Join Us for Absolutely Incredible Kid Day!

Thursday, March 21st

For the first time the Frankfort Education Foundation (FEF) and the Riley Neighborhood Organization (RNO) are sponsoring Absolutely Incredible Kid Day to stress the importance of caring adults in the lives of children.

In this letter writing campaign, adults write messages of love, encouragement, praise or support to the children in their lives.  The adults then deliver the letters in a way that delights the young person – through the mail, placed on a pillow, secured on the bathroom mirror, placed on a desk, laid on the dinner table, taped to the steering wheel, or any other special way.

With a letter children can hang onto those encouraging words and return to them for  inspiration and guidance.  The goal is for every child and youth in Frankfort to receive at least one note on Absolutely Incredible Kid Day, which is being observed on Thursday, March 21, 2013.

Frankfort Education Foundation and Riley Neighborhood Organization encourage all adults – moms and dads, grandparents, aunts and uncles, teachers, caregivers, mentors, coaches, neighbors – to compose letters to the special children in their lives and deliver those memorable messages on March 21^st.

FEF and RNO have a page of letter writing tips and sample sentences to help those letter writers who experience writer’s block.  Special Absolutely Incredible Kid Day stationery is available in locations with the writing tips throughout the city.  These sites are local schools, Community Schools of Frankfort Administration Building, Encompass Credit Union, The Farmers Bank Main Office, United Way, Clinton County Chamber of     Commerce and Frankfort Public Library.

For more information about Absolutely Incredible Kid Day  call (765)659-1225 or    (765)242-2316 or email: rileyneighbors@att.net or gallicanr@frankfort.k12.in.us

Absolutely Incredible Kid Day! Thursday, March 21, 2013

Spring Is Nearing!

The beautiful weather has certainly allowed everyone to go outside and have a great time at Poet Park.  Yes, Poet Park was the overwhelming favorite of those who took the survey to name the park.  This time of year is also when RNO begins gearing up for another spring with various projects.  There are some exciting events coming this summer along with some changes. Also, just as a reminder, please look over Poet Park General Guidelines and Rules that are located on the front page under Important Information.  Unfortunately, there have to be guidelines; however, they allow everyone to enjoy the space!

We Need Your Opinion!

Also, mark your calendars for October 1st!  This is this year’s date for the Riley Ice Cream Social to be held from 5:00 to 7:00PM.  Be sure to cast your vote for the name of the site!    The inclement weather location will be the new Education and Administration Center.

3rd Annual Riley Ice Cream Social – October 1st

Mark your calendars for Saturday, October 1st from 5:00 to 7:00PM for the 3rd Annual Riley Ice Cream Social hosted by the Riley Neighborhood Organization.  The Social will be held on the grounds nearest to Williams and South Street.  Look for the tents!

Picnic under the Poplars

Picnic under the Poplars Press Release

The Riley Neighborhood Organization is excited to announce a new education program starting June 10th at the Riley/Rohrabaugh park site.  Picnic under the Poplars is a weekly summer event celebrating reading and James Whitcomb Riley on Fridays at 6:ooPM.  Kick off your weekend with a cool treat and summer breeze while enjoying stories and poems read by guest community members!  Each session will include the reading of an early childhood book, a J. W. Riley poem, a Pillars of Character book and a special selection by our featured reader.  Mark your calendars for June 10th and bring a blanket to join us under the poplars!

Also, be sure to checkout the guidelines and rules for the park!  Riley Neighborhood Organization wants everyone to be safe!

Another Successful Holiday Giving!

Over 50 community members donated gifts to those in need this past holiday season through RNO. The generosity was absolutely amazing and very appreciated. Two of the mothers who received gifts for their children were truly left speechless. One stated that she just did not know what to say because thanking us was not enough. So…to those of you who reached out and assisted in various ways your thoughtfulness meant to the world to the families we assisted!  See you next holiday season!

RNO Partnering with Local Schools

Riley Neighborhood Organization is collaborating with several local schools and a preschool to help raise funds for technology and teacher projects.    Local  schools of Blue Ridge Elementary, Suncrest Elementary, Green Meadows Intermediate, Frankfort Middle School and Clinton County Head Start have partnered with the Riley Neighborhood Organization to participate in the Market Day fund raising program.

Sense of Community is one of the core values of RNO.  RNO felt that, if possible, they needed to take an active role in supporting the schools where the children in their neighborhood attended.  It was also discussed that with the networking the Organization has with neighbors and community members that the area of parental and community involvement could be strengthened as well.  In order to strengthen involvement it was determined that there needed to be a reason for parents and community members to go to the school.

The Market Day monthly grocery fund raising program came along as a viable option to increase parental and community involvement.   Each month families and community members can order  grocery products through the company which are picked up at the school.  While providing families and community members with another option for their monthly grocery budget, it also helps the schools to fund projects that might not otherwise be funded.  Ultimately, what the program accomplishes for the school is having parents and community members enter the door of the school.

Research has shown that parent’s involvement is a factor in a child’s success in school.  The community also plays an important role in the school as well.  When the community, schools and families partner together, good things happen.  The community member that picks up an order might see something on a bulletin board or strike up a conversation with a teacher or staff member who is helping and decide they want to be an active part of the school.  The parent who has only been to school once or twice has a positive interaction with a parent who is assisting and decides they want to help too.   The teacher who is helping sees one of her students with his father and strikes up an informal conversation and an important connection is made.  Small steps they might be, but steps none the less that lead to greater involvement in our schools as RNO hopes will be the case.

RNO will providing the volunteers for the program.  RNO volunteers will be staffing the pick-up days, entering in orders and coordinating aspects of the program with each school’s PTA/PTSO or Volunteer Coordinator.   Two pick-ups sites will be available for the city of Frankfort – one at Blue Ridge Elementary and the other at Suncrest Elementary.  The first pick-up benefiting Suncrest Elementary and Frankfort Middle School is scheduled for September 9^th.  Order need to be completed by September 4^th.  Blue Ridge Elementary, Green Meadows Intermediate, and Clinton County Head Start will have their first pick-up day on September 21^st with orders needing to be submitted by September 17^th.  More information along with a link to order can be found at http://rileyneighbors.wordpress.com/.    Order forms can also be found at any of the participating school offices.   Program allows for orders to be sent in and not paid for until pick-up.  This is also true for on-line ordering at www.marketday.com , however; on-line orders can be paid for at the time of the on-line order.   At the pick-up cash, EBT/Hoosier Work cards and checks are accepted.  RNO looks forward to the benefits of collaborating with the schools!

You do not have to be a parent with a child in school!  Anyone is able to order Market Day products!  Mention this blog entry at pick-up and receive $2.00 off a $20.00 order!

Mark Your Calendars

The 2nd Annual Riley Ice Cream Social is being planned for Saturday, September 18th from 5:00PM to 6:30PM.  Be sure to drop by to see what is happening and to have your Glover’s ice cream cone!

May Newsletter Is Here!

Spring is in full swing and so is the Riley Neighborhood Organization.   Many exciting events coming up as well as several meetings.  The next RNO meeting will be Wednesday, May 12, 2010 at 7:00PM at the Frankfort Library.  A new series of meetings will also begin on May 18th.  Look for more information about the Community Collaborative Focus Meetings in the newest edition of the RNO Newsletter which can be found below by clicking on the link in blue.

Should you have any questions or desire more information, please do not hesitate to contact us at:  rileyneighbors@att.net.

RNO May 2010 Newsletter