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Jump to: MAY APR MAR FEB JAN DEC NOV OCT SEP AUG July 15, 2009 - "Blog Is Moving..."
The blog is moving! People are actually reading this thing and I want you all to be able to give feedback. Check out the new location and format of the blog at http://reachwc.blogspot.com. I will leave these posts here for a while, but then I'll change all the links on the site to point to this new location. This will be the last posting on this current page!July 7, 2009 - "Mountains Galore..."
You should see the view we have from the school here in West Virginia. It is amazing! There are mountains everywhere. Camp is going very well. Small camps are so much fun as you really get to know the campers. For examle, there are two siblings here with the last name of Boger, but of course they are affectionately known this week as The Boogers. Tracy and her mom are here with a group from Pennsylvania and Tracy can make a very funny face. You should check out the picture later tonight when we upload it to the photo page. I wish I had more time to blog, but I gotta go! It's a great day for a workcamp!!!June 29, 2009 - "Time Flies..."
You know the saying, "Time flies when..." See, I know you all just said to yourself, "you're having fun!" Does it get anymore fun than workcamp season? Two camps are already in the books and another one is currently in progress in Niagara Falls. We've heard great feedback from the first two as the Lord truly seems to be showing up and changing lives. Be sure to check out all the pictures from the camps as they post them every night.June 22, 2009 - "Success..."
What a great week we had in Oak Ridge, TN. I was blessed to hear so many positive comments from youth leaders and campers. It really reminded me about why we work so hard to get everything ready. The Jaws Summer Staff that I served with was such a blessing. They rocked! I can't wait to see how the other staff is doing in Annville, PA. I love this time of year. What a great job I have!June 15, 2009 - "Part 2..."
Mineral Springs UMC is in the house...literally! I'm trying to get some work done in the Reach Office and they are all up in my cool-aid and whatever. As you can tell, they are telling me what to write. They are 1 of 11 groups here at this camp and they are representin' home-skillet. They want all their mom's and dad's to know that they are enjoying camp and miss them a lot.June 15, 2009 - "Yee Haw..."
It's officially begun! Workcampers are out at the worksites and the projects are underway. This is such an exciting time. You know what else is exciting, this school has real toilet paper. Did you know that you can see all the pictures from this camp on-line? Check them out every night as we upload them after evening program. Thanks for your prayers. P.S. I also want to say hello to my beautiful wife at home!!!June 13, 2009 - "First Group..."
It's Saturday night, the last night before the very first 2009 workcamp begins. Our first youth group is actually less than an hour away from arriving as they needed a place to stay the night before. That means we'll have campers here in less than 60 minutes! I am so excited to get the summer started. The summer staff crew that is here at this camp is so awesome. So what are you waiting for campers? Get in those vans and come see us!June 2, 2009 - "Long Time Coming..."
It's been way too long since my last blog and for that I apologize. We're knee deep in the middle of our Summer Staff training as they've been here for 13 days now. Tomorrow night is the much anticipated dress rehearsal where a live audience will see the program for the first time ever. We are so pleased with all of our staff. They are all doing such a fabulous job and we love having them around. Can you believe the first camp starts in only 12 days? See you soon!Today Baby Jack went home to be with Jesus. Please be praying for Shannon and George (Baby Jack's parents) and Joel as they deal with this heartbreaking time in their lives. Pray that God would strengthen them and comfort them. And pray for the lives that have been touched by Jack in his short time with us. May 7, 2009 - "Baby Jack Update..."
Today, Jack has been with us for one week and has displayed what the doctors call a “general upward trend.” Everyday he gets just a little bit better, though his progress is slower than the doctors (and we!) would like. His urine output is up to 1.2 units with the goal being 2 units. The doctors continue to adjust his ventilator to find the balance between making Jack breathe on his own and making sure that he’s getting enough oxygen. He is no longer on sedatives, so they’re waiting for him to wake up. He’s responded a little to touch around his mouth, and we’re hoping for some baby wiggles and open eyes!! Jack has given us all hope and gotten much farther than the doctors originally thought, but he’s still a long ways from where he needs to be. Thank you for all of your prayers, and please don’t stop!May 6, 2009 - "2010 Schedule Update..."
It was exactly two months ago that I gave you a sneak peak of the 2010 Schedule. We've made a few minor adjustments since then, but we're feeling pretty confident about the new version that is posted. I've also indicated which camps will be for Sr. High only and which camps will be combination. The new registration form will be posted any day!May 5, 2009 - "An Update From Joel..."
