February 2012 Prayer Household of the Month Each month well pray for a specific unit.

For the month of February, please pray for the Albany unit. They are: Jule Horsch Jenny Isaak Melissa Jantzi Kelsey Klaiber Bethanie Wedel Lauren & Mark Eash Hershberger, unit leaders

Meet the Albany Unit!

Each month we will use this newsletter as a way to learn more about whats going on throughout Service Adventure and to get to know people in a specific location. This month we are focusing on the Albany, Oregon Service Adventure unit. Enjoy getting to know a bit about who they are and what they are doing this year.

Prayer Request Pray for your local congregation and your home congregation this month. From left to Right: Jennifer Isaak, Melissa Jantzi, Bethanie Wedel, Juliane Horsch, Lauren Eash Hershberger, Kelsey Klaiber, and Mark Eash Hershberger

February Birthdays 2 Heidi McHugh, Philippi 2 Mike McHugh, Philippi 2 Allison Shetler, Philippi 15 Kelsey Klaiber, Albany 18 Mark Eash Hershberger, Albany 18 Melanie Alwine, Johnstown

Page 2 Name and Service Assignment: Kelsey Klaiber (Ohio), activities assistant at the Mennonite Village Best SA experience so far: running around like children at the coast (playing jump rope with seaweed, etc.) Most awkward SA experience so far: trying to jump over a fence to the port-a-johns in fear of having an accident What Im known for (according to others): getting tons of care-packages, loving the Beatles, saying that every movie is her favorite, saying anyway as a word to agree with someone, wanting to go to Dennys late at night, wearing her TOMs shoes until they are in shreds, always being up for an adventure

Service Adventure News

Name and Service Assignment: Jule Horsch (Germany), assistant in before and after school program, teachers assistant at South Shore Elementary, worker at Helping Hands Homeless Shelter Best SA experience so far: jumping from a cliff into the water of Crater Lake Most awkward SA experience so far: accidentally running into a glass door at a progressive dinner while almost everyone was inside watching me What Im known for (according to others): dance parties, mad piano skills, being protective of her bed, awesome voice, sledding down the stairs (finding entertainment in random things), fun to mess around with/tease

Name and Service Assignment: Jenny Isaak (Germany), teacher assistant at South Shore Elementary and South Albany High school, helper at Quail Run at the Mennonite Village Best SA experience so far: being invited to peoples houses for dinner for ten days in a row (and not having to cook!) Most awkward SA experience so far: a teacher at the elementary school asking me whether I was a student or a teacher What Im known for (according to others): baking German bread, talking in weird accents (not her normal one!), singing in harmony to almost every song, her love of oldies music, fruit-lover, awesome glasses

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Service Adventure News Name and Service Assignment: Bethanie Wedel (Kansas), cashier at Habitat for Humanity, teachers assistant at South Shore Elementary Best SA experience so far: jumping into Crater Lake and going to the coast Most awkward SA experience so far: when people dont know my name What Im known for (according to others): always has chap stick to share, she is the orange head, loving purple, Glee fan, amazing memory, country music, doing her chores

Name and Service Assignment: Melissa Jantzi (Virginia), worker at Helping Hands Homeless Shelter, assistant in the Alzheimers unit at the Mennonite Village Best SA experience so far: forming deep relationships with the residents at Helping Hands- I hope that I have been even a fraction of the blessing that they have been to me Most awkward SA experience so far: arriving to work with the back of my pants wet from my wet bike seat What Im known for (according to others): filling the house with Phantom of the Opera music, popcorn eater, loving used book stores, loving Audrey Hepburn, coffee fanatic, appreciating old movies, loving babies

Name and Service Assignment: Lauren Eash Hershberger (Indiana), SA leader, part-time nanny, Zumba instructor Best SA experience so far: camping in a yurt and taking a three-hour nap (while missing the rain!) Most awkward SA experience so far: feeling like the odd ones while being the only ones with clothes on at the hot springs near Eugene What Im known for (according to others): shaking her booty at Zumba, loving curry, loving her ferrets, goofy sense of humor, being momma bear to the cubs, getting everyone hooked on knitting, being a super-nanny, great cook

