October

Birthdays Jackie Bowe

Austin Lagesse

Jennifer Madlinger

Jan McCurley

Mark Neilson

Donald Robinson

Anne Skelton

Barbara Wehling

Happy Birthday!

Wild About Volunteers! Ice Cream Social at the Zoo

Kingdom House Champions Recognized On Thursday, September 17th, Kingdom House hosted the Champions Event, at which the

annual Kingdom House Champion Awards were presented to individuals and organizations

whose generous donations of time and resources have gone above and beyond. The awards

are given for: exhibiting passion for the mission and ministry of Kingdom House; making an

investment of time and talent as a leader for Kingdom House projects, committees or board;

financially supporting Kingdom

House; and connecting others

to the mission and ministry of

Kingdom House. The awardees

and their stories are listed on

the following pages. Please join

us in congratulating the 2015

Kingdom House Champion

Awards recipients!

Come let us show you how wild we

are about our volunteers! Gather

up the family and join us for an ice

cream social at the St. Louis Zoo in

appreciation for all you do for King-

dom House. We’ll be meeting in

the beautiful McDonnell Center at

River Camp where we will have a

chocolate and vanilla sundae sta-

tion, with a veritable menagerie of

delicious toppings for your enjoy-

ment. We hope you’ll join us; it’s

going to be a wildly good time!

Here are the details:

Who: You and your family

What: Volunteer Appreciation Ice Cream Social!

When: Wednesday, October 14th from 3 - 5pm

Where: McDonnell Center at River Camp in the St. Louis Zoo

RSVP: to Natalie at ngember-ling@kingdomhouse.org or 314- 627-1232 by Tuesday, Oc-tober 6th

M O N T H L Y V O L U N T E E R N E W S L E T T E R

October 2015

The Volunteer Voice Volume 3, Issue 10 Senior Editor: Julie Strassman Associate Editor: Natalie Gemberling

M O N T H L Y V O L U N T E E R N E W S L E T T E R

October 2015

The Volunteer Voice Volume 3, Issue 10 Senior Editor: Julie Strassman Associate Editor: Natalie Gemberling

Chuck Copeland became acquainted with the mission of Kingdom House

when his now adult children were in the youth ministry at Webster Hills UMC

in Webster Groves, MO. Kingdom House was the missional focus at Webster

Hill. Soon after, Chuck was personally connected by Ed Odom, a member of

the Webster Hills congregation, and began serving on newly formed Golf

Committee. He helped to plan as well as play in the Inaugural Tournament at

Tapawingo National Golf Club in May 1996, as well as the next 19!

Chuck and Susan have continued to support Kingdom House through the an-

nual tournament and programming through use of our Youth Opportunity

Program credits. Chuck has witnessed the transformation of Kingdom House

participants through our educational programs and believes Kingdom House

is a tangible means of living out the mission of the church. We are pleased to

honor Chuck and Susan Copeland as 2015 Kingdom House Champions.

Deane and Kay Looney became Champions of Kingdom House when they

joined Webster First UMC in Webster Groves, MO in 1981 where Executive

Director Gene Morse was a member. As friends of the Morse’s, Gene asked

Deane to serve on the Kingdom House Board where he served as President

of the Board for two terms and on the Golf Committee where he has con-

tinued for the last 20 years!

Not to be outdone by Deane’s service, Kay serves as a church representa-

tive to the Kingdom House Women’s Board, runs a food drive at Webster

First every year to supply our Food Pantry, reads books to the children in

the Blue room of Kingdom House Early Childhood Center, and led the annu-

al Christmas Shop for 3 years. In addition, she connected the ESA Founda-

tion, her sorority’s charitable giving, to Kingdom House.

Deane and Kay continue as committed volunteers and supporters who have seen many changes in Kingdom House

over the years, and share with friends and colleagues how this “evolution has created a strong organization poised

for the future.” We are pleased honor Deane and Kay Looney as 2015 Kingdom House Champions.

Chuck and Susan Copeland

Deane and Kay Looney

M O N T H L Y V O L U N T E E R N E W S L E T T E R

October 2015

The Volunteer Voice Volume 3, Issue 10 Senior Editor: Julie Strassman Associate Editor: Natalie Gemberling

Mary Ellen and Warren Meyer Rev. Mary Ellen Meyer began her relationship with Kingdom House in 1998

after receiving a call from then Director Gene Morse. Rev. Meyer is a teach-

er by trade, having taught in the public school system and, after entering

ordained ministry, in Christian education as well. Over the years as a volun-

teer and donor, it was evident that Mary Ellen’s talents and skills were also

in the area of Development. In 2006 she began working with Kingdom

House’s Executive Director Tom Sanders on a Core Fund for the agency.

