With the start of summer came the start of new programming at the Christian Activity Center. Community Beautification was implemented to encourage kids to help clean up the community and has made an extreme impact on not only our youth, but also the city.

36 children and teenagers have logged over 280 hours total of community service in the past 7 weeks, feeding the homeless, picking up trash, building fences, retiling, constructing a shed (which will house are new lawn mower!), painting, volunteering at thrift stores, collecting money to feed World Changers, serving at Southern Illinois Health Foundation block parties, and building relationships.

These youth pile into the van, eager to serve and turn away heartbroken when the trip is filled to capacity. Disappointed because they can’t pick up trash in Rush City!?!
We have some amazing kids that come to the CAC! Given the opportunity to help the elderly, clean neighborhoods, and serve food the CAC’s members are visible signs of service in our city.

This program could not be written without mentioning an outstanding youth who has logged 40 hours (!) in our Community Beautification program, while also finding ways to help out when we are not counting.

Dominique Burnett is a 16-year-old going into the 11th grade at East St. Louis Senior High School. She is a caring and generous young woman and dreams of becoming a nurse. She is always the first to arrive and the last to leave when we head out into the community to serve. She will do the unpleasant/difficult tasks letting others jump at the easier ones.

Dominique, who has participated in every type of Community Beautification project in which we have participated, was a student leader on the CAC’s annual Mission trip. This year’s trip took place in Louisville, Kentucky at the Jefferson Street Baptist Center/ Homeless Shelter. While there, Dominique worked in the registration office, luggage storage and built relationships with residents and guests over countless card games and conversations. Dominique understands and teaches the rest of us that people spell, “love” “t-i-m-e” and she’s generous with hers.

When not hanging out with friends and playing on the internet, Dominique is involved at the CAC with Community Beautification, she is a deacon at the CAC Friendly Baptist Church, and attends Photography Class, Girl’s Night, Acting Class, Private Piano Instruction, and Cooking Class.

Dominique explains, “Community Beautification means making a difference in the neighborhood. I love to help out. Even when it’s hard, hot, and when there are lots of bugs, I just suck it up and keep on going, because I care.”

Dominique is a leader and we are so proud to have her as a member at the CAC. She is a changing the community around her and guiding others in the same path!

My name is Stephanie Rivers.

I am an alumni and employee of the Christian Activity Center. I am the second oldest of 4 children and we were all members. I started hanging out at the Center when I was around 5, and the center as I remembered was the place to be. The only place everyone seemed to want to be. The center kids, that’s what we called ourselves, would always stand around before the doors opened, trying to get the staff to open up early. We were excited, even though we had only two rooms then and a small playground. We looked forward to Bible Study, praise and worship, and ping pong tournaments. There were always people there for us, whether they were summer missionaries, church groups, or the directors. They gave us a welcoming feeling, advice, encouragement, hugs, or even dinner after long night talks with the summer missionary that lived at the Center. It was always a safe haven, homely when your own home didn’t feel so homely. What I can’t remember was ever being turned away.

Like a lot of our children who attend the Center, I was a child who grew up in the Gompers Housing Projects that surrounds the Center. I’ve experienced living in a family with drug abuse and some neglect. That’s not saying all of the children are or have experienced these ordeals, but a lot have or still do. Since I have lived in such a household, I believe that generational curses are real, but thank God for Grace and Mercy, and for an older sister who made me see that there was more to life than what we saw. We were both teenage mothers. Time and time again she would say our situation didn’t have to determine who or what we would become. She meant business and I knew it when she kicked my butt all the way to school a lot of days, when I wanted to quit – all the way up to my graduation. She graduated and chose college, I graduated and chose the work world. I still look up to her. Today she is a college graduate with a bachelors and masters degree in business, a mother of 4, and an alumni and employee of the CAC.

I’m not sure if Chet remembers this, but I will never forget him telling me that my life wasn’t over because I was a young mother and that anything I dreamed of doing could still be done. To this day Chet still encourages me and gives advice when I ask. After 20 years, when I say “Can we talk” Chet always lends his ear no matter how long or how personal. He gives me problem solving answers. Chet has always been the father figure that every young lady should have and every young man needs. I’ve been around long enough to see at least 4 directors, Chet and Michelle included, and no disrespect to any previous director, but there has never been and I can’t imagine there ever being a director like Chet. Chet and his wife Michelle have been there for us and with us even we didn’t expect them to. There are so many of our staff that model what Chet and Michelle have been to those of us who grew up there and continuously encourage and show love and attention to the children at the Center today. I teach my children what I learned from Chet and some of the missionaries that life is about the choices you make and anything is achievable if you are willing to work hard at whatever you want to do in life. Opportunities are out there, but we can’t be afraid to fail. I am constantly repeating that to my children.