Name and Service Assignment: Mark Eash Hershberger (Indiana), SA leader, marketing assistant at Coastal Farm and Ranch Best SA experience so far: finding fun things to do when we didnt have lights in the evening for a week Most awkward SA experience so far: having to ask for the part of my present that was left out because it may have seemed too girly (really- it is ok to give me lotion! ) What Im known for (according to others): playing the ukulele around the house, singing songs without the correct lyrics, being papa bear, loving the game Settlers, calling the house in alternate personalities, being a great artist, always cheerful and fun

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Service Adventure News

Other thoughts.
Probably one of the most exciting things about Service Adventure is the weekends and what you make out of them. Almost every weekend since weve been here, we have gone somewhere really exciting. For example, we went to Crater Lake, one of the most beautiful places weve all probably ever seen, and to make an adventure out of it we jumped off a cliff into the ice-cold water. We already went to Portland a couple of times, to go to a concert, to the Saturday market, and to check out other fun places. Some weeks ago we went up to Seattle, and had a blast up there. As you can see, we use our weekends to have a great time, and I only named some of the things we did in the last 4 months. The best part is probably that we still have almost six months to go to see even more places and enjoy our time together. -Jule Horsch Albany Mennonite is a very welcoming and hospitable community who loves Service Adventure. Its members are very generous and love to give away: barely a day goes by that we dont receive a contribution from a member of the church. Albany Mennonite really has been a blessing to all of us. Not only are the sermons of our awesome Pastor Meghan an encouragement but also the peoples constant display of love is an encouragement to me. Jenny Isaak

When I first considered taking a year off, my greatest concern was the feeling of being left behind by all of my classmates. I knew that I would go back to college the year after, and then I would forever be catching up to my friends. Somehow, I got over this fear enough to apply and ultimately join the program Service Adventure, and Ive been grateful ever since. Having this time away from classes and homework has been a fantastic opportunity for me to refocus on the important things in life. Living in community helps me remember the importance of relationships with others, and full time volunteer work keeps me focused on the importance of my relationship with God. These past months have directly prepared me for college by helping confirm my decision to be a nursing major through my work at the Mennonite Village retirement home. Im also sure that the countless unique experiences that I have had through volunteering, living in community, and simply living in a new part of the country will also be unforeseeably valuable in the future. At first I thought that a year off would set me behind my peers, but now I see that in many aspects, this year has sent me far ahead. Melissa Jantzi

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Service Adventure News

Service Adventure gives participants loads of work experience. It lets you get out into the real world. We get to work in places that fit what we like. If someone wants to be a teacher, they can volunteer at the school and get inside knowledge of a teaching job. Or if they want to work in the medical field, they can take a CNA class at the nursing home to prepare them. We get to experience lots of different work places too. Some of us work at the homeless shelter. Working there, you get a chance to hear life stories of some of the people there. Even though they dont have much going for them now, they still know that God has bright plans for them. Whatever we do or wherever we work, all of us have a blast and cant wait to go to work in the morning. There are all sorts of different experiences to be had each day. We all really enjoy our jobs here in Albany. We get a lot of different experiences from our various placements. Every night, sitting around the table for dinner, we always have awesome stories of our days. Those of us who work at the school come home with crazy stories of what the kids did that day. Weve heard fascinating life stories from residents at the retirement home and intriguing stories of how the people at the homeless shelter are trying to turn their lives around. These are some of the things that well keep with us even after we go back home. Biking to work in the rain doesnt even seem all that terrible when we know that what we do helps out our community. - Bethanie Wedel

Every Monday we have our learning components. We always have lots of fun. Some of our learning components were making peanut butter play dough, making bracelets, and making German bread. One time we lay in the driveway, with our pillows, and watched Mark change the oil in the car. We even got to dance around the living room when Jule taught us to do ballroom dance and cha-chacha. - Kelsey Klaiber

10 Things We Recommend You Do While You Are in Oregon

1. Visit Crater Lake (make sure you bring your swimsuit)! 2. Go to the coast for some beautiful hiking. 3. Take a trip to Powells used bookstore in Portland. Its three floors cover an entire city block! 4. Crabbing 5. Explore Portland and the Saturday Market. 6. See the ten falls at Silver Falls State Park. 7. Hang out in coffee shops in Corvallis (our favorite is the Beanery). 8. There is no sales tax hereshop!! 9. Hang out in your car while someone else pumps your gas. 10. Camp in a yurt- basically a tent with beds and heat!

Page 6 Albany Photos

Service Adventure News