Spencer Dream Center

So, yesterday we were able to bless a local needy family with clothes and a mattress! They were so appreciative and overwhelmed by the whole Center! So wonderful to see their faces as the Lord provided JUST WHAT THEY NEEDED!

Also, two minutes after I got word from the company that was considering donating the smoke detectors that they were NOT going to be able to give them to us…. someone handed me a check for EXACTLY the balance of what we need to purchase the equipment.

Brett and I will install most of them, and then we’ll have the inspector walk through and we’ll be ready to open!!!!

Please pray for our friend in Des Moines to get everything we need to us soon, so we can get started!!!

ALSO….there are a couple things in the works that will BLOW EVERYONE AWAY!!!!!

Be praying!!!

Hello friends….

LOTS is happening RIGHT NOW…we are about $3500 away from being able to open the building (we need to upgrade the current smoke detectors).

BUT!!!!

I’m not writing about that at the moment (though if you feel led to help our to that end….praise God!!!).

We have been approved to be part of the Pepsi Refresh Everything promotion! This means that we have a VERY GOOD CHANCE of getting a $250,000 grant from Pepsi….NO STRINGS ATTACHED!

It’s a very simple program, but it requires all of your help….all you need to do is go to:

www.refresheverything.com/spencerdreamcenter

to register and vote. You can vote for us ONCE A DAY.

PLEASE REGISTER TODAY and vote for us once EVERY DAY for the whole month of August!

Also, there is a facebook app that allows voting….please install it and vote that way, too!!!

Click here to install it and vote via facebook if you can:

http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=263136462520

Once you install that app, you need to search for “spencer ia” and then vote for us.

You can also vote by texting 101815 to 73774 (PEPSI) once per day!

Please spread the word!!!

Please call, email or msg me on facebook if you like!

Kevin

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Kevin M. Grimes DaySpring Assembly of God
Lead Pastor 1410 West 18th Street
tel 712-262-6292 Spencer, IA 51301
cell 909-856-4239 fax 712-580-6293
pastorkevin@dayspringassembly.com

http://www.dayspringassembly.com

Spencer Dream Center
605 N Grand Avenue
Spencer IA 51301

http://www.spencerdreamcenter.org

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Hello friends…. Just a short update for you today.

We have ONE HURDLE before the city lets us open: Smoke Detectors! We are praying that the $$$ shows up for us to purchase the needed materials for the fire detection system. Looks like it will cost us in the neighborhood of $3500…that’s a huge discount from a friend with connections! We will be installing much of it with donated professional labor.

We are also in the process of hiring a manager for the entire first floor (Kitchen, Cafe and Coffeehouse). This will be a VERY SPECIAL person with a ton of talent! I believe they are out there somewhere….just need to keep praying that the Lord drops them in my lap! We will also be hiring some assistant managers for the cafe and coffeehouse…. these two locations are intended not to be big profit centers, but instead great ways for the SDC to make friends in the community.

The Underground Youth Center is progressing nicely. Still needs some paint and furnishing, but we’re making progress.

We have 3 rooms FULL of clothing (and another room with about 20 families’ worth of food) that is all ready to be given away as soon as we open… We are always ready to accept more donations of either food or clothing!

There is a LOT of interest from professionals in the medical field to work in the free clinic…..

The ceiling in the coffeehouse is 90% finished….need someone to spend a day down there and finish it up!

Copper Cottage has donated more time than I ever thought imaginable, and they are just the most gracious group of plumbers I have ever met! Hot and cold water in the basement and the main floor are flowing freely…and to date, we have spent $0 on plumbing! GOD BLESS THEM!!!

Starbucks is ready to ship us beans, cups, syrups and tazo stuff as soon as I say the word! They are also going to send someone out to train our staff and calibrate our espresso machine!

Chris Hart and his team of madmen are excited to throw what’s left of the fifth floor interior walls out the window into the parking lot below! Lukas wants to help!

Articles of incorporation are in process….a few points of clarification with the attorney today, and we should have a solid draft soon.

Erin, our grant writer is waiting to meet with the leader of Spencer’s BEST (after-school program for elementary kids). Unfortunately, we haven’t identified who that leader is just yet.

Meeting with Teen Challenge in a couple weeks to cast some vision and see where the Lord may lead us…. Kim and I will be going down to Colfax to visit their center for a couple days….keep us in prayer!

All-in-all….slow going, but very exciting!

We REALLY need that $$$ to get the Smoke Detectors! Please pray that we get just what we need, just when we need it!!!

God bless you !

Lots happening! Met with the Fire Chief and the folks who install fire detection systems yesterday. Good news and bad news.

The good news is that we will not have to install smoke detection equipment in all of the upper floor offices… Detectors in the halls is sufficient. We will also need to install them in the stairwells, and (eventually) the elevator.

Bad news: The entire system must be replaced. The existing one is very old (25 years) and outdated. We need ALL NEW equipment….even the bells (which are 6-volt) are gonna have to go!

Good news: This is yet another opportunity for the LORD to show Himself faithful! Be praying, friends! We are getting very very close to opening!

More meetings this week with the folks who supply the fire extinguishers and the system over the grills in the kitchen. Good news: according to the gentleman who installed the kitchen equipment, it is up-to-code and needs only to be inspected! That is a HUGE deal…. My understanding from a cursory bit of research is that this is a $5-7 thousand dollar system.

Good News: Our grant writer reported to me yesterday that she has identified a few solid leads for grants for the Spencer’s BEST (Better Educated Students for Tomorrow) program on the 2nd floor. Also, she is working on something for the elevator repair and the Underground Youth Center. Be praying for her!

Hi Everyone…

Time for an update (overdue, I know….)!

