Inside Out

Curtains and Bingo

Greater Palatine

The residents of St. Joseph's Home for the Elderly in Palatine were recently disappointed when arrangements fell through for a donation of sheer curtains for their rooms. The existing curtains block out all light when closed and when open, they let in too much sunlight to watch television.

Our Inside Out project team of four women wanted very much to find a way to make this project happen. So we prayed and then called and e-mailed friends, relatives, neighbors and another neighborhood group.

We raised enough money and found enough people willing to spend a Sunday afternoon at St. Joseph's hanging new curtains. Many of the families had already served on a neighborhood project but joyfully stepped up again to help us.

There was just one glitch to our project. The day before our serving day, we discovered that all 74 special order curtains we received were two feet too long. By scouring local stores for the correct size we were able to find enough curtains to complete more than half of the rooms.

Twenty adults and six children helped get the curtains up, and then stayed to visit the residents in their rooms and to play Bingo.

Our team is looking forward to another afternoon of hanging curtains and bingo with our new friends at St. Joseph's. Initially I thought that providing and installing the curtains was the major part of our project. However, it became clear to me that the most meaningful part of our day was the time spent visiting the residents.

It was just like Mike Breaux says, "Love God, love people."

April Kimura-Anderson

Helping at Sparrow 's Nest

Greater Palatine

Our Inside Out Team was greatly inspired by the messages to take Christ's love into the community and serve others in need. Our prayer was, "Oh, Lord, the need is everywhere. Send us to the place where we can contribute something needed."

To help support Home of the Sparrow, a shelter for battered women and their children, we served at their Thrift Shop in Palatine. We organized boxes of donated shoes, sorted Christmas decorations, handled donations dropped off and we even polished silver.

One team member commented that serving at Sparrow's Nest gave her a chance to see clearly how much extra "stuff" she had. Knowing that the proceeds from sales at Sparrow’s Nest Thrift Shop benefited families in need many of us decided to de-clutter our own homes to help raise even more money.

When the manager told us how much she needed volunteers and that our presence was a gift from God, we knew we were serving in the right place.

As for the team, we felt fortunate and blessed to have served abused women through Willow's community outreach efforts.

Cathy Risberg

Beauty--Inside and Out

I saw true beauty on our Inside Out project. HIM (Hairdressers In the Marketplace) simultaneously hosted ‘Day Of Beauty’ events in each of the four Willow neighborhoods.  We needed to find four Salon/Spas willing to open their doors on a Sunday for six hours and allow volunteers to come in and serve women who have fallen on hard times.  We also needed to find four organizations designed to work with these women on a longer term basis.  We needed to recruit volunteers and community support - and we only had two months to bring it all together.

While I knew the goal was admirable, I also felt the task was overwhelming. I knew that in my own strength it would be impossible to accomplish all that, so with much prayer I leaned on the strength of God with confidence that He would go ahead and provide for our needs. And provide He did, bringing together these four communities to take care of and show His love to 54 women who so desperately needed to know their lives mattered.

At each site the blessings were abundant. Restaurants and bakeries donated complimentary pastries and luncheons. Clients from all four salons donated clothes, jewelry, shoes and handbags for a complimentary boutique. A bank in Crystal Lake gave $50 savings bonds to each lady. Carson’s, Hobby Lobby, and Mary Kay Cosmetics, just to mention a few, gave beautiful gifts. It was a tremendous example of communities coming together to show their support and God’s love to these women.

The women received new hair styles, manicures and make-up applications. Most of these women had never been in a salon before. At the Elgin location, two women were an hour and a half late because  when they drove past the salon and saw how beautiful it was, it was they thought, “That can’t be the place!”  They continued driving until they were no longer in Elgin, only to discover when they called for directions that the big, beautiful salon was in fact where they were invited!

As I drove from salon to salon that day, I was reminded of my prayer. God had truly gone before us and prepared the way. The highlight for me was at the end of the day. I entered the Elgin Salon and noticed the team leader, Naomi Lacheta, off to the side with one of the guests.  I know Naomi; she’s always looking for the one lost sheep! The woman had approached her and started sharing her hardships and her struggle with considering suicide. She was very touched by the Day of Beauty and expressed gratitude at how she was treated that day. It gave her a sense of hope. Naomi prayed with this woman to ask Jesus to become her counselor and hope. Now He will never leave that precious found sheep!   

The Neighborhood Day of Beauty was a tremendous success, thanks to the participation of 85 volunteers, four Salon/Spas, eight restaurants, one bank, clientele from each salon and vendors, all who came together for six hours to become the body of Christ. “WITH GOD, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.”   

