Winter 2014

Top overall 10K race winners were Graham Morris (35:10), and Olivia Klaus (41:54); and

top 4 Mile winners were Dave Nordheielm (34:43) and Jacki McKown (25:48).

Race With Your Heart raises $10K

Saturday, September 20 the 18th Annual Race with Your Heart walk/race fundraiser was held in Eureka. This annual event was again part of the Lake Run Club Circuit Race and Illinois Valley Striders Race. The 10K and 4 Mile race drew 84 participants around the upper lake area, while over 30 walkers were sent towards lower lake in a 2 mile walk. While participation was down from 2013, the Heartline and Heart House Board and Staff were well pleased with the event and especially appreciative of the community support. Many volunteers assisted with race sign up, logistics, t-shirt distribution, raffles, awards, post race breakfast, baked goods, face painting, and much more. Silver sponsors for the race were Premier Fabrication in Congerville. Bronze sponsors were Busy Cor-ner, Tri-County Irrigation and Plumbing and Goodfield State Bank of Goodfield; Hartter Interiors and Roa-noke Motors of Roanoke; Cefcu, Blunier Implement, Advocate Healthcare, Eureka Rotary, Lillia Jewelers, Lawnscapes, Sam Leman Auto Dealership, Country Companies Agent Mark Scott, Eureka Community Bank, and Heartland Bank, all of Eureka. Other sponsors were Martin Sign and Service of Metamora, and Hediger and Myers Insurance of East Peoria. Free massages were given by Healthy Arts Physical Therapy after the race. Race with Your Heart is the largest fund raising event of the year for Heartline and Heart House which raised $10,000. All proceeds stay local and assist with programming and shelter expenses of Heartline and Heart House.

(From left to right) Racers take their mark at the starting line for the 18th Annual Race for the Heart; Stuart Jones and Mark Honeg sprint for a 3rd place finish at the 4K finish line; Aliya Sauder hugs her dad, Matt Sauder , after he finished top in his age category for the 4K; Teresa of Fancy Faces paints up Hailey Garcia at the race after party.

2014-2015 Board of Directors

Dr. Junius Rodriguez, President, Eureka; Dr. Debra Van Hoorn, Vice President, Congerville; Linda Keys, Treasurer , Metamora;

Diane Gravlin, Metamora; Dale Wyss, Goodfield; Tonya Franz, Metamora; Jessica Barr, Eureka; Joan Loftus, El Paso;

Pastor Tom Swanson, Eureka; Matt Sauder, Roanoke; Dr. Steven Jones, Eureka; Cheyenne Ledford, Eureka

Staff

Brandi Gerber, Executive Director ; Blaine Troyer, Hear tline Program Manager ; Laurie Alread, Hear t House Program Manager ;

Robin Honeg, Bookkeeper & HR; Peg Robson, Resident Assistant; Gleda Burkett, Resident Assistant

Thanksgiving and Christmas Outreach

The holiday season is here! Heart-line is busy preparing for Thanksgiv-ing from the Heart program allows us to assemble and distribute Thanks-giving meals to those less fortunate in our area. Last year we provided 36 families with meals. Community sign up begins the first week of No-vember for food pantry clients in Eu-reka, Congerville, Goodfield, Roa-noke and Benson. Volunteers are needed to pack the boxes and for dis-tribution on November 25. The Tree of Hearts program pro-vides Christmas gifts for families who might otherwise go without. In 2013, 310 children received gifts that were generously donated by Wood-ford County residents. Donations of gifts for children ages 0 – 17 are

needed from now until December 12. Drop off locations are at Woodford County Heartline, and area banks. See the flyer on page 3 for locations. Volunteers are needed for sorting, wrapping and distribution. See the dates above. The Tree of Hearts cam-paign also includes food boxes pro-vided by the Salvation Army. Woodford County Heartline Pro-gram is a recipient of funds through the Salvation Army bell ringing cam-paign. Volunteers are needed to cov-er 1 hour (or more) shifts to solicit donations by ringing bells at Eureka IGA and other Woodford County town locations. See dates above.

The annual Thanksgiving and Christ-mas outreach requires many dedicated volunteers. Can you help?

National Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week

—November 15 - 23 Hunger and homelessness go hand in hand. Homelessness is often assumed to be an

urban phenomenon due to a more geographically concentrated base. However, peo-

ple experience the same difficulties associated with homelessness in America's small

towns and rural areas as they do in urban areas. Rural homelessness, like urban

homelessness, can be a result of poverty, lack of affordable housing or healthcare,

decline in public assistance, domestic violence, or addiction. In fact, research shows

that the odds of being poor are 1.2 to 2.3 times higher in non-metro areas.

