Reach Workcamps

Thirsty?

2011-06-25T12:31:00.001-06:00

Anyone coming to Anderson county thirsty?
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Paul Richardson

Happy day...

2011-06-19T11:10:00.001-06:00

Yee haw. Camp is starting. First group has arrived in TN. Happy father's day to all.
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Paul Richardson

On the road...

2011-06-16T11:54:00.001-06:00

You know you're in Nashville when there's live music in the airport before noon. A couple of us are now on the road to Clinton, Tennessee. It is, after all, a GREAT day for a workcamp! Will we be seeing you in Anderson County? If so, be sure to stop and enjoy the music along the way.
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Paul Richardson

2011 Safety Video...

2011-06-01T15:09:00.002-06:00

I just put the finishing touches on the brand new Safety Video. I would love to drop you a couple hints what the theme is, but that would take away some of the excitement of camp. You'll just have to wait until Monday morning of your workcamp to see my handywork. I hope you'll like it. I'm pretty excited about it.

And So It Begins...

2011-05-20T10:44:00.002-06:00

Today is the day we've had circled on our calendars for almost a year. Our Summer Staff are arriving today and the 2011 Workcamp Season begins. We are so excited to meet the new staff and reconnect with the old. If you have any room in your prayer life, say a little prayer for them and us as we begin to form a tight team. I hope to keep you all up to date throughout the summer.

33...

2011-04-13T10:02:00.002-06:00

That number seems to keep popping up around the Reach HQ. First off, the number of followers of this blog just jumped 33% in the last week. I'll assume word is getting out about the high quality blogs, but I'm sure the recent link we posted on Facebook also helped! 33 days from today starts the week our Summer Staff arrive in Colorado for their training. If only they knew what we have in store for them:) 33 was also my volleyball number for many years, but that doesn't really apply to Reach. 33 was how old Jesus was when he was crucified. According to Wikipedia, "33 (thirty-three) is the natural number following 32 and preceding 34."

I Am Alive...

2011-04-08T14:05:00.004-06:00

As much as I would like to say, that I've been in a coma for the past 4 months and haven't been able to spend 5 minutes to write a blog entry, that wouldn't be entirely true. Okay, it wouldn't be true at all. It is true that I've had two surgeries since my last blog, but I'm not going to blame it on those either. The truth is, I just didn't feel like anyone was reading these. Come on; there are only 22 followers! But then I thought it wasn't fair to the 22 of you that are anxiously awaiting my insight and wit. It was also a former summer staffer, Shannon Gally, who just called and absolutely yelled at me for not blogging since Christmas. Okay, she didn't yell, but she was pretty close to it. So here we are, over 3 months after my last blog. There really is a lot that has happened around Reach Workcamps, so I will begin keeping you all in the loop again, but I can't tell you everything now as I need you to come back and read more.

Merry Christmas

2010-12-23T16:45:00.002-07:00

Today is our last day in the office for the next week so we can spend time with our families and celebrate the birth of Jesus. It's been a wonderful 2010 for Reach Workcamps and we hope it has been for your family as well. Enjoy this picture from our annual Christmas dinner...

National Youth Workers Convention

2010-11-08T12:53:00.002-07:00

We're getting geared up this week with preparations for the National Youth Workers Convention in Nashville, TN. The convention is Nov 18 - 21 and we'll have a booth setup in the Exhibit Hall where we'll be giving away free goodies, printing labels for youth leaders to sign up for stuff, and telling people about our ministry. We hope to see you all there. Let us know if you're coming!

Reach Workcamps Sample Slideshow

2010-08-26T11:38:00.000-06:00

Cutest Thing Ever...

2010-08-24T16:51:00.002-06:00

Check out the newest Reach Workcamps staff member...
This is Eko, Joel's new dog.

2010 Reach Workcamps Introduction Video

2010-08-20T17:02:00.000-06:00

This video was made for the first evening program of each of our 2010 camps. It shows the different aspects of camp that everyone was about to experience during the week. You like?

