News & Notes: July 2018
July was an incredibly exciting month with our CAC kids taking trips all over! While everyone remained busy, it's par for the course at this point in the summer. From another round of summer camp to seeing giant mammoths (and everything in between), keep reading to learn more about what kept us so busy in the final weeks of the summer!
Summertime fun in so many places!
Last week 5 of our students along with several CAC staff and volunteers embarked on our first CAC distance bike ride! In total we completed around 28 miles as we rode the Great River Road Trail from Alton to Grafton, Illinois! We are so proud of our students who finished strong and we're thankful for the time we were able to have together!
This summer we implemented a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) curriculum across CAC, and our kids have learned so much! It's imperative that we keep their minds engaged outside of the school year. Pathways built paper roller coasters, just one of many activities that challenge the way they think!
Center Kids found their future careers at the National Museum of Transportation as part of our "Transportation Week" at CAC! The kids walked away wanting to be pilots, helmsman, and conductors.

They enjoyed the train ride around the park, "blew some steam" as they ran through the train cars and got to pick out the car they wanted to drive home from the car museum. We even talked about how milk used to be delivered to your door, as we saw an original milk truck from the streets of St. Louis!
A few weeks ago 4 young men went with Mr. Matt and Mr. Caleb on a trip to Imperial, MO. The town is home to Mastodon State Park! This trip was the brainchild of two of our child sponsors, Nan and Neil Adams.

Upon arrival we were able to explore the museum and learn about various types of animals that lived alongside of the Mastodon. It was a blast for everyone! Afterwards we went to the park for lunch and some fun on an awesome playground.
Thanks to the generous support of many donors, many of our kids were able to take golf and swimming lessons throughout the summer!


To round out our summer camps, some of our CAC kids traveled to Camp Ondessonk in Ozark, IL! Similar to Camp Penuel and Kids Across America, everyone had lots of fun swimming, participating in tug of war, playing games, and most importantly, learning more about God's love, mercy, and grace. We've been blessed with several great weeks of camp this summer, and we can assure you that our kids have taken part in many transformative experiences!
And now a word from us kids!
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We're ready for class!
Last Friday CAC held the annual Back to School giveaway for families in our community. Because of your generosity, we were able to provide 517 children with backpacks full of school supplies! Our children are ready for a successful school year full of exploration and development, and we're grateful for your support!
Helping hands & smiling faces...
Each summer we welcome many groups with hundreds of volunteers through our doors to serve love on our children and serve our community. This summer has been no exception! We want to thank each and every person who came willing and ready to serve this summer. You have made a lasting impact on our children! Below are a few of the groups who came to visit, including the Liberty Baptist Association (NC), First Baptist Lenior (NC), Shine Movement, IBSA Missions, McKinley Avenue Baptist Church, Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church, and many more!

If your group is interested in visiting during Summer 2019, it is never too early to sign up! Some weeks have already been reserved! Contact Matt Cowman, Chaplain and Volunteer Coordinator, at 618-874-5615 or matt.cowman@cacesl.org.
Christian Activity Center
Caring for kids in East St. Louis
540 N. 6th Street | P.O. Box 2525 | East St. Louis, IL 62201
618-874-5615 | www.cacesl.org