Meet Jack Terrell, founder and president of KiDs Beach Club; a non profit organization based in Euless that ministers to children within the culture of their public school. For nearly two and a half decades, Terrell has lead ministry development in cutting edge churches, considering faith development his calling. 

 

In 2003, he created KiDs Beach Club in one Hurst elementary school with about a dozen children. Since then, KiDs Beach Club has spread to 7 states, 124 schools, with nearly 9500 children taking part.

 

 

We wanted to get to know Terrell a bit better, and he was nice enough to answer a few questions about KBC, himself and the communities he continues to serve. 

 

Dawn Tongish: Please begin by telling us about KiDS Beach Club? 

 

Jack Terrell: KiDs Beach Club® is an innovative non profit 501(c)(3) ministry that is dedicated to mobilizing the church to go outside its walls in an effort to fulfill “The Great Commission” found in Matthew 28:19-20. Our vision is to provide every 3rd through 6th grade boy and girls a Jesus experience within the culture of their public school. This is accomplished by establishing after-school, faith-based Bible clubs called Beach Clubs that meet in gyms, libraries and cafeterias for one hour, one day a week, for 24 weeks.

 

DT: What are your duties at KiDs Beach Club and what happens when a child comes to a Beach Club event? 

 

JT: Answer: There are 5 components to a Beach Club and it all happens in an hour! 

1. Snack Time - kids are met as they enter their club by friendly and caring club volunteers who give them a delicious & yummy snack!

2. Worship Time - after  going over the club rules, kids are then led to worship God in a kid-friendly kind of way… motions and dance are accepted.  

3. Story Time -  after worship the kids get to hear a Bible story told as it occurred in the Bible.

4. Memory Link Time - scripture is a big deal; all the kids each week memorize a verse in a fun creative time. 

5. Game Time - the club’s adventures are all wrapped-up in the final few minutes playing review GAMES!  

DT: How did you become involved with KiDs Beach Club, and what drives your passion for the work being done?

JT: The story of how I got involved in KiDs Beach Club® started with a simple challenge. In 2003, while serving as the Minister of Children at First Baptist Church Euless, I was challenged to creatively come up with a way of getting the message of Christ outside the walls of our church. Knowing my target audience was 3rd - 6th grade children and understanding their day is spent mostly within the walls of an elementary school, looking at an after-school program seemed to be the most plausible way to accomplish this challenge. Our first Beach Club met in the spring of 2003 at Bellaire Elementary in Hurst, TX. All 16 kids and 3 volunteers loved it. That club grew to 23 kids with 6 of those kids making Jesus their "forever friend" and that was motivation enough to continue moving forward. Currently, KBC is operating Beach Clubs across 7 states in 124 elementary schools with a growing enrollment of 9,342 kids and 1798 volunteers. Our goal is to be in 175 schools by September of 2014.

DT: Why do you work in the non profit sector? 

JT: I can tell you that I didn't choose the non profit sector. It was a movement, a calling that I fought. I didn't want to go into the non profit world because it would mean that I would need to give up the security of my church position. Plus, I truly enjoyed serving the Lord as a Minister of Children. In the summer of 2005, while attending Flight 360 Student Camp, God made it abundantly clear that His will and His purpose for my life was to serve Him through Beach Clubs. He let me see thousands of clubs with millions of children attending. The Lord only asked that I "trust Him?" In January 2006, KiDs Beach Club® filed for tax exemption status and later that year I stepped in to my current role as President and Founder of KiDs Beach Club®.

DT: It can be difficult to sustain financially. How do you stay afloat? 

JT: The funding for KBC comes from four revenue streams: church partnership revenue, corporate fundraising, major donors and individual contributors.

DT: How can the people of Tarrant County help KiDs Beach Club meet its need for 2014? What are those needs?

JT: Our greatest need in 2014 is ministry partners.  I have already shared with you our goal of being in 175 elementary schools by September of this year. Across the US, there is an estimated 25 million children in after-school programs. Within the DFW area, there are 568 elementary schools and 43 of these schools have a Beach Club. The potential is incredible. To reach our goal, we will need to partner with at least 50 new church partners and recruit a minimum of 750 new volunteers. If you have an interest in joining KBC to help us meet our goal, simply go to www.kidsbeachclub.org and click on the "contact us" tab to gain additional information. 

