Ada High School's Leadership Class is currently meeting with various Head Starts and learning centers throughout the Ada community.  The Leadership Class is meeting with infants and toddlers every Monday and reading children's stories to help provide children with a healthy lifestyle, which is one of CFAC's goals through America's Promise!

In turn, this project is helping the Leadership Class with public speaking skills as well as providing them with service-learning opportunities.

CFAC just added Ada High's "Teacher Cadette" class to the list of volunteer readers!  The Teacher Cadette Class is reading on Thursdays at 2 different locations.  Currently, they are utilizing OSU Extensions "Character Critters" stories and puppets.  These stories take an activity approach to teaching character to preschool and kindergarten aged children.  Character Critters are very interactive and the children LOVE the puppets!

In the future, CFAC hopes to get Vanoss, Stonewall, Latta, and Byng all involved with the story time program.

St. Luke's Episcopal Church hosts a monthly food distribution to those in need in the Ada area.

M25M has been operating since June of 2002.  The amount of families in need has grown, thus increasing the need for monthly food, clothes, and sack lunch distribution.

The next distribution date is MARCH 16th at St. Luke's located at 110 East 17th Street here in Ada.

2006 DISTRIBUTION DATES

JANUARY 19TH  (7AM - NOON)
FEBRUARY 16TH  (7AM - NOON)
MARCH 16TH  (7AM - NOON)

Items That Are Needed:

-  Plastic grocery sacks (Especially colored ones)
-  Toiletry items (travel size, hotel size, samples,
   or regular size)
-  Canned foods, rice, peanut butter, etc.
-  Fresh Veggies
-  Volunteers for preparation and distribution!

Volunteers are welcome on the Wednesdays before the Thursday distribution dates as well as on the actual distribution dates. 

For more information, call St. Luke's at (580) 332-6429.
Email St. Luke's at stlukesada@msn.com or visit their website at www.stlukesada.com/matthew25

Alana Miller, program coordinator for CFAC, helped with September's distribution date.  Vanoss High School's leadership class was also there to help cart out food and keep the assembly line of grocery sacks flowing smoothly. 

April 15 - 17, 2005 was the date set for an event that occurs across America called National Youth Service Day.  Caring For Ada's Children participated in this awesome service-learning initiative by coordinating an event with various youth organizations in town.

Ada High School's Leadership class had a grant approved called "Good Sport For A Day."  This grant was utilized to help beautify the Ada Boys and Girls Club.  New picnic tables were built, a new basketball goal was put up, and all the fences and benches were repainted.  Many trees and shrubs were also planted.  Camp Fire, Girl Scouts, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Cub Scouts, and the Boys & Girls Club all joined for a celebration on April 16th.  Basketball, 4-squares, water balloon tosses, and 3-legged races were amongst the fun! 

Our mission is to enhance the lives of the Ada area children. They are eager to learn, eager to please and have brilliant ideas. 

Utilize the young people around you - they are an excellent resourse for our community!

**  2006 National & Global Youth Service Day
       is set for:  April 21-23! **

Ada is a Success By 6 community!  Success By 6 is a nationally recognized organization that focuses on the development of children ages 0 - 6.  Strong evidence shows that these are the most critical times in a child's development and will determine much about the rest of his or her life.  We believe in helping our children in each and every way possible, and Success By 6 is an awesome tool to accomplish that goal.  Our goal is to saturate our community with awareness of this critical age in our children and be a tool and resource for different individuals, businesses or organizations to help out in their own way. 

If you are interested in this wonderful program that Caring For Ada's Children is active in, please contact Tiana with Success By 6 at 332-3323.

"TURNING POINT" has officially hit the Ada area.  Mile long community walks will take place every other month.

Scheduled Walks for 2006 (Start at 5:30 PM)
To Be Announced

CFAC joined up with SADD from ECU again in 2005 for Prom Pledge.  The pledge is to encourage students to make wise, healthy decisions during prom season.  The main focus is to not drink and drive or ride with someone who has been drinking.  SADD put together a great photo exhibit with actual photos from real DUI car crashes.  A member from SADD (who is confined to a wheel chair due to driving while intoxicated) spoke to Stonewall teens about the consequences of destructive decisions.  This particular SADD member actually attended Stonewall, so the story hit close to home and the Stonewall teens took his story seriously.

Latta High School also had a Prom Pledge assembly.  CFAC and SADD attended this assembly as well.  The Victim's Impact Panel were the main speakers at this assembly.  (Mothers of children who have died in DUI crashes.)  The assemblies were very emotional and students took things seriously.

At Latta High School, 1,800 Kid Safe Cards were given to the DECA group.  Latta's DECA group worked on passing out the Kid Safe Cards to Pontotoc County's youth.

At each high school, there were beads and strings available for students to assemble keychains.  Each color of bead represented someone the student loves or who loves the student.  The keychains served as a reminder of all the people they love or love them, and who would be sad if they were no longer around.

April was also "Alcohol Prevention and Awareness Month."  CFAC participated in this campaign and collaborated with Mother's Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) from Oklahoma City.  MADD donated 500 red ribbons to CFAC to pass out to students who wanted to tie them to their car antennas.  This particular campaign is called "Tie One On For Safety."  The red ribbons served as another reminder to not drink and drive. 

Unfortunately, many teens think prom time is a free ticket to drink alchohol, so we want to help steer them away from making decisions that could harm them.   

CFAC is proud to announce that Big Brothers/Big Sisters is now in Ada. Thanks to Caring For Ada's Children and a generous donation from The Love Foundation, Ada is now offering the nationally recognized mentoring program. The program began in February of 2004 and has been able to make matches between adults and children.  The response has been great - many families in our area need this and are seeking it out.  Currently there are 15 matches.  There are several boy "littles" on the waiting list waiting for male "bigs."  There are several female "bigs" on the waiting list with no girl "littles."  We are thrilled to be able to give our children the extra attention they need and look forward to great results!  If you or someone you know would like to be a part of this wonderful program, please call Jill at 332-3474.

"Bowl For Kid's Sake" Fundraiser

The fundraiser took place at Lazer Zone Family Fun Center on Saturday August 27th.  Caring for Ada's Children put together a bowling team called the "Pinheads."  CFAC's team raised about $500.00 for Big Brothers/Big Sisters.  There were about 10 other bowling teams that bowled on Saturday.  There were numerous prizes given away, food, beverages, and lots of laughs!

A big THANK YOU to everyone who donated money to BBBS!  Caring for Ada's Children appreciates every single one of you!

"Waiting List Littles Activity Night"
BBBS is now hosting an Activity Night for all "littles" who are on the waiting list.  (Children who do not have a "big" assigned to them yet.)  The Activity Night is the SECOND MONDAY of every month.  To learn the time and location of the next Activity Night, please contact Jill at 332-3474.