We know that putting together a dynamite retreat can be quite a challenge. The SOLID Youth Retreat is here to help!

Transcription

1 Dear Youth Leader, We know that putting together a dynamite retreat can be quite a challenge. The SOLID Youth Retreat is here to help! SOLID, one program of Casowasco s Ministries with Young People (M.Y.P.), was created to give youth groups the opportunity to connect with each other and with other youth groups from around the state. We focus on how teenagers can have a solid faith in an ever-changing world. SOLID has been designed to help each youth explore the importance of asking tough questions, listening for the answers, and living their life in the way God would want them to. Our hope is that youth have a wonderful time participating in the awesome activities and living in community for a weekend. But our intention, beyond all this, is for youth to grow in their relationship with God and learn that it means to have a solid faith. The four large group sessions combine impactful worship and dynamic speakers. After each large group session, youth groups meet together to dig deeper into their walk with God and how the message relates to their lives. Youth leaders are given time to build stronger relationships with their youth and have the opportunity to encourage them in their walk with God. This packet is full of information designed to help you learn more about SOLID. If you have any questions, please contact us at or shelby@casowasco.org. We hope you will join us! God Bless, Shelby Wilson Program Director Casowasco Camp and Retreat Center Casowasco is a ministry of the Upper NY Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church 1

2 SOLID Youth Leader s Information Packet Contents Schedule Overview Page 3 Schedule Details Page 4 Guidelines for Youth Leaders Page 6 Stre-Ball Rules Page 8 Registration Information and Forms Page SOLID Reasons The youth had a great time, and were able to leave the world behind to focus on God. Youth Leader SOLID met my expectations. Great message, got the kids engaged, got them on fire for God and wanting to spread the word! Youth Leader SOLID was a fun, educational, and overall awesome retreat! Teen Our group took the small group questions and ran with them. Love the discussions we had! Youth Leader This retreat helped me restore my faith Teen I learned to be a better person and to make time for God. Teen The discussions uncovered deeper meanings of faith Teen This retreat gave us the opportunity to bond as a group and share faith. Youth Leader Great experience! Already talking about coming next year. Youth Leader I was very excited about this weekend, and I think I had as much fun and faith building as the youth. Youth Leader It was really fun and I loved the messages that the speakers gave. I never got bored in the large group session Teen 2

3 Friday SOLID Tentative Schedule 7:00-7:30 p.m. Check-In Proskine Welcome Center 7:00-8:15 Game Room open Stoppert and Swales Rooms in Emmaus Commons Group Photo Founder s Room in Emmaus Commons Stre-Ball Team Sign Up Founder s Room in Emmaus Commons T-Shirt Pick Up Foresman Forum 8:15-9:30 Session 1 Lakeview Chapel 9:30-10:15 Small Groups Assigned Area 10:15-12:00 Campfire with S mores Courtyard of Churches Game Room Open Stoppert Room in Emmaus Commons Hang Out Time in Lodges 12:30 a.m. Lights Out/ Quiet Hours Saturday 9:00-9:45 a.m. Breakfast Emmaus Commons 9:45-10:30 Free Time Various 10:30-11:30 Session 2 Lakeview Chapel 11:30-12:00 p.m. Small Group Assigned Area 12:15-1:00 Lunch Emmaus Commons 1:00-5:30 Afternoon Activities 1:00-5:00 Stre-ball Tournament Basketball Court Game Room Open Stoppert and Swales Rooms in Emmaus Commons Sledding Mount Tabor Sledding Hill Hike Railroad Trail and Woodlands Trail Gaga and Four Square Foster Center 1:30-2:00 Gift Shop Open Emmaus Commons 1:00-2:00 Craft Projects Swales Room in Emmaus Commons 3:00-4:00 Hot Chocolate and Cookies Emmaus Commons 5:00-5:20 Youth Leader s Stre-ball Game Basketball Court 5:30-6:30 Dinner Emmaus Commons 6:45-8:15 Session 3 Lakeview Chapel 8:15-9:00 Small Group Assigned Area 9:00-9:30 Prepare for Theme Night Various 9:30-11:30 SOLID Theme Night TBD 12:30 a.m. Lights Out/ Quiet Hours Sunday 9:00-9:45 a.m. Breakfast Emmaus Commons 10:00-11:30 Session 4 Lakeview Chapel 11:30-12:00 p.m. Small Group Assigned Area 12:15-1:00 Lunch Emmaus Commons 1:00-2:00 Departure 3

