Donating Awana Shares through matching program for Food Bank

At every Awana meeting, clubbers will be awarded with different numbers of Awana Shares for their excellent performance in learning and in games. Each clubber may be rewarded no more than 2 Awana Shares in each meeting. Every 4 to 5 weeks, the clubbers will have an opportunity to redeem their Awana Shares for little gifts at the Awana Store. Awana Store will be opened again on Feb 1, 2013.

In order to nurture giving to bless others as a virtue, we encourage the clubbers to "donate" their Awana Shares for charity besides getting gifts for themselves. In October 2012, we supported Operation Christmas Child (OCC), a program that brings joy and hope to children in desperate situations around the world through gift-filled shoe boxes and the message of God’s unconditional love. For each Awana Share donated, a pre-arranged donor gave $10 towards purchasing supplies for filling OCC shoeboxes. Our clubbers donated 15 Shares in total towards OCC, and successfully raised $150. In December, through similar arrangement, we raised $70 to purchase a agriculture startup pack for a third-world community through World Vision.

At the coming Awana Store, we will provide opportunities for our clubbers to donate their shares to support the work of the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing food and related assistance to those in need. For every shares our clubbers donated, a pre-arranged donor will give $10 for this program. We hope to raise $100 for this program. We hope that the parents can talk to their children at home about this program and encourage them to donate their shares.

If you have any question, please do not hesitate to contact Pastor Alan or any of our Awana leaders.

P.S. Awana will not meet on Feb 8, 2013 during the Family Day long weekend. We will resume meeting on Feb 15, 2013.