The 5th Annual Beach Run and Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 12th at Bob Eden Park in Euless, TX is just around the corner. Kids of all ages will be there celebrating Easter through participating in three different age appropriate Egg Hunts, 1mile Fun Run followed by a 5K Run through the park. KLTY will be bringing a local christian artist to perform a concert that morning. The fun doesn't stop there.  A petting zoo, pony rides and plenty of bounce houses will be set up for children to play and have fun. The only cost is to run in the 5K all the other activities are FREE! Go to www.kidsbeachclub/beachrun to register.

 

DT: What is the most memorable moment in your experiences at KiDS Beach Club?

 

JT: The most memorable experience for me came in 2007. It was when I learned of a child taking their new KBC Bible home and while explaining and showing Mom all the neat features of her very own Bible that it happened. This was the 1st time I was aware of this ever happening. In all my 24 years of serving children and families while on a church staff it had never happened - a child using their NEW Bible to lead their parents to faith in Christ!  Cierra did just that. She showed her mom the prayer in the back of her KBC Bible which was the prayer she had prayed only days before, then looked at her Mom and asked her this question, "Mom have you prayed that prayer before?" To which her mother sat down beside her and said, "No, Cierra I haven't." Cierra then asked her Mom, "Would you want to Mommy?" Mom said yes! Cierra had the joy of hearing her mom pray for the very first time and it was the prayer asking Jesus to be her "forever friend." 

 

Giving all the glory to God, I can tell you that since 2007 it has happened repeatedly by many of our KBC kids. It's clear in scripture that God desires that none perish but rather all would come to know Him (2 Peter 3:9 & 1 Timothy 2:4). Today he is using children to do just that. He is not only changing the lives of thousands of children, but He is also having an impact on hundreds of parents. I've never seen anything like this before and to think it is still happening is nothing short of a miracle.

 

DT: What is the first thing you do when you walk into work each day?

 

JT: Each day the first thing I do is to go to my Mac and pull up our online data management page. It allows me to quickly see how many new children have joined Beach Club. It also allows me to see the total number of  kids who have made Jesus their “forever friend” and currently it’s at 751 kids during this school year. To me, that's... Making Jesus Cool at School!®

Meet David Kelly, Mayor of Colleyville since 2005. As a community leader in NE Tarrant County for nearly 20 years and a resident of Colleyville since 1997, he is dedicated to helping the city reach new levels of growth and potential.

Mayor Kelly lives in Colleyvile with his wife, Debbie. Their son is a police officer with the city of Frisco, Texas. A financial planner now, Kelly began his worklife in an athletic endeavor, traveling the world. Kelly is deeply involved in many community initiatives and programs, including COPS (Citizens on Patrol); where he recently renovated a classic Gran Torino that draws a lot of attention. 

We wanted to get to know Mayor Kelly a bit better, and he was gracious enough to answer a few questions:   

Dawn Tongish: Colleyville is a thriving, bustling community that is always growing. What projects are on the horizon that will improve the quality of life for citizens living in the city? 

Mayor David Kelly: Road improvements on Colleyville Boulevard, our main commercial thoroughfare, is probably one of the biggest things. It will impact the ease with which people move around the city and, with some of the changes we have planned, will have more aesthetic appeal. 

We’re also looking at potential changes to Glade Road, one of our primary east-west corridors through the city. For months now, we’re been gathering public input on the project, and we hope to come back with a plan in the very near future, based on both needs and public input. 

Last year we announced the opening of a Whole Foods Market for 2014. We’re seeing the ripple effect of that with new development and redevelopment to house more restaurant and retail in the area. We plan to keep pursuing our economic initiatives to bring more retail and dining options to town. 

This year, we’ll embark on a new comprehensive plan, which will determine the physical look of growth in the city for the next decade and beyond. Once again, we’ll be looking for input from the community on this important project.

DT: In your view, what sets this community apart from the surrounding cities?

DK: In terms of how we work together and interact with each other, we are much more of a community than a city. People know each other, people tend to help each other, and people tend to be involved in the community. For people who live here, the community as a whole matters. We’re more than a collection of individuals who live in proximity to each other.

DT: Managing such a large city and thousands of people is a big job. What do you do to reset?  

DK: I love the community, so it hardly feels like a “job.” However, I spend a lot of time with my family, travel when I can, and I do indulge in honing my grill skills—mainly ribs, which I have to say are pretty good.  I also stay involved in the community—as a member of COPS (Citizens on Patrol) and the citizen Fire Rehab team. I recently renovated a 1974 Gran Torino. It’s the same year and model as the first police car in Colleyville. We use it for COPS, as well as parades and festivals. It draws a lot of attention.