We have had our first board meeting and it was very exciting to gather with 18 great men and women of vision and passion and discuss the future of the Spencer Dream Center!

Here’s a brief run-down of what’s happening:

**The Underground Youth Center is 85% painted. Pastor Dave Watson is approaching businesses and individuals to get the facility furnished. We already have a few arcade games (2 old-skool pinball machines and 1 vintage 1985 Nintendo Super Mario/Duck Hunt/etc. game), a pool table, booth seating, and other furnishings. We are needing some conversation area seating, computers, and PS3/Wii/Xbox systems…

**The downstairs halls and access areas are primed and ready to paint. the paint is being donated.

** Starbucks is DEFINITELY going to be the brand of coffee we serve in the SDC (in the coffeehouse AND in the Cafe)! I have a commitment from them and we are ready to roll! Look forward to a drive-thru on the west side in the parking lot with brewed, mixed, chilled caffeinated deliciousness soon!!!

**The coffeehouse is under construction still needing drywall work, and a little electrical work. The new ceiling is in and looks awesome! Paint for the whole space is being donated and will be going up soon. We are still needing furnishings for this space…so if you know of anyone with overstuffed leather comfortable couches, chairs (I especially love those “chair and a half” things….sooooo cozy!)….either to donate or for sale at a great price, please let me know!

**The water is on in a few locations in the building (we are proceeding cautiously), the water heater is in place and will be turned on soon.

**The emergency lighting and power generator is up and running! It is amazing!

**Adopt-A-Block is operating every Saturday from 9-noon! We have had great opportunities with this ministry into the community. So far, we have mowed lawns, pulled weeds, moved furniture, hauled-off junk to the dump, cleared dead trees and yard waste, and (my favorite) sat on the sidewalk for an hour playing with Ali and her new sidewalk chalk!

**We have over 20 boxes of non-perishable food ready to distribute (much more is needed, of course). If you would like to donate food, please contact us!

**We have 2-3 rooms on the 2nd floor full of clothing (hanging on racks). Always could use more! As soon as we get the green light from the city to open, we will be distributing food and clothing every Saturday at noon!

**We are meeting soon with the Fire Department to determine how many of our existing smoke/heat detectors need to be replaced. This is the main issue holding us up, so please be in prayer for this one! We will likely need to buy dozens of hard wired smoke detector units to connect to our current fire protection system.

**We have secured some great furnishings for our after school program, Spencer’s B.E.S.T. (Better Educated Students for Tomorrow). Lots of people are excited to be involved with this outreach on the 2nd floor! Everything from homework help to tutoring to computer labs to music lessons!!! ALL FREE!!!!!

**The 5th floor renovations are underway, walls are coming down to make room for the Lord’s Gym and Indoor Skate Park.

**We have been approved for the Spencer Mainstreet Initiative grant/loan. We plan to re-cover our awnings and get some really cool signage installed soon.

**The Tangney Cafe is coming soon! We are currently looking for a manager. If you know of someone who might be a candidate, please have them contact us!

**We have a new grant writer working on several grants to fund many of these projects, but still need your support.
Please consider donating via the PayPal link a the right, or send your donations to:
Spencer Dream Center
605 North Grand Avenue
Spencer, IA 51301
(712) 580-4732

Hey everyone! We will be having another “big push” work day down at the SDC tomorrow from 9AM-4PM. We’ll be focusing mainly ion the coffeehouse…sweeping, masking, putting down the paper on the floor. Also, we need to finish-up the ceiling tiles, and patch some drywall. The painter will be there next week to get the first coat on the walls!!!

Not sure who will be bringing lunch, but it will be provided, as always!

See you there!

Hi everyone!

Just wanted to let you know that we will be having a work day tomorrow (Saturday, 5/1) at the Dream Center! We plan to mask the rest of the basement…(the Youth Center is already masked, but the hallways are yet to be done).

We will also be working in the coffeehouse to replace the ceiling tiles in the back area of that space and to cover the floors and all the windows in there too…

Please come when you can and feel free to leave whenever you need to!

Thanks,

PK

P.S. Here’s a pic of the coffeehouse I took this morning!

Hi everyone! We are having another work day this Saturday from 9am-4pm. I expect that we will spend much of our time in the coffeehouse…peeling wallpaper, scraping the floors, and disassembling the chairs and stools in preparation for new powder coating and upholstery!

We also may blow out a wall on the 5th floor!

See you then!

The Forslunds will be providing lunch again…so plan for that!

So we are leaving for LA in a couple weeks (March 17-19) for a very busy 3 days! We will be spending an entire day with Pastors Tommy and Matthew Barnett (co-founders of the LA, Phoenix and New York Dream Centers). I’ll be bringing my video camera along and plan to get hours and hours of footage and testimonies!

There are six of us going…Dr Darrel and Sandi Forslund, Pastor Dave Watson, Clint Nelson and Kim and I. Please pray for us!

This Saturday from 9AM til at least 2PM we will be having our second big cleanup day! The plans are as follows:

-Completely empty the 5th floor (some stuff goes in the dumpster, some goes down to the 4th floor)
-Wash all the shelves/racks in the main kitchen and return all kitchen supplies to their proper place
-Prime the walls in the youth center
-Remove the carpet adhesive from the coffeehouse
-Remove the wallpaper in the coffeehouse
-Remove the light fixtures/vent covers/speakers in the coffehouse to prep for painting the ceiling
-Prep the plumbing in the restrooms for under-sink water heaters
-there’s LOTS more to do….but this will keep us busy for at least the morning!

Also, the Forslunds will be bringing lunch down at just around noon, so plan for that!

See you soon!

P.S. $23,473 raised to date! Please give when you can!