Summer RECAP

Oh summer....

You were busy, and you were good, 

and you flew by like LIGHTNING! 

One highlight of the summer was being able to run our 2nd annual Skate Camp!  And this time we had skate instructor Johnny running the camp as the official new Skatepark Director for Niverville YFC!  The camp took place in the afternoons for an entire week...skating, eating, building relationships, AND A LOT MORE SKATING.

 

On another note, I (Mark) was able to take one of our regular patrons, Chris, to his first Bomber game.  Chris is a die hard sports fan and he was ecstatic about this day...despite our hometeam bombing pretty badly :(

anybody remember the tornado day this summer?  here's a view from the drop-in's backyard.

 

Well, we don't really have many more pics to help recap our summer, but it was a summer of many connections, and we thank God for them as we plants seeds into so many lives!

brainstorming

Tis the season for...
                                              brainstorming?
Yup.

We've got a new school season coming shortly, and we're planning on some fresh approaches to meeting the needs of our youth in Niverville.  

We're praying for direction, and we ask you to join us in this endeavour.  God's wisdom always supersedes our human logic on such matters (and any matter, for that matter).

So our staff meetings have been looking a little like so...
(Airtran promotion completely unintentional)

tradition!

Thanks to all our wonderful volunteers who have invested so much in the 2012-2013 season!

 In August we take a break from our evening programming, giving our volunteers a rest (and keep our staff extra busy).  Our annual Volunteer Wind Up was held at our fearless Director Gord's place.

For some reason BADMINTON has become the traditional activity for Drop-In workers.  The competition is intense, to say the least.

We're looking forward to what God has in store for the Fall!

the "long" trip from the west coast to niverville

the Niverville Drop-In Centre is pleased to announce the addition of a new Skateboard Director!

JOHNNY LONG

 

Johnny hails from British Columbia, and made his way to little ol' Niverville through a series of skateboarding mediums.  As a teenager, he developed 2 huge passions:  skateboarding and Jesus, and with these he got connected to the large family of Youth for Christ.  This led him to a skateboarding internship in Winnipeg with YFC's skate ministry called The Edge, which then led him to a summer job as skateboard facilitator with St. Pierre YFC and through that became acquainted with us in Niverville.  Spending this last year back at home in B.C., Johnny knew he'd be coming back to Manitoba (to marry his Manitoban fiance) and had on his heart to come and impact the skater scene here in Niverville.  What's interesting is that Johnny has been familiar with the skater scene in Niverville for quite some time already.  If you go back on this blog you will notice that last year we ran a Skate Camp...and our main instructor was none other than Johnny Long.  And if you go back even farther to 2010, you will find a post on a 24-hour Skate-athon we did...featuring Johnny Long as one of the professional skaters performing for the kids (this was while he was interning with the Edge).

Johnny has already begun a part-time work here at Niverville YFC, while he continues to look for financial supporters to ensure his position lasts.  He has already taken over our skate shop in the Drop-In and brought it to life, started a Wednesday evening skate night involving different skate activities each week, all while supervising the skatepark and growing relationships and sharing his faith with our many skaters.

Welcome Johnny, we're glad to have you aboard!

Golferoony!

an invasion of helicopters?

Over the winter months we like getting groups of skaters together to go to the Edge Skatepark in Winnipeg (an indoor skatepark run by YFC).
One such trip I had the privilege of having my father-in-law join us...along with his super camera technology.
The result...

Feel the Breeze!

The Niverville Fair is rapidly approaching!
                                       And our schedule's are rapidly filling up with planning.

Just a quick heads up that we are excited to be a part of a number of things once again this year.  Friday evening we're a part of a musical conglomeration of more than 10 local artists, going on for 3 hours straight!  My (Mark von Riesen) band Pangea! will be playing.
Also, we're heading up the late night youth concert, bringing in a Christian band from Altona who recently got signed onto a label...Vessels of Veritas!
Finally, we're also helping spearhead the Sunday worship service.  Working alongside the churches, we've decided to move to Hespeler Park to make room for a more family-friendly experience.  In addition to worship music (traditional & modern), testimony, prayer, feasting and games....YWAM's Island Breeze will be joining us to provide some real Spirit-filled excitement!!  Check out their website if you want to know more about them.

http://www.islandbreezemanitoba.com/