We’re located directly on 5th Avenue downtown, so we had a front row seat to all the festivities. This year we held our first ClassB^® Holiday Drawing Contest. Talented kids between the ages of 5-17 gathered on our front patio to draw their very own holiday themed masterpiece. Each child’s drawing was entered into the contest for a chance to win their artwork printed on a t-shirt. Every child got a gift for participating and 15 young artists got their design printed on a t-shirt!

This year’s winners were:

Ages 5-9:  Ali & Kayla

Ages 10-13:  Dominique

Ages 14-17:  Chelsea

This year was so much fun, we hope to do it again next year.

Check out all the photos and the winning artwork on our Flickr page.

Happy Holidays from ClassB^®

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Another common theme was how families often only seem to be able to get together when there is a passing in family which aren’t the most joyous occasions. It was said many times that you wanted to have more of a celebratory event filled with fun, games and connecting instead of somber occasions where folks are understandably not in a talkative mood.

So, without further ado, ClassB would like to congratulate Jennifer L. and her family for being the winners of $500 in free custom t-shirts. Her essay, written below, summed up everything this contest was about and we hope the free custom t-shirts we provide for her family will add to the occasion and help them remember the good times for years to come.

Winning essay by Jennifer L.

“I grew up in a very tight-knit family. I was close to all of my aunts, uncles, and cousins.  In a typical week we were together more nights than not.  At that time there was no need for a reunion, because every day was about family.

Over the years we started moving further and further apart.  We get together less and less.  Other than my grandmother’s surprise 80th birthday party, I can’t think of another happy occasion my family has been together.  Now the only time the family gathers is for funerals, and even then there is always someone missing.

This summer we have all made a commitment to go back to where our grandparents lived and to hold our first ever family reunion.  We are all looking forward to this and putting great efforts to make sure it is a wonderful day for everyone.  There will be a slide show with pictures of those that are no longer with us, special gatherings from years past, and the new generation.  We want to show them where our family is from and to tell them stories.

A t-shirt isn’t in our budget, but it would be a very nice token for everyone to have of this reunion and to hopefully inspire this a commitment in the future.”

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At ClassB, we love talking about family reunions almost as much as we love talking about t-shirts. Why did your family decide to hold your first reunion? Was it some sort of event that brought everyone together? Or perhaps you just decided that it’s about time you all got together! Whatever the reason, we want to hear all about it.

To enter, just submit a brief essay explaining why you’ve decided to hold your first-ever family reunion, what types of events and activities you plan to do, and what things you’re looking forward to the most.

Our judges will choose one winning essay and the person who submitted it will receive a $500 ClassB Gift Card to use toward custom t-shirts for your first family reunion. So on top of starting a new family reunion tradition, you’ll be starting another tradition— awesome family t-shirts!

Your essay must be 250 words or less, and only one essay per family will be considered. Deadline for submissions is midnight on March 31, 2011, so get those submissions in soon!

We look forward to hearing about your first family reunion. Good luck!

Click here for complete contest rules and to enter now.

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So, exactly which colors made their mark in last year’s journey toward 1,086 gallons?

White blotted its way into first place with a whopping 476 gallons used. That doesn’t surprise us—not only is White used in all sorts of designs, but in many cases we also use White as a base under other colors when we’re printing on dark shirts, because it allows those colors to appear. For example, in order to make our Glow-in-the-Dark ink shine nice and bright, we always put White underneath it.

And speaking of that Glow-in-the-Dark ink, it interestingly beat out some of the more standard colors such as Red, Orange and Green.

While White was the winner by a long shot, Gold came in next at 200 gallons. In this race it turns out that gold doesn’t represent first place, but second place! Gold’s cousins Yellow and Yellow Mix were much lower on the list but still made a pretty good showing. Other standouts included Black and some various blue hues.

Bringing in the rear were Deep Purple and Light Gray, each making up just one gallon of our 1,086-gallon total. That’s ok, every little drop counts!

But to us, it really doesn’t matter which colors were used the most. We love them all! We’re just happy to be able to provide our customers with such a gorgeous spectrum of colors to use in their own customized designs. And we can’t wait to see which colors will be the most popular next year.

What do you think of last year’s ink usage breakdown? Did your favorite color make the list? Leave a comment below and let us know!

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As you probably already know, kids and teens can inexplicably change their minds in an instant, and without recourse. So it is vital that you’re ready for this to happen and not get caught off guard. Always be ready for resistance. Of course, this may never even happen, but it is best to be prepared should your child decide that their volunteer experience isn’t one to continue.

Think ahead of time about the different things that your child could possibly come up with and have a plan ready to deal with it promptly. The longer you wait, the harder it will be to sway them back in the right direction.

Some of the common reasons that children “go cold” on volunteering are listed below along with what you can do to help them get through it. These are only suggestions to give you an idea of what you may encounter. Every child, family and situation is different.