Survey

2010-08-18T12:55:00.002-06:00

What to answer a one question survey about Reach Workcamps?
Go to...
http://survey.constantcontact.com/poll/a07e2zx1oeegd0icnca/start.html

Thanks for your feedback.

P.S. Can you think of any other questions you would want to see asked in a similar poll?

And The Nest Was Empty...

2010-08-16T16:50:00.002-06:00

As some of you may be getting to leave for college, or maybe you have kids that are leaving for college, this can be a sad time of the year. You know they're off to bigger and better things, but it is still hard to see them leave. We just went through this time at the office as our very last Summer Staff member left today to go back home. It was a wonderful summer, but now we must look forward. How can we improve and get better? What can we tweak? What do we need to overhaul? What went extremely well? Thank you Summer Staff for another memorable season. We wish you well as you get back to your "real" lives.

Almost Over :(

2010-07-29T14:17:00.002-06:00

Can you believe the summer is almost over? We have two camps going this week (Michigan City, IN and Hurricane, WV), but after that, the 2010 summer schedule is over. I say the schedule is over, because I believe much of the impact will forever live on. My favorite moment of the summer was a youth leader telling me about a kid that accepted Christ at one of our Evening Programs. The group was from Alabama, and to think, they came all the way to West Virginia! That one youth makes everything worth it! What's your favorite moment from this summer?

Rain = fire?

2010-07-22T09:57:00.001-06:00

So the other night was a first for me after 60 workcamps. We had 3 separate fire alarms in the middle of the night and the fire department told me that it was caused be the massive rain we were getting. I guess some rain got in the wires and messed up the system. So I guess that means that the rain caused the fire.
Paul

Registration day!

2010-07-18T12:17:00.001-06:00

Paul

The hurricane begins...

2010-07-18T11:49:00.001-06:00

So I'm getting yelled at by arriving campers that I haven't blogged in a while. Our camp is starting and the excitement is in the air. We're expecting about 400 this week and we are so pumped. Wish you we're here with us!
Paul

What a great camp!

2010-07-04T10:22:00.001-06:00

We finished up our week in Lockport, NY yesterday and it was awesome. The community was so welcoming as they had snacks everyday upon returning to the school including chicken wings on Thursday. Minus a few minor things, all the projects we're completed. There were lots of big projects this week including 10 roofs and 6 wheelchair ramps, with one of those being 50 feet long. I pray God continues to work in that area as there is a lot of need. I think we may go back in 2012 if everything works out. Thanks to all the campers that were there. If you were one of them, add a comment about your week!
Paul

Thursday night program.

2010-07-01T10:50:00.001-06:00

Thursday night program. Whenever you see green, say a little prayer for it.
Paul

A great start!

2010-06-24T11:47:00.001-06:00

Two and a half camps are done and we're getting some great feedback. Neil, Annie, and I are in transit to Lockport, NY for camp #4 of the summer. Will any of you be joining us this week? The weather looks great and we're sure to have lots of fun!
Paul

Culpeper, Va

2010-06-17T10:39:00.001-06:00

God is a good God! We had our school in warrenton, VA pull out on us and camps starts there in less than 2 weeks. We had 400 homeless campers, but not anymore. We have a beautiful school to call home. Thanks for your prayers!!!
Paul

Great success

2010-06-15T14:39:00.001-06:00

The first week of camp in Colorado was awesome. It was a very small camp for us, but that made it a lot of fun. We got to know everyone a lot more than we would normally at a bigger camp. All the projects got finished and we received some great feedback on the program. I'm playing hooky this afternoon and I'm watching my 8 month old at her 3rd swim lesson, well it's actually a water safety class, but in my eyes she is already swimming:)
Paul

Day One

2010-06-07T11:56:00.001-06:00

What a beautiful day here in Colorado for our first day on the worksites. Everyone made us safely and the work has begun! If you know any of the guys in the tool room, you should ask them if they've lost any ladders yet.
Paul

The next step

2010-06-03T20:19:00.001-06:00

Training has come to a close as all the vehicles are loaded and ready for the road. We actually unloaded at our Greeley school today and we start setting up tomorrow. Please pray for safe travel and a smooth setup.
Paul

T-Minus 1 Day...