Joel just sent me a text with the latest news on Jack. "Jack had an EEG which showed no significant brain damage, so that's definitely good. He's on a mobile ventilator which will allow for an MRI today, and he's been able to take a few breaths on his own. His numbers (blood pressure, O2 levels, etc) are steady and good. Kidneys are functioning, but at a minimal level. This has been a good day for him! Thanks for all the prayers guys!"May 4, 2009 - "Calling All Prayer Warriors..."
The newest member of the Reach full-timers, Joel Minter, had to fly home to Philadelphia early Saturday morning to be with his sister and newborn nephew, Jacob Price "Jack" DeVol. Jack was born 5 weeks early and is fighting for his life. As of this morning, Jack is not progressing, but he is not regressing either. The primary prayer needs are for his kidneys to start functioning and his heart valve to close properly! More information can be found at Joel's sister's family blog or this Facebook group. Thank you for your prayers.May 1, 2009 - "May Day Mayday..."
Holy cow! May 1st is here whether we like it or not. It's only 20 days until the summer staff get here and you should see this place! The sound of printers printing is pretty much a constant sound throughout the office as room signs and evaluations and CD labels and worksite descriptions are hot off the press. What an exciting time! And just so us full-timers aren't the only ones getting nervous, our Summer Staff have their dress rehearsal in a month and 2 days. They better start memorizing their lines!
Anyone who has been on Summer Staff in the past 8 years will truly appreciate the joy in this blog. I just got off the phone with Barb, our wonderful chef during training, and she confirmed that she will be cooking again this summer! Yea! Her chicken mole is to die for and I have never tasted a better grilled cheese (sorry Mom and Melissa). Barb is in the process of starting her own restaurant and we weren't sure if she was going to be able to help...so today there is great rejoicing! April 21, 2009 - "Three To Tango..."
I figure if I blog about selling my car, I better let you all know about even bigger news! Did you guess it? That's right, my wife and I are pregnant with our first child. He or she is due on October 14th and we couldn't be happier or feel more blessed. Mom is feeling okay. She's had some rough days, but lately they've been getting better. I can't wait to get some parenting advice from all you youth leaders this summer! Thanks for any prayers you can send our way.
April 17, 2009 - "Need Your Input..."
I can't go into much detail about why I need to following info, but I would really appreciate your feedback. It seriously would only take 2 minutes and your answers will help me out a bunch. Please email me with your favorite...Fast Food Restaurant: Type of music: Christmas song: Toothpaste: Holiday: Sport to watch: Activity at the beach: Dessert: Cartoon show: Superhero: I need as many responses as I can get, so tell people to fill this out. Thanks! April 16, 2009 - "Gettin' Busy..."
Can you tell things are picking up around the Reach office as it's been a full week since the last blog. Lots of fun things are getting checked off the list including the final approval of the 2009 theme image, the selection of the theme song, and the creation the classroom names. One of my favorites... Galilee Getaway, but that's all I'm telling you. And don't even waste your time trying to find out the theme song. That is already locked tight in the vault. I love this time of year!April 9, 2009 - "Another Year..."
Today is Neil's 24th birthday. We are so blessed to have him in the office with us. God has given him a special gift of making other people laugh! Who else would dress up like Mario and Luigi at workcamp just for the fun of it? Plus, we got to eat a giant chocolate chip cookie with ice cream today to celebrate. Happy Birthday, Neil!April 8, 2009 - "It's A Laughing Matter..."
Have you seen this month's email newsletter that was sent? I can't stop laughing at the pictures of our staff. They are going to be mad at us Full-Timers! The only bad thing is that we have to wait 21 more days to see the other crew.April 1, 2009 - "April Fools..."
We got some sad news about a week ago that our friends at ReConstruct are closing their doors. We've had the fortune of getting to know Paul Morris, their Founder and President, at many of the conventions that we've attended. It was always a good laugh as we shared memories from previous camps and plans for the future. It truly is sad to see a great organization, with similar goals and philosophies, be forced to cease their ministry. We wish Paul and his staff all the best. March 23, 2009 - "Silly Summer Staff..."
