Chapter Activities

Business meetings

If you want to know what’s going on this is the meeting to attend.  Business meetings are held 3 times a year (usually September, January and May).  All moms and dads are welcome to participate.  We review the previous months’ activities and plan for the upcoming ones. 

First Friday Mass

The First Friday Mass and park days were the first events that were organized by our chapter when it began in 1994.  This Mass is celebrated especially for us.  It is reverently said and our priests preach the homily geared to the students.  The St. Joseph Choir adds beautiful music to the celebration.  Confessions are heard for ½ hour immediately before Mass.  If you plan to go to confession, please arrive early as we do not want to impose on our good priests and make them late for other appointments.

Dads’ Night Out

We can't let the ladies have all the fun, can we, guys?  Come join your fellow fathers once a month for activities to help us grow spiritually and as fathers.  In the past, we have listened to tapes on fatherhood, watched videos of Christopher West describing the Pope's "theology of the body," discussed some particular difficulty with raising our children, or simply prayed the Rosary.  We usually follow this up with pizza, beer, and lively conversation at a nearby restaurant.  In December we have our annual beer exchange.  For more info or to volunteer your house call Ron  (925) 757-6896.

Moms’ Rosary Nights

Moms’ Rosary Nights offer an opportunity for moms to get together and pray the Rosary for our children, home schooling efforts and any other intentions.  After prayer we visit and/or discuss topics related to curriculum, Catholic family life or homemaking.  In December we have our annual cookie exchange.  Please check your monthly newsletter for upcoming topics.  Schedule is in the calendar section of our chapter Handbook.  Call Lily  for more information, or to suggest a topic for discussion.

Park Day

Immediately following Mass, if weather permits, some families bring their lunch and meet at a park near the church for a couple of hours.  This is a great opportunity to chat with other moms and the children to make friends.

Little Flowers

Girls club for girls 5-11+-.  Monthly meetings on 2nd Tuesday of each month.  Mothers give talks on virtues following the “Little Flowers” outline, and girls work on crafts. Contact Joni, 925-757-6896, for more info.

 
TORCH Teen Board

The TTB has organized and hosted at least two dances for home schooled teens each year.  One is in December and one in June.  Both dances are formal unless otherwise stated on the invitation.  This year there will also be a Carnival Masquerade Dance for the whole family on Saturday, March 1, 2003.
The purpose of the teen dances is to provide a safe wholesome environment for our young people to meet and mix with other Catholic homeschoolers, to practice their social skills on the dance floor, and to develop a strong support system among families who support the same values and ideas that we ourselves do.
Questions?  Call Stephanie (925) 625-2665 or Phil (925) 753-5726

 

Camping

In the past few years 7-10 families have enjoyed places such as Manresa State Beach (south of Santa Cruz), Camp Richardson in So. Lake Tahoe, Samuel P. Taylor State Park and Bodega Bay in Marin County, and a cabin trip to the Trinity-Alps area east of Redding. 

Next summer we hope to return to Manresa State Beach for a 3-4 day weekend; we are also considering Calaveras-Big Trees, east of Angel’s Camp in the Gold Country.  and a return to Ripple Creek Cabins in the Trinity Alps area, east of Redding.

Reservations for some places must be made well in advance (as early as December).  Payment for sites is expected when the reservations are made.  If you are interested in any of the trips or if you have any questions, please call the people below as soon as possible so enough camping sites can be reserved. 

Call Teresa (510)845-9434, or Lily  (925) 827-1946 for the Manresa or Calaveras-Big Trees trips; and contact Joni (925) 757-6896, if you are interested in the Ripple Creek cabins trip.       

While we camp we spend time exploring, making new friends, discussing, relaxing, learning, eating, and we pray a Rosary together after dinner around the fire.  We’d love to have your family join us!

 

Yearbook

For 4 years now, our chapter has put together a yearbook of many member families, and activities that took place over the year.  Last year’s was actually a 2 year edition.  We hope many families will contribute at least a “family page”; which is a page (81/2 X 11 white sheet) with pictures of your family and brief captions.  If you have any pictures of TORCH events that you would like to share with the group, please submit them to Lily by June 30, 2003.  Lily can be reached at (925) 827-1946 if you have any questions.

 

Schoolpop.com
Did you know you can raise additional funds for our chapter when you start all your online shopping at www.schoolpop.com?  Here you will find hundreds of brand-name online merchants all in one convenient shopping mall - at no additional cost to you!  Check out the website for a complete list of participating merchants and begin shopping online to support our chapter. 
Boxtops4education.com

Just like the formal schools –we collect labels and can trade them in for special stuff.  We’d like to save for a public address system.  Please save those labels, and if you have questions, call Linda at (925) 937-4098.