How has your summer been so far?

So, half way through summer, and what has been happening? Here is a quick list of some of the things the TR youth have been doing this summer:
1. BIBLE STUDIES youth are meeting regularily on Monday's and Wednesdays (when Dillon or other leaders are in town) for bible study. It happens around 8:30-9ish. Text message Dillon for details!
2. SUNDAY YOUTH ACTIVITIES: every second week (approx) the youth get together around 3ish on Sunday (after church and lunch usually) to do some wacky event. This was started July 1st with KGB, followed the by a water fight day (unfortunately it was not a great hot day), and then a break for a week before a quieter "listening to God" event at the Zimmers. The next event was a progressive dinner featureing a "dark pot" for soup (youth brought a secret ingredient and it all goes in the soup, then you eat it if you can!) and an amazingly grose looking desert " kitty litter cake".
3. WHAT IS HAPPENING NEXT? Sunday August 12 (weather permitting) anyone interested can go with John REPELLING! Yup just you and a rope and a very competant guy helping you as you dangle in the air, descending a very tall mountain! Cool!

So stay tuned for further info (check the posters too, at each church there should be one!) and keep having a great summer!

High School Prayer time

Not satisfied with two bible studies a week? Well meet the youth at the table upstairs across from mr. Dealy's room for a lunch time prayer meeting and time to talk! All high school youth welcome!

Friday YC group plans

Friday meet at Dillon's around 7 pm to do something fun and then you will be changing location to Kal's half way through, so if you are late text dillon to find out where the group is.

13 youth plus Dillon tonight! Glad to hear!!!

A Big Thank You! to our corporate sponsors!

In the days before YC we were really swamped with soo much to accomplish and getting organized. Now that we are back I want to let everyone know who made it possible for you all to get to YC. This year seven out of 36 youth were able to raise all the money needed to go to YC on their own. Everyone else got some help from coporate sponsors. (Some also had to chip in a bit of their own cash too).

Because of the generous donations of Maple Leaf Transportation, Western Canadian Coal, Tumbler Ridge Lions Club, Avalanche Trucking, M & R Maintenance, Westmar, CJG, Pelly Construction, C.Friesen Holdings, Tumbler Ridge RCMP and the Tumbler Ridge Fellowship Baptist Church 36 youth and 8 chaperones were able to have an amazing weekend experience listening to great inspirational speakers and rocking out to amazing bands.

Many people and companies also participated in helping with fundraising: Thanks to the Bottle Depot and Carmen for your help and patience as we did a two day massive bottle drive. Thanks to: Proteus Business Solutions, Eye for Detail Photography, Shop Easy, Sanctuary Valley, Northern Metalics, Dragon Palace, Vinnies, Sheila's, TR Inn, TR Reality, Jade True Value, Tags, The Dollar Store, Mac's on Main from Tumbler Ridge for your generous dontations of items for the Auction Fundraiser. Thanks to: Northern Toybox, Corlane Sporting Goods, Simple Pleasures, B&T, Mom's to Be, Dawson Creek Art Gallery, Old Creek Store, Walmart, Zellers, Dawson Creek Coop, Whitespot, McDonalds, Butcher Block in Dawson Creek for the amazing auction items donated. Thanks to the following families who also supplied items: the Pack Family, the Lemon Family, the Peat Family, the Schembri Family, the Hayden Family, the McBain Family.

As you can see the number of people that helped get the youth to YC is huge!!! So remember when you are out and about in Dawson or in TR that there are people who are behind you, and to be VERY NICE to the businesses who helped make it possible for you to have such a great experience!

Thank you!!!!

Your Ideas are soo cool!

On the bus ride home we started generating a list of ideas for what you wanted to do to keep YC going back at home. At bible study on Monday you continued talking about it too... and I am soo pumped up about this and all your great ideas.