Each month we send out an email newsletter to the 10,000 subscribers and participants of Reach Workcamps. My favorite newsletters to publish are the April and May issues as they feature our Summer Staff. We ask them to send in pictures of themselves, but we always find goofier pictures to use of our veteran staff. So recently they've started to send in their own goofy pictures, but that defeats the purpose. It's like they want me to use those, but I never do! So now they all wait in suspense to see what embarrassing pictures I have found. Check your inbox on April 1st to see these lovely pictures.
March 17, 2009 - "Special Days..."
Happy Saint Patrick's Day to all you blog readers. I know Saint Patrick's Day is a special day for some of you, but this is not one of the special days I'm referring to in my blog title. The days I'm talking about happen at workcamp and they've become special to the staff and the campers. They include Tall Sock Tuesday, Overall Wednesday, and Plaid Short Thursday. Some may think it is a secret privilege to know about these days ahead of time, but how much more special can you be than one of my blog readers! Looks like you better hit Wal-Mart for a little shopping.
March 16, 2009 - "Cuyahoga Falls, OH..."
So I left on another trip today. This time to the state of Ohio. The last camp of the summer will be held here and I'm excited to begin meeting some of the homeowners tomorrow. It is always so cool to meet them for the first time and then come back in 4 months as the workcrews are at their house performing the repairs. There is a lot of need in the neighborhoods we'll be serving and it is such a blessing to be able to deliver some good news and hope to these families. If you haven't singed up for a camp yet, I would highly encourage you to think about coming here!March 10, 2009 - "Norris, TN..."
I just got back from a trip to Oak Ridge, TN. This is one of our camp locations for the upcoming summer and I was able to meet with the school Principal and Assistant Principal of the host school. It was such a pleasure talking with them as they are so excited to have us stay at their school and serve in their community. Even though the camp is being called "Oak Ridge, TN" the school is in Norris, TN. Anyone going there will fall in love with the community like I did yesterday. Three months and four days and camp will be starting!March 6, 2009 - "2010 Schedule..."
We're really not looking too far ahead past this upcoming summer, but we know many of you begin your planning so far in advance. Plus, we're so excited to be offering lots of new locations including camps in Texas and Colorado. So what are you waiting for? Go check out the TENTATIVE 2010 Schedule! March 4, 2009 - "Joel Was Flying..."
You should have seen it. We just got a new system to hang our stage lights. Of course we wanted to see if it would support a person, so we had Joel hang from a piece of trussing while we raised it up to 18' in the air. As we cranked him higher and higher, he began to get a little nervous as his palms became sweaty. It was like he was doing pull-ups in the sky. We tried to get a picture, but he didn't think he could stay up there that long while we went and found a camera. Ok, he only made it to about 10'. He didn't want to go any higher...plus, we didn't want to lose our newest employee.
It was a sad day at the office today as a member of our Reach family is saying good-bye tonight. In 3 hours, I'll be heading down to the airport for one last bit of time spent together. Many of you warned me that this time would come, but I fought it off and denied it. Please help me out by saying good-bye to my friend of 8 years...  February 23, 2009 - "The Change Is Hair..."
Many of you have expressed an interest in this blog because of the behind-the-scenes looks you get into the lives of us full-timers. I don't know why, but you do. Somebody in the office got a major hair cut this weekend and a new staff picture is soon to be posted. Keep your eyes out for the new do.
February 18, 2009 - "Slideshows..."
Can you believe it? Three days of blogging in a row. You guys are so lucky. So I'm going to give you a chance to impact this summer's program. How cool is that? I have already completed three celebration slideshows for the upcoming summer and I have songs for two more. That leaves one more slideshow that still needs a song. It should be recent, up-beat, fun, and of course, Christian lyrics. Got suggestions? Send me an email with title, artist, and album name. Over 3,000 people will here the song this summer if your's is chosen.
February 17, 2009 - "Board Meeting Details..."
I teased you all on February 2nd with details about our recent Board Meeting, but I have since failed to fulfill my promise. One of the main highlights from the meeting was their permission for Reach to begin researching an International Workcamp in Haiti. This is still at least 2 years away, but we'd love to get your thoughts about going to Haiti! A lot of the meeting was dedicated to discussing the budget and we are proud to announce that Reach will NOT be raising its tuition cost for the 2010 summer. Overall, they were very pleased with reports from this past summer and are excited to see where God is leading Reach.
