Theatre Department News

Forbes enjoys caring for children, just ASK her

Daily Leader, The (Pontiac, IL) - Saturday, October 27, 2012
Author: Carol Winters; The Daily Leader

Danette Forbes '90, is the new highly qualified and very enthusiastic director of the First United Methodist Church of Pontiac's After School Ministry: After School Kids (ASK).

She received her bachelor's degree in business administration and marketing in the fine arts and minored in theatre at Monmouth College in Monmouth. Later, she received her master's degree in Christian education with an emphasis on children and family ministry from Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, Va.

Forbes has served in a variety of child-oriented programs including acting as the interim director of Christian education in Morris and working with the after school program there. As a nanny and governess, she has raised more than 25 children and has cared for more than 100.

Many people may know Forbes as she has been a substitute teacher in District #429 as well.

Forbes is an enthusiastic person and just one of those people with a smile on her face and cheery attitude. Mary Poppins has nothing on her.

"I just love kids. Since I was a little girl, I have always wanted to be a mom. Kids just naturally come to me for hugs," Forbes said.

Nothing seems to faze her - youngster collisions, snack chaos, game time, and the phrase, "I gotta go to the bathroom NOWWWW," is all part of the routine. When a job is dealing with students ranging from kindergarteners through sixth graders after a long day at school, a director has to have patience and creativity.

To be a part of the fun, just call the staff at First United Methodist Church at 815-842-1157. The cost is $5 a day for one child and $8 a day for two or more children in the same family. ASK follows the District #429 school calendar and is closed on early dismissal days, school holidays and school vacations. Hours are after school until 5 p.m. The children are bused from the school to the church where an adult is outside to greet them.

"There is also a one page information sheet that needs to be filled out," said Forbes.

"We want everyone to know that there is a faith-based component of the program, but that ASK is not specific to one denomination. We have children from all different denominations attending. The activities are not a "Sunday school," but we do use faith values to teach how we should be living our lives. We welcome children who may not be churched as well," she said.

"Safety is very important to us and we take our role as after school caretakers very seriously. If there is a court order that restricts who may pick up a child, we honor that order as long as the parents let us know.

"Also, if a student will not be riding the bus some day to the ministry, we ask parents to notify us," Forbes said.

"If there is a child with disabilities, we will work with the parents to the degree that we can," she added.

"ASK has a variety of activities for the children. For the first 10 to 20 minutes, we let them play, so they can blow off steam after being in school all day. Then we have a snack. After that we have several volunteers who have expertise in a certain area. Ellen Yedniak teaches music, Kelly Villier teaches PE and Jana Russow teaches science. We are looking for people who would like to teach art to the children. Toward the end of the day, we have quiet time in the lounge where kids can do homework, do puzzles, play with games, read or color," Forbes said.

Volunteers are welcome! If you are looking for something to do - contact the church. A background check is necessary to work with the children.

"We need people who love kids, are committed to the ministry, always have safety in mind, have a skill or a talent they would like to share, or who just want to offer an extra pair of hands. Hours for volunteers are 2:15 to 5 p.m., but if people would like to work just part of the time, that is fine, too," Forbes said.

"One of the service projects that ASK is responsible for is filling 40 bags with food brought to the church by Don Schlosser from a Bloomington Food Bank for children in need at the grade schools. The children make an assembly line, pray over the food and place donated canned goods, juice boxes and snacks in a bag. Bus drivers Karen and Dave Eggenberger distribute the bags to school social workers who discreetly contact students with the food bags on Friday," said Will Meachum, director of Intentional Faith Development.

Meachum and Forbes welcome your children. "Right now, there are about 20 children on the roster, but we are hoping to expand the ministry", he said.

"I would be thrilled to meet your children and share our afternoons together," Forbes added.

Section: News
Page: 1A
Record Number: e4ac2c2b64ffbf5a0f50216624c73eb9
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