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|  ROC MINISTRIES' "THANK YOU" page Scroll down for articles about community, corporate & personal donations & acts of kindness on behalf of the Ashland area Youth and ROC Ministries - Youth Center of Ashland NE ASHLAND NE Youth ! GO BLUEJAYS ! Enjoy your visit - COME BACK OFTEN ! Watch for NEW ITEMS ROC MINISTRIES Radically Obedient Christians 'A Safe Gathering Place for Ashland's Youth for Fellowship, Activities, Study and Prayer'
DATELINE: ASHLAND MARCH 2011 KZCO employees spread good fortune to ROC Youth Center By Suzi Nelson Published: Thursday, March 3, 2011 3:06 AM CST DONATION: KZCO employees and owners donated part of their profit-sharing program to the ROC Youth Center in Ashland. Presenting a check last Thursday was General Manager and CEO Scott Morgan, ROC Youth Center President Pastor Steve Herman, KCZO employees Zak Ziegenbein and Zeb Ziegenbein, KZCO Financial Manager Ardith Ziegenbein and KZCO Chairman of the Board Keith Ziegenbein. (Staff Photo by Suzi Nelson) ASHLAND – Employees and owners of a local business have decided to spread their good fortune and help the youth of Ashland.
Employees of KZCO, located outside of Ashland near the Greenwood Interchange, donated part of their Employee Annual Retention and Profit Sharing Plan with the ROC Youth Center. Owner Keith Ziegenbein and his family members, who also work at the company, presented a check for $2,000 to Youth Center President Pastor Steve Herman on Feb. 17, along with Scott Morgan, KZCO general manager and chief financial officer.
Morgan said the profit sharing plan is designed to “align the interests of the employees with the owners of the company as well as provide for retention of employees as well.” It was implemented on Jan. 1, 2010. Profits are distributed at the end of the year.
This year, there was some money left over after distribution to the employees. Instead of returning it to the owners, the company’s executives decided to contribute the funds on behalf of the employees.
“We knew that there is a little bit of money left in the plan each year end, and instead of returning it to the company, we allow the employees to vote on where the money will go, to a local non-for-profit,” said Morgan.
Morgan said the company, not the employees, decided where the money was donated the first year. In the future, the employees will get to decide, and they will choose a different charity or organization each year. Herman said he and the volunteers who run the youth center, as well as the youth who attend, are grateful for the donation.
“It takes corporations and organizations in the community to continue to keep something like the youth center going,” he said.
The youth center has been open for five years, according to Herman. It costs about $1,200 a month to keep the center open three nights a week and one weekend a month in its downtown Ashland location, he added.
Herman said it’s a month-to-month operation, as the center relies solely on donations. Local churches are among their benefactors, as well as local residents who support the center.
“God’s really kept those doors open,” he said.
The money donated by the KZCO employees will be used to update and replace equipment, as well as for operating costs. “It will be very helpful,” Herman said.
While the operating costs may seem steep to some, the existence of the center – which offers a safe, comfortable place for local teenagers to spend time, have some fun and interact with mentors – has helped the youth.
“We like to think the people see a benefit to the community,” he said.
One benefit is the fact that youth who attend the center can find a hot meal. Herman said volunteers feed the kids on Monday and Tuesday nights. The menu includes soup or hot dogs.
The center began serving food because they found a lot of teens are going hungry in Ashland.
“We found a lot of kids haven’t eaten, or they aren’t always getting food at home,” Herman said. “You wouldn’t expect that to be a problem in a community our size, but in the five years we’ve been here, we’ve found it’s a bigger problem than people guess.”
The center serves about 30 kids, Herman said. They are open Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights, and the second weekend of every month on Friday and Saturday nights.
Herman said the center has a “family atmosphere,” with lots of couches and comfortable chairs for kids to lounge on.
“The kids like to come and sit and talk,” he said.
The discussions are often with each other, or with Herman. But recently, a trio of young men who were among the group of teens who helped found the center when it first opened in 2005, have been helping out.