4 Friday Schedule Details Check-In and Move-In 7-8:15 pm Friday When you turn into Casowasco, please stop at the Proskine Welcome Center. Please have your group wait in your vehicles while one leader comes inside the Welcome Center to check in and pick up your leader s packets. After checking in, your group will be directed to your housing area. Group Photo - After you have moved in, have your group meet in the Founders Room in Emmaus Commons for your group photo. T-Shirt Pick Up - T-Shirts will be available in the Foresman Forum, located in Emmaus Commons. Stre-Ball Information - We have created the Stre-Ball bracket, you just show up with the best strategy and be ready to have a blast. Stre-Ball is a mixture of street hockey and broomball. It is played with an inflated ball and hockey sticks with 5 players on the playing area for each team. After your group photo is taken, you may and sign your team up in the Foresman Forum in Emmaus Commons. The Tournament will begin on Saturday afternoon. Casowasco s Stre- Ball Rules and Regulations are included in this packet. This is a single elimination tournament: depending on your performance, your team may move to the next round. Large Group Sessions Beginning at 8:15 pm on Friday There will be four large group sessions held in the Lakeview Chapel throughout the weekend. Sessions are loaded with high energy, intense fun, dynamic messages, and talented musicians. We encourage leaders to sit and interact with their youth during the four sessions. Please enter through the Foster Center doors and go up the stairs in order to help keep the heat in the Chapel. Small Group Sessions Beginning at 9:30 pm on Friday You will be facilitating small group discussions with your youth after each session. At this time, you can personalize the speaker s message for your youth. Questions will be provided to help you connect the large group session to the lives of the youth. You will be assigned a location for your small group meetings, which will be included in your leader packet upon arrival. Evening Activities- Beginning at 10:15 p.m. on Friday Campfire with s mores will be roaring at the Courtyard of churches, just outside Emmaus Commons The Game Room, located in the Stoppert Room, has foosball, air hockey, ping pong, and a Wii. Board games are available in every building, in the cabinet in the Stoppert Room, and in the Swales Room. You may take games to other locations, but please return them after you have finished playing. Group Photos will be taken in the Founder s Room for groups that did not have their photo taken before the start of Session 1. 4

5 Lights Out 12:30 a.m. Saturday Encourage your youth to respect quiet hours and get the rest that they need. Girls and guys are allowed in the living rooms of the lodges, but may not be in the bedrooms of a participant of the opposite gender. 5

6 Saturday Schedule Details Meal Times- 8:00 a.m., 12:15 p.m., 5:30 p.m. We will say a blessing as a large group and then tables will be dismissed to go through the buffet line. Tables are not assigned; groups may sit together or mingle with other groups. Great conversation happens during meals, so we encourage youth leaders sit with the youth. It is helpful for the youth to wash their table at the end of each meal (a bucket with washcloths is provided). Afternoon Activities Afternoon activities will be available during the times noted on the schedule. Groups do not need to travel as a unit; however, adults should be present with the youth. Stre-Ball Tournament- Initial playing times will be posted in Emmaus Commons. Meet at the basketball court. The Game Room- See information on Friday Schedule Details. Mount Tabor Sledding Hill- You may use Jacob s Ladder (by the Proskine Welcome Center) to get to the sledding hill, or an adult may drop youth off at the entrance to the hill. Please do not drive on the snow. Sleds are available on the porch of Mount Tabor Cabin 1. Please return the sleds to this porch after you have finished sledding. Hiking Trails open in the winter include the Railroad Trail and Woodlands Trail. See site maps for trail map. Gaga and Four Square will be set up in the Foster Center. A staff member will be present to explain the rules. The Riggall Gift Shop will be open for you to get some new Casowasco gear. Craft Projects such as button making, boondoggle, friendship bracelets, and basket weaving will be available in the Swales Room Youth Leader s Stre-ball Game- Your youth will love cheering you on as you play against other youth leaders in a lightening round Stre-ball game. Youth leaders willing to play will be randomly assigned a team. SOLID Theme Night To Be Determined You never know what we will come up with next! Youth leaders will be ed the details for the 2014 Theme Night two weeks prior to SOLID. The theme night this year was my favorite part of SOLID! Teen 6

