Sponsorship Information

For more information or to purchase a sponsorship please contact Crystal Diver at crystalndiver.casa@gmail.com 

The “Original” Quarter Auction is back! On Friday, April 5, 2019, doors open at 6:00pm, auction begins at 7:00pm. It’ll take place at Madison’s Tea Room; 144 East Ferguson Ave, Downtown Wood River. Bring a roll of quarters and a friend. New & discontinued items from local direct sales vendors will be auctioned off for 1-4 quarters per item.

Email Andrea Abbot for more details: quarterauction1@yahoo.com

This is Refuge’s 4th Annual Ask Event where they invite you to attend and learn more about the mission of Refuge. This year marks 5 YEARS OF SERVICE! They are excited to celebrate & reflect on those 5 amazing years with you ALL!

They are looking for sponsors, please click here for all of the details. If you have any questions, email: erin@refuge4kids.org

*Attendance is free

*Dinner will be served

*RSVP to erin@refuge4kids.org

Thank you to all of our sponsors for the 2019 Trivia with a Twist! We look forward to this event, as we know many of you do, and would not be able to host it without the generosity of our many supporters. Thank you again for making this year’s event one of the best ones yet!

2019 Trivia with a Twist Sponsors:

1. 1st Mid
2. Thrive
3. WR Printing
4. Bickle Electric
5. WBGZ
6. Bank of Edwardsville
7. Law office of Michael Wesley
8. Chris Miller
9. Rustic Roots
10. Dream Home Realty
11. Folsom Distributing
12. Babcock and Associates
13. The Post Commons
14.  Pitchford Funeral Home
15. Budget Signs
16. EV Technologies
17. Phillips 66
18. State Farm – Dwight Tungett
19. Alliance Technologies
20. Mike Smith

Riverbend Family Ministries is hosting their Annual Celebration Dinner

Riverbend Family Ministries is hosting their 2^nd Annual Celebration Dinner on Thursday, November 1^st at the Best Western Premier Alton-St. Louis Area Hotel.

This year’s dinner will highlight achievements made by Riverbend Family Ministries (RFM) throughout the year, including remarks from RFM’s Executive Director, Tammy Iskarous. The keynote speaker is Michelle Raby, a Southern Illinois native and author of the book, To Be Known. Her book tells her story on how broken beginnings can be redefined into breathtaking purpose and promise.

“We are blessed to have Michelle Raby as our Keynote speaker this year,” said Iskarous. “I’ve watched her grow from the brokenness of her past hurts to the boldness of her present faith. She has a warrior’s heart for those most vulnerable and leads with a humble grace that radiates God love and her identity in Him. I am blessed to call her friend and can’t wait for you to hear her incredible story of growth and healing.”

“It’s such an honor to be coming back to a place that once gave me hope,” said Raby. “A place I found healing through serving. I’m proud to be a part of an organization that advocates for children and their families.”

Michelle Raby now resides in California with her family and is an Outreach Pastor at Capital Christian Center.

“Because of Riverbend Family Ministries people from all walks of life are saying YES! Yes, to volunteering, yes to hope and yes to kids and their families. After recently relocating back to the area I am so excited to be involved again and know that what our community does truly will make an impact. It’s so exciting to see it come full circle,” said Raby.

Doors will open at 5:30pm and dinner will be served at 6:00pm, attendance is free to the public. Please RSVP HERE

Our Annual Celebration Dinner is coming!  Mark your calendars for Thursday, November 1, 2018.  Our dinner is free to the public (just need to RSVP).  Come and join us as we celebrate another successful year with all of our supporters.  Dinner will be served.  Our special guest speaker this year is author, Michelle Raby.

Date: Thursday, November 1, 2018

Time: 6-8pm

Location: Best Western Premier – Alton; 3559 College Ave

Abundant of Life Community Church is hosting a training conference called, “Calming the Chaos” on September 29^th from 12pm-4pm. The training is designed to help ministry leaders and volunteers that work with children and teens to better understand the behaviors of children that have been through trauma. This event is open to all churches and denominations – all leadership and volunteer staff are encouraged to attend.

Pastor David Anderson with Abundant of Life Community Church is excited to bring this training into the community, “Our communities are full of teens and children who live in very tough circumstances.  It can be very hard to reach them when your teams don’t understand how to effectively relate to them, and meet their specific needs.”

“I can remember becoming very frustrated trying to get kids to behave and participate, and often feeling like I had no clue on how to keep control.  This training will transform the way we minister to these kids.  It’ll help us understand how these children think and react, and have the tools to engage them in effective ways,” says Anderson.

Anderson has collaborated with local nonprofit, Refuge to help facilitate the training. Refuge is a nonprofit that serves children and families in Madison County who’ve been exposed to childhood abuse and trauma. They help address and prevent childhood abuse and violence exposure with therapy and training. Executive Director, Erin Bickle and Case Worker/Parent Educator, Angie Darden are the special guest speakers for this training.

Bickle and Darden will share information on: Adverse Childhood Experiences, Mental and physical impacts of childhood exposure to trauma, Understanding the behaviors of children with trauma, Tools to use in the church setting and the Burnout of volunteers: How to stop secondary trauma.

“We’re very excited to participate in the Calming the Chaos training as we feel strengthening and educating the different aspects of community are crucial to the resilience of our children,” said Bickle. “We feel like this training will help those working with children and youth look through a different lens when attempting to support, build up and ultimately bring hope to those they’re working with.”

Bickle said trauma training is important because without the knowledge of how trauma impacts even our youngest children, we cannot properly support and help them heal.

“Refuge can’t wait to participate in this training because there’s a need in our faith-based community to support volunteers working tirelessly with children who come from hard places,” said Darden. “This training will help those volunteers to understand the impact of trauma on the developing child.  Trauma training is so important because it gives us insight, tools, and empathy to continue building the strongest connection with our children, their parents, and ultimately showing the unconditional love of Christ.”

Pastor Anderson hopes to equip church teams to better meet the needs of at risks kids.  He’s hoping church leaders, youth/kids pastors and volunteers will sign up for this training.

The cost is $25 per church team (up to 20 people per team). Lunch will be available from 11am-12 pm and can be purchased that day (proceeds helps children in Thailand). The training will take place at the Abundant Life Community Church; 3986 Humbert Road, Alton, Illinois.

Registration is encouraged.  Tickets are available to purchase online: www.abundantlifechurches.org/event/calming-the-chaos.

Refuge is hosting their Annual, “Build a Refuge” Golf Scramble on Friday, September 21^st at Belk Park Golf Course in Wood River. The registration deadline is Friday, September 14.
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The four-person team entry is $300 and includes golf carts, dinner following play and prizes.

“We look forward to this event every year because it’s always a fun, well-attended event where we can enjoy a relaxing afternoon with our special donors,” said Refuge Executive Director, Erin Bickle. “Our board members work very hard at continuing to make this event even more successful than the last one.”

Sponsorship levels are: Event Sponsor ($1,000), Dinner Sponsor ($500), Beverage Cart Sponsor ($250) and Hole Sponsor ($100). Sponsor’s banner/sign will be used if available. If banner/sign is unavailable, organizers will obtain small signs. Larger signs for event sponsors will be provided by sponsors.

Participants interested in registering for a team, or becoming a sponsor, please visit Refuge’s website: www.refuge4kids.org

Proceeds from the golf outing benefits Refuge, which is a self-funded nonprofit. Refuge is a nonprofit that serves children and families in Madison County who’ve been exposed to childhood abuse. They help address and prevent childhood abuse and violence exposure with therapy and training.