Shout joyfully to the Lord, all you lands;
worship the Lord with cries of gladness;
come before God with joyful song.

~Psalm 100

Summer Circle Volunteers

NOTE: Every volunteer must attend an Information Session.

NOTE: All volunteers age 18 and up must have attended a "Protecting God's Children Workshop" and have on file a Criminal Background Check Form available at the Parish Office in order to participate. You may currently attend this workshop at a number of locations other than St. Blase.

Why Have Summer Circle Fees Gone Up?

This is a question that has come up in the past couple of weeks. The cost of running this program far exceeds the fee charged. In the past, parish funds could be counted on to substantially subsidize this program. Today, things are different.

As we all know, utility costs have gone up substantially, as have health care costs for staff. Also, St. Blase continues to pay off the debt of remodeling the church. All of this, together with decreased collections, has forced us to raise fees. Keep in mind, the cost for our program remains less than sports, music and/or programs in which children participate. It is less than the cost of a babysitter.

The suggestion has been made to offer a price break for families. This was offered years ago, but many people took unfair advantage of it. It was sad to see how many registration forms included cousins and friends, while claiming to be "one family." There was confusion everywhere, as we had no idea who the real parents of these children was, which is a real security concern for the children. Therefore, we are forced to charge one price per child. If this causes anyone hardship, I encourage you to talk to me in confidence.

I am confident that the quality of this program is one of the best in the nation. This quality is achieved by the commitment of many volunteers, their creativity, and lots of resources. The fees we are required to charge will insure that your children will continue to grow in their faith as they have a quality, fun-filled week at Summer Circle.

SUMMER CIRCLE MUSIC DVD
Come into the parish office and purchase your copy for $13. "Sing & Praise Worship for Kids: Connecting Kids to God" is a collection of songs from previous VBS programs: Bug Safari, SCUBA & Lava Island. Familiar is GOOD! Since "Mark's Beach Party" was written uniquely by a highly creative writing team from St. Blase, this music collection could not have been better times! Purchasing this professional video of children singing and dancing with words running along the bottom of the screen will ensure your children to be prepared for Summer Circle. You may purchase this DVD even if you are NOT enrolling for Summer Circle., Sorry, no CDs available. more...

Cool Sites!

Hey, Moms & Dads! Here are some cool sites that your children may want to visit. They'll have some fun and learn more about their faith at the same time. (But don't tell them that part!)

http://catholickidsnet.org
This is a "club" the kids can join. The site has games for the kids to play on line and a cast a characters your children will enjoy meeting. You can even print out coloring pages to enjoy "off-line".

http://www.myfriendmagazine.com
A page on the Daughters of St. Paul web site. It has an attractive list of activities for children and for parents with their kids. Coloring books, stories about the saints and more.

http://www.crafts4kids.com
The home of fun & creative craft projects for kids 7-12

A note to parents: If you find objectionable material on these pages, or links from these pages, please let us know immediately so we can correct the problem. We rely on your active participation with your children to insure the integrity of the information our children receive through this web site. Thank you for your involvement in your children's lives and for your assistance.