So how much do you love Reach Workcamps? Are you the type of person who checks the website everyday to see if there's been a new blog posted? I can't imagine there are many of you like that, but just in case, I've had a request to offer a "blog subscription." Send me your email address (pcrichar@reachwc.org) and I'll send you a quick email whenever a new blog is posted. I promise I won't judge you for your longing to stay in the loop! February 8, 2009 - "He Shoots, He Scores..." This blog is totally unrelated to Reach Workcamps, so I apologize if you don't want to read this. Some of you may know that I've been playing in a recreational hockey league this winter. I'd like to announce that I scored my first goal tonight. It was awesome. You should have been there! That's it. The next blog will be about Reach, I promise.
February 2, 2009 - "Random Thoughts..." There are certain advantages for being the author of this blog. For example, I can use this space to wish my beautiful wife a Happy Birthday. Another advantage is that I get random feedback from some of you and it makes my day to know that you enjoy reading it. Our annual Board Meeting was this past Saturday and I'll be giving you some details about that as the week goes on. For all of you wondering, yes, I changed the battery in my smoke detector.
My friends at weather.com are saying it is 10o outside right now with light snow. They may be right about the 10o part, but they have certainly under estimated the amount of snow. I was fortunate to get a snow blower for a Christmas/birthday gift this past year and I love it. I used it on my driveway about 25 minutes ago and I currently cannot see where my driveway begins or ends. It is like I was never even out there. So now I sit here in my little home office, looking out the window at the poor trash man (refuge engineer), hearing the beep of my smoke alarm's low battery, and wishing that I kept my little red sled from when I was little. Is it time for a workcamp yet? January 23, 2009 - "Out of Town..."
When the boss is away, the employees shall play! HA HA. Just kidding Mike, if you're reading this. It is true, however, that Mike is currently on a trip to Ohio, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia to look for future workcamp locations. Keep your eyes out for the 2010 Schedule as it should be released in the next few months.January 16, 2009 - "Out Of Touch..."
I didn't realize how much I use the internet until it was taken away from me. As of Tuesday at 3:00pm, the Reach headquarters was internetless (if that's even a word). Since then, there have been lots of phone calls to tech support and lots of trips to town to find some free wi-fi. But we're back! It feels like the world is at my fingertips yet again! I promise I'll never leave you again...or at least not until our service fails again.January 12, 2009 - "Camps Are Filling..."
Another workcamp is about to be marked as "FULL" and closed to new registrations. The first week of camp in Hurricane, WV (July 19-25) is very close to capacity. See what you get for reading these blogs, you get the inside scoop before anyone else. I haven't even posted it to the main page of the website yet because I wanted all of you to be first to know. By the way, our Summer Staff friend, Kenny Smith, informed me yesterday that there are only 145 days until Summer Staff Training begins. I can always count on him to ruin my weekend. Just kidding. I can't wait to see all the staff again because that means camps are about to begin. Have a great day!January 7, 2009 - "A Long Time Gone..."
So much has happened since the last entry. Sorry for the lapse, but I'm sure you were busy as well. There was obviously Christmas on the 25th, four summer staff arrived in Colorado on the 27th after a 36 hour road trip, then Neil got married on the 29th, then the Reach Newsletter was sent out on the 2nd, then we broke the 2,000 camper mark on the 6th, and now it's the 7th! Whew, what a whirlwind. Things are starting to pick up around the office as we're getting ready for our annual board meeting at the end of this month. I'll keep you posted what's going on. Just stay tuned!Joel did so well skiing yesterday that we didn't believe it was his first time ever. The day was absolutely beautiful as the sky was mostly clear and you could see for miles in all directions at the top of the mountain. God truly is an artist and some of his best work could be seen yesterday. But now I find myself back at the office waiting for the phone to ring with a new youth leader on the other end so I can tell them how a 1993 Reach Workcamp changed my life and opened my eyes to God's kingdom all around me. December 16, 2008 - "A Ski Day..."
Tomorrow Joel and I are heading up to Copper Mountain Ski Resort for Joel's first ever skiing adventure. I just asked if he was going to take a lesson and he responded by saying, "Nah. I'm just going to wing it." The last time I went skiing with a fellow full-time Reach employee who was a first-time skier, our day was cut short on the hill due to the time in the ambulance and at the hospital. Be sure to ask Heather how her broken femur is recovering! Well, keep both Joel and I in your thoughts tomorrow as we brave the 8 degree weather in hopes of some huge air...with few yard sales.December 8, 2008 - "Countdowns..."