(www.nationalhomelessness.org)

Heartline was established in 1982 by local ministers and community leaders who

were concerned that there was no place in Woodford County for people in crisis to

receive assistance, information or referrals. Currently Heartline screens clients for the

Eureka Area Food Pantry which served 104 families on average, each month in

2013. Heart House opened in 1992 to provide homeless and domestic abuse women

and children in Woodford County a safe place to go. In 2013, Heart House provid-

ed shelter for 45 family units and referred many others to area facilities. Our shelter

is locked, monitored, and operated 24 hours every day by staff and volunteers to pro-

tect those who seek safety. We are a faith-based, non denominational community

supported resource in Woodford County. We can be reached at (309)467-6101.

Calendar of Events

Volunteers Needed for the following events Thanksgiving Baskets Distribution: Tuesday Nov 25 10-11 am Salvation Army Bell Ringing (various shifts available) Eureka IGA Wednesday Nov 26 9am -5pm Saturday Nov 29 9am -2pm Saturday Dec 13 9am -5pm Saturday Dec 20 9am -5 pm Tree of Hearts Donations needed of new, unwrapped gifts for children ages 0—17. Gift Donation Deadline - Dec 12 Gift Sorting - Friday Dec 12 Gift Wrapping (shifts) Monday Dec 15 9am -4pm Tuesday Dec 16 Noon -8pm Wednesday Dec 17 9am – 1pm Gift Distribution Friday Dec 19 9am -11am 1:30pm – 2:30pm Food unloading & set up Monday Dec 22 8:15am Food Distribution to clients Monday Dec 22 1:30pm -2:30pm (Inclement weather alt. date Tues Dec 23)

Heartline needs your help in collecting new, un-wrapped gifts. All gifts should be delivered to the designated businesses or to Heart House no later than December 12, 2014. Please help us meet our goal this year of collecting 1,500 gifts. Tree of Hearts is a program that provides Christmas gifts to low-income people in Woodford County. All the gifts that are given are donated by businesses and individuals.

Christmas statistics for 2013: 131 families or 310 children signed up

4-5 gifts per person 1,395 wrapped gifts given out

Woodford County Heartline and Heart

Tree of Hearts

Gift Drop Off Locations Eureka

Heartline and Heart House, Eureka Community Bank, Goodfield State Bank, Heartland Bank, Mangold Ford, and Sam Leman

Metamora; Commerce Bank, Heartland Bank & Trust Co, Goodfield State Bank

Roanoke; Commerce Bank, Roanoke Community Bank

Goodfield; Goodfield State Bank

Minonk; Minonk Community Bank

Washburn; Washburn Community Bank

Spring Bay; Spring Bay Community Bank

Benson; Flanagan State Bank

Can you help us this winter?

Heartline and Heart House desperately needs

donations in the winter months. Our Thanksgiving

for the Heart and Tree of Hearts campaign call for many donations and volunteers; however, we also

seek administrative support due to the increase in

office supplies and postage for these campaigns. While our monthly average for our Ameren bill for the Heartline offices, Heart House shelter and community

room is $415.12, this is an annual average. Our heating bill is much higher in the

winter months. We also see a decline in general donations yet we have a high de-

mand for season items such as cold/flu medication.

We are currently trying to raise funds for a shelter generator. In

year’s past during power outages, we have had to find locations for our shelter residents to go. Purchasing a generator will allow our

residents to stay at our shelter.

While we know that there are many great organizations for you to donate to — we

hope that you will consider Woodford County Heartline and Heart House this year.

————————————————————————————————————— Yes, I’d like to help. Enclosed is my donation of $_____________________

Name: ____________________________________________________________ Address: _________________________________________________________

City: ______________________________State: _______ Zip ______________

Phone: ( ) ______ -__________ Email: ____________________________

Mail form and check to: Or donate online @

Woodford County Heartline and Heart House www.heartlineandhearthouse.org

300 Reagan Drive Eureka IL 61530

ADD RE SSIN G THE N EED S OF INDI V IDU ALS W ITHIN OUR COUN T Y — ONE B Y ON E

Benevolence Fund Update Thank you to the Roanoke Apostolic Christian Church,, Eureka Bible Church, Grace Fellowship Church and Eureka Apostolic Church for their commitment to the Heartline Benevolence Fund. So far in 2014, this fund has provided 45 clients utility assistance, 22 clients with rental assistance, 13 clients with security deposits, and 1 client with transportation assistance. Working with churches to assist with their benevolence dollars allows Heartline the ability to screen and assist clients with their immediate need, but more importantly, allows us the abil-ity to educate and provide necessary tools to aid them in a successful future. For information on Benevolence, please contact Blaine Troyer at Heartline @ (309)467-6101.

