Dove, Inc.

Dove's Annual Meeting was held on Monday, May 8.  At that time, the following slate of Board Directors were elected to serve the July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2019 term, Mrs. SuEllen Brauer Rev. Jason Butterick Rev. Vivian Clarington Ms. Keturah Owens Mrs. Amanda Podeschi Mrs. Marianne Taylor Mr. William Taylor Thanks to all who are choosing to serve on the Board. They will be serving with the following who are serving a July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2018 term Ms. Jo Carter Mrs. Tami Crouch Mr. Darrel Parish Ms. Teri Fickes Mrs. Kim Stahl The Rev. Richard Swan The complete list is always available on the Dove website www.doveinc.org Fr. Swan who is currently serving as the Vice President of the conducted the election of the Board of Directors.

 Unfortunately, some children are not in a loving relationship with their Mother. I found this poem below from the St. Paul Almanac, created in 2005. It is a tribute to women. I feel it is appropriate post to share for Mother’s Day, entitled "The Strength of a Woman."  The St. Paul Almanac is a "literary-centered arts organization that shares stories across cultures and cultivates dialogue to promote understanding, relationships, and collaborative action". The Saint Paul Almanac helps to center the people of the St. Paul community into the heart of storytelling. Please enjoy and please honor the supportive women in your life. Teri Ducy Domestic Violence Program Director The strength of a woman is carrying the burden of family without expectation that someone will feel her pain or cry her tears. The strength of a woman is the first one to wake up and the last to go to bed. The strength of a woman is to pretty and doll up all the masks sh...

Did you know that May is Older Americans Month? Each May, the Administration for Community Living (ACL) leads our nation’s celebration of Older Americans Month (OAM). Their theme this year is “Age Out Loud”. What it means to age has changed, and celebrating Older Americans Month is a great time to look and see what our retired and senior volunteers are accomplishing as they age out loud. Every day our RSVP volunteers “Age Out Loud” and respond to the needs of our communities. Many of our volunteers serve in places that ensure “Healthy Futures” for so many people in our communities. This includes giving to those aging in place by helping with transportation, meal delivery, companionship, coaching exercise programs, and distributing information, or staffing hotlines, food pantries, and soup kitchens. Within the last fiscal year, our volunteers served over 27,000 hours in this category alone. According to the Independent Sector, a volunteer’s time in Illinois is worth $25.34 ...

From the January 1987 DoveTales newsletter - below is a copy of  the Domestic Violence Program "wish-list"   Child's record player Wooden building block Large wooden dollhouse Child Guidance toys table and chairs Hand Puppets Felt, assorted colors Stuffed animals Scrap lace, ribbon and ruffles Tape Recorder Puzzles Popcorn popper   Sound fun doesn't it?    The current list going in the May 2017 newsletter is below.  Little more practical.  So if you can help us out with a few plungers or dishwasher pods or even a tablet, maybe thrown in a hand puppet or two!  It will all be greatly appreciated.   Domestic Violence Shelter Needs   BOX FANS TOILET PLUNGERS NIGHTLIGHTS RADIO/ALARM CLOCKS, ELECTRIC WHITE NOISE MACHINES (2-3 for 2 nd /3 rd shift working clients trying to sleep, as well as large families, to mask noise) TABLET (for Group use) 9V BATTERIES GAS GIFT CARDS NEW STROLLERS WALMART ...

During the dark, cold days of January----possibly inspired by the “clean slate” of a brand new year-----I undertook a major clean-up of my office.   Evidently, when I started this job many years ago, I thought every piece of paper I received was sacred.   I was rapidly running out of storage space, so I began the process of cleaning, sorting, shredding and tossing.   As the job progressed, a few things became apparent.   First, I was probably about one ream of paper away from a visit from the nice folks at the Hoarders TV show.   I had a lot of moments asking………Why did I save that?.....How long has that law been obsolete?……Whatever were you thinking when you saved that???   As I sorted, cleaned, tossed and carted off to the dumpster, I had an overwhelming sense of accomplishment and a new sense of organization.   Coming to the office, opening a desk drawer or file drawer became a much more pleasant experience. As I reflected on how cathartic thi...

When people become involved in their communities they take ownership of the problems facing all residents.   Community engagement is about people working and learning together, gaining strength from each other and sharing visions and actions that lead to a common goal.   Volunteering is a great way to begin your community journey, but did you know there are already many dedicated volunteers serving in our community? There are opportunities for volunteers of all ages to get involved and make great things happen. We have national, state, and community-based organizations that help mobilize all of those cherished volunteers, but did you know the need for volunteers never decreases? There is always an opportunity to get involved with something you care deeply about. Do you want to help build homes, help keep our environment clean, teach someone to read, delivery a nutritious meal to a shut in, rock and read to babies, or respond when disaster strikes? All of these volunteer op...

The Dove Children’s Clothing Room is a place where families may select free, good quality clothing for infants and children. The Clothing Room is located at Prairie Avenue Christian Church, 2201 E. Prairie Avenue in Decatur. It is open Monday through Thursday 1:00 to 3:30 p.m.. Families can "shop" for their children once every 30 days and are allowed 3 outfits per child, as well as 2 new pairs of new underwear and socks if available. The Clothing Room serves children and young adults from infants to age 18. We do not require referrals, but we do ask for each child’s age and gender for our records. We count on the help from the community and always welcome donations of gently used items, including clothes for infants, school aged children, and teenagers, and baby items. We are always in need of new socks and underwear and will gladly accept monetary donations to purchase these items. There is a locked, blue drop box in the church parking lot where donations can...