7 Guidelines for Youth Leaders Set expectations for your youth and leaders Youth: Set behavior expectations for your group before you come. It s a lot easier to accomplish your goals when everyone knows what is expected of them. Girls and guys are allowed in the living rooms of the lodges, but may not be in the bedrooms of a participant of the opposite gender. Youth cell phone usage is up to the leader s discretion; however, we encourage the youth to connect with each other and leave distractions behind. Use the Buddy System when youth go away from the group. For example- if you are in Emmaus Commons, a youth may go to the restroom by themselves, but they should take a buddy if they are going back to their lodge. Monitor the amount of time they are gone from your group. Please note: The Casowasco Staff is not responsible for the behavior management of your youth. Please hold your group accountable for behaving appropriately, respecting other participants, and camp property during the retreat. Leaders: For your youth to have an optimal experience, we suggest that leaders attend and participate in all of the sessions and are able to participate in some of the activities. Please help create a social environment that honors Christ. This weekend is about the youth, so encourage all of the leaders to spread out and invest in them. Adults need to be present with youth whenever possible. Youth may not be sent to activities while adults spend time in another location. Food Housing Remind your youth to eat dinner before they arrive on Friday. There will be plenty of food available at meal times and a snack at the theme night, but you may choose to bring snacks as a youth group. Snacks may be stored in the kitchenette of each building. Please do not bring snacks into bedrooms. Each youth leader will be contacted with the housing area for their group a week before the retreat. Youth leaders will determine the room assignments for their youth within their assigned housing area. Please note that males and females within your group may be housed in different buildings and your youth may share a room with youth from another group. Clean Up In order to keep SOLID affordable to as many youth groups as possible, we would appreciate your group s help in cleaning up at the end of the weekend. After lunch on Sunday, please put all garbage from bedrooms and bathrooms in the large trashcan in your building and straighten the mattress pad and blanket on each bed. Vacuums, brooms, and dustpans will also be available. 7

8 Emergency Information Should an emergency occur, one of our staff will be available to assist you. If you need assistance at any time, dial x302 from any site phone; phones are located in the entryway of Galilee, kitchen of Wesley, kitchenette of Bethany, and North stairwell in Emmaus Commons. Minor Injuries: A first aid kit is located in the kitchenette in your building, as well as in the site kitchen at Emmaus Commons. Some members of camp staff are trained in first aid should you need assistance, and can be reached by dialing x302 from any site phone. Serious Injuries: If a serious emergency occurs that requires immediate attention, please contact our staff. If you need to call for an ambulance, dial from a site phone. Packing List : Seasonally appropriate clothing (we recommend a lot of layers) Shower stuff and towel Sleeping bag/bedding and pillow Bible Optional Snow gear hats, gloves, boots, snowpants Slippers to wear in your Lodge Sled for Mount Tabor Sledding Hill (we have a limited number available) Spending money for the Gift Shop Things to leave at home: ipods, MP3 players, and video games Pets Homework (Casowasco is not responsible for any lost or stolen items) This retreat showed me that there are a lot of other people my age who know God and are passionate about their faith. Teen 8

9 Casowasco s Stre-Ball Rules The Game Stre-Ball is a mixture of street hockey and broomball. It is played with an inflated ball (8-12 in diameter) and hockey sticks with 5 players on the playing area for each team (1 goalie and 4 attackers). Playing Area The game is played on the basketball court. Goals are placed at each end of the playing area on the end line. Time Periods All matches will have two 5-minute halves. Each half will be separated by a 2 minute break. Teams Players can only be registered with one team and can only play with that team Teams must consist of 5-7 players. If a team has 4 players or less, they may choose to play or forfeit. Teams may substitute at anytime during play or during a stoppage of play. Goaltender The goaltender may wear form-fitting gloves (i.e. cold weather gloves); he/she may not wear a pocketed glove (i.e. hockey or baseball gloves.) The goaltender may use their stick or hands to stop the ball from entering the goal. When the goaltender stops the ball from entering the goal, they may use their stick or throw the ball back into play. If a team member wishes to become the goaltender or if the goaltender wishes to become an offensive player, they may not do so until a stoppage in play. Starting Play 1. A member of each team will meet with the referee at the center of the playing area for a coin toss. The winning team takes possession of the ball for the first half; the other team will have possession for the second half. 2. The team that has possession of the ball must start at the center of the playing area. Play begins when the referee blows the whistle and this player passes the ball to a teammate. 3. Each time a goal is scored, possession of the ball is given to the team that did not score the goal and play resumes at the center of the playing area. 9

10 Stopping Play 1. Play will stop any time the referee blows the whistle. 2. When the ball goes outside the playing area on any of the 4 sides, play shall be stopped. It shall be put back into play by the team that did not last touch the ball. This player will place the ball on the sideline and use their stick to move the ball back into play. The defensive team must be at least 10 feet away from the player making the inbound pass. Scoring A goal shall be scored when the ball has passed between the goal posts. A goal shall count if a player on the defensive team puts the ball into their own goal in any manner. General Rules Off-side- There will be no off-side rule in effect. Kicking the Ball- foot pass o A player shall not be allowed to play the ball with their feet. o A ball played with the feet unintentionally will result in play continuing. o A ball played with the feet intentionally will result in a stoppage of play and a warning. Handling the ball- hand pass o A player shall not be permitted to carry the ball with any part of the body. o A player is allowed to stop the ball with his/her hand and direct the ball to the ground. o A pass with the hand by any player shall result in a stoppage of play. The goaltender shall be allowed to make a hand pass only when throwing the ball to a teammate. Referees have the right to give a 2 minute penalty to players who commit infractions during the game. Infractions include: 1. High stick/high ball- when a player hits an opponent with their stick or hits the ball above his/her normal shoulder level. 2. Roughing- this is a non-contact game; any player who uses excessive roughness will receive a penalty 10