Your child is not comfortable around people they don’t know.
If your child is uncomfortable around unfamiliar people, let them know that they don’t have to do it alone. The very first thing you should offer them is your own company. Let them know that you will go with them and make it a bonding experience for both of you. If they’re at the age where hanging out with a parent just isn’t cool, then try to have them get their friends, or younger family members interested in going with them. You could also offer them the opportunity to volunteer to help animals, where human interaction is usually limited to just a couple of people.

Your child claims that they need the time for schoolwork and social life.
Make sure that your child understands they are not committed to a single volunteer activity. There are tons of volunteer opportunities that can be done in a short amount of time. They also do not need to commit to volunteering on regularly scheduled time. Lots of volunteer activities are one-time, or have very flexible time commitments. Offer to help them search for something that would fall into these categories.

Your child says they are becoming bored with their volunteer activities.
Most things will become boring to kids if they do it long enough. This is why it is so important to consistently praise your kids for the work they are are doing and, more importantly, get them to realize and understand the impact they are making on the people to whom they are offering their time and energy. When a child feels like they are making a positive difference in someone else’s life, it can have amazing effects. Also, when you praise your children, be sincere. Don’t just say it – say it with empathy and really mean it.

 
Let your child try to find their opportunities on their own, but help them along if they stall. Remember, as we discussed in our previous posts, it’s OK for you to say no. You are the parent and you have final say. If you feel the activity is inappropriate or involves inappropriate people or a bad environment, then you’ll have to say no. But try to make it positive by steering them toward something similar which you feel would be OK for them.

If things get tough and you seem to be getting nowhere, remember that you have to have patience when you’re dealing with kids and teens. Just remember the benefits we discussed in part 1 of this series should things become difficult. Take it slow, lead by example and stay calm. When you’re trying to convince kids and teens to continue volunteering, patience and understanding will go a very long way.

Conclusion

Volunteering can make such a huge difference in a child’s life. It can teach them compassion, responsibility and other powerful skills and values that will last them a lifetime. You can successfully have your child volunteering if you follow a few simple guidelines: Take your time, be a good example for your kids, ease them slowly into volunteering, find the right opportunity for your child and maintain their enthusiasm.

Not only will your child reap the benefits of volunteering, you will have a sense of accomplishment and the knowledge that you have done even more to help your child succeed in life.

Make sure to read parts 1-3 of this series:

- Teaching Kids And Teens About Volunteering – Part 1: The Benefits
- Teaching Kids and Teens About Volunteering – Part 2: Introducing Them To Volunteer Work
- Teaching Kids and Teens About Volunteering – Part 3: Where Can Kids Volunteer?

We’d like to hear from you! Do you have a child who volunteers? What types of places do they volunteer and what kind of benefits have you seen your child gain? Don’t be shy! Leave us a comment in the field below.

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It is important that you do not allow them to volunteer at the first place that comes to mind. You want the volunteering experience to be in an appropriate atmosphere, with responsible adults, and you want the child to be doing something that he or she has a special interest in. This allows them to actually enjoy the activity and assures their physical and emotional safety.

Make It Appropriate For Your Child’s Age And Skills

Make sure the child has a say in the final decision, but always be prepared to tell them no if they want to do something that you feel is not appropriate for them. As parents and guardians, we should make sure that the child is participating in a volunteer activity that is both appropriate for their age and inline with their social skills. For instance, if your child is only 5 or 6 years old, they should probably not be volunteering in a hospital or hospice environment where they could possibly see things that 5 year olds simply shouldn’t see.

Also, make sure that the activity you decide on will fit in with the child’s physical and emotional skills. For example, if they are good readers, perhaps they could volunteer to read for the elderly or smaller children. If they are comfortable around handicapped children then there are many opportunities available, however a lot of children are not emotionally ready to work with special needs children. You need to give it a lot of thought and make sure the opportunity fits the child well.

Make It Interesting And Fun

The volunteer activity you choose should also be consistent with your child’s interests.

Look for things that your child can relate to. If they enjoy using their hands, perhaps they could volunteer for cleaning work or landscaping help. If they play a musical instrument, perhaps there are opportunities at your local performing arts center or performing arts academy. If they love animals, they could volunteer at your local animal shelter.

The more your child can relate to the work, the better the chance of them enjoying their time and gaining the momentum most kids require to continue volunteering.

Some Ideas To Get You Started

Here are a few ideas to get you started looking for that perfect volunteering opportunity for your child. Remember that you don’t have to volunteer at a major facility or organization. There are hundreds of smaller, more focused volunteer opportunities available all over your area as well.

