All that Glitters can be Gold!!!

Ginnie Bellew, Manager of Ocean View Senior Apartments in Pacifica, California had an idea that turned gold into money for the Rev. John R. Glenn Foundation and truly gives back to the residents.  Here is her story:

For the 2011 Rev. John Glenn Foundation fund raiser it was a difficult decision as to what we should do here at Ocean View Sr. Apartments as we have such as wide scope of personalities I wanted to do something that would benefit them as well as be supportive to the mission of Rev. John Glenn.
After noticing at my hair salon a program where a representative from the Gold Refinery would come to the building, assess , weigh, and pay our residents cash for their broken, old, and forgotten gold and silver jewelry it seemed like a good match.  They would receive money at an extremely good rate, plus as the hostess gift I would receive money that would be the contribution to the John Glenn Foundation.
Bottom line: we did great, there was a couple that got over $1000.00, one person walked away with over $2000.00, as well as others that got into the hundreds of dollars for items that were in the bottom of the jewelry boxes; and as a hostess rewards I am please to send onto the Rev. Glenn Foundation over $900.  Pretty good for a three hour evening.

Brown Bagging it

Residents at White Oak Village in Wadsworth, Ohio had a lot of fun with all their events for Mission day. They had a chili luncheon, brown bag auction, sing along, afghan drawing and donations from a money jar in their office. There is lots happening in White Oak and they raised over $240 for Rev. John R. Glenn Foundation. Susie Frame, Senior Property Manager said, "We had lots of fun raising money and we did it because we know the Mission of National Church Residences". What a great testimonial to the power of the our message. 

My $$$ is on red

Casino Night

Residents had a blast and stated that this was the most fun they had since they lived in these buildings. The event took place at Jaycee Fairgrounds and shuttled the residents from Grace Gardens and Church Street Village in Missouri to attend. Letters were sent out for prize donations and they were auctioned off with the casino money that was won at the end of the night.

"It was a lot of work, but so worth all the effort to see the smiles on peoples faces", stated service coordinator Anne Nye.

The Vendors were medical equipment companies, pharmacies, home health agencies and even a skilled nursing facility. Edward Jones actually sponsored a table. A lot of people were impressed with what NCR does for the elderly and disabled. There were even people off the street buying tickets and they had to turn many people away as they could not hold anymore. "Next year it will be bigger and better."

Ceredo & Roxanna Booth Manor in West Virginia

Not only is West Virginia a beautiful state but people there are also generous. They donated over three hundred and seventy dollars for Mission Day 2010.

Two scoops please

Island Parkway Manor in Defiance, Ohio was having a great time at their Ice Cream Social in August. They invited residents, friends and family to enjoy a time of fellowship and Ice Cream Sundaes. A month later the residents had a car wash where they offered to wash or detail cars. Between the two events they raised over two hundred dollars for Mission Day 2010.

Out with the old, in with Mission Day 2010

Nothing like doing a little fall cleaning. Residents at Evening Star Villa and Oleander Commons in Houston, Texas cleaned out their attics and had an old fashioned garage sale and together made over one hundred dollars for Mission Day 2010.

Now that's a slice

When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie that's a great way to raise money for the Rev. John Glenn Foundation. The residents at Oak Creek Village in New Jersey had a saucy good time with their Pizza Party fundraiser, both eating and making money for a worthy cause.

Thank goodness for the kindness of our Vendors

There are many facilities that have received funds to support our mission in 2010. Here is a shout out to all those companys that feel the need to give back. Listed are some of the vendors that have supported us.
-Tandem Health Services in Texas, donated to Bayview & Oakview Village
-Progressive Home Health Agency in Texas, donated to Cobblestone Court
-FC Home Health Agency in Texas, donated to Cobblestone Court
-Comprehensive Medical in Arkansas, donated to Ecumenical Village
-Patient's Choice Hospice in Arkansas, donated to Ecumenical Village
-Bradley Foot Care Center in Arkansas, donated to Ecumenical Village
-Disability Rights Center, Inc. in Arkansas, donated to Ecumenical Village
-LHC Group, Inc. in Louisiana, donated to Ecumenical Village
-East Arkansas Family Health Center, Inc. in Arkansas, donated to Ecumenical Village
-Mid-South Health System, Inc. in Arkansas, donated to Ecumenical Village
-Crittenden Adult Care Services in Arkansas, donated to Ecumenical Village
-Columbus Plumbing & Service, Inc. in Texas, donated to Oak Bluff Village

Oh my, what a big stomach you have. All the better to have an Endless Pit Breakfast.