Why is it that we always find ourselves looking ahead to what is coming up in
our lives? I love being able to take a moment and look around me and actually
enjoy what I'm currently doing, but unfortunately, I don't do it that
often. Many of us probably have a countdown going until Christmas arrives.
If you don't, let me tell you it is only 17 days away! And then Kenny
Smith, one of our Sound Managers the last two summers, dropped me an email
this morning letting me know is is only 165 days until our Summer Staff
training begins! Holy cow...I have a lot to do. I gotta go.December 5, 2008 - "Christmas Dinner..."
If you were to walk into the office today, you might think it was Christmas morning.
Think back to when you were little and you had just woken up early Christmas
morning. The excitement that stirs within you as you anxiously await your
parents telling you it's okay to come see the Christmas tree and all the
presents underneath it. That same excitement is in the air today around
the office as we have our annual Christmas dinner tonight. It's one of
two nights in the entire year where all of us full-timers get together
for a meal out with our spouses or significant others. We all keep looking
at the clock to see if it's close enough to our reservation time for us
to be able to say, "Well, I'm going to go get ready for dinner tonight."
It's a night of delicious food where we reflect on the great year we've
had at Reach and how the Lord continues to bless us as a ministry. I'd
love to tell you more, but I'm going to go get ready for dinner tonight!December 3, 2008 - "The Economy..."
So I've been thinking a lot about our economy lately. I mean, who hasn't? I've
listened to church sermons on it, every newspaper is writing about it,
and our new President-Elect is formulating ways to fix it. All of us are
feeling the effects of the slowing economy in one way or another, but
the people that I'm really scared for are the type of people that we serve
every summer through workcamp. Think about it. Most of them are on a fixed
income, if they're lucky, and they were already struggling before the
economy got tough. Unfortunately, during tough times like these, the first
place we tend to cut back our spending is with our tithing or giving to
charities. But I would encourage you to approach it differently. Think
about how much more of an impact you could have on a low-income family
this summer by giving of your time and resources. During these tough times,
that sounds like a great investment.December 2, 2008 - "20 Hours..."
What would you do with 20 hours? Honestly, think of anything you want. That's
1200 minutes or 72,000 seconds! Myself, Neil, and Heather spent the last
20 hours driving back to Colorado from Nashville. It's 1:00 in the morning.
I'm going to bed!How many of you are fans of the British comedies featuring Mr. Bean? There's even a few movies out staring him. My brother and I have an inside joke about one of his movies that makes me laugh every time I hear the words, "brace yourself." But the Mr. Bean that is on my mind tonight is not the comedian. The Mr. Bean I'm referring to is going to be one of the homeowners that we'll be serving this summer at the Oak Ridge, TN camp. I met him today for the first time and he immediately occupied a place in my heart. His house looks rough from both the inside and the outside, but he is so proud of it. He kept telling me about all the projects he is currently working on and he is so excited to have some extra helpers this upcoming summer. I told him that we would be able to send 15 people to install vinyl siding around his house, underpinning along the bottom edge of his home, and new drywall on his kitchen ceiling. I thought he was going to tear up right then. It truly made my entire day of videotaping in the pouring rain totally worth it. There are 15 of you out there that are going to truly impact Mr. Bean! Thanks in advance for your service this upcoming summer. November 24, 2008 - "On The Lighter Side..."
It seems my blogs have been pretty serious lately...I guess that's what happens when I'm away from home for a little while. I'm still in Oak Ridge, TN and today is my first day to find potential worksites for this camp. I'm super excited to meet the homeowners and start hearing some of their stories. It is always so cool to be able to meet them for the first time and then be able to see their work projects completed by the end of the workcamp week. So many of them have been praying for a solution to help fix their home, and I'm so blessed to be the bearer of good news.November 23, 2008 - "Full Of Emotions..."
The National Youth Worker's Convention is over and I've parted ways with my fellow full-timers. Annie is headed back to Colorado, Heather is waiting for her family to come to Nashville, Neil is off to North Carolina, and I'm sitting alone in a hotel room in Oak Ridge, TN. I feel like it's my first time at a computer in a while as the convention keeps us so busy the entire time we're there. I currently find myself surrounded by some tough situations and I'm so thankful for the Lord's presence in my life. I am still saddened by the loss of Storm. It just blows my mind that such a great kid can be called home to the Lord so early in his life. All I know is that God is in control and that many lives have been impacted for The Kingdom because of Storm Bratchett and the gifts he was given. Lord, we are all yours. Forgive me for thinking my plans are better than yours.November 21, 2008 - "On The Road Again..."
