“Prom is an exciting event for high-school students. Personally, I love all things prom! Girls love shopping for the perfect dress. They go from store to store. I was out shopping with friends and trying on dresses. When I started looking at the price tags on these dresses, I was shocked. Prom dresses are expensive to begin with but these prices made me cringe. Things are tight for most families right now. An expensive dress isn’t in the budget for a lot of girls. I am the president of CHEER Flood which is a chapter of Flood Student Missions. I spend as much time as I can serving my community. Sometimes we forget that there are people out there who are hurting and struggling to make ends meet. This is what inspired me for this project.
 
 We all want to feel like Cinderella on our prom night! That’s why we spend hours shopping and trying on as many dresses as we can. There are girls who will skip prom because they can’t afford a dress. I want every girl to feel like Cinderella on her prom night. It’s a fun experience you can only have while you are in high school. I decided that I was going to try and give every girl her dream dress. With the help of my friends and community, I am collecting 50+ dresses to give to girls who can’t afford their own.
 
 We will be hosting a Benefit Fashion Show on March 3rd from 7-9pm at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church. We will be giving away the dresses to the girls who need them. We will also be auctioning off a few dresses. We will have live music, skits, and more! All of CHEER Flood has been working so hard since the beginning of the year to make this happen. I can’t thank everyone enough for all their help. This wouldn’t be happening if I didn’t have the support of my family, friends, and community. We are still collecting dresses! If you are interested in donating, please contact us! We have a Facebook page you can “like” called CHEER Flood’s Prom Dress Drive and Benefit Fashion Show. We have pictures of the dresses and updates about the show on our page.”

Believe it or not, as we look at the back side of the school year, flood student leaders are looking ahead!  They are currently assessing new leaders and who will step in for seniors that graduate.  In addition to establishing leaders for next year in the current school chapters, any students wishing to start a NEW chapter should contact flood to receive a School Chapter Start-up Packet.  flood would like to see new school chapters next year at West Forsyth, Forsyth Central, North Forsyth, Johns Creek, the new Cambridge HS, and Alpharetta.  It is through the school chapters that student leaders have the opportunity to reach out to other students and engage them in serving and seeing first hand how God can transform their lives and the community!  Anyone interested in starting a new chapter should contact flood at 770-289-1834 or email kscales@floodstudentmissions.org

GREAT projects are scheduled throughout the day and offer a variety of service opportunities for students.  STREET REACH with the homeless at downtown parks, going under the bridges loving on the homeless with 7 Bridges to Recovery, serving lunch to women and children at The Garden, playing Bingo with the elderly, working at thrift stores and food pantries that benefit youth organizations and those living in poverty, sprucing up yards for those transitioning out of homelessness, fixing up homes of the elderly, and much more are offered.  No matter what project, it is going to be a great day of serving and students are guaranteed to make a difference in the life of someone!

A kick-off rally is the night before at 7:00 @ The Alpharetta YMCA Teen Center for students to prepare their hearts for serving.  A time of worship, prayer, and getting ready to make a difference in the community will fill the night as God prepares to work through the hearts and hands of students.  All middle and high school students are encouraged to come out for a great day of serving. Adults are greatly needed for drivers and Project Hosts.

Part of BRING ON THE RAIN day of service 2012 is a unique collaboration between the YMCA of Atlanta and various youth organizations.  The “Fat Boy Chronicles” Movie Viewing is a family discussion starter based on the true story of a boy who was bullied because of his weight.  4:30 – 6:30 – Studio Movie Grill – Tickets are free and open to Middle school, High school, college students, and families. Students must register @ ymcaatlteens@gmail.com

Students and adults can register to serve for BRING ON THE RAIN day of service at http://floodstudentmissions.org/students/bring-on-the-rain/. Deadline for registration is Friday, January 13th!! There is a $20 registration fee to cover the costs of project supplies and each student to receive a BRING ON THE RAIN t-shirt.  The registration fee is due at the kick-off rally where all students will receive their shirts and project details.  We look forward to seeing students and adults out serving BRINGING THE RAIN down all over Atlanta.

- Chattahoochee HS collected socks, wrapped them with ribbon, and put Christmas greetings on them.

- South Forsyth HS collected gifts for children in Forsyth County.

- Former flood students now in college helped stuff and mail out 1,000 flood Christmas cards.

- Students served two times at the Garden preparing and serving dinner to 100 women and children living at the long term shelter.

- Students from South Forsyth , Lambert, West Forsyth, and Buckhead Church went out on the streets and under the bridges loving on the homeless.

- Chestnut Ridge Nursing Home was blessed with Christmas songs with flood students representing South Forsyth, Forsyth Central, and North Forsyth.