Bible study
Missions trip
Music Jam Session
Games nights
Movie nights
Renting the teen centre and doing something
Bringing in a group like TFK or someone to play a concert

these are just a few of the ideas you've had so far. Write a comment or tell Dillon or someone because we want to make as many dreams of yours possible and get behind you to help you make them happen!

Stuff that's happening!

First bible study after YC, held by Dillon and had 10 youth in attendance! To give you an understanding of what that really is, if you thought for a moment that was a small group... the adult bible studies are usually in the 6-8 people attending category. And also remember that out of the 44 people who attended YC with our group: 7 were chaperones, and 8 are from out of town. That means that 10 out of 29 youth participated in the bible study!

Ok so this bible study is for Guys and Gals! AND IT'S NOW TWICE A WEEK! MONDAY and WEDNESDAY!!! At 9 pm. There are also plans for a regular friday night event and I will keep you posted on that too.

YC Bible Study

WOW! What a weekend, amazing concerts, great speakers, tons of goofing around and then the long bus ride home!!! What time did you wake up on Monday?

The bus ride home was amazing too. Ben prayed for each person —youth and adult— on the bus and I bet many of you have questions. Dillon is holding a bible study where he is staying in Tumbler Ridge MONDAY NIGHTS at 9 pm at night. This weeks address is 448 bergeron. Snacks provided (you'll recognize them from our mound of extra food.)

Stay tuned for more youth events in the next month: possible pool night? gym night? jam session with all our great young musicians... any ideas? Leave comments on the blog with your great ideas and things you want to see happen in TR so that we can maintain this YC feeling!

Sooo glad to have been able to go to YC with all of you.

What you need to know!

We have finished fundraising! HOORAY!! So now you want to know when and where to meet, what to bring and all that right? So here are the details: Tumbler Ridge residents MEET BEHIND POLICE STATION ON THURSDAY MAY 24 @ 8 AM. Bring a bag lunch or money for lunch (100 raised doesn't include lunch on first day). Bring your own bedding, pillow, foamy!!! Bring towel, washcloth and your own shampoos and soaps. WE ARE STAYING AT KINGS COLLEGE, there are 10 rooms, two beds per room (1 for the chaperone...) and no linens are provided. The rooms are spacious, but they are dorm rooms.

The chaperones and orginizers are doing their best to choose roommates for you, and are trying to meet all the requests. This isn't always easy or possible, each person has requests, and the rooms have a limit to 5 per room. If you find a friend not in your room -- don't despair! We are really in the rooms for such a short time JUST TO SLEEP so you can hang with your pal all day long.

Congratulations!

MORE HAVE FINISHED FUNDRAISING!!!

Congrat's are in order to Sheena, Esther & Zach for completing your fundraising. Relax and enjoy the last two weeks until the trip! That is a total of 6 youth who now are DONE!!!

To the rest, you are now aware of where you are at (after the meeting last Thursday) and if you owe the food money or not. Remember that money is due on the 15th (this Tuesday) of May. Also remember that you have two more days of fundraising to raise money. 1 on the 17th of May (if you work, then contact Colette and she may be able to get flyers to you on Wed) and the Saturday Auction. Helping on BOTH DAYS MEANS DOUBLE THE MONEY YOU MAKE!!! Expect a call this week to remind you.

Correction on Room Details

After discussing the rooms with the facility that we are staying in, it turns out that the rooms are a bit larger than originally thought! So the powers that be (hail the bus driver & chaperones) decided we could put 5 per room. That means two less rooms are being rented and you will have 3-4 others staying in a room (plus a chaperone). The adults like this better because there will be less rooms to "supervise" and you should like it better because it means more youth to stay awake with? Chat with? throw pillows at?

DON'T FORGET THAT YOU NEED TO BRING ALL YOUR OWN BEDDING AND TOWELS!

Less thant two weeks to go! Are you freaking out yet?

