Back to Blogging - Christmas 2014

It's been two years since I have updated this blog.  With the advent of Facebook playing such a huge role in raising awareness about organizations as well as an easy medium to connect with our teen volunteers - I ended up neglected updating this blog for far too long.  However, it's time to get on the bandwagon and learn to link the two together and do a better job of sharing my heart about ASB as well as the activities that are ongoing with our program.

As of November we have already started Buckingham Buddies and the Middle School groups. There are more participants than ever. It's been a terrific start to the new school year.  Other programs begin in January.

Our theme this year is "Reach for the Stars".  Our hope is that we will help each girl to discover the star qualities in her and how "loving others as she is loved" will help her to shine even more brightly!

If you have time in your life to help as a volunteer with our program and are a female in high school or older.. please contact us at afterschoolbuddies@gmail.com.  We could certainly use more leaders in our Tue Wed or Thur programs!

It's Almost Christmas!  That means it's time to really start thinking of how you can can truly change the life of another young girl, teen or adult by volunteering with After School Buddies. We need ladies of all ages to come and assist us on Wednesday afternoons. Interested? Contact Char at 541 390-3046 or email her at afterschoolbuddies@gmail.com.

Leaders in Training - The Academy is Launched!

Last week the first of the new After School Buddies Leadership Academy workshops took place.  It's a huge step for our program to actually host weekly, orchestrated sessions addressing key leadership principles that all can benefit from.  My dream is that the graduates of these workshops will go on to be amazing, dedicated and committed leaders of ASB -  empowering and inspiring our young students to be all that God has in store for them.
Six experienced Big Buddy teens and two adults joined me in the exploration of humility in leadership. From my point of view - it's maybe the #1 principle that all leaders must embrace. But as I look around.. it's not necessarily the one that most leaders actually embody.
We learned that to be an effective leader of others - first we have to lead ourselves. In order to do that well - we need to look inside to see where our own shortcomings are and do what we can to address them. Jesus spoke of this when he told his followers to take out the "log in their eyes before trying to take the speck out of their brother's eye". (my translation..)
Tomorrow we address compassion and then integrity in leaders. How will those traits influence how we lead our ASB programs in 2013? Time will tell!
The next series of workshops for NEW Big Buddies and adult leaders begin November 14th. If you are interested in participating.. please email Charlene at afterschoolbuddies@gmail.com.

Go for the Gold 2012 ASB Camp Was Amazing!

Another great Buddies camp experience is the news for 2012. "Go for the Gold" - our Olympics themed camp - served close to 60 girls and adults in Bend August 13-16th.  Our girls "competed" as teams this year with entries from Brazil, Israel, England and Kenya. The games were hosted by Camp Director Charlene Schulz and Assistant Director Lisa Merrick.

From the athletic competitions, to camp crafts, singing, dancing and yes - even "synchronized swim dancing!" - our teams had a wonderful week of fun, fellowship and frolic!  Our devotional times included lessons on overcoming life's hurdles, discerning the difference between true joy and happiness, learning to trust and experiencing peace through forgiveness.

Our counselors said that 2012 was the best camp ever. Why? Excellent leadership, experience, lots of committed teens covered by lots of prayer and the presence of our Heavenly Father!

Valentines of Love from After School Buddies

The girls of After School Buddies have been busy this month. All over Bend, they have been preparing "love treats" for others. From preparing Valentines for St. Vincent de Paul patrons, to Hershey Kiss roses for the guests at the Bethlehem Inn to cake pops for Alzheimer patients at Claire Bridge, we have been blessing many around town. It's the time of year to share with others some of the love that we receive!

Practicing Kindness

Southside Buddies practiced kindness by making friendship bracelets for an orphanage in Rwanda, Africa. Many of us had to use last week's virtue, patience, while learning how to tie special patterns with the string. During our group discussion, one Little Buddy explained that kindness can also be shown in simple ways like smiling or giving a friendly hello.  You girls rock!

Southside Buddies at Elk Meadow

Big Buddies, Claire and Jamie, taught the group about the virtue of patience. During our group discussion, Little Buddies and Big Buddies alike agreed that patience is an important virtue that allows us to interact with others respectfully and create a peaceful environment. Everyone put their patience to the test by doing an art project with very limited supplies and playing a fun variation of "Red Light, Green Light". 

Buddies 2012 Starts the 1st Week In January

It's the season of fun and friends with young women connecting with and mentoring young girls all over Bend.

Are you or your high school/college daughter/friend wanting to positively change the lives of 4th-8th grade girls?

Does your elementary or middle school girl want to belong to a really fun and motivating girls group? Do you want to help them SURVIVE and THRIVE??? Enroll them in After School Buddies!

We have 3 elementary programs for 4th-5th grade girls.