Teresa Russo-Cox
Director of HIM (Hairdressers In the Marketplace)
 

Party for Survivors

Greater Palatine Area

I lost my step mom in Hurricane Katrina.

I have a small group in Des Plaines and we decided to serve our community by providing a party at Maryville for the Katrina survivors who are housed there. We saw that their "basic necessities" were supplied, but these families were missing an important ingredient toward getting life somewhat back to normal--recreation! We celebrated Willow Creek’s 30th anniversary with them by having a party. We provided pizza, cake, raffle prizes and fun.

Prior to the party, we went to local merchants and received donations for dinners at local restaurants, bowling for the kids, car washes for each family, gift certificates for hair cuts and much more. God used us to provide these families a time for joy, laughter, love and support with the unfamiliar community in which they were transplanted.

God pulled our group closer together and we were blessed to be a part of His love for others less fortunate. This experience helped heal my pain and showed me I could make a difference in someone's life. Thank God for his Grace and Blessings!

Kimberly Ross

Serving Three Ways

Greater Palatine Area

In the Schaumburg/Palatine/Harper College Area, we were fortunate to participate in a few small projects that tugged at our hearts.

From Nov. 16-18 neighbors helped with the Palatine Holiday Basket Blitz distribution.  We distributed the food, shared stories and were able to talk with people about God. It was a very neat event!

On Nov. 19 one of our neighbors brought a dance troupe of young (ages 3-6) kids to a local nursing facility to perform. Thirty-six residents, staff and members of our group were there to cheer on these adorable little performers. Needless to say, everyone enjoyed the show. The thought went through my mind that maybe we should take this act on the road. Who knows, we may be coming to nursing home near you!

On Thanksgiving Day our group pitched in to provide a Thanksgiving meal that we delivered to a local family. The family of ten was delighted with the meal, and the children’s books we were able to give to them. Just seeing their smiles was totally worth the effort.

Dan Kwon
                                                         

Buckthorn is Smart

(Greater Palatine Area) - After hearing the vision for doing a Willow Inside Out project, our Grayslake/Hainesville/Wildwood Neighborhood Group couldn't settle on what to do or who was to lead. I'd been praying for clarity and had sent letters to area mayors asking for available community service projects.

I received a call from Hainesville Village Trustee Pam Genender inviting our group to join the village representatives, neighbors and other volunteers in their "Make A Difference Day" project on Saturday, October 22. They were going to remove buckthorn.

Knowing nothing about buckthorn and thinking (but, of course not saying), "This seems like a dumb project," I told Pam that I'd mention it to the group.
 
The next night our group discussed options. When I mentioned the “dumb” buckthorn project, immediately two of the smartest women in the group spoke up. Gail said, "Oh, I've done buckthorn removal with our Girl Scout's group. It's hard work but fun." Julie said, "We've done buckthorn removal in our neighborhood."

Both when on to explain how buckthorn trees (imported in the 1800’s) kill off native plants and trees, what are the best removal procedures, the Latin name for buckthorn, etc.
 
After my jaw shut, I explained the village project as an option for Inside/Out. We wouldn't have to do any organizing other than show up in buckthorn removal attire ready to work. All ages could come. It would only last a couple hours. We could eat and celebrate after.

Then the host home couple, Noel and Liz (also smart) said, "Did you know that Pam (Hainesville Village Trustee) lives just down the street from us?" Smart Julie commented that buckthorn removal sounded simple and simple was good. So, we decided on the (what I wrongly thought was dumb) buckthorn project.

Our group of 13 Willow Creekers ranged in age from not quite 2 yrs. old to I'm-very-tired-let-me-rest-a-few-days-after-so-much-work-where's-the-Icy-Hot-age.
We had fun, built community, interacted with neighbors and volunteers and did a practical act of service in Jesus' name.

Trustee Pam handed out bubbles, toys, snacks, pizza, water, and noisemakers to the kids. For the Icy Hot set she provided coffee, Make A Difference Day t-shirts and pizza. It turned out to be a smart day!

Lynn Gunnarson Dahlstrom
Coordinator for the
Hainesville/Grayslake/Wildwood Neighborhood Group

"Inside Out" at the PNRC

(Greater Palatine Area) - The East Park Apartments in Rolling Meadows house between 1,200 and 3,500 Latino/Hispanic residents and is served by the PNRC (Police Neighborhood Resource Center). This combination Police Substation, Health Clinic and Social Services organization serves a young and overwhelmingly Hispanic population. Approximately two-thirds of the population doesn’t speak English. The PNRC Mission is “To enhance the quality of life through empowerment, coordination of resources, and the promotion of education and health among under-served residents.”

