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Weekends with San Antonio DOOR & La Casa de Maria y Marta. When available La Casa is open to receiving overnight guests or can serve as a retreat center for groups wanting\needing some space apart from the world.Cost & Registration |
A typical weekend begins with arrival for supper on Friday and ends with departure after worship on Sunday. An orientation/logistics session Friday evening helps prepare everyone for the weekend.
Examples of service assignments are preparing and serving meals; helping with children whose moms may be looking for a job, in school, or living on the streets; lawn and building maintenance for individuals, seniors and/or for organizations that temporarily house homeless families; stocking shelves in food banks; sorting donated clothing; taking a tour of a homeless shelter; general facilities maintenance for helping agencies; meeting with and listening to groups that are working for change in the city, or conversing and singing with senior citizens.Cost and Registration for a Weekend Program
Participant cost is $95 per person. This covers food, lodging, and materials for service experiences, and program administration. Our registration process has several
- Return the group registration form and the non-refundable $25 per person registration fee. This deposit will be applied in its entirety towards your total group cost and will hole your requested weekend.
- A 50% deposit is due ten weeks prior to your trip. This non-refundable deposit is per person; meaning if you deposit for 10 people and only bring 9, you lose the deposit for that one person. You may increase your numbers only with a telephone call to us. Upon receipt of this deposit, we will send you an orientation package. This is intended to prepare your group for the DOOR experience and we strongly recommend you take the time to go over it with your whole group.
- Balance is due upon arrival.
- All funds received must be in U.S. currency.
or Danielle Miller at 210-534-2064 or Danielle@DOORnetwork.org.
What To Bring To San Antonio
Most groups coming in the fall/winter of 2008-09 will stay at La Casa de Maria and Marta. Participants sleep in guest rooms decorated in honor of persons who have played a role in social justice because of their faith. Each participant should bring sheets, a towel, and toiletries. If your group size is over 25, you will be staying at San Antonio Mennonite Church. If staying at the church, you will want to bring sleeping bags, towels, and toiletries. Shower facilities are available at both facilities. Work clothing is a must. It is important to note that some of the agencies that we work with require that volunteers wear long pants, so every participant must have along at least one pair of long pants appropriate for work. During the weekend, we may do a large amount of walking and so comfortable walking shoes are recommended. Come prepared for cool, warm, and hot weather as the temperatures in the fall and winter vary considerably here. La Casa provides towels and sheets. Keep in mind that there are no laundry facilities available at either place. Participants should also bring Bibles and notebooks. A detailed list of what to bring will be included in the orientation materials.
TransportationIt is our policy to rely on the vehicles you come in to transport your work teams to and from service assignments as well as around the city to various events. You must provide appropriate transportation (one seat-belt per person) for your entire group throughout the entire weekend. some worksites are easier to reach via public transportation. If we are using these worksites with your group, we will discuss the possibility of using the city bus with your group.
Who Can Participate?
The weekend experience program is for participants from middle-school age on up and is open to all denominations. We ask that one adult sponsor accompany every five youth who make up the group. We can accommodate groups of up to 30 total participants (youth and sponsors.) Smaller groups may be paired together, allowing participants from different places and denominations to share in service. Note- Weekends may be designed specifically for families to participate but must be arranged in advance.
Themed Weekends
Food Issues
Texas is the recipient of many honors and titles: everything is bigger in Texas; Texas was a Nation before we were a State and our people make the difference. Well, Texas has also recently made headlines with a not-so-honorable title: one of the unhealthiest cities in the United States. Texas is the home to five of the 10 fattest cities in the United States, according to research from the magazine Men’s Fitness and its subsequent commentary by the Department of Agriculture. Furthermore, according to the Center for Disease Control, 60 percent of adults and 35 percent of school-aged children are considered overweight or obese. Amazingly, at the same time according to the San Antonio Food Bank, “the rate of children living in poverty in Texas is 22.1%; the national rate is 17.0%. In Bexar County, the rate is 29.7% - that means that one in three children most likely struggle with food insecurity.” The issues surrounding food in San Antonio are complicated and extensive; however, it is part of our everyday lives. Join us for a weekend at La Casa to discover and learn together about the problems facing our communities.Tentative ScheduleFriday
6:00 PM – Arrival
7:00 PM – Orientation
Saturday
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM – Volunteer Opportunity (St. Vincent\Food Bank)
7:00 PM – Speaker (Luz Miryam – SA Food Bank Nutrition Education Program)
Sunday
9-11:00 – Discussion or Food Simulation
12:00 – Mariachi Mass
San Antonio LivingSan Antonio is one of the oldest cities in the United States. With its many distinct characteristics and very rich historical background, San Antonio offers its visitors and inhabitants the opportunity to see its complex mix of cultural, economic and social dynamics. Come join us in exploring San Antonio’s culture, organization and some of the issues facing our community today.
Tentative ScheduleFriday
6:00 PM – Arrival
7:00 PM – Orientation
Saturday
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM – Volunteer Opportunity (Habitat for Humanity\St. Vincent)
7:00 PM – Speaker (Maricela Alarcon/Jim Batterton)
Sunday
9:30-11:00 – Discussion or Mural Tour
12:00 – Mariachi Mass
Immigration
Without a doubt, immigration is one of the most controversial and important topics in modern history. San Antonio, as a transition town, is right in the center of the debate. With 65 percent of its population being from Hispanic background, mostly Mexican-American, San Antonio offers a very unique context in which to observe and study the topic. Furthermore, the close distance to the border allows us, here in San Antonio, to hear many different stories and experiences. Come join us for a weekend in San Antonio to discuss the topic of immigration.Tentative ScheduleFriday
6:00 PM – Arrival
7:00 PM – Orientation
Saturday
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM – Volunteer Opportunity (St. Vincent/with Laura Sanchez)
OR
6:00 AM – 5:30 PM - Presbyterian Border Ministry Border exposure trip (extra $30.00/person)
7:00 PM – Speaker (Eduardo Vargas\Stacey and Brenda or immigration panel)
Sunday
9-11:00 a.m. - Discussion
12:00 – Mariachi Mass
Please contact Eduardo Vargas at 210-363-9947 or Eduardo@DOORnetwork.org
or Danielle Miller at 210-534-2064 or Danielle@DOORnetwork.org.
Additional San Antonio Information
Register Now for the San Antonio Week End Program!