• Community Volunteering – Check out your local museums and libraries for child volunteer programs. You can also search for local food pantries to help stock, prepare and/or serve the food to the needy. Or, you could seek out local retirement facilities where your child could visit the elderly and help out around the facility.
• Volunteering To Help Animals – Does your child love animals? If so, there are many opportunities out there. Give a call to your local Humane Society. They are usually excited to bring in volunteers who can help with the animals or simply provide some temporary companionship. You may also think about calling your local Wildlife Foundation for information on their volunteer programs.
• Sponsor Someone Special – There are programs available to let you sponsor a family, a soldier or another child who is in need of help in some way. This will not take a lot of time, but can bring so much joy and happiness to the lives of everyone involved.
• Join Child Volunteer Organizations – Organizations such as 4-H, The Boy Scouts of America and Kiwanis Key Club are always encouraging and helping their members volunteer in the community. Many of them will also help foster beneficial, ethical values that can remain with your child for life. For parents who do not have the time available to help their kids to the fullest, these organizations are a blessing.

There are also many volunteer websites online that will facilitate finding that perfect opportunity for your child. Visit your favorite search engine and do a search for volunteer opportunities in your local area. You can also check out Volunteermatch.com who can quickly find opportunities in your area. Click on the “Advanced” search and you can search for specific skill sets, age groups and more.

If you haven’t read parts 1 and 2 of this blog series, make sure to go back to the beginning and find out the major benefits that volunteering can bring to your children and how to introduce them to volunteerism without seeing them run for the door.

- Teaching Kids And Teens About Volunteering – Part 1: The Benefits
- Teaching Kids and Teens About Volunteering – Part 2: Introducing Them To Volunteer Work

Finally, we’d like to hear what you think! Have you successfully persuaded your child to volunteer? What were the hardest things about it and what do you, as a parent, get out of it? Let us know by leaving a comment in the field below.

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For some children, the idea of helping other people just seems to come naturally, but for others, they will need a little help to truly understand the concept. The main thing to remember is that we are dealing with kids here, not adults, so patience is key. Patience will allow them a little “space” to make decisions on their own and will also keep your stress levels at a minimum.

Take it at a nice and easy pace and, most importantly, don’t become discouraged if it takes longer than you expect. Some kids will just take more time than others, but with positive encouragement, most will begin to understand.

Step 1: Set A Good Example

One of the best ways to introduce a child to volunteering and get them truly interested, is to let them see you doing it first. Seeing a parent or mentor volunteering will generate much more interest and will allow the child to realize the value in volunteering much more easily.

A recent study from World Volunteer Web found that a youth who has a parent (or mentor) who volunteers is nearly three times more likely to volunteer on a regular basis than a child who does not have the example to follow. It is also important that they see the benefits that you are getting from your volunteering efforts, both physical and emotional. Being children, simply seeing that they can get something out of it will naturally awaken their interest.

Step 2: Take Them On A Test Drive

Once your child senses your enthusiasm for volunteering, you can think about letting them join you in the volunteer work that you are already doing, if appropriate. Even better, make it a full family activity that you can all do together. This is the all-important first step to get them involved and build a little excitement about volunteering. After just a few times, their enthusiasm will most likely begin to grow and the momentum it will take for them to get out there on their own will begin to show itself.

Once they begin understanding the concepts involved in volunteering, find out what they like or what they are interested in, and find a volunteering opportunity that fits in well with the child’s interests. Finding something they can get excited and passionate about is the easiest way to get them truly committed. Then, find the right time and simply introduce the idea of trying out that volunteering activity. Depending on the child, they may or may not want to try it on their own at this point. If not, offer to do it together with them. You will be helping them build confidence in their abilities and it will also provide an excellent bonding activity for both of you!

Step 3: Continuous Support And Reinforcement

This is crucial and is necessary from now on. As your child gains experience and confidence in their volunteering, make sure to give them continuous support and reinforce the fact that they are helping other people who are in need. Try and get them to see their efforts from the perspective of the people they are helping. Let them know that they should feel good about what they are doing and teach them how to see and understand how their work is helping others.

Try to make your child’s volunteering a topic of common positive conversation. The more they talk about it, the more the thrill and satisfaction will reinforce their behavior.

Step 4: Make Sacrifices For Your Child’s Future

If you remember in Part 1 of this series, we discussed the many benefits that kids and teens who volunteer have over those who don’t. These benefits are important for you to remember because there will be times when you will have to make sacrifices to keep your child involved. Even if it is something as small as taking a few minutes to drive them somewhere, or stop at the store to get them something they need for their volunteering, you will have to do these things in order for them to experience the benefits.

It’s not just physical things either. Depending on your child’s volunteer activity, they may be opened up to a whole new world that they never knew existed. It is important to not only talk with them about their experiences, but to ask plenty of questions as well.

They’re learning life lessons, and you want to make sure that they fully understand it all.

Remember that when your child is volunteering, you will need to do your part to help them along, every step of the way. With a little support and encouragement, and maybe a bit of an initial nudge, your children can quickly become impassioned and excited about volunteering. And they will learn that they are not only helping others, but they are helping themselves as well.