Residents at Ridgeview apartments located in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania had quite the appetite at their Endless Pit Breakfast for Mission Day 2010. The residents raised over seventy dollars filling up on pancakes, sausage, eggs and more.

and we'll have tea too...

Residents at Mountview Commons in Granville, New York raised over one-hundred and fourty dollars for Mission Day 2010. The residents had a small tea cup auction, food sales, held a family dinner and some residents put a few dollars in their collection jar each month.

Wheatfield Towers, Niagara Falls, NY

For Mission Day 2010 the staff at Wheatfield Towers, Sawyer Gardens and Summit View Place put together a Thursday Nite concert series that is held in each building. Their fundraiser raised over eleven hundred dollars for the Rev. John R. Glenn Foundation.

2010 Mission Day prayer delivered by Mark Ricketts, NCR Senior Vice President, COO Housing Division, September 10, 2010

Father God, Creator of life, you are the author of everything good, you are the great provider, you are eternal and unchanging. The beauty of this morning is your work….the air that we breathe is your design. The purpose that we have in life is because you planned it in advance for each of us.


We give thanks for what Mission Day represents. It represents the goodness that only you can bring. Mission Day celebrates our joyful work in your honor.

Mission Day also helps us correct our wrong motives. Sometimes we think the success at NCR has been about us, our hard work, our vision or even our achievement. We are sorry for taking the glory that should be all yours. Father we are reminded that this mission at NCR has always been about you, thru you and to your credit.

We lift up the lives on this hillside. May you protect us all, guide us all and provide for us all so that we might serve you in all we do.

We lift up the lives of those less fortunate that we serve. May they feel your love thru our caring hands and come to thank you…not NCR for the bounty they receive thru National Church Residences’ mission.

Father we would ask that you bless today’s activities and the fund raising efforts at NCR.

We ask that you use your servants at NCR to raise the awareness for giving to our community.

We ask that you would use us to change the lives of the homeless.

Finally we ask that you would lead NCR toward greater levels of service, provide us more opportunity than we can hardly believe, and then the courage and strength to meet the challenge.

In the name of our savior, our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen

Southwood Gardens, Shreveport, LA - Mission Day Ideas!

Here’s a tip for any manager or new facility from Linda & Phillip Milazzo, Southwood Gardens, Shreveport, LA, “Our residents did not show much interest in Mission Day until we started promoting it. After the residents saw how much Mission Day meant to us, they really started to join us.”

• Involve Your Residents/ Resident Association…. Make it fun, fun, fun.

• Involve Your Service Coordinator.
• Start a new tradition and do it all year long. Then keep the proceeds for Mission Day.
• Establish a goal (even if it’s a modest one) and go for it.
• Ask family members and your local business to help with a donation of cash or something to raffle.
• Coordinate a Potluck dinner (one facility has a different ethnic-style dinner each month to match resident ethnicity).
• Put a Mission Day penny jar or piggy bank in your office- very popular.
• Rock –a-thon (with rocking chairs of course).
• Yard sale – White Elephant Sale.
• Bake sale- very popular.
• Walk- a- thon -around the block around the building with residents and manager.
• One building that sells postage stamps ask residents to donate their loose change.
• Cook- out for residents- as simple as grilled hot dogs (some facilities invite neighbors and resident family members) - very popular.
• Donate proceeds from soft drink/vending machine.
• 50/50 raffles- very popular.
• Movie Night Contributions.
• Afghan Raffle or resident made craft raffles- very popular.
• Manager run the facility flight of stairs (are you kidding!).
• Old fashioned Ice Cream social- very popular.
• Silent Auction- prizes donated by local business and vendors.

Papa John's Program

New Towne Village, Leonardtown, MD

We received another check in the amount of $67.00 for the Rev. John Glenn Foundation. Every time either a resident, family member or friend call Papa John's to order and mentions New Towne Village, we get a % of what the cost of the order. This program was initially designed to give a resident a "free" rent, but the they decided that the money would be put to better use if given to the foundation. The first month we did it, we had a free pizza party for all the residents and the John R. Glenn Foundation received the remainder of the "profit."

We Want To Hear From You!

We want to hear from you! Please share how your community is supporting Mission Day 2011!

Simply e-mail pictures, stories, comments, etc.. to jgebhart@ncr.org.