11 Registration Information How to Register: 1. Register your youth group by filling out the Youth Group Registration Form as soon as possible. A $20 deposit is required for each anticipated youth. 2. Register your youth and chaperones by having each person fill out an Individual Registration Form. The New York State Department of Health and American Camp Association requires us to have contact and emergency information for each retreat participant. Forms must submitted to Casowasco a minimum of 2 weeks before the retreat. 3. Confirm your final numbers 2 weeks before the retreat. You will be able to increase your final number in the 2 weeks leading up to the event, provided that there is still space. You will be charged a $20 non-refundable deposit for each youth based on your final number, 4. Final Payment is due before or at the start of the retreat. Payment: $98 per person For every 8 youth, the fee for 1 chaperone is waived. The fee for additional chaperones is $98 per person. Each youth group must bring 1 chaperone of the same gender for every 8 youth. For example, if you bring 10 girls and 6 boys, you must bring 2 female chaperones and 1 male chaperone. A deposit of $20 per expected youth is required at the time of registration. The balance is due upon arrival. Please have checks sent from your church, rather than sending a separate personal check for each youth. Cancellation Policy: A full refund will be given in cases of documented medical concern or due to a death in the family that prohibits attendance. More than 2 weeks before the start of the retreat, partial refunds (less the $20 deposit) will be offered. We are unable to offer refunds within two weeks of the start of the retreat except as stated above. There is no refund once the retreat begins. There is no fee adjustment if a participant arrives late or leaves early. 11

12 Youth Group Registration Form SOLID Youth Retreat Casowasco Camp and Retreat Center Church Name: Registering for the weekend of: January January 31 -February 2 Contact Person: Phone: Preferred Method of Contact: Phone The Department of Health and American Camp Association requires us to have contact and emergency information for each retreat participant. Each youth and chaperone must fill out an individual registration form. Youth leaders must submit these registration forms to Casowasco 2 weeks before the retreat and confirm your final numbers 2 weeks before the retreat. Payment: $98 per person For every 8 youth, the fee for 1 chaperone is waived. The fee for additional chaperones is $98 per person. Each youth group must bring 1 chaperone of the same gender for every 8 youth. For example, if you bring 10 girls and 6 boys, you must bring 2 female chaperones and 1 male chaperone. A deposit of $20 per expected youth. The balance is due upon arrival. Please have checks sent from your church, rather than sending a separate personal check for each youth. Approximate number of Youth: Male: Female: Approximate number of Chaperones: Male: Female: Approximate total number of youth x $98 = _$ Approximate number of paid chaperones x $98 = _$ Total Amount Due = _$ Deposit Amount (Number of youth + Number of Paid Chaperones) x $20 = _$ Payment Method: Visa MasterCard Check (Checks payable to: UNYAC) Card Number: Exp. Date (XX/YY): Cardholder s Name (please print) Cardholder s Signature: Return Registration Forms To: Casowasco Camp & Retreat Center, 158 Casowasco Drive, Moravia, NY registrar@casowasco.org // Fax: // Phone:

13 Individual Registration Form SOLID Youth Retreat Casowasco Camp and Retreat Center Name M/F Birth Date I am a: Youth Chaperone Church Name: Registering for the weekend of: January January 31 -February 2 T-Shirt Size: Small Medium Large X-Large 2XL My Street/City & State/Zip My Home Phone My Address Parent/Guardian Phone (Primary) (Secondary) Emergency Contact Phone (Primary) (Secondary) Special Dietary Needs Allergies Medical Information/Medications being taken Medical Insurance Carrier Insured s name Policy/Group Number This section must be signed by a parent or guardian for those under 18. I hereby register myself/ my child for SOLID Youth Retreat, and give him/her permission to participate in all related activities. I give permission to release my/ my child s name, address, and address to other people participating in the program. I give permission for still/video pictures of me/ my child to be used for promotional purposes. In case of accident or illness, the site administration has my permission to secure emergency medical care for me/ my child, as needed. Signature Date Please return this registration form to your Youth Leader 13