The next part of this series will discuss the different types of places where children should, and shouldn’t, volunteer. Stay tuned!

Let us know what you think by leaving a comment below. We’d like to hear your experiences!

Teaching Kids and Teens About Volunteering – Part 2: Introducing Them To Volunteer Work is from the ClassB® Custom T-shirts Blog Copyright © 2010 ClassB, Inc.. This feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator/feed reader, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact ClassB.com.

For many, this day is about a turkey feast, football and relaxing with family and friends. But let’s not forget what this day really means. It is about reflecting on our lives and giving our thanks to those who help us, those who love us and those who give us that little push when we need it most.

For ClassB, those people are you, our dedicated and loyal customers. We are thankful to have you in our ClassB Family, and wish all of you a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Day is always a great opportunity to instill thanksgiving into the hearts of our children. In trying times, our children give us hope. Let’s give back to them today and teach them the joys and virtues of thanksgiving.

Our offices will be closed Thursday – Sunday, but our website is always open! Feel free to design and order any items you need and one of our Customer Service Representatives will get back to you on Monday to discuss your order.

And as always, feel free to leave a comment below. Let us know what you are thankful for this year!

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This is the first of a four part series on how to teach kids and teens about volunteering. First we will discuss the benefits of volunteering for kids and over the next few posts we will talk more about introducing them to volunteering, how to convince them to actually get out there and do it, where they should or shouldn’t volunteer and what you can expect as a parent. As you will read below, introducing your child to volunteering can bring about some very powerful rewards that will last them a lifetime.

Part 1: The Benefits of Kids and Teens Volunteering

You’re already aware of the benefits that volunteering can impart on you and those you are lending your helping hand to. But what about kids and teens? Do they really understand the true reasons that people volunteer their time and energy to help those in need? Some may, but for those who don’t, volunteering can be a great tool to help them learn a lot of what life has to offer.

Volunteering is a great learning experience for children in terms of learning about giving back. Of course, it’s not always easy to get a child to understand that giving is better than receiving. But with a little perseverance and a caring attitude, they will begin to understand the true concept of volunteerism, and this can reward them for the rest of their life!

Plus, volunteering can teach them skills that they will use later in life, it can teach them compassion and responsibility, and it can help them to realize all the things that they have to be thankful for; things that most children simply take for granted.

But perhaps the most important benefit of volunteering for children was found in a study done by World Volunteer Web, which revealed that, “youth who volunteer are less likely to engage in risky behavior, are more likely to feel connected to their communities, and tend to do better in school.”

So if you’ve been thinking about introducing your child to volunteering, now is the best time to do it. It is one of the best educational learning experiences a child could have, and the social benefits are outstanding as well. Your child will have a better chance to do well in their studies and will gain opportunities that other children simply won’t have.

Do you volunteer with your children? Let us know the benefits you or your children have received through volunteering. Don’t be shy! Leave a few words in the comment field below.

Come back next week when we will talk about the best ways to introduce your child to volunteerism and let them “get their feet wet.”

Teaching Kids And Teens About Volunteering – Part 1: The Benefits is from the ClassB® Custom T-shirts Blog Copyright © 2010 ClassB, Inc.. This feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator/feed reader, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact ClassB.com.

Today, ClassB would like to join the rest of the nation and salute all of our nation’s Veterans. We are proud of them and thankful for their sacrifices, which give us the freedom and liberty we all so much appreciate.

And while millions of Americans support and remember our Veterans today, ClassB is also making a donation to help a local Veteran who is donating his own time and money to help other Veterans all over the country.

Every year here in Tampa, Florida, a charity fundraising event is held to help a local person or group that selflessly devotes their time and resources to positively impact the lives of others. The event is held by “Epic Thanks Tampa Bay” and this year, the beneficiary is Halley’s K-9s for Veterans.

Founded by Mike Halley, an ex-Marine, Halley’s K-9s for Veterans provides trained service and companion dogs for disabled Veterans.

Suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Mike trained his own dog to help him with his “invisible” disability. Once Mike realized how much it had helped him, he decided that he would create Halley’s K-9s for Veterans to provide trained dogs to veterans of all wars to help them overcome their disabilities and become more productive and functional.

We were happy to hear that the proceeds from the Epic Thanks Tampa Bay event will be going to Halley’s K-9s for Veterans this year.

As a supporter, ClassB is donating 100 top-quality T-shirts to Epic Thanks Tampa Bay, custom designed by our artists especially for the event. We hope that our donation will help Mike and his cause, and touch the lives of our Veterans who so greatly deserve our appreciation and thanks.

We should remember our nation’s veterans every day, but today let’s take a few moments to really reflect on just how lucky we are on this Veterans Day.

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