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Becoming a Silver Knight
Please read this information carefully before filling out the application below
A Silver Knight is the most important volunteer position in the Silver Knights Alzheimer’s Charity. Becoming a Silver Knight is not about teaching chess but foremost a Silver Knight must be someone who has a love for and care for our adults and our senior citizens enough to sacrifice a little time and money to save their lives and bring joy and friendships into their lives. All other considerations are secondary. You must be very patient and kind. You will be teaching adults from 18 to 108.
The Silver Knight may be a man or woman who is at least 18 years old and is willing to go through the training to become a Silver Knight which is a 4-step process that takes about a month or so depending on how quickly you act. You need transportation to and from the classes which will be no further than 5 miles from your home. You will also need a printer to print off the documents we send you for your classes. During the training you will gather the needed supplies, contact the director of local facilities within a 5 mile radius of your home and set up your chess class or classes. You will be given all the documentation necessary to start the class including your training. Our national headquarters will do everything it can to make your classes fun for both you and your students.
Every Silver Knight will receive detailed lesson plans and training by email and when possible in person. Although we only require you to set aside 1 hour per week for teaching, only those who are serious and will dedicate themselves to this commitment need fill out the application below.
A Silver Knight must be quite familiar with the rules of chess or willing to learn them. A Silver Knight need not be an expert chess player; in fact, we’d rather you not be a great chess player as they may tend to be impatient with a senior who may have a touch of dementia. When you teach the classes, you can learn along with your students because a detailed lesson plan is provided with each class. A Silver Knight who lives in an urban setting should be willing to commute within a 5 miles away from his home. Silver Knights who live in rural areas may need to drive a bit further.
Having previous experience working with adults and the elderly or teaching chess is a plus but neither is mandatory. Being a Silver Knight is not about teaching chess. Being a Silver Knight means that you are willing to spend some of your free time to help save the lives of those you teach from the horrible disease of Alzheimer's in a fun atmosphere.
There is no pay other than the joy of knowing that you have saved the lives of our precious senior citizens and added joy to their lives. The Silver Knights is supported by local donations. You will need to find individuals or organizations who would be willing to support your efforts to save lives. You will receive training on how to go about doing this in the process of becoming a Silver Knight. The training to become a Silver Knight only takes about a month if you respond to the training emails.
The Duties of a Silver Knight
A Silver Knight donates at least 1 hour per week to serving the community by protecting adults and the elderly from Alzheimer’s disease by teaching them how to play chess and providing opportunities for them to play. Of course at first you will only be teaching 1 class per week, but in time we would hope that you would want to teach more than one class.
You should (if you don't already have one) purchase your own demonstration board (about $30- $60.00 from www.wholesalechess.com or any other location) if you are teaching more than 4 students in a class. Classes smaller than 3 students can be taught on a chessboard.
You will also need to purchase a few “Quality Chess Set Combos”(same store as above if you wish at about $10 each depending on the number purchased) which is the Silver Knight "chess set of choice." The chess sets will be sold for $20 to students who can afford them and given to those who can't.
You will also need to purchase at least one Personalized (with your name on it) Silver Knight Golf Shirt (about $35 including shipping) available in our CafePress store. This is important because it gives all Silver Knights a sense of unity with the rest of the organization and makes it easy to explain why we are teaching chess- to save lives.
Your total investment if you don't already have a demonstration board, and sets will be between $100-$200 dollars depending on the number and size of chess sets and demonstration boards. We ask you to make this investment to show that you are serious about becoming a Silver Knight and saving the lives of adults in your area from Alzheimer's. If you are serious about becoming a Silver Knight.
The Silver Knights Headquarters will email you detailed lesson plans, FunSheets, attendance sheets, student surveys, and other materials to aid in teaching. You will need to purchase 10, 2-pocket folders for your first class to hold the documents (an investment of about 7-10 dollars). You will teach a ½ hour lesson (you can take longer if you, the facility and your students wish) and then supervise your students as they play for the next half hour. There is no minimum or maximum class size though the average class size is around 8 students. I have taught classes with only one person and saving the life of one person is well worth the effort to me. Small classes usually grow as the word gets out.