• Eastside Buddies - Buckingham School - Tuesdays from 3:00 -5:30 (students come 3:30-5:15)
• Midtown Buddies - Grace Baptist Church - Wednesdays from 1:30-5:00 (students come from 2:15 or so -5:00)
• Southside Buddies -Elk Meadow School - Wednesdays from 1:30-5:15 (students come from 2:00-5:00)

Our middle school program meets on Wednesdays at Christian Life Center on the east side of Bend from 1:30-4:30. Bend schools provides bus transportation from Sky View, High Desert and Pilot Butte Middle Schools. Car pools may be available from other schools.

The programs are free for students. High school girls earn community service credits towards graduation. Adult women will gain unbelievable satisfaction in knowing you can truly make a serious difference in the future of a young girl.

To learn more, contact Char Schulz, Executive Director, at www.afterschoolbuddies@gmail.com or call 541 390-3046.

Buddies Camp 2011

Time to start thinking about tropical weather and island paradise scenes.. and Buddies Camp 2011. Our theme this year is "Under the Sea".. exploring the world of "Living Waters'.

Day Camp 2011 promises to be another amazing experience of relationship building, FUN water play, camp crafts, games not to mention the amazing devotional time getting to know God and His love for you!

If you are interested in participating as a teen/young adult mentor/leader or to register your 4th-8th grade daughter as a camper - email Director Char Schulz at

afterschoolbuddies@gmail.com.

Summer is here.. and that means it's Camp Time!!

Spring Fun with Buddies

All kinds of great things happen when you are a part of After School Buddies. From learning about the virtures of perseverance and diligence to experiencing the joy of trying out new activities - Buddies 2011 are loving life together. Spring has included lessons on the Chinese language and culture presented by Big Buddy Hailey, learning to experience and share joy while trying out Zumba with Joy, sharing compassion while serving at the Bend Community Center, and bountiful blessings celebrating Saint Patrick's day with Irish dancing. Students were inspired by Dr. Kittie to believe in themselves and reach for their goals. Even an all-Buddy swim party added to the fun of the season. Our girls continue to share great experiences each and every time they spend time together - learning to love each other and others as they have been loved by God.
Want to be a Big Buddy? It's not too late! We would love to meet you and see if Buddies is for you! Email me at afterschoolbuddies@gmail.com. Hugs!

Middle School Girls Help Out School Kitchen

Recently our middle school Buddies paid a visit to Bend High School's Nutritional Services kitchen to help prepare some of the hundreds of breakfast sandwiches needed for morning meals. Buddies learned the ins and outs of mass production of school lunches. Hopefully they will appreciate the work it takes to prepare so many meals each and every day!

Giving to Others

This past week Buddies explored the virtues of kindness and thankfulness. Buckingham girls used online tools to donate dog food with freekibble.com - a program started by a middle school girl right here in Bend.

Middle school Buddies prepared Italian pasta casseroles which were given to the Shepherd's House homeless shelter. Acts of charity helps us to honor God by being kind to the needy.(Prov. 14:31).

Grace Baptist girls celebrated the importance of being thankful in their everyday lives. I bet most of us could use an extra reminder about that principle!

January 18 - Focusing on Charity and Kindness at Buckingham

Lisa will be leading this week focusing on the virtue of charitable kindess. Teen Buddies will discuss the importance of treating others the way they would like to be treated which is not to be selfish, sarcastic or rude. Buddies are encouraged to be charitable towards others to make them feel loved and cared for.

We will be focusing on use of the Internet to send support emails to our Troops throughout the world. We are so grateful for all that our men and women give and want to let them know. And we will be exploring opportunities to extend charity to others in need including animals using web sites including www.freekibble.com and www.freerice.com!

Welcome to our new Big Buddy Shay from Summit High. Thanks for being a part of our ministry to Buckingham girls!

January 11-12 - You Go Girls!

Buckingham elementary kids learned about the importance of respect this week as part of our You Go Girls series. From respecting others to repecting themselves, Big Buddies Lindsey and Katie helped the 4th and 5th graders to explore a variety of sitations where they could respond with either disrespect or respect.. .and guess which the kids liked more??? Nice job ladies and Happy Birthday Lindsey! You Go Girls!!!

On Wednesday after homework time and super healthy fruit and vege snacks - our middle school Buddies explored the concept of encouragment.. not only how to funtion as encouragers but also what each needed to experience encouragment. We worked on our Buddies motto taken from the book of John.. "love others as I have loved you"... our key to ultimate encouragement.

We ended the day after a fun round of skits demonstrating encouraging behaviors (with lots of laughter) followed by a crazy game of Taboo.

We have more room in our middle school program for both mentors and middle school girls so PLEASE let us know if you want to join us by writing to afterschoolbuddies@gmail.com.

