Rockford Work Camps - Kishwaukee storage site

The Callaway, Nebraska group also worked at an old Kishwaukee fire station facility. The goal is to restore it to its former purpose - a fire station. It has been used by the city for a number of years as a storage facility. The youth moved boxes, shredded lots of files, and tore out inside framing that had been added over the years. They also painted the outside of the building. Note the message behind the group. At both sites, neighbors stopped by to watch. See how God works in our lives!

Rockford Work Camps - First week

A great picture showing the type of work that these young Nebraskans tackled! They completely stripped the bathroom. Ask anyone how hard it is to remove a toilet and a bathtub from any bathroom! Nice job kids! They also stripped and painted all the rooms and windows.

Rockford Work Camps Project had its very first work crew June 2. 39 youth and 10 adults from Callaway, Nebraska arrived Sunday evening. Monday they started rehabbing the Christ the Carpenter parsonage. They were amazing workers! Here they are taking a most deserved break. They also met a new friend, Stan - a member of Christ the Carpenter Church. I doubt I have to explain which person in the picture is Stan.

Rockford Urban Ministries Work Experience

A six month furlough starting December 20 created a whole lot of open-ended time. I no longer had 500 kids to wake me up each morning and keep me going all day long. What to do? I searched for volunteer work and ended up with Rockford Urban Ministries. Stan Campbell asked that I serve as the winter workcamp coordinator. I gladly stepped in and helped bridge the gap between last summer and this summer's college work camp leaders. At first I had no clue how this work camp project worked. It all came together this past week with our first work crew from Nebraska. Thanks Stan! You provided me with a most satisfying and meaningful experience during a horrific, most confining and boring winter!

Graduation - Special Friends

Collin and Kaila Bubnack. In our youth we see hope and we certainly wish these two the very best!

Graduation Open House - Friends

Eugene & Carol Quinn and the twins helped make the party extra special!

Graduation Open House - Fun stuff!

Brian Coulter and Kaila Bubnack - Usually Kaila is with Collin! I think Kaila won the bean toss!

Graduation Open House - Coach Green

Dan 'Coach' Green remembers going downstate for the high school basketball tournament to Champaign with the West High Warriors as a kid. He sat next to me on the bus. Do I remember? No, but he does and that is OK! He was a good coach and friend to the boys during their basketball experience at Lutheran.

Graduation Open House - Church family

Our Church family sustains us. The smiles tell you why! My sister Mary, Mary Erickson, Patty Campbell

Graduation Open House - Coulter's backyard!

The weather was perfect. The tent provided wonderful shade. We were so pleased to see family, friends and classmates come to enjoy this special time! Above are two of our relatives Bryan Wald and Joyce Holtman.

Graduation Evening - First Evangelical Free Church

Jim Coulter Senior, Mary & Jim Coulter, John Rateliff & Jan Coulter

Baccalaureate Evening - Twins they are!

Collin and Brian Coulter - They do look ready to move on and though identical twins - each has matured into a unique personality! God bless and keep them both!

Baccalaureate Evening - First Lutheran Church

From left to right :
Jim Coulter Senior, Collin Coulter, Mary Coulter, Jim Coulter Junior, Brian Coulter, Judy Long

New Beginnings

Time to celebrate family. Brian and Collin graduate from Rockford Lutheran.