About
Sponsor the renovation of a room in men's residence Watson Hall or women's residence Andre Hall, possibly the room in which you stayed.
Help make the Avondale experience for the next generation of students even better by giving to the Avondale College Offering or by supporting Adopt A Room.
The project allows you, a group of friends or your church community to fund the renovation of a room.
We will place a plaque in the room to honour your contribution.
Andre Hall
Andre is a sanctuary for women of Avondale, and the first "home away from home" for many.
What are the issues?
Andre's 42 double rooms have little storage space, deteriorating chipboard fittings, old furniture and poor lighting.
What we want to do?
Rooms in Andre, when renovated, will have new carpet, bedside drawers, better lighting, more power points and lockable storage space. Laminate will replace chipboard. Walls will feature neutral colours to encourage individual decorating flair. The layout of the rooms will also change to make them more suitable for studying.
Watson Hall
The men of Watson have a proud history of mateship and camaraderie. For many, the friendship has been just as important as the study.
What are the issues?
Watson's remaining 83 rooms have little storage space deteriorating chipboard fittings and old furniture.
What we want to do?
Rooms in Watson, when renovated, will have bedside tables, bookshelves, new carpet and linoleum, new chairs, corner cupboards, lockable overhead cupboards, computer friendly desks, more drawers, new paint, more power points and a specific space for a fridge. Laminate will replace chipboard.
Renovated room tour
Promotion
Avondale College encourages you to publish the announcement and article below in your local church bulletin or to post them to your church's Facebook or website.
Announcement
Avondale College Offering, June 5
Support Seventh-day Adventist education by giving to the Avondale College Offering on June 5, 2010. Avondale will use the money we give to renovate 15-20 rooms in the Andre and Watson Hall residences on its Lake Macquarie campus. Renovated rooms will feature new flooring, better lighting and more storage space, including lockable cupboards. Laminate will replace chipboard. The layout of the rooms will also change to make them more suitable for studying. The renovated rooms will encourage more students to live on campus. Living on campus helps students get the most from their Avondale experience. Avondale needs our support to continue providing young adults with an education that benefits the whole person. To discover more about this project, visit www.avondale.edu.au/adoptaroom.
Article
Building community on campus
Brenton Stacey and Kirsten Bolinger
It's "down time" and Avondale College's Lake Macquarie campus feels empty. Most staff members and students are preparing for the weekend--shopping, perhaps even studying--but not Chris Starrett. The men's residence assistant is taking two other students out to maintain the garden at a house in Alton Road in Cooranbong. Pick A Street is a regular Friday afternoon activity in Watson Hall. The concept is simple: pick a street in the local community and knock on the door of each house until you find a resident who needs a job completed. A typical response: "What? So, it's free? No catch?" The ministry helps the guys feel good, says Chris. "We return as a group and we're just sharing stories." The experience not only benefits the residents--one donated a case of Sprite to say thank you--but also strengthens the connection between the students.
Mateship: it's one of the key characteristics of Watson. Serving as a residence assistant has taught Chris to befriend others for no other reasons than "they're a Watson Hall brother." Director Pr Mark McNeill and colleague Pr Shane Roberts initiate some of this relationship building by pairing new with old students--each carries a photograph of the other--as part of a "buddy" system. The two see themselves as friends the students can call on at any time.
Mark pulls out a small, framed whiteboard to illustrate. He gave the board to a student called Tommy so Tommy could plan when to complete his assignments. Tommy struggled with his studies and with issues in his personal life. He left before the end of the academic year but returned the board with these words scrawled in blue marker: "I haven't seen people that care as much as you. . . . The people I have become friends with are for life. You 'sevos' are a great bunch of people." "This guy kept me busy," says Mark, "but his response reminds me of why I do what I do."
Join It, Do It, Plan It, Believe It, Give It: these statements are part of the Live It theme in women's residences Andre and Ella Boyd Halls this year. The theme incorporates five keys to life: community; health; education; spirituality; and service. The directors of the residences do not tell the students how to incorporate the theme into their lives but encourage them to make their own plans. "If we create a vision for the girls, then we've done our job," says assistant director Mere Neale.
Each floor of the residences has a residence assistant whose role includes leading worship on each floor and leading on a rotational basis the combined residence worship on Wednesday evenings. Chantal Heise is one of the assistants. She and the students on her floor are praying for the victims of sex trafficking across a specific national border. They're also praying for the traffickers, the authorities and the churches in the area. "Most of the girls didn't know this was an issue and they were incensed," says Chantal. "It empowered them to pray."
Chantal and her floor's response to the Live It challenge is not an isolated example. Students have initiated 10 Bible studies this year, reports women's residence director Deirdre Hough. This is not an uncommon occurrence, says one of the other residence assistants, Rebekah Bamford. "We bond in a spiritual as well as a friendship sense. It just happens that way when you're praying for each other and living so close to one another."
Support Seventh-day Adventist education by giving to the Avondale College Offering on June 5, 2010. Avondale will use the money it receives to renovate 15-20 rooms in Andre and Watson Halls. Rooms will not only look better but will encourage more students to live on campus.
Brenton is public relations officer at Avondale College. Kirsten, a communication major, is the public relations assistant.
Message points
The Avondale College Offering will support the renovation of 15-20 rooms in the Andre and Watson Hall residences on Avondale's Lake Macquarie campus
Renovated rooms will encourage more students to live on campus
All renovated rooms in Andre and Watson Halls are occupied by students.
Living on campus helps students get the most from their Avondale experience
Residences are on campus, so they are close to study facilities such as the library. Students who pay their facility fee receive free membership of the Fit Life Health Club, also located on campus. Student Services coordinates regular social and worship events.
Avondale provides young adults with an education that benefits the whole person
An Avondale education benefits students mentally, physically, socially and spiritually.
Support
Avondale College Offering
Give to the Avondale College Offering, collected in local Seventh-day Adventist churches in the South Pacific on June 5, 2010.
Adopt A Room
Complete the online Adopt A Room Donation Form.
Donation
Click here to make a donation by cheque or credit card without adopting a room.