DT: You are surrounded by advisors, but when you have to make a tough call who do you turn to for advice? 

DK: I do seek out those who can offer expertise on a matter or who can offer a citizen or business perspective; however, I’m always mindful that the “buck stops here.” I try to listen to as many people as possible before making a decision, but the final responsibility for that decision falls with me and I take that very seriously.

DT: What are you most proud of as mayor?  

DK: The effort the community puts into making Colleyville the place that it is. This isn’t about the mayor or the city council, it’s about the people of Colleyville and how they feel about this community and each other. And that means they’re willing to put in time on a board or commission, volunteer for a community project, or help out someone in need or support the efforts of others. That’s a rarity these days. I’m both proud and fortunate to be a part of it.

 DT: When you have a few minutes just to drive around the city, where do you like to go? 

DK: The city staff jokes that they don’t like for me to drive around because they always end up with a to-do list. In fact, that’s exactly what happens. Being mayor doesn’t just happen twice a month at council meetings; it’s an ongoing responsibility and I take it seriously. So when I’m driving around town, I do keep an eye out for anything that looks amiss or deserves special care or isn’t up to spec, and I get it addressed. I do make it a point to take different routes to work or to restaurants, so I can keep an eye on different parts of the city and not just along my regular route.

DT: What can the residents of Colleyville do to pitch in and improve their community? 

DK: Stay involved. We just finished our biennial citizen survey and I hope people made it a point to complete the survey. Our comprehensive plan initiative is coming up—and there will be many opportunities for people to let us know how they want Colleyville to grow. And I would hope that residents will continue to take responsibility for the small things—being aware of what’s going on in their neighborhoods to keep crime at bay and picking up trash on their street or in their neighborhood park. If everyone does these small things, one by one they add up to a big impact on the entire community. 

DT: Gas drilling has been an issue in the community. Do you think the controversy has been warranted? 

DK: Whenever something new comes to a community there always needs to be a vetting process. So I see this as more of a community discussion than hoopla—some for it, some against it, and both needing to be listened to. From the city’s perspective we wanted safety to be the top priority. So we try to work in cooperation with drilling companies—while always remembering that the safety of the community is paramount.

DT: What is your favorite place to grab a hamburger in your city? 

DK: If there’s a burger being served in Colleyville, that’s pretty much enough for me. JR’s Grille, Market Street, Mooyah Burgers, Braum’s, Sonic, Tribeca Americana—take your pick. I like them all.

DT: What is the best part of being Mayor?  

DK: I pretty much like all the parts of the job—even those people would expect me not to like, including listening to people’s problems. It goes with the job and I think we’re better at the job when we listen to people. So I like it. 

However, during the holidays, I get to deliver Santa in my vintage fire truck…without having to ask permission. That’s kinda cool.

DT: If you had to describe your "bubble" (Colleyville) in three words, what would those words be?  

DK: Describing Colleyville in three words isn’t possible—there are just too many facets it to it. I guess home, family, and friends are what comes to mind when I think Colleyville. I think that might be the universal sentiment from everyone lucky enough to live here.

DT: Outline your top three goals for the city in 2014?

DK: Comprehensive plan – getting the community involved and invested in the process

Economic development – capitalizing on what we’ve accomplished and continuing to grow those efforts

Infrastructure – whether roads, parks, or city facilities – looking ahead and planning for the future so that our infrastructure continues to be an asset and not a burden for the people of Colleyville

DT: What is the one thing the people of Colleyville will be surprised to learn about you? 

DK: I began my worklife as a professional tennis player on the men’s tennis circuit—traveling abroad to qualifying matches. I got to see much of the world and I was doing something I loved. I was also one of the first male cheerleaders at Paschal High School. No one had ever done it and it sounded like fun and a good way to support my school. I was right on all counts and it’s a great memory. My wife, Debbie, and I are also accomplished collectors of “kitsch.” She’s into flamingos and I have a real Kip’s Big Boy statue in my den (bought at an antique shop in New Orleans). It’s a great reminder that life is supposed to be fun.

Say hello to the woman bringing the arts to life in Northeast Tarrant County and southern Denton County, Lee Koch; president of Arts Council Northeast. This journey started more than two decades ago when Koch moved to Colleyville and joined the Arts League of Northeast Tarrant County. She found her passion in promoting the arts, recently being awarded Arts League's Shining Star Award.

