Thought I'd better send some dates out for your consideration...  Had 3 kids this last Tues and they've heard about them but not everybody was in attendance so here goes!

On Saturday, March First we can attend a seminar offered by Youth Specialties.  (The website is 
www.youthspecialties.com/thecore if you want to take a look around.)  There is a break on tuition if we register by Feb 8 and students are less expensive than adults.  This years topic is Generation Change, and it's the first year that it is open to the student leaders.  The date in Eugene is March 1, from 8:15 check in to dismissed at 2:00.  Lunch is included, and last year they had killer munchies in the morning.  Cost to the kids would be $15.

Tuesday Feb 5 is the Shrove Tuesday Pancake Feed at 6:00.  PLEASE have all the kids there, then after pancakes we decorate cookies for our annual Val-o-grams fundraiser.  And any parental support (read that "do you want to help decorate cookies???") would be greatly appreciated.  Funds raised from this event are "fun money", not missions.  Emily agreed to help sell cookies this Sunday (TOMORROW!) but no one is signed up to help sell on the 3rd yet.

Sunday Feb 10 we deliver the Val-o-grams.  Last year we just put them on the oak table and it wasn't nice or organized or very good value for the dollar to those who purchased them.  This year we need to actually put them in people's hands with a smile and a thank you.  I'll need the kids to be in attendance please!  And I have already talked to them about this so they are warned.    

There was talk of a Valentine's Dance Feb 16.  All three kids expressed interest, so this one depends on adults deciding to make it happen.  As usual, I work so I can't.  I'll keep the kids posted on whatever you all tell me.

And we have youth led service the last Sunday of March.  This has been a struggle for me; I really need your support to continue to make this happen.  I let the kids know it was coming and leaned on them a little, but I need help from you too.  The congregation loves watching our youth in action, and it is an important life skill.  There are more reasons to keep this going than I could list in an already overly long letter...

There are some far future dates to consider as well...  The Idaho Servant Event is in early August.  (Including travel we think it's Aug 2-Aug 9).  None of the 3 kids in attendance were at all interested in a trip to a water park on the way home.  Their take on it was they'll have had a great time and just want to get home.

I intend to take the interested kids camping again, probably some time in July.  I'll keep you posted.