In an effort to reduce printing and mailing costs, Woodford County Heartline and Heart House is asking for all of our community supporters to pro-vide us with their email ID so that we can send our quarterly newsletter and correspondence via email. This will assist us greatly in lowing administrative costs and allow more funding to go to our services. Please go to our website @ www.heartlineandhearthouse.org to the About Tab, Contact Us, and sign up for our mailing list. Or you may call the office at (309)467-6101 to give us your information.

One of the things that Woodford County Heartline and Heart House does not do very well is share how much our organi-zation is impacting those in our commu-nity. This is not because we do not believe we are making a difference, but rather, we get bogged down with the requests and referrals and situations and services that we hear about every day, that we forget to celebrate and rejoice in the good work we are able to do through your commu-nity dollars.

While we are unable to share names and faces due to confidentiality and protec-tion of those seeking safe haven, here are a just two recent examples of how Heart-line and Heart House is impacting lives in our area. Recently a single mother of two young children came to Heartline after falling behind in her rent. She lived paycheck to paycheck and typically was just able to make ends meet. She was employed, but in recent transition from one job to an-other, the financial lag and timing had caught up to her. Fearful that she would

be evicted from her apartment, she came to Heartline to ask for one-time assis-tance with paying her rent. This client was being proactive before future trou-ble and expenses incurred. It is often that Heartline services are a simple bridge to elude crisis. And generally, these conscious minded individuals are best at paying it forward. This particular client has already stepped in and volun-teered time and talent to our organiza-tion. A young mother came to Heart House

after walking from Spring Bay with her

two small children and one overnight

bag. She set off on foot because she had

heard about Heart House. She had no

phone to call to see if we could help her

or even if we had a room available.

Heart House immediately gave her shel-

ter, clothes, food and diapers. This indi-

vidual worked hard from the very begin-

ning in our shelter program —paying

past bills and seeking employment. Last

month this young woman left the shelter

after securing employment, moving into

her own home, and enrolling both kids

in daycare!

We ARE helping those within our com-munity — truly being a place where crisis ends and hope begins. Thank you for your continued support!

Thank you to all our Race for the Heart participants, sponsors and volunteers for a successful event. A big thank you to the Eureka Lake residents, Eureka police, and EMS for being on hand. Thank you to Our Redeemer Lu-theran Church for supporting Heartline and Heart House with proceeds raised from your annual hog roast. Thank you to Goodfield Apostol-ic Christian Church for your continued support providing Heart House residents with milk and eggs. Our shelter children are thriving because of your kindness! Thank you to St Mark’s Lutheran Church Women for providing funds for pillow case covers for our shelter beds. The Metamora-Germantown Hills Juniors Woman's Club and GFWC Ill Junior Woman's Encore Club decorated 13 pillowcas-es with positive messages and art-work and filled them with toiletries and gifts for the kid s.

Goodfield Apostolic Warehouse takes used furniture and large appli-ances. Heartline clients are able to shop there with vouchers. Take your used furniture and appliances to them! Phone : (309)965-2860

The following items will greatly

assist us in helping our Heart House

residents and Heartline clients:

Immediate Needs

(please call first to ensure the Imme-diate Needs list is still current)

Commercial Mop

Disinfectant spray/wipes

Adult/children cold/flu medicine

Light bulbs for nightlights

Paper plates

Fabric softer dryer sheets

4 large outdoor garbage

cans with lids to be used

for recycling bins

Volunteers/

group to strip and re

-wax shelter floors.

Volunteers to conduct bible

study (after school for kids/

during day for adults)

Bell ringers for Salvation

Army Kettle for small chunks

of time between 9 AM—5

PM (Eureka IGA, on 11/26,

11/29, 12/13, 12/20)

Donations of new, non

wrapped gifts for children

ages 0-17 for Tree of Hearts

(Deadline 12/12)

Ongoing Needs

$10 Wal-Mart Gift Cards

$10 Casey & Hucks Gift

Cards

Diapers (size 4, 5 & 6)

Trash Bags (tall kitchen & 39

gallon)

Zip-Lock Gallon- & Quart-

size Storage Bags

Batteries (all sizes)

HP Inkjet 95 (color) and 98

(Black) and 950 (black)

General Office Supplies

Postage Stamps

Fresh or frozen chicken,

pork or beef

Fresh or frozen fruits and

vegetables

We are currently seeking bids

for winter snow removal of

our parking lot.

Helping others

The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor. Proverbs 22:9

Heartline and Heart House, Eureka IL

www.heartlineandhearthouse.org Phone: (309)467-6101

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