Today, I am blessed to be married to one of Fairview Height’s finest police officers. He is a wonderful husband and a wonderful dad. HE is the wind beneath my wings. My husband enjoys volunteering and spending time with the children at our Center. Although I was a teenage mother, I never regretted it. I don’t believe God makes mistakes, but all things do happen for a reason. I am the mother of 5, my oldest is now a freshman in college. So together we want to raise them to be hard workers, kind hearted, cheerful givers, and to share the gifts and talents that God has blessed them with, even when they are at the Center. I don’t claim to have perfect children, by far, and I definitely won’t claim that it is easy, but I will say that I appreciate and thank the CAC staff for investing in the lives of my children.

– Tawana, Roger, and Ronald for all the computer software skills my children now know.
– Melissa for cheerleading, acting, and Girl Talk, which was definitely necessary then for me, and now for my girls.
– Tony and Clay for Tae Kwan Do.
– Archie, given the title “Uncle Archie” by my 5 kids, for being such a wonderful big brother and role model to my son.
– Kendra and Mike for helping my children to stay focused and maintain their high averages that my husband and I are so proud of.
– Drew who shares an office with my 5 year old, and is her best friend in the whole world, for all the answers to the biblical questions that my children have – that I certainly can’t answer.
– Mr. Oliver who day by day has managed to lift the self esteem of my oldest daughter and make her smile quite often. And for anybody who knows Ebony – that’s a hard thing to do.

Those are a few of the things my children are involved in, there is more to the Center and it is all necessary. If I thought about where I would be had the Center not been there for me, and my children, I’d honestly tell you – that I’d probably be down the same road as some of my family members. (those generational curses again)

I am thankful that God put the right people in the right places for me. I am also glad to have the desire and patience to love other children, to encourage them, to make them smile, and to be a part the CAC staff who are all wonderful, in case the rest of you think I left you out.

Most people need coffee to get them going in the morning, my coffee is looking forward to seeing Willie Bee at my desk when I arrive – with that kind of smile that lets me know my day will be adventurous. And like Archie has earned his title with my children, Willie Bee has always been like an uncle to me. AND he absolutely has to sit on the side of me everyday…all day.

Some of you may have heard what it is said that time does. Well, it’s said that time flies, time marches on, time heals all wounds, time runs out, and time will tell. Time also brings about a change-changes in things and in people. So, if you’ve never visited us or the kids at the Center, come see what even a small amount of your time does for a kid…and don’t forget to bring a smile.

Quonta'Vier, nicknamed "Tweety," is an amazing young man at the Christian Activity Center. Not only does Tweety make it a priority to care for his mind, body, and soul, but he is also a servant to others. Tweety is 16 years old, and a junior at East Side, but can be found caring and teaching many of the younger children at the CAC. Tweety loves hanging out, playing with the kids, Martial Arts, drawing, online games, giving advice, music, and having fun!!! His favorite subject is Social Studies and was recently enrolled in Summer School. He volunteered to enroll himself for better education and enrichment. While many teenage boys are sleeping the summer away, Tweety has taken it upon himself to be in school.

Tweety's future goals are to be a professional martial artist, travel the world, continue to be a humanist, and to have fun!!! Tweety says if there is a professional job to have fun - he would take it!

His plans after highschool are to go to MIT or Tokyo University. Tweety is currently working to go to college overseas. Tweety explains, "I love coming to the Center for Martial Arts and to help kids out. I like to give advice and teach people." The Center is blessed to have such a kind, polite, and influential servant.

The Bee Bux Store has kids buzzin’ around CAC staff, asking “Can I clean the room today?” and “Do you have a project for me to do?” The Bee Bux Store (made up of donated items) opened at CAC in July 2009 to distribute donated items to kids in a more organized manner. But it has become an evolving program at CAC that teaches kids money management, savings principles, ownership, and maintenance.

Here’s how it works. Kids earn fake money (Bee Bux) when they are caught in an act of kindness, or when they help clean up the center, or when they initiate or assist with a special project. The items donated to CAC by our supporters become inventory for CAC kids to purchase with “Bee Bux”. The Bee Bux Store opens every Friday, purveying lower priced items such as McDonalds toys and ding dongs to higher priced items like cheerleading uniforms, models to build, and fancy purses. The practical skills our kids are developing through The Bee Bux Store – none of us counted on. Plus it’s just plain fun to see the kids eager to help one another and the center at large.

CAC’s acting class participated in rigorous auditions this September, competing for roles in our upcoming feature, Miss Nelson is Missing. The audition process was the most competitive of the three plays performed at the center, including Little Red Riding Hood and the Power Mutants, A Festival of Shorts, and the play in discussion here. Auditions required that each actor perform a one-minute monologue, cold readings, have a resume in hand, and convince three judges that s/he should be cast in the show.

As always, CAC cast each child in the production who demonstrated commitment to rehearsals, but Fine Arts Director Melissa Harlow said, “It was incredible to work with the kids as they prepared for more professional auditions.”

Fifteen CAC youth are rehearsing three days a week, preparing to take the stage in late January 2010 in Miss Nelson is Missing. (Go to “Contact” to request show times.)

Tags: arts