A recent civil engineering project divided a through street in front of the PNRC into two cul-de-sacs with an open area between. Our “Inside Out” project goal was to convert this flat, open space into a safe and welcoming park with fresh landscaping (trees, shrubs, beds of perennials and hardy ground cover, mulch and seating walls). On Saturday, October 22, around 100 Willow volunteers joined neighborhood residents to transform the space and make it a little more like Eden.

Landscape Designer Tom Trayser created the overall plan in cooperation with the City of Rolling Meadows, and provided overall project direction. Miguel Sotelo, owner of Orion Landscape and member of Casa De Luz, provided equipment and leadership for both skilled and non-skilled volunteers. Sotelo also recruited a large number of volunteers from Casa-De-Luz, Willow’s Spanish-speaking congregation. Neighborhood Coordinator Susan Herold recruited Creekers from the neighborhood, and Bob Koci pulled several teens from Rolling Meadows' Student Impact House Group.

A second goal for the day was the exposure of East Park residents to members of Casa-De-Luz. Casa provided a nine-piece band and sound technicians for a celebratory “Fiesta” at the end of the day. Residents provided home-made food and costumed neighborhood children participated in several festive dance numbers. Many residents and Willow volunteers made their way around the fresh landscaping to enjoy the food and music. The day ended with a prayer of dedication by Casa De Luz pastor Hector Hermisillo.

Dave Treat
Community Pastor, Greater Palatine Area

Party in the Park

(Greater Palatine Area) - It was our pleasure to open our home for a couple of brainstorming sessions with Creekers from the "Buffalo Grove-West" neighborhood to figure out what serving project we might do. We decided to have a party in the park on the Saturday before Halloween. We called it "Halloween Dress Rehearsal".

Karen Pelka and Barb Kovasevich from WCCC, and a non-Creeker neighbor put together an awesome afternoon of fun. Between these three creative and energetic women, 200 invitations were created and distributed, games were planned and prizes found.

The weather was warm and the popcorn was popping as neighbors began showing up with their costumed kids. Some came by bike, others by foot. One family brought a small motorized car for all the kids to enjoy.

Neighbors took advantage of the opportunity to get to know one another. A few families were still talking in the park two hours after the official end time.

The party was a great success and we’ve already begun planning a Christmas Caroling Party for the neighborhood.

Inside Out is alive and well in Buffalo Grove!!

Dee and Ed DeVries

Serving is More Fun Than Chores

(Greater Palatine Area) - Our family has been deeply blessed by Willow for 20 years. We wanted to get involved in serving as a way of expressing our gratitude to God for how good He has been to us.

So, we brought a basket of food to the Palatine Food Pantry for the Blitz. My daughter made a placemat for one of the families who would receive the food. It was fun to experience the excitement and energy at the drop off point. We even had an opportunity to talk to the Township Supervisor about Willow Creek.

We also spent a Sunday afternoon with four neighborhood families doing two separate projects. The men and some of the children cleaned the yard and painted the house of a widow who lives alone in our neighborhood. She was very grateful and felt we were an answer to prayer.

The women and the rest of the kids prepared meals for a neighborhood family who has a very sick child. They have to go to the hospital everyday.

Overall, I found great joy serving with other Willow families. Even though we live close together we don’t get to see each other very often. And it was actually fun doing the same things that are boring chores when I do them alone at my own house!

David Liu

Serving Softens Hearts

(Greater Palatine Area) - Gretchen and I have noticed Judy for several years. She lives near a neighborhood park and is often out in front of her home on a motorized wheelchair. Gretchen passes by her house each day while walking our boys to school.

Gretchen felt prompted to ask Judy if she needed help with yard work. Judy comes off pretty gruff so Gretchen was a little nervous when she went to see her. But Judy responded really well. She asked Gretchen why we wanted to help. This was the perfect opportunity for Gretchen to tell her about Willow and our neighborhood group.

On the serving day, about nine people showed up at Judy's house (including our two boys). We trimmed bushes, weeded, edged the lawn, planted flower bulbs and cleaned up. Judy mostly stayed out of the way - I don't think she was feeling very well. At the end of the day we talked with her briefly. She seemed overwhelmed with the progress we made and thanked us.

Gretchen and I really enjoyed doing the project. We hope it continues to open up doors with Judy.

Ted Harro