Chocolate Money

A few of you still have a little chocolate selling left to do? or have some money kicking around the house you need to deliver to the appropriate person. AM, SH, AL & JP get your chocolate money to the police station or to Colette (cell is 8142)!

Auctions Around the World

Our final Fundraiser is on it's way in less than two weeks, and it's gonna be awsome!! It's on May 19th starting at 4 and running until 8. We need youth there from 2:30 onward to set up and expect to be there until 9. (Breaks allowed)

The title of this event is called AUCTIONS AROUND THE WORLD, featuring over 5 different kinds of auctions from YCBay auctions (run by Colette & using low tech runners instead the internet); to silent auctions that end when a candle burns out (ooh the suspense!); to loud boistrous English Auctions. Many parent have been donating wonderful new items for the auction, and if you have any items get them in to Joanna. We have our Wonder Woman talking to everybusiness in town and even some out of town for auction items and they are rolling in!

Jerrilyn wants all youth with talent to start planning something for entertainment, so get out your rusty accordians, your dusty juggling balls or your crusty dance shoes and start warming up! Or get out your unicycles DJ and warm up your musical fingers DR, KB, LM and tune your instruments!

This event has two days worth of "points" for those who really need the extra push towards making their fundraising goal. Just like the bottle drive if you attend both days you get twice what you would if you attended one day. So what's day two? It's actually the Thurdsay previous May 17th. We will be delivering flyers door to door all over town. If you can't make the 19th then plan on delivering flyers to get your fundraising points! And hey think of this: the more people know about the event the bigger the turn-out and the more money you all get!!! With this being our last fundraiser of four, lets end with a bang!

Bring your own Sleeping Bag

So here is the skinny for all youth and chaperones regarding the sleeping quarters for this trip.

There are two single beds in each room. Two people in each room will have to sleep on the floor or people will have to share single beds, which would get squishy. Everyone will have to bring bedding along (pillows, sleeping bags, sheets if you need and a foamy or something if they are sleeping on the floor. The facility is providing NO LINENS. (So pack accordingly including towels and facecloths if you want them!! )

We have 12 rooms booked, 45 bodies including all the youth and chaperones. IT'S GONNA BE COSY!! The Bus Driver and Chaperones will be dividing up y'all into groups per room, if you wanna plead your case now is the time to do it, but no promises!

Ten Commandements of YC!

Each year YC gets bigger and better and in order for everyone to fully enjoy this event there are a few rules that need to be followed very closely. These rules ensure the safety of all those who are attending and provide the chaperones the ability to take corrective action when necessary.

Please be advised that you are required to follow these rules and failure to do so may cause you to be sent home early at your own expense.

The 10 Commandments (YC Style)

-Hail to the Bus Driver.
-Hail to the Chaperones
-Absolutely no alcohol or drugs.
-Respect other people’s property (this includes the bus, rooms and other’s belongings)
-Be inclusive
-No nasty talk about others ever
-Be prompt for all gatherings
-No ditching people
-First time obedience to all direction (includes bus clean up)
-No sneaking off, no public displays of affection, BE RESPECTFUL
-Have fun, laugh lots, scream quietly on the bus

I have read and understand the above commandments. If I fail to follow the rules I realise that I can be sent home immediately.

About the Meeting!

A huge thanks to everyone who attended the YC meeting at the Library. Thanks to all of the parents who showed up to get the info first hand. We had 52 people in attendance which is our largest number of people at a
meeting so far.

Everyone heard the words of wisdom spoken by the "Bus Driver" Hail the Bus Driver!!! Followed by the signing of the YC Ten or Eleven commandments and the handing out of where everyone is at financially. Thank you to everyone for participating fully. I can tell it is going to be a very interesting trip. DJ and the bus driver already got into it in the Library. Tsk tsk boys!

I hope everyone is ready for the auction/cheesecake/entertainment/family day that will be held on the 19th (sat) at 1600 hrs or 4 pm. We will need people there early to help set up and get things ready as well as there will be flyers to put in everyone's door, so lots of work for everyone!

