Missing Wallet

I left my wallet at camp :( ???? Now I have to go get it.

Fogle VS Wild - Finale

Here it is, the final episode of Fogle VS Wild. Enjoy.

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Church Camp Video - Last Day

Here is the last video highlight from camp. I still have a "Justin VS Wild" video and some commercials left to post. Be long suffering if you are waiting for those or if you are tired of the videos.
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Fogle VS Wild Segment 3

Here is Fogle VS Wild Segment 3. Enjoy.
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Blog Your Blessings Sunday

Thursday night at our camp campfire, the speaker asked, to every ones surprise, the staff to share how God has been working in their lives. Knowing the staff, I thought it would be like pulling teeth to get anything out of them. To my delight, one by one the young adults shared insights they have learned and how important their relationship to God was. I was overwhelmed as each one talked. All but three that stood up to talk were former youth group kids (of the three who weren't youth kids, one was a former camper from years back from another church and another one was an employee at Cruisers who has joined our church within the past two years.) It was one of the high points of the week, the year and maybe the high point of the past 5 years. I was very pleased. At the end of the campfire I couldn't hold back the tears. I want to tell all who read this that I have been blessed to have had an opportunity to impart my life with these great kids (adults).

Fogle VS Wild - Volume 2

Sorry for all the videos, but I thought some people would like to see what happens at camp instead of reading about it.

Here is the second edition of "Fogle VS. Wild". Enjoy!

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Two Videos from Camp

Here are two videos from camp.

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Fogle VS. Wild

We will show this video tomorrow (Wednesday)morning to the kids. It is just a fun spoof on MAN VS. WILD we are doing inspired a little by Josh Griffin and also the camping atmosphere here. ">

Sunday @ Camp

We left on Sunday for our kids camp for a week. We rent Camp Mantowagan close to Saxton, PA. The camp is close to Raystown Lake and Lake Raystown Resort. Sunday went relatively well. Jason Snowberger and some of his youth are doing the teaching. Jason is artistically talented and has been doing some neat things with a scupture of a scientist and his computer. Aaron spoke at campfire. We have over 70 kids from 1st - 6th grade.

I think we have a really good group of adults and teens to make up the staff for the week. I am always impressed with the teens each year. I think we have some of the BEST camp food around. Kay Landis (Kay's Katering) and Judy Hoffman are some of the best cooks around and Lori Alderfer is here again baking home made bread and other goodies.

Check back for some pics and more the rest of the week.

I'm Back - Dutch Days is NOT a Carnival.

I should have a few minutes each day this week to post. Dutch Days, our town's annual celebration, went well after the first two rain showered nights. I am in charge of the soda stand for the community and we sold a bunch of Pepsi products.

When I was a kid I loved Dutch Days! I couldn't wait until it was July. We would go and watch the rides being put up and just hang out all day. I remember riding rides, eating funnel cakes and at the end of the night, sitting on the edge of the stage hoping that my name would be called for the free drawing.

There are those who just think Dutch Days is just a glorified carnival. I beg to differ. Dutch Days was started to celebrate the founding of Richfield. To me it is always going to be that way. There are always people who their vacation for the week of Dutch Days and "come home" for the week. The parade on Saturday through the town had thousands of people. The parade starts at 4 PM. At 8 AM there were people who had their chairs sitting along the parade route. This is more than just a carnival; It is a chance for me to reunite with a bunch of people who I don't get to see often. I guess I look at it as a glorified four day family reunion with a bunch of other people I don't know along for the ride.

As I get older, I don't enjoy the time quite as much because the extra load on me with the soda stand. I don't even put my name in the drawing anymore. However, I do what I do for Dutch Days so the kids can have the same great memories as I did. I want the kids to be as excited about Dutch Days as I was.

Busy Month of July

Dutch Days this week, Kids Camp next week and football camp the following week will keep me pretty busy for a while. I will do my best to post as much as possible. Check back as much as possible.

Cereal Box Pick-up Game?

I finished another video of a game we played with the teens on a Wednesday night.
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"Ratatouille" Review by Joel and Aaron

I was editing some video from our trip to Kentucky and found this "review" of Ratatouille I did just minutes after seeing the movie. I didn't give a description of the movie, just my opinion. F.Y.I. Aaron's twin girls are 2 years old.