We wanted to get to know Koch a little better and she was gracious enough to answer questions about herself, ACN and the communities it serves. 

DT: Can you tell us about Arts Council Northeast.  

LK: Founded in 1975 as the Trinity Arts Foundation, Arts Council Northeast evolved from the Trinity Arts Guild. Arts Council Northeast formally received its nonprofit status in 1978, and was recognized by the Texas Commission on the Arts (TCA) in 1997 as the official arts council of Northeast Tarrant County.   With the addition of the City of Saginaw in 2004 we are now recognized by the TCA as the arts council representing North Tarrant County and southern Denton County.  

With a vision of access to the arts for all, our mission is to provide artistic, cultural and educational opportunities to improve the quality of life in our communities. 

SERVICES PROVIDED 

•           Granting to individuals, arts organizations, non-profits, libraries, cities and schools located in North Tarrant County

•           Summer Arts College – three one-week sessions located throughout North Tarrant County for students ages 6-16, exposes children to a variety of different arts disciplines through hands on experience. Each session is different.  We also provide scholarships for children unable to afford the tuition as well as providing sessions at other nonprofits including GRACE (Grapevine Relief and Community Exchange) and Community Storehouse in Keller.

•           MasterWorks Music program - free concerts open to the public in eight cities (Bedford, Euless, Hurst, Keller, Roanoke, Southlake, Watauga and Westlake).

•           Classes & Workshop Meeting Space – Visual Art, dance, pottery, faux painting and writers group and photography group held at the Arts Council Northeast building

•           The Arts League Shining Stars Luncheon to honor community volunteers at various not for profit organizations (Summer Santa, Community Enrichment Center, etc.)

•           Arts & Education -- After school programs

DT: What are your duties at ACN?  

LK: As president of Arts Council Northeast, I am responsible for creating community awareness of the organization, fundraising, budgeting/financial planning and board development

DT: How did you become involved with ACN, and why are you so passionate about the work being done there?  

LK: I joined the Arts League (which is the fundraising arm of Arts Council Northeast) in 1993 when I moved here from The Woodlands, TX.  It was a great group of ladies who are still my friends!  At that time one of the fundraisers was “Texas Toast” which was sort of a “revue” of community leaders making idiots out of ourselves onstage so that was a lot of fun!  Then I volunteered for Taste of Northeast which has evolved over the years to include a holiday gift market that is now held at the Hurst Conference Center.  I always hoped one day to have this job and now I do!  I love it!

DT: Why do you work in the nonprofit sector? 

LK: In my opinion, there is a great deal of personal satisfaction  in working for organizations that give back to their communities. I’ve never had a desire to work in the for profit sector.

DT: It can be difficult for any non profit to pay the bills. How do you stay afloat? 

LK: It’s important to adhere to your budget and have the right people on staff.  We have a diverse base of funding including our relationship with the 16 cities we serve (Bedford, Colleyville, Euless, Grapevine, Haltom City, Haslet, Hurst, Keller, North Richland Hills, Richland Hills, Roanoke, Saginaw, Southlake, Trophy Club, Watauga, and Westlake), grants, memberhips and our two fundraising events Taste of Northeast in the fall (November 13,  in 2014) and Triple Crown Affair at Lone Star Park in the spring (May 3, 2014)

DT: How can the people of Tarrant and Denton Counties and beyond help meet your needs for 2014? What are your biggest needs? 

LK: They can become members of Art Council Northeast at one of the various levels from $40 to $1,000+.  That information is on our website at www.artscouncilnortheast.org. There are also a couple of giving day opportunities sponsored by the Community Foundation of North Texas and attending either of our fundraising events.  That information is on our website also.

DT: What is the most memorable moment in your experiences at ACN?  

LK: Hard to decide – when we hear from parents who receive scholarships to our Summer Arts College you know you are making a difference in children’s lives.  And when you hear from the small arts groups that we give grants to you know you are making a difference to small organizations/groups who don’t have other sources of funding and we are helping them along their way.  This year we were able to award $40,000 in grants to 21 small arts groups.  We wish we could help them out even more but as you know funding for the arts is always the first to be cut.

DT: What is the first thing you do when you walk into work each day?

LK: I always stop by the post office to pick up the mail on the way in and hope we have some nice checks to deposit to continue our mission – “With a vision of access to the arts for all, our mission is to provide artistic, cultural and educational opportunities to improve the quality of life in our communities.”