Through Mary Ellen’s efforts, many persons were and continue to be con-

nected to Kingdom House’s mission. She is always thinking about the kids at

Kingdom House through the purchase of racially diverse dolls for the Christ-

mas Shop whenever she can find them, as well as winter coats.

Warren, being the supportive and patient husband, was brought into the

Kingdom House fold and provided his own support of the agency through

their church, Manchester UMC, and his work with the Missouri United

Methodist Foundation and Executive Director David Atkins. We are pleased

honor Mary Ellen and Warren Meyer as 2015 Kingdom House Champions.

Edwina Turnage In the summer of 2011, a call was placed to the congregants of The

Gathering United Methodist Church to volunteer in one several pro-

gram areas at Kingdom House. Edwina had just moved to St. Louis

from Kirksville, MO to help her daughter with her then 3-month-old

granddaughter, Katie. Edwina’s job in Kirksville had been with per-

sons who were mentally challenged and she felt that she and grand-

daughter Katie could come weekly to help in the Family Center.

That was 5 years ago and Katie is now 7! Edwina continues to come

weekly and brings Katie with her when Katie has a day off from

school. Both Edwina and Katie love to volunteer in the center. She

shares how much the experience has transformed both her and

Katie. She also shares how Katie has built some very special rela-

tionships and is never critical of any of the children she meets. For

Edwina, she says age is just a number and “it helps me feel younger and healthier, when I’m thinking about and helping

someone else.” Edwina shares, “at 72, I want to continue coming weekly for as long as I can. I want to be in life and not just

watch it go by.” We are pleased honor Edwina Turnage as a 2015 Kingdom House Champion.

M O N T H L Y V O L U N T E E R N E W S L E T T E R

October 2015

The Volunteer Voice Volume 3, Issue 10 Senior Editor: Julie Strassman Associate Editor: Natalie Gemberling

Hallmark Stone Company - Fred Christen Hallmark Stone of Fenton, MO, began its operation in 1998. As a wholesaler of gran-

ite and Silestone countertops, the company contracts with Home Depot and Lowes,

producing between 150 to 175 kitchens a week.

Wanting to give back to the community, Hallmark Stone is involved with several

charitable activities including their annual countertop remnant sale to benefit local

charities. They just recently remodeled three rooms in our 1025 Park building!

Owner Fred Christen became acquainted with Kingdom House through Executive

Director Scott Walker. Fred and Scott met as participants in the Focus Leadership St.

Louis Class of 2011-2012. Coincidentally, Fred’s sister and her family were former

neighbors of Scott Walker’s many years ago.

Fred explains, “Hallmark Stone’s success as a company has put us in a wonderful

position, which enables us to support a wide variety of charitable initiatives. There

are so many worthwhile charities out there, and it’s great to be able to give some-

thing back to so many of them and see what amazing things they can accomplish

with the help we provide.” We are pleased honor Hallmark Stone Company and

Fred Christen as 2015 Kingdom House Champions.

Sneakers with Soul - Manchester UMC - Moe Parisien On August 8, 2010, Manchester United Methodist Church

(MUMC), Manchester, MO kicked off the first annual mis-

sion program designed to put new sneakers on the feet of

under-resourced youth in the greater St. Louis area, helping

kids start the new school year off on a positive note. The

original goal was 1,500 pairs of sneakers. Since 2010,

MUMC has come back year after year and successfully gen-

erated donations of new sneakers for youth living in St. Lou-

is city. Partnering with Kingdom House, the Sneakers with

Soul ministry has generated donations of over 12,000 pairs

of new sneakers for children in need in the St. Louis com-

munity. In addition to the donation of new shoes, the

Sneakers with Soul program is positively impacting our com-

munity by bringing people face-to-face in relational mission work to help make a difference for Christ in the world. We are

pleased to present this award honoring Sneakers with Soul to Maurice (Moe) Parisien who had the vision and has led this

program from its beginning and to Debbie Irving, the Director of Discipleship Ministries at Manchester UMC.