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Man Makes Lawn Chair Flight Using Helium-filled Balloons

Saw this on Fox News this morning. I have often thought about this but would NEVER attempt it. I am afraid of heights. This guy travelled 195 miles in a lawn chair surrounded by 105 helium-filled balloons.

Seems like this is becoming a sport or something. Here is another guy who has made forty helium cluster balloon flights.

Don't try this at home.

Blog Your Blessings Sunday #5

I just came home from a week of Workcamp in Kentucky. I had the privilege to work with 10 kids and 3 other adults. One of the adults was legally blind. Even though I have known Bob for a long time, this was the first time I had really got to know him. I just loved his attitude. He wanted to be a blessing to everyone around him. He was easy going and willing to sacrifice his desires for the group. I really felt like he was trying to always see others as more important than himself (Philippians 2). For me it was a blessing to get to know and spend time with him.

Bria Gives a Tour of Mammy's House

Check out Bria giving a tour of one of the houses we worked on while in Kentucky . . . http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=12283166

Wednesday at Workcamp

We have had intermittent internet and I haven't been so lucky to hit it when it has been on. We have had a really good week so far. My group - Justin, Seth, Bria, Lauren, Ashley and myself - continued to work at Mammy's house on Wednesday clearing brush. I went over to our other group's house to take some video in the morning. Aaron, Bob, Felecia, Krista (with a "K") Adrianne, Zach and Nathan (better known as "Frenchy") were working hard demolishing, flooring, insulating and much more. They needed some drywall and I drove the van and trailer so Aaron could stay back. On the way, I saw signs to Loretta Lynn's birthplace. I understand the owners will give you a tour for $5.00. Maybe someday. We got the drywall and after taping some, I returned back to Mammy's. Then, just after lunch, the girls started the roof. It took us about 45 minutes to stir the roofing "paint" with our makeshift stick but we got it done and painted about one third of the roof. It was a half day and the girls were glad because it was getting warm on the roof. So, we quit around 1 PM and went back to the church and waited for our other group. I will post about our supper later.

Tuesday at Workcamp.

Tuesday, Aaron and his crew went back to their house with two less people as my group went to a new location - Mammy's place. Our job is to clear brush around the house so others can get in and dig the dirt away from the foundation. Her house is below the road and the dirt over the years has settled next to her house and is now moving the foundation. It seems like a big task as these trees and weeds haven't been cut for many years. She tells us she wants us to paint the roof as well? I just hope we can clear the brush.

Tonight we got ice cream from C.E. I plan to download the video I took to the computer tomorrow. I don't know when, or if, I will get anything up.

Spiritually, the sessions have been good. We have been talking about "Just One. . . Question Makes a Difference". The speaker is talking about the questions that Jesus asked and how they can impact our lives today.

No Mac for Me

We have been having a good time and getting a bunch of work done so far. Last night after our evening session our group planned to go to Dairy Queen. Planned was the operative word because when we arrived, everyone else had "planned" to go there too. We finally decided to go to McDonalds for ice cream - there aren't a lot of choices. I decided to get a Big Mac instead. I ordered last. . . bad decision. To make a long story short, we had to be back by 10:3o PM and at 10:25 I still didn't have my Mac. Needless to say, I didn't want to make the whole group late, so I just told the guy beside me that he could have my sandwich and left. It was frustrating. Yes, I had paid for it before hand. I hope that guy enjoyed my sandwich.

More later.

Someone in Salyersville Knows Me!

We made it to Salyersville, KY on Sunday around 4:30 PM! As usual, we managed to find the more indirect route here by missing an exit, but we got here nonetheless. After checking in, etc. I was greeted with another blast from the past. Dave Kazee, a keyboard (and a bunch of other instruments as well) player I worked with for about two years in the late 80's (I was the sound man) lives in Salyersville! What a great surprise for me. We are staying in his home church - Salyersville First Baptist Church. I am looking forward to spending a little time catching up with him.

Today our group split up. Aaron Benner took the majority of the group and they did some demolition and wall studding and A/C/heating for a family. Justin and I took the rest and we touched up some painting from last weeks crew as well as finished a ramp for a 91 year old lady. Everything seems to be running smoothly. We are here with PA Christian Endeavor. They have been working here in Eastern KY for a number of years. I took a few shots on the video camera and hope to upload something this week.

Keep posted and I will try to keep you up to date.