2010-06-01T20:15:00.002-06:00

Tomorrow is the big dress rehearsal! The staff has been working so hard at memorizing lines, finishing the set, and practicing sound and light cues. We're expecting over 100 people to attend the dress rehearsal and Barb is preparing her wonderful cookies for all in attendance. Please keep us all in your prayers these next few days as it is Dress Rehearsal, then packing day, then setup for the Greeley camp. What exciting times!!!

Busy Staffers...

2010-05-27T19:44:00.002-06:00

I'm trying this from my cell phone, so we'll see how it goes. Right now people are entering forms, taking pictures of the new merchandise, decorating the set, writing worksite directions, and other fun "duties as assigned." Don't you wish you were on staff???

Two Days In A Row?

2010-05-27T15:36:00.003-06:00

This is a first...for this year anyways. Two days in a row with a post. This must show you how much Shannon has been bothering me to get back on the horse. Want to hear a fun fact? We are actually crew assigning for our Greeley camp today. You know the summer has begun when crew assigning is rolling. The staff is downstairs right now rehearsing for dramas. Do you have any clue what this year's theme is? We have a fun surprise for them tomorrow, but they have no clue. I hope they don't read my blog!!! Until tomorrow...maybe?!?!

I Am Alive!

2010-05-26T19:03:00.002-06:00

It is true. I am still alive. Not that I was close to being dead, but I have certainly been hiding from the blogging world. So many of you have requested that I start this up again, well actually, only one of you, but she sure is persistent!!! Now Shannon, leave me alone. Just kidding, of course. Things are very busy around the Reach Office right now. We are in the middle of our Summer Staff training, our dress rehearsal is one week away, and the first camp starts in about 10 days. I hope to keep you all updated on things. Let me know if you're coming to any camps this summer and maybe our paths will cross.

You Tube Videos...

2009-12-16T15:39:00.003-07:00

So we were sitting around the office today and I'm getting our new laptops ready for the upcoming summer. It has a built-in webcam, so of course I started to play around with it. Before you know it, Joel, Annie, and Heather are gathered around and we're just laughing at the funny distortions you can make. So I recorded some of them and uploaded them to YouTube. Enjoy a day at the Reach Office...

New Stuff All Around...

2009-12-01T15:09:00.002-07:00

Lots of stuff is happening around the Reach offices. Annie and Joel returned today from their Thanksgiving breaks, thus making today the first day since October 26th that all 6 of us were in the office together. I just sent out the December email newsletter which includes a promotion code to get 50% off all Reach Wear. The newsletter also included a cute new picture of my little Hannah Grace, so be sure to check your inboxes. If you don't get the email, signup for it or view it on our website. I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. Can you believe it is December already???

Day 3 at Youth Specialties

2009-11-21T14:04:00.002-07:00

We're in the middle of day 3 at Youth Specialties. It's a beautiful day
here in Atlanta. We've seen some familiar faces such as Curt Solomon and
Laurie Little. There are so many youth leaders looking for mission trips
and that is exciting for me. My life was totally changed when I went on
my first workcamp in high school and it's exciting to think of many more
youth having the same opportunity.
Paul Richardson
Reach Workcamps

Day 2 in Atlanta...

2009-11-20T13:21:00.002-07:00

Yesterday was spent setting up and this morning we had our first session
with youth leaders. It is fun to talk with youth leaders about their
groups and to see if Reach will fit into their ministries. We have a
little break right now before we start again at 5:30. Atlanta sure is
fun and it's awesome to be here with some great friends.
Paul Richardson
Reach Workcamps

In Atlanta...

2009-11-19T11:35:00.002-07:00

Neil, Annie, and I just touched down in Atlanta for the Youth
Specialties Convention. We look forward to a fun weekend of meeting new
youth workers and talking about Reach. If you're here, stop by and see
us.
Paul Richardson
Reach Workcamps

Two Camps Closed...