- 100 plus cookies were decorated by children in the Safehouse Mentoring Program with help from some creative and loving flood students.

- 70 plus students and adults passed out oranges, gloves, blankets, scarves, and socks to the homeless on Christmas Eve.  We were able to pray, visit, sing, and just have a good time with our many homeless friends living in Downtown Atlanta.

The tree is blue and silver and full of pictures showing flood students serving in the community and school.  Pictures are the best way to relay the heart of this ministry to those who don’t have any idea of what flood is all about.  Caitlin Fogerty, Milton Chapter President, made the “one drop” tree topper and captured our belief that one student can cause a flood of service in their school and community. Bins below the tree are for collecting toiletry items, socks, gloves, and scarves that will be distributed to the homeless on Christmas Eve at our STREET REACH project.  The tree is also filled with our SERVE NOW student cards for those to take and get more information on how they can get involved with flood.

We want to thank ROAM for allowing flood the opportunity to raise awareness about what our AMAZING students are doing in the community as well as collect items for our STREET REACH project.  Anyone looking for a great place to connect and meet with their business partners, bible study, or just with a friend, check out ROAM.  Just make sure you bring socks, gloves, scarves, and toiletry items when you come!

“I just wanted to create a sense of community in the work place and more importantly, spread the love of Jesus Christ.” James D’Elena, ROAM employee and Chapter Coordinator for Chattahoochee HS.

Hear what students are saying about flood week…..

“During flood week, I loved seeing students not only willing to serve downtown at projects, but also excited about serving our own school! Teacher appreciation went really well, but I think my favorite thing was helping the janitors after school. Lots of students showed up and they were so grateful to have our help!  We ended up spending a lot of time cleaning trash up from around the portables, which really made a noticeable difference. Flood week also built a better sense of community among our chapter, especially with some new younger students.”

“Helping the Custodians after school was probably the best because we got to do something that we and alot of people usually ignore. None of us think about how much they do for us and now were alot more aware.”

“I LOVED the STORM!! Seriously it was so awesome. God was glorified and that’s all that matters. His presence was there as the truth was spoken in boldness and excitement built for what God is going to do in and through us!”

” The Night of prayer on Monday was INCREDIBLE! We definitely need to do that way more often God is so good!”
The CHEER homeschool chapter who visited at a nursing home passing out stuff animals and did yard work for a family in need (and all in the same day!)

“Words can’t express how incredible this weekend was. I am so thankful for everyone who came out to serve with us!! Thank you thank you thank you!! We made a real difference in those people’s lives. I love all of y’all so much!! Thank you for staying the extra time and working hard!”

11/15/2011 11:08 AMView Responses

The Chattahoochee chapter put together 150 goody bags at their chapter meeting last week to be handed out during the Trunk or Treat.  Students from South Forsyth HS, Legacy Academy, Milton HS, and Taylor Road MS passed out the bags and then got to visit with the children and their mothers afterwards for a great time of fellowship.

The Holidays are a great way for students and families to get out serving in the community.  Over the next 2 months, flood will offer  projects serving Operation Christmas Child, ACT Together Ministries, Safehouse Outreach, 7 Bridges, Chestnut Ridge Nursing Home, and STREET REACH. Check out the SERVE NOW calendar on the website to start serving TODAY!

Regan Dishon, Austin Tibbetts, Carly Cogland, Caleb Hoffman, and other members of the South Forsyth chapter leadership team coordinated the project as part of their first focus project specific for their school.  Adult Project host, John Sivak posted this message of encouragement on their schools Facebook page, ” I need to relay a message from many of the homeless people I spoke with on Saturday. They said, “Thank-you for bringing these young adults to visit them”. They were so impressed that the students not only brought food, but that they sat with them, chatted with them, and prayed with them. You all are doing a GREAT work!”

Chloe Weigle, Adrian Salazar, and Marina Han led students from Hooch out serving with 7 Bridges passing out lunches and praying for the homeless living under bridges and in the streets.  Milton and Legacy Academy students joined them in their outreach. On Sunday, students from Lambert and former student Emily Sarver (now attending Stanford), and a friend from college served dinner to the women and children living at the Garden – a home for homeless women and children.

We have been receiving stories and testimonies of how all these projects impacted the hearts of students this weekend.  We know that lives were changed by their experiences and for that we are extremely grateful!

Chapter Coordinator, Vicky Egan, was blown away at the hearts of the student leaders and those that came out to serve. “What a blessed morning at South High this morning! They are ready for Street Reach this Saturday! 100 bags ready to go You are a blessing to me! Continue living BOLD for Christ! Ya’ll ROCK!”