(if you are wondering what this letter is talking about the ten commandments will be published next!)

Jerrilyn

Two Weeks of Fundraising left to go!

In a few days you all will know where you are at with fundraising, we hope for most of you it will be great news, because you have worked hard.

I just wanted to encourage you again, there are many groups of youth from TR and from out of town who have taken the initiative to do bottle drives and have done really well for themselves. Some have raised almost all their food money with one bottle drive or with that and one other job they have done.

Congratulations to AL, JS, MW & SW for raising some extra cash with a bottle drive of your own. Also to DR, LP & EP for their bottle drive work and for parents that helped them.

To the out of town group: Congratulations to SW & EW for your amazing bottle drive (you really kicked butt!) and to the Dawson Girls who did an outstanding job between the five of them with their bottle drive too.

IT IS POSSIBLE TO STILL FUNDRAISE! We want all fundraising done by the 19th and so there is time left to get to work if you want to. The volunteers are planing one last major fundraiser and we are hoping it will make enough money for those who need it, for those who participate. The thrusday meeting is an important one, be there and find out!

Way to Go Dawson Girls

The Dawson Girls going to YC this year got together and did a mini bottle drive. They raised a great bunch of cash to share between then.

Way to take the initiative!

Fundraising Ideas

Are you feeling like you missed alot of fundraisers? If you are worried about not having enough money yet earned to go to YC, here are a few ideas you can do. Many youth have gotten together with a few others, or just with their parents and collected bottles from people they know. More than one small bottle collection has raised over 100 bucks! If you did it all by yourself then that is a your food money right there!!!

Also think about the fact that right now there are people in the town who are in need of Lawns raked, or possibly windows washed... this may be a time to ask around and do odd jobs. Or you could get together with a few families and do a yard sale, bake sale or whatever you can think of really!

A reminder also that we have one fundraiser we hope to do in May, and it's going to be a silent auction. WE ARE LOOKING FOR NEW ITEMS THAT FAMILIES OR BUSINESSES CAN DONATE. This is a sure fire way to have contributed to this fundraiser and get part of the profits. So start thinking about what your family could donate that they have that is new.

Important Meeting May 3rd

Attention all youth and parents! Please come to the YC Meeting on May 3rd, at 3 pm (Right after school) at the library. This is a required meeting for all youth, at this time you are going to be given valuable information about the trip, it's rules, and where you are at with your fundraising. We would like parents to come to this meeting because parent consent forms will need to be signed before any youth is allowed on the trip.

Also, deadlines have been set. All our fundraising will be done by May 20th. We have one major fundraiser left to do before that date. That means that if you have missed one or more fundraisers (see your participation chart) you will be asked to pay a portion of the money up front. Colette will sit down with each person at that meeting and tell them how much they will owe and when.

As you may or may not remember we gave each youth three fundraising options. Here is a reminder of the letter that each youth received at the original meeting in March before we began:
"Option 1- With Jobs and busy schedules some of you may not have time to do any fundraising. So Option 1 is pay $245 and your funds are raised for YC...Your good to go."
"Option 2- ...fundraise for the $145 and then pay the $100 food cost. I know that many of you have jobs and find fundraising time consuming, so this may be the best option for you."
"Option 3-Fundraise for the entire $245.The fundraising for the food cost ($100 of the $245) will be set up...if our fundraising falls short, each person will be responsible for the remainder owing. The majority of the fundraising work for food money will be done by teens and their parents. The food fundraising will not happen without parental support and assistance."

Some of you have let us know you are doing option 1. Great. Others have been participating fully at each fundraiser, then we understand you are probably taking option 3. At the meeting we will let you know how close you are coming to getting to your goal and if you are "falling short" you may be asked to pay a portion as mentioned in Option 3. Many youth have gone out on their own and done bottle drives, cleaned homes/yards or done other things to raise money on their own. This money has gone towards their total too. EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS, so if you know you have missed fundraiers, think about what you can do on your own, because "the majority of fundraising work for food will be done by teens and their parents."