2009-11-16T11:01:00.003-07:00

It's official. The workcamp in South Webster, OH, is full. We hope you continue to check the website to stay updated on our registration numbers. Also on the Reach front, 5 out of the 6 of us will be in Atlanta this weekend for the National Youth Workers Convention. Let us know if you'll be there and be sure to stop by our booth to say hello. Hope you're all enjoying your November.

November Newsletter...

2009-11-02T14:46:00.001-07:00

The November Reach Newsletter is about to be released. Here is the pre-release copy:
http://www.reachwc.org/pages/news.shtml

And The Winner Is...

2009-10-14T19:56:00.002-06:00

Cyndee Minter! Joel's mom won the guessing game about the birthdate of my little girl. Hannah Grace was born on October 10th at 5:35pm and Cyndee's guess was October 10th at 10:10am. That's so close I might call Cyndee for help with the Colorado Lottery numbers:) It was such a special day for our family and I thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. Hannah is currently high risk for jaundis, so any extra prayers would be appreciated. If you want to see a few more pictures of Hannah, check out Reach on Twitter or Facebook.

Hannah Grace Richardson

2009-10-11T16:03:00.002-06:00

After much anticipation, the newest member of the Reach family has arrived. The official time and date was October 10th at 5:35 PM. I'll have to see who won the guessing game later as we're still at the hospital. Mom and baby are doing great. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers.

No Baby Yet...

2009-10-06T12:43:00.002-06:00

Some of your guesses about the baby due date have come and gone. Still no signs of anything happening soon (except for the growing belly). We'll keep you posted. As for the Reach side of things, we closed our first camp yesterday. The camp in Windsor, Maine is officially full. Just wanted to keep you in the know!

Fall Is In The Air...

2009-10-02T13:18:00.002-06:00

Can you believe it is October already? Lots is happening around the office as we're getting a bunch of calls about registration. We recently sent out over 25,000 pieces of mail trying to reach some new youth groups. It is so much fun to get phone calls from youth leaders who have never been to a Reach Workcamp and explaining to them all the benefits about camp. On a personal note, there is also lots happening within the life of the Reach staff. Annie is on vacation in Cancun for the weekend, Joel has his Jeep totally taken apart as he is trying to fix it, Neil just bought a new house this week, Mike's kids are in the middle of their track and football seasons, Heather is excited to be hanging with friends and feeding the homeless this weekend, and my wife is due with our first child in less than 2 weeks. What a great time to be a Reach employee. Have a great weekend everyone!

On The Air...

2009-09-16T12:37:00.002-06:00

I know many of you aren't in Colorado or Wyoming, but I thought you would like to hear our new radio ad that is being played on WayFM! We're trying to get some new youth groups in this area since we have a camp in Greeley, CO this summer. Click on the following link and it will open your default media player.
Listen Now!

Want To Play A Game???

2009-09-04T09:06:00.004-06:00

Most of these blogs are about Reach Workcamps, but every once in a while I sneak in a personal one when no one else is looking. The full-timers and I thought this would be a fun game to play, and we even have a prize!!! Most of you know that my wife and I are due with our first baby on October 14th, but who really trusts the due date? So here's the game...Guess the closest date and time of when our little baby girl arrives and you win a free Reach T-shirt of your choice from our website. Plus, if you have any name suggestions, we'll take those too. Let the guesses begin...

2010 Location Information...

2009-09-02T16:30:00.002-06:00

Are you still trying to decided which Reach Workcamp to attend next summer? I've just posted lots of new information on our website about all the 2010 locations. Each location now has the town's history, favorite restaurants, fun facts, and much more. For example, do you know which of the 2010 locations was home to the first functional fire hydrant system?

Joel

2009-08-20T10:27:00.002-06:00

Here is Joel enjoying his honey. We hope he is having as much fun in Wisconsin with his family as he has with us here in Colorado.

Blogging On The Go...

2009-08-20T09:50:00.002-06:00

Okay. I'm trying a new feature here that supposedly will let me blog from my cell phone. This means it will be a whole lot easier to blog during all my travels. Aren't you lucky!

Reach in the News...

