Material Aid Collection for Nicaragua

The Nicaragua Planning Committee is sponsoring an important Nicaragua Material Aid Collection during Annual Conference.

SPECIFIC ITEMS REQUESTED:

--New School Supplies - paper, pads, pens, pencils, notebooks, 3-hole lined paper, colored construction paper & crayons, 8 �� x 11� reams of paper, staples and staplers.  (NO 3-ring-binders, thank you!)   Washable markers, pens and erasers. 

--Medical Supplies � Adults- Advil, Motrin, Tylenol, Children�s Liquid Tylenol, Pediacare for Fever, Clotrimazol Cream, Desenex, Lotrimin, Mycelex OTC, Child & Adult Vitamins, Band-Aids, Bandages, Triple Antibiotic Ointment, Gauze pads, Tefla pads and tape, paying special attention to expiration dates � into or beyond 2007.

--Dental Supplies � Toothbrushes, Toothpaste, Dental Floss 

--Fabric and Sewing Supplies � for the Union Femenil Women�s Sewing Projects:  Thread, pins, needles, small safety pins, small scissors, tape measures and small rulers. Notepads and pencils.  Fabric � Cotton- Prints & solid colors, at least 3-4 yd. pieces, larger is better.  Sample Pattern Books- current or previous year styles (-from any store).  

--Underwear & Socks � New, pre-packaged � for children & adults.

--Sneakers and Shoes �  New or LIKE-New, all sizes.

--Eyeglasses:   Like-new frames.

--DOLLARS for Covenant Programs � accepted anytime!

IMPORTANT REMINDER � each church must contribute $15.00 per carton for Material Aid (M/A) shipping charges.

Please plan to have your Pastor or Lay Member to Annual Conference deliver and register your M/A boxes to the collection area vans, just to the left of the Chapel at A/C.  Questions ? - contact Jim Ortolf or Richard Jones: Material Aid Coordinators, at Aldersgate UMC  in Chelmsford, MA at: (978) 256-9400. For transporting or connecting arrangements for pick-up of cartons from your church by an NPC member in your area, contact Sara Parker at (860-928-6159 or shatz5sp@aol.com).

While we are requesting some specific items for this collection, we will not turn away any appropriate items a church or individuals may have contributed in the past.

If your church has a sister church, you may send items in a box-marked with name of Pastor and your sister church.   However, we request you also send matching material aid items in a box-marked for THE AICN and EMC CHURCHES.  These will be sorted and distributed to the approximately 100 other Nicaragua church communities, where they do not yet have a sister church. 

CLICK HERE for a printable list of Material Aid requirements.

Penny Challenge

The CCYM will be back at Annual Conference this year! We will be collecting spare change again, so please ask folks in your church to start saving their pennies. The money collected will be used for Conference Council on Youth Ministries (CCYM) programs.

Last year, Rev. John Blackadar and his district took home both the Penny Challenge award for most points and for most money raised. Remember, the district that earns the most money this year will receive 10% of our total penny challenge earnings back to use for a youth project in your district!!! Start collecting those pennies now!