Summer Youth Programs

WHAT ARE YOUR KIDS DOING THIS SUMMER??

SUMMER STRETCH: This is a fellowship and service program for incoming 6-9th graders. Thousands of youth around Minnesota partner with other youth groups in their community to do service projects, have lunch and take part in fun outings together.

Last summer, Most Holy Trinity teamed up with Wooddale Lutheran and five other local churches for a non-denominational Summer Stretch program. I attended almost every event and activity and can speak very highly of this group's program, it's partner churches, its leaders and also the kids who participated. It was a fabulous program.

I did bring this to the attention of Our Lady of Grace at that time and with the hopes that they would consider a Summer Stretch program of their own for summer 2012. Fr. Bob had asked his youth ministers to attend the orientation program held last winter to investigate the parameters of "Summer Stretch" and how it works. There are about 75 participating churches in the Twin Cities Metro and many of them are Catholic. I have been following the OLG bulletins and haven't seen anything about summer programming except for VBS during the week of June 18-22 and a mission trip to Belize during the last week of June.

Jean Olson from Wooddale Lutheran has extended an invitation to participate in Summer Stretch again and has invited all past participants and friends. I will definitely be enrolling Owen. The group meets every Thursday during the summer. It's a half day of service work and a half-day of recreation. The dates for this summer's program have already been published and they are:

Thurs. June 28, 9am-5pm
Thurs. July 5 , 9am-5pm
Thurs. July 12, 9am-5pm
Thurs. July 19, 9am-5pm
Thurs. July 26, 9am-5pm
Thurs. Aug. 2, time TBA – Valleyfair Day

The main meeting location is Wooddale Lutheran. (Last year it was Shepherd of the Hills.) The cost for all events, lunches, transportation, etc. is $150. This is a good value even if your youth is unable to attend every Thursday. They assume that most kids won’t be able to attend every single event and factor that into the cost. A non-refundable $50 deposit is due April 29 to register and the balance will be due June 28 at our first event. Scholarships are available if needed.

The registration deadline is April 29th. More info and registration forms can be downloaded from the Wooddale website: http://wooddalelutheran.com/2012/04/07/summer-stretch-info/