“We’ve got kids who were coming five years ago who are in college and are coming to volunteer,” Herman said.
They include his son, Jesse, along with Nick Anderson and Taylor Sliva.
“It’s a complete circle,” he concluded. We reprint this article & photo, with grateful acknowledgement to the Ashland Gazette and Suzi Nelson
SINCERE THANK YOU'S, once again ! ! The ROC MINISTRIES Youth Center wants to take this opportunity to sincerely thank the KZCO employees and owners: KCZO employees Zak Ziegenbein and Zeb Ziegenbein, KZCO Financial Manager Ardith Ziegenbein and KZCO Chairman of the Board Keith Ziegenbein, for this important contribution to the continuing ministry of the youth center.
 DATELINE: ASHLAND - March 18th, 2009 The Ashland Gazette reports that ROC MINISTRIES has received a donation of a Nitendo Wii Gaming System from No Frills Supermarket, Ashland and Frito Lay; for the Youth Center in Ashland NE! Pictured to the left:Frito Lay Zone Manager John Shores, No Frills Manager (Ashland NE) Jacob Lalousek, along with ROC Youth Center Director Pastor Steve Herman, and Frito Lay District Sales Manager, Jason Chagnon 'No Frills Supermarket and Frito Lay recently donated a Nintendo Wii gaming system to the ROC Youth Center after the grocery store excelled in a sales contest. No Frills Manager Jacob Malousek said his store participated in a competition with other No Frills stores in the chain to grow sales of Frito Lay products. Their goal was to win the prize – a Wii – and donate it to the youth center.
“In our manager’s meeting, we decided to donate to the youth center,” said Malousek.
Unfortunately, the Ashland store was edged out in the competition by a slim margin, said Malousek. However, when Frito Lay found out about the store’s plans to generously donate the gaming system, they stepped in and provided an extra Wii.
“The No Frills chain is fantastic for the community and we’re thankful to be a part of this,” said John Shores, zone sales leader for Frito Lay.
Pastor Steve Herman, ROC director, said No Frills has long been a strong supporter of the youth center, which is open from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday to provide a safe place for Ashland’s youth to gather.
“First of all, it's just humbling that the community and No Frills even thinks about us and the kids,” said Herman.
Herman added that having the Wii gaming system will give some Ashland kids an opportunity to play games and interact with each other that they wouldn’t have at home.
“I think it will be really, really good for them,” he said.' We gratefully acknowledge the photo & article by Suzi Nelson, Manager of the Ashland Gazette; which was publised in the Ashland Gazette - WED, March18th 2009 edition: THANK YOU!
SINCERE THANK YOU'S ! ! ROC Ministries Youth Center - "Radically Obedient Christians" - wants to take this opportunity to sincerely thank the No Frills Super Market of Ashland; Jacob Malousek, Manager & the Frito Lay Company; John Shores, Zone Manger and Jason Chagnon, District Sales Manager for their most generous gift of the Wii gaming system to Ashland's Youth Center, described above. ROC Ministries Youth Center also gratefully acknowledges the Ashland Gazette March 18th 2009 article announcing the new website for the YOUTH OF ASHLAND. THANK YOU for your continued support of this very important ministry to the Youth of Ashland. From THE YOUTH of ASHLAND & THE YOUTH CENTER: "YOUR AWESOME GIFT & YOUR SUPPORT ARE REALLY APPRECIATED" From Pastor Steve Herman, Youth Center Director; volunteers, mentors, supporters & donors. "Providing a 'A Safe Gathering Place for Fellowship, Activities, Study, and Prayer' would not be possible without your support. God Bless You and Thank You again". THANK YOU AGAIN for your continued support! From Pastor Steve Herman, Youth Center Director; volunteers, mentors, supporters & donors. "Providing a 'A Safe Gathering Place for Fellowship, Activities, Study, and Prayer' would not be possible without your support. God Bless You and Thank You again". Pastor Steve | |
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