and qualified candidates should email cover letter and resume to: Callie Campbell, Youth Volunteer Coordinator, The Volunteer Center of Southwest Michigan: youth@volunteerswmi.org.   5) Volunteer Opportunities A) Southwest Michigan Community Action Agency has a commodity program where they receive food items and then pack it into boxes for people who are low income who have signed up to receive a box of food.  It varies each time, with a jar of this and a can of that.  The boxes then go out across southwest Michigan to drop off points, like the local senior centers.  They need help packing the boxes.  You can volunteer for a couple of hours on one day or volunteer each day for the next week.  They have a large delivery to make next week Thursday, August 4, so they are especially looking for volunteers to prepare boxes.  This is ideal for individuals, groups, or families (younger children are welcome, along with an adult.) WHERE:           Southwest MI Community Action Agency warehouse 331 Miller Ave , Benton Harbor, off of Paw Paw Ave. , a few blocks off of Main Street . WHEN:             Monday - Friday, 8 am to 4 pm, with a break from 12 - 12:30 pm for lunch.  You can bring a brown bag lunch if you like or grab lunch at a local restaurant. WHY:                Help feed your neighbor with a box of healthy food.  It will extend their food dollars. You can just show up ready to pack food.  Or call Jim Frank, the warehouse 934-8251 with questions. B) The History Center at Courthouse Square will have a booth at the Berrien County Youth Fair and are looking for volunteers to help manage their booth. Description: The History Center at Courthouse Square is seeking volunteers to staff their booth at the Berrien County Youth Fair. Selling local and regional history books as well as items from the Museum Store. The funds generated from the sales directly support the History Center . Dates:  Aug 15, 2011 - Aug 20, 2011 Hours Needed:  There are three 4-hour shifts per day. 11-3, 3-7, and 7-11. Location: 9122 Old US 31, Berrien Springs , MI 49103      Contact Info: Kristen Patzer Umphrey Volunteer Coordinator 269-471-1202 kpatzer@berrienhistory.org http://www.berrienhistory.org C) Niles Riverfest volunteers needed.  What floats your boat?  Gather a team, build your boat and have fun.  If you would like to volunteer for this event check out their web site for details: www.nilesriverfest.net D) River Rescue is a community effort to help clean up trash out of our waterways throughout Van Buren and Berrien County .  Non-organic trash is a problem across our state, it is not only isn't appealing to see but it is also harmful to our water quality and wildlife. Van Buren County Volunteer opportunity: This year's River Rescue will be Saturday, August 6th from 9am-1pm.  There are several locations around Van Buren County so the easiest thing to do is to call the Van Buren Conservation District office at 269-657-4030 x 5 to find out where the sites are so everyone doesn't come to one location. WHERE:  Almena Township , 28th Street and Hamilton Township , 55th Street are perfect sites for those that would like to clean up on foot.  There are also a few sites where people that are interested in volunteering on the water in kayaks and/or canoes (must have own boat and life preserver) and paddle down river and clean up as they go. The Conservation District provides all the essentials; bags, gloves, water, snacks, volunteer gift.  Volunteers are encouraged to wear long pants and closed toed shoes. Interested Van Buren County volunteers can call AJ (Alison) Brucks at 269-657-4030x5.  www.vanburencd.org   Berrien County Volunteer option:   WHERE: Hays Park , Watervliet.  Time and volunteers permitting, also covering Flattery Park , across M-140 to another section of the Paw Paw River . If construction prevents easy entrance to Hays Park it can also be accessed by   East Parsons Ave just past the Hays Park Entrance. WHEN:  Saturday, August 6 from 9 am to 1 pm WHY:   Stream cleanup project on the Paw Paw River to pick up trash along the banks and in the park. BRING:  Bug spray or sunscreen if desired. WEAR:  Dress expecting to get your clothes dirty and  possibly wet shoes. THE CONSERVATION DISTRICT SUPPLIES:  Drinking water, gloves, hand sanitizer, garbage bags, and a small gift for each volunteer. Interested volunteers can call Nancy Carpenter, 269-471-9111x5 Or for more info, contact: Debra Panozzo Adult and family volunteer coordinator Volunteer Center of Southwest Michigan 269-983-0912 ext 13 St. Joseph 269-683-5464  Niles www.volunteerswmi.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LINKS TO SHARE: If anyone has a favorite site or interesting link for homeschoolers, please share!  Just send it to homeschoollhub@yahoo.com with "update" or "newsletter" in the subject. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CLASSIFIEDS Looking for a group?  Join the HUB!  We need you. There are several benefits of membership including a travel club and a resource library that includes things like books, games, laptops, video cameras and other items to borrow (free, members only). Members receive first chance at events and classes when availability is limited.  The cost of membership is only $24/year.  Information about becoming a member is on the website at www.hshub.org Have something for sale, free or trade?  Advertise here! Homeschool groups are welcome to advertise their group, too.  It's free! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LETTING IT RIDE: Amazon.com--Please come to www.hshub.org before you shop at Amazon.  You can either shop the Associate Store listed in the Menu bar or click on the "Help the Homeschool HUB - Purchase at Amazon" link just below the Menu bar. By using this link to Amazon The Homeschool HUB will earn money through Amazon's Associates program on everything you purchase. So whenever you think "Amazon" please remember your purchase can help The Homeschool HUB. The Homeschool HUB is collecting used textbooks.  Contact Diane Day:  joharding_20@yahoo.com or 269-445-1900. The Homeschool HUB is continuing to collect Campbell Soup labels, Campbell's Chunky Soup labels, Campbell's Healthy Request labels, Campbell's Select harvest, Franco-American, Pepperidge Farm, Spaghettios, Swanson, V-8 Beverages, V-8 Fusion, Prego Italian Sauces and Campbell's Food Service.   Give your labels to any board member or bring them to our homeschool functions. --AND-- We are still accepting Boxtops for education labels.  You can find these on many products. Go to Boxtops for Education.org for more info, and then SAVE SAVE SAVE  those labels.  Each one nets 10 cents and every 10 cents adds up. You can give them to any HUB board director or bring them to any of our functions that we will be having.  Thank-you! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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.