When your students have learned the first 4 lessons and know the rules of chess you will encourage them to start their own CHESS CLUB! This is important because it gives them a chance to play chess outside of class. Information about how to do this along with everything else will be provided.
In order to present to the public and our students a uniformed program, the documents used in the program may not be changed without written confirmation from The Silver Knights National Headquarters in Scottsdale Arizona. You may also not add the name "Silver Knights" or our logo to any of your documentation. That being said, we are always open to receive suggestions from our Silver Knights as to improvements to any aspect of the program.
A Silver Knight should keep in contact on a regular basis with the Silver Knight National Headquarters by email
describing his or her accomplishments and goals by posting in our website forum under Silver Knights.
Once your application below has been approved you will contact and set
appointments to go to hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living
facilities, senior centers and anywhere you can find adults who want to
learn how to play chess. We will provide instructions on how to do this or we can even give you the contact information or more if you wish.
The Vigil and Application Form
In the middle ages when someone wanted to become a Knight, they would go through what was called a "Vigil" and spend the night in prayer before being dubbed the following day. Becomeing a knight was a serious commitment. In the same way, becoming a Silver Knight is a serious commitment and a time of soul searching should be done before making your request to become a Silver Knight. When you feel that you are willing to commit the time and funds necessary to become a Silver Knight, please fill out the following application form. A Silver Knight is bound by a Code of Chivalry, as were the Knights of old.
Although becoming a Silver Knight is serious, because our mission is one of saving lives, there is also a lot of fun in being a Silver Knight. You will have the fellowship of other Silver Knights in your area and will have the opportunity to meet with them on a regular basis. You will of course also have a lot of fun teaching adults the exciting game of chess. Our national headquarters will provide you with training materials and regular communication by email to answer any questions you might have.
The Silver Knights’ Code of Chivalry
Defense - The Silver Knight is sworn by oath to defend the sick and elderly against the monster called Alzheimer’s.
Joy - The Silver Knight should bring happiness to those you serve, for many we serve are going through difficult times and playing chess is a joy they really look forward to. Often many just look forward to seeing your smiling face each week.
Generosity - A Silver Knight should be generous in so far as your resources allow. Give a little if you only have a little. Give a lot of you have a lot because being generous not only helps those who need help but is an aid to your soul too.
Humility - The Silver Knight should value first the contributions of others; do not boast of your own accomplishments, let others do this for you.
Courage - Being a Silver Knight often means choosing the more difficult path, the personally expensive one. If it is easy it is probably not worth doing.
Truth - A Silver Knight always speaks the truth in love. To lie is to dishonor yourself, and the Silver Knights Charity.
Loyalty - A Silver Knight should be known for unwavering commitment to the people he or she works with and serves. A Silver Knight is loyal to the ideals of the Code of Chivalry you have chosen to live by.
Faith - A Silver Knight must have faith in his beliefs, for faith roots him and gives hope against the despair that human failings create.
Righteousness - A Silver Knight seeks to emulate everything in the Code of Chivalry as sincerely as possible, not for the reason of personal gain but because it is right.
Courtesy - A Silver Knight should treat all, but especially the sick and elderly with kindness and tenderness. Honor them for they richly deserve your respect.
Nobility - A Silver Knight should seek great stature of character by holding to the virtues and duties of a Silver Knight, realizing that though the ideals cannot be reached, the quality of striving towards them ennobles the spirit, growing the character from dust towards the heavens.
Silver Knights Application Form = Required
Your application will be reviewed. Depending on the number of applications, it may take a week or two to finish the review. You will receive notification by email letting you know that you have been accepted. Good Luck!
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