Planning for next year.
Nathan Pieper
In addition, it's never too soon to start thinking about next year! Here's my proposed dates for next year's events. Things in bold indicate they are for ages 7 and up.
August:
20th: Fall Planners Meeting; on the agenda for this meeting: recruiting opportunities throughout the semester, how will we spend our supply budget (expect $100 per month), set up of meetings throughout the semester.
September (Labor Day):
3: First Parent Orientation
17-18: Camp Creekside; we'll have a giant bed sheet on which we write all of our circles and names, and we’ll take that to all of our campouts moving forward, and use it in ceremonies for years to come. Alpine Tower (10+), giant swing (9+), canoeing, archery, movie, sleep in a tipi a treehouse or tent.
30: Wild Winks Sleepover; our first Trailblazers event, very popular last year, always a little different; sleepover at the Zoo, see the animals at night and pet three animals in the morning. Educational, unique, and fun for kids and parents!
October (Halloween):
14-16: Martin Dies State Park; this is our East Texas campout, we’ll have a Halloween theme/party.
30: Halloween Spookhouse; this is a great recruiting opportunity. Last year over a thousand people walked through the Creekside Outdoor Adventure Center, and I dare say our tipi was the best decorated thing there!
November (Veterans Day, Thanksgiving):
5: Kayaking on Lake Conroe; this year it's a little different: we'll be scheduled in the afternoon.
11-14: Brazos Bend SP; November is the month the Leonid meteors pick up - what better month to be at a state park with an observatory! This campout's theme is: South Side Lights!
December (Christmas, New Years):
2-4: Camp Olympia; located on Lake Livingston, this is a great, nearby cabin camping experience with horses, archery, canoes and more!
17-18: Winter Service Projects; we need to assign Circles or Circle Efforts to Harvestwood, Tamarac, and Tanglebrush assisted living communities. Alternatively, every year the International YMCA allows people to “Adopt a Family.” These families are entirely refugee and asylum cases, often having left their homes in fear of death; if families or a circle adopt a family, we can actually deliver the goods to the family we are helping, which would be a great experience for the kids.
January:
7: Second Parent Orientation
20: Basel's Gym; Spend the night locked in the infamous Basel's Gym! Play games, stay up late and just go crazy!
February (Valentines, Partners Month):
4: Sweethearts Dance
17-19: Double Lakes National Park; this park is in the Sam Houston National Forest, about an hour and a half from the Woodlands. There’s an amazing BBQ place across the street!
March (Spring Break)
3: Team Synergy Parent Child Challenge Course: This is a great chance to build the bond that lasts with your older kids. Team Synergy does corporate team builders and they know every team building game there is. Starts out with games on the ground and low ropes, then goes to the pizza lunch with soda and cookies, then gets more challenging as we do high ropes elements.
30-1: Buescher State Park; this is a small state park in the hill country between Houston, San Antonio and Austin. We can do an Easter Egg Hunt since this is the weekend before Easter.
April (Easter):
13-15: Huntsville State Park; close to home, this is on the north side. Party idea, anyone?
20-22: Carolina Creek Christian Camp; we've come to their facility for the past two years, and their staff are just wonderful! This year we're going to do some more of the aquatic activities like the Blob and the Trapeze over the lake.
May:
5: Kayaking on some body of water that isn't Lake Conroe. More details to come, probably in the morning.
19-20: Camp Creekside; the final camp out of the season, this is a good opportunity to learn more about Summer Day Camp at Camp Creekside. Alpine Tower (10+), giant swing (9+), canoeing, archery, movie, sleep in a tipi a treehouse or tent.
July:
Fourth of July parade, date and time TBD. Recruiting opportunity, but kids also like decorating and waiving at crowds from the back of trailers.
We have between now and July to hammer out our schedule and activities; in July I have to send up dates and times for marketing materials, and at the end of July our budget proposals are due. If you have any ideas that you think will benefit the program, now is the time to get them out!
South Montgomery County YMCA
8100 Ashlane Way, The Woodlands, TX 77382
Direct: 281.681.6788 | Fax: 281-465-8990
www.ymcahouston.org
Facebook | Twitter | Flickr | YouTube
The Y: We're for youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.