With a little under a month left there is time to raise money, if you work at it.

Congratulations!

Congratulations to CD, SM & DR you have now raised ALL YOUR MONEY FOR YC!!! Good job guys, relax and enjoy the next month.

Not far behind are: DM, MW & ZG who have raised over 145$ so all that's left is food money and you are on your way!!! If you haven't brought your chocolate money in... get it in and you are that much closer.

to the rest of you: Some of you are just about finished your first 145$ some have a long way to go. But we have more fundraisers left and there is still a month to get that money raised. YOU WILL DO IT! If you work it!

Again congrat's to those named! YOU ROCK!

We Cleaned Up on the Bottle Drive!!!

Well the three day massive bottle drive fundraiser is now over. Friday 7 youth and 6 parents put in over 3 hours of work. On Friday 4 parents and 1 youth sorted the remaining bottles at the liquor store for 2 hours. On Saturday 13 youth and 9 parents worked on collecting, sorting and returning bottles to both the bottle depot and the liquor store from 11 to 3:30. A long day!!

So how did we do? Each youth and parent was counted for each day they participated. Those who had to leave early got counted half... so each person who participated raised a different amount. But the total? 1694 dollars!

Thanks to Carmen at the Bottle Depot for your patience with us, and your williingness to open the depot for us. We couldn't have done it without you and your staff's help.

Thanks to the gals at the liquor store for their help and letting us sort bottles in their back room on Friday and Saturday.

Great work everyone! WE CLEANED UP!!!

YC Participation Forms

On March 20th we held our first introduction meeting at the police station - in the cell!!! At that meeting each youth present was given a YC Participant Form to fill out with important medical and personal information. We will get forms to the out of town participants as soon as possible, if you are concerned about this feel free to call Colette.

The following Tumbler Participants have not returned their forms: AM, FP, LM & JP. Please return them to the police station. If you never got one then get one from Jerrilyn or Colette.

Thanks bunches!!

Chocolate Money

Our first fundraiser was a Purdy's Chocolate Sale. This started two weeks before Easter to buy into the chocolate feast of the season... Almost every youth chose to take a box of chocolates to sell, some who were quick sold more than one. Many of the youth have turned in their money but there is over half the chocolate money still out there or there are chocolate that are still unsold.

If your initals show up on this list, that means Colette is waiting for your chocolate money. This may not concern you, but you should be aware that until that money is turned in each youth is actually at a DEFICIT of $20 (the cost of the chocolates). Let me encourage you to get that money in if you have sold them, or get out there for a final push and sell them! (Failing that you may return unsold chocolates to Colette and let someone else have a go at selling them)

The following youth owe money for chocolates: SM, AM, SH, AL, JZ, ZG, JP, JS, PH plus all the out of town youth also need to return the money to Colette ASAP. Thank you.

Bottle Drive

On Thursday at 4 pm 8 Tumbler Ridge Youth and 5 parents, participated in the first half of our Giant Bottle Drive. We have one more day to go! Last year one one Saturday we pulled in over $900, so this fundraiser is well worth participating in!!!

We are meeting at the back of the police station at 11 am on Saturday to divide up routes and youth among vehicles. Expect to put in at least 3-4 hours. There are 24 youth from Tumbler going, but only those who participate in this fundraiser get a percentage of the cut... so don't let this one pass you by! Hope to see you there.

Are You Getting Excited?

With a little over one month to go before the journey to Edmonton, we are well into our fundraising and many youth are working very hard! Wonder how you compare? Check for you initials and see...

Your chaperones KP, JS & JM, as well as CE and others are working hard to put together more fundraisers. As details arise they will be posted here too, so you can keep up wtih what is going on.

Keep up the good work everyone!!!