Adam SmithA Lot To Be Grateful For
I'm so grateful for all God did thru the mission of YFC during 2022, and I'm looking forward to great things in 2023. As Development Director at our chapter, my core role involves communication and connecting partners to the mission. As we were preparing for this year, I was looking thru all our photos and stories from 2022.
If you get our email StoryLetter, I'm sure you saw some of these stories. But just in case you hadn't, I wanted to share just a few of them with you.
More important than all the cool things we got to do was the fact that we were able to build Authentic Christ-Sharing Relationships with over 650 local kids! It was a great year!
Drop In Centers
Our drop-in centers provide a safe place for local kids to come, hang out, make friends, get support, eat, do their homework, play games, and learn about all the other things they can get involved with. As of 2022, we had 3 of these sites available in our area for local youth.
The 801 - West Bremerton
The Next Door - Poulsbo
The Underground - East Bremerton
Ministry Leaders Conference
This is NOT just for people in paid ministry - it's for anyone who wishes to learn more about reaching today's youth and sharing the love of Jesus with them. We used to just provide this in house to our staff and volunteers, but in 2022, we decided to invite people from all the churches that partner with us. It was an amazing event that we will be doing again in 2023!
Skate Parks
We spent time driving our Skate Bus to different parks throughout the county, bringing the kids we know and meeting new ones. We would often bring snacks and Gatorades to pass out to the kids making it easy to start up conversations.
Spring Break Trip
We had a great time during Spring Break! We took the kids to a Tacoma Rainiers game. Then we took them to spend a few nights in Seattle going to Defy Trampoline Park, The Museum of Pop Culture, and swimming in the hotel swimming pool! We also had some great teaching and small group breakouts.
Be The Story
We held a great fundraising brunch at The Kitsap Golf & Country Club to share the mission of YFC with the community and invite partners to get involved.
Viking Chips
We took Viking Chips on the road all summer to different fairs. Viking Chips is a great way for students to get work experience and raise money for attending YFC Summer Camp. It also lets the public know about YFC.
YFC Middle School Summer Camp
We partnered up with a local church and took a bunch of kids to Miracle Ranch! Miracle Ranch is always a huge win, because there are so many different things that the kids get to engage in.
YFC High School Summer Camp
This year, we took a smaller group of students to the Washington coast to spend a few days together playing on the beach, going on walks, roasting marshmallows, flying kites, riding go carts, and lots of other activities. Camps allow kids to get away, listen to great teaching, and have time to reflect on what they've learned.
Port Townsend
As one of our many summer field trips, we took a lot of kids up to Fort Worden in Port Townsend. There's a lot of simple things to do while you're there, but one of the best things is just being together.
Silverwood
Shortly after school started in the fall, we took a field trip to the Silverwood Theme Park in Idaho for an overnight trip. The kids loved this trip, because there's lots to do and it's not too hot that time of year!
Give Life Auction
Each year, this event gets bigger and better! It's a great "date night" allowing you to dress up if you want, get out of the house, bid on some items, have a great dinner, and learn more about the mission of YFC.
Getting Involved in 2023
Well, there's a lot more to come, that's for sure! We have a lot of things planned for 2023, and you will see a LOT of invitations from us to get involved in some way. The more people that get involved, the more kids we can reach with the HOPE found in Christ. If you're interested in any of these kinds of things, please feel free to contact me for more information.
Blessings,
Adam Smith
Development Director