2009-08-17T10:41:00.003-06:00

Now that I'm back in the office with a little more time on my hands, I've started to add some more things to the Reach website. I also try to keep you blog readers in the loop with things so you're the first to know! I just added a new page that has newspaper articles and news video footage from some of our summer camps. It's always fun to see what the mainstream media has to say about Reach. Check it out when you need a break from work today. It's under the "About Us" section on our website and is called "Reach in the News." Or you can just click here.

Prayer Requests...

2009-08-13T08:51:00.003-06:00

There is a lot in happening in the lives of our full-time staff as well as all our workcampers. We get occasional phone calls from people asking us to pray for certain things and most of the time they are seeking as many people as possible to help pray. So I've made a new page on the website specifically for prayer requests. What a great privilege we have to bring these things to the Lord and to be able to lift up our fellow believers. If you have any specific requests, just reply to this post and I'll get them on the website.

Another One Down...

2009-08-11T12:08:00.002-06:00

Most of the summer staff left Colorado last Friday, but a few stuck behind. Duncan, Colin, Kenny, and Katie were all here through the weekend relaxing and reflecting on the summer. A bunch of us went to Elitch Gardens (our local Amusement Park) yesterday and enjoyed a fun day. Katie is leaving us today to head back to school and two more leave tomorrow. Pretty soon it will just be us full-timers left here to fend for ourselves. It's only 298 days until the 2010 camp in Greeley, CO starts. I guess we better get back to work!

Is It Really Over?

2009-08-03T16:57:00.002-06:00

I can't believe it is over. It seems like just yesterday the staff were arriving and we were playing silly "get-to-know-you" games. They are actually one day away from returning to the office. We continue to pray for their safe travel. I've only heard of one flat tire so far, which isn't bad at all! The next few days consist of unloading the two Penskes, unwinding, sharing stories, and finally good-byes. I know many summer staffer parents have been reading these blogs and I'm sure they're excited to get their loved ones back home. What do you say we do it all again in 2010!!!

A Plea From Teresa...

2009-07-28T08:51:00.002-06:00

As I was sittin here in the workcamp office in Cuyahoga Falls, OH, all dirty and itchy from my recent trash run, Teresa hit me up with a question. (Many of you may know Teresa as she has been an MC at many of our camps.) She asked if we had any theme shirts left from 1997. After I finished laughing about how old she is and how long she's been around Reach, I told her that we didn't have any left. She is trying to make a blanket with all Reach theme shirts from the years she's been to camps. How cool is that! Anyway, I thought I would blog and see if anyone out there has a 1997 theme shirt from "The Wall." You would make her day. Post a response here and she'll get a hold of you. P.S. I would charge her if I was you:)

Sitting and Waiting...

2009-07-25T07:58:00.002-06:00

The school seems so big and so quiet right now. There are 10 of us here just sitting and waiting. I'm with the "Big Bird" summer staff crew this week in Cuyahoga Falls, OH, and they have done such an amazing job setting up for this camp, that we are totally ready for campers to arrive. And now we sit and wait. Pretty soon this school will be alive and hopping as each van unloads its batch of energetic campers. It's so much fun to see a school be turned into a place of worship. God has amazing things planned for this week of camp. I'm tired of sitting and waiting, let's get this thing started.

Off To Camp...

2009-07-22T10:41:00.003-06:00

I can't believe the summer has gone by this fast. Tomorrow I'm off to the last camp of the summer in Ohio while Heather and Neil are on their way to West Virginia. I don't want to overlook these last two camps, but can you believe we've already had staff meetings about the 2010 program!!! That is so exciting. I would love to tell you about it, but I've been sworn to secrecy. If you'll be in Cuyahoga Falls, I'll see you in only 4 days! It's a great day for a workcamp.

New format...

2009-07-15T14:02:00.001-06:00

So now that I can see that people are actually reading the blog, I think it is past time for this upgrade. You can still view all the old posts at http://www.reachwc.org/pages/blog.shtml, but now things should be a lot cooler! I'm hoping to use this more often with pictures and videos, and it also allows you to respond to stuff. That's probably the feature I like the best as I want to know what's going on with each of you. Let me know how you like the new format!!!