We are waiting for an update from the Grace Baptist program to share their news of the week. Check tomorrow for an update! Char

Plans for Jan 11 & 12 - Buckingham & Middle School Group

I have decided to start using this blog to post plans for the upcoming weeks of two of our Buddies programs. That way others that are considering becoming a part of ASB will see what we do and hopefully be inspired to jump on board to help touch the lives of younger girls in our community.

This week at Buckingham, after homework time Lindsey and Katie will share activities centering around respect. This is certainly a virtue that everyone needs to focus on even more than ever .. it's so easy to blast through life and not even realize how disrespectful we are behaving... to others and even to ourselves.

We read in the New Testament in 1st Peter to "show proper respect to everyone". Have you been treated with disrespect by others before? How does it make you feel? Do you think that you might be able to fine tune your interactions with others in your family, your school or your work to help show more respect? What does it mean to respect yourself? How do you think God views people that function with respect? These are all questions we should consider before meeting at Buckingham this week.

MIDDLE SCHOOL
Our middle school group of new 6th grade Buddies and returning 7th and 8th graders will learn the importance of encouraging others. As we continue to focus on "You Go Girl!" we are reminded in the book of Thessalonians to "encourage one another and build each other up". Isn't that the truth.. who doesn't need that in their day to day lives? John Maxwell, a well known author, said "Encouragement is the oxygen of the soul". I like that - we most definately need oxygen to breathe.. and I can sure use a dose of encouragement daily.. how about you?

Middle schoolers will continue to build on their new relationships with the young woman in leadership by playing team games including Taboo and Guesstures. Be ready to be challenged and to encourage those on your team and in our group. Team captains Haley and Kate will be joined by our other leaders to help middle schoolers understand how much it means to God when they encourage each other and build each other up!

Buddies off to a Great Start in 2011

The first week of January found lots of elementary, middle school girls, teens and women gathering at our three locations to celebrate life and "You Go Girl!" with After School Buddies. We learned that to Go - we will be Giving of Ourselves in all kinds of ways.

Programs focused on friendship and learning about each other as Big Buddies were paired up with Little Buddies for the first time in 2011. We have almost a full program at Buckingham with 11 Little Buddies and 10 Big Buddies starting off the season. Grace Baptist's group (serving girls from 6!!! elementary schools - outstanding!!!) started with 8 elementary girls and 6 teens.

Middle school opened with 11 6th-8th graders with more to come next week. We had a great group of adults and teens to work with them as well.

Having said that.. we still need MORE of you teens and young adult women to search their hearts and see if God is calling you to make a wonderful difference in the lives of these young girls. Think about what life was like when you were in middle school or almost there.. don't you think that you can do something to share the love of Christ with these girls to help them weather the storms that blow around them day after day? Check in with Char at afterschoolbuddies@gmail.com to see how you can join in this amazing program! You won't be sorry!

Buddies 2011 Coming Soon!

Hey Ladies.. it's just around the corner. Time to sign up for After School Buddies 2011. Whether you are a high school or college student - contact Char at afterschoolbuddies@gmail.com to apply to be a Big Buddy.

Are you a parent of an elementary girl? 4th & 5 grade girls meet on Tuesdays at Buckingham or Wednesdays at Grace Baptist Church starting the first week in January. Enroll by contacting Char at the address above.

Middle School girls meet at Christian Life Center on Wednesdays also starting the first week in January. Bus transportation from all 4 middle schools in Bend should be available. So - enroll your daughter now to be a part of this amazing group.

Young girls and teens can and will make a difference as we love others as we have been loved! You Go Girls!!!!

Camp Was Amazing.. Truly a Whole New World

It's been two months since Buddies Camp 2010 finished with an amazing performance by the more than 20 Little Buddies attending this year. We had 44 participants with the help of 15 adults helping to discover God's Whole New World for us.. From delightful dance to "Colors of the Wind", to magnificent music and dazzling drama our girls put together a wonderful performance for parents. It's hard to determine which was the most fun.. the games, snacks, water play (Slip 'N Slide), chapel sing-a-longs or the performing arts workshops.. they were all terrific. Our Big Buddies were over the top wonderful in their leadership and creativity. Just check out a few of these photos!

We're Getting Ready! ASB Day Camp - August 2-5 2010

The word is out.. ASB Summer Daycamp 2010 is just around the corner! Our Disney-themed camp, "A Whole New World", will be just that for the lucky girls that choose to attend...

We are converting our Buddies campground to four amazing Disney-themed lands.. Fantasyland, Adventureland, Frontierland, and New Orleans Square.

Big Buddy teens are gearing up to offer our 4th-8th grade students a chance to explore a whole new world with Christ as their guide.

For more information or to enroll in our camp, contact Charlene Schulz at afterschoolbuddies@gmail.com or call 541 390-3046.

Bags of Blessings - Saint Patrick's Day

Saint Patrick's Day talent show candidates... The girls loved filling blessing bags for the homeless and sampling Green Goodies.