I really need to apologize for my lack of blogging within the past week. There
really has been so much to write about, I just haven't taken the time
to do so. I am currently in Nashville, TN, with Annie, Heather, and Neil.
We are at the National Youth Worker's Convention and we're meeting lots
of fun people. The schedule is so busy as we're supposed to be in like
3 places at once. Neil and I flew into Philadelphia on Wednesday and drove
down from there. That was about 13 hours of fun for Neil and I. We did
get to have lunch with Joel's parents in New Jersey (Hi Cyndee! Thanks
for reading this blog.) and also my parents in Knoxville. The weather
is super cold here as it was 80 in Colorado earlier this week. Good thing
I brought my coat! Many of you have asked about one of our worship leaders, Storm Bratchett. He had a tragic accident earlier this week and was called home to our Lord a lot earlier than we had hoped. He truly was a remarkable young man with great talent to lead worship. Thanks for passing along your sympathies. I'm sure his family and church body could still use your prayers. I hope to blog more while we're here at the convention, but they're charging us for internet. If you're in Nashville, come say "hi." November 12, 2008 - "A Day Off..."
First and foremost, I would like to take this time to truly thank all the veterans
and current military personnel that have served our great nation! Thanks
to you, we get to live life as we know it. I have new in-laws that are
both Captains in the Air Force and I couldn't be prouder of them. Secondly,
thanks for the day off we get because of you!November 6, 2008 - "He Speaks..."
It's been 6 years and 7 months since his last post to the Reach Workcamps Message
Board. Today, after some prompting and instructions, Mike Jones, Reach's
Executive Director, took the plunge. He's had his very own forum entitled,
"Mike's Thought for the Year (or as often as he has one)." Who
would have thought it would be over 6.5 years since his last thought?
You better read
it as it may not be until 2014 that we hear from him again!!!November 5, 2008 - "I Have A Secret..."
November 4, 2008 - "Pre-Mature Blogging..."
I know, I know. It's not even the 4th yet (unless you're not reading this everyday), but something really funny just happened in the office that will make you laugh...at least it made all of us laugh. Neil, just announced to the entire office that he is officially retiring the pair of jeans he is currently wearing. The reason??? He just sat down at his desk and heard an unfamiliar sound. It sort of sounded like paper ripping, he said. But then he felt a cool breeze. Yes, he ripped his pants. Needless to say, I won't be heading over to his desk anytime soon, no matter how important the question may seem. Thank goodness for our intercom system!November 3, 2008 - "Cheating..."
The entire time I was there, I felt guilty. I knew Corleone's would never find out, but I still felt like I shouldn't be there. This new place, which I don't even know the name, had cheap food (not as cheap as Corleone's) and of course we made it fun, but we have so many memories at Corleone's. Heather took us to a new restaurant for lunch today. How was I supposed to eat there and not feel bad. I know, I'll go to Corleone's tomorrow for lunch to make up for it. Yummy, Taco Tuesday!Ever heard of a "Finger Rocket?" Come out to the Reach Office and you'll immediately know what one is. It's basically a Nerf dart that you shoot off the tip of your finger. It's about 6 inches of foam and some of the Reach full-timers have become deadly accurate with these projectiles. I'm not kidding you...I just got a finger rocket in the ear, thanks to my co-worker, Neil. "I've been physically abused in the ear." Can you name that movie reference? Okay, back to the finger rockets. The office is truly a war zone and it's only going to become more dangerous in about a month. We're all attending the National Youth Worker's Convention in Pittsburgh and Nashville, and that is where we re-stock the office with fresh finger rockets. If you come visit us at the office...proceed with caution! October 27, 2008 - "Two For The Road..."
What do you think is worse: driving across the country for 20 some hours or waiting on hold for tech support? Both are happening today as Mike and Joel have begun the cross-country trek to Pittsburgh for the National Youth Worker's Convention and I've been on hold most of my life, I mean day. Well, now I feel bad as the tech support guy just answered my call, but yet Mike and Joel are still driving. I guess my life isn't too bad after all.October 20, 2008 - "Multi-Cultural Full-Time Employees..."
So it's Monday morning and my brain isn't quite functioning to its full capacity yet. I'm trying to think about a topic to blog about and nothing is coming to my mind. So I just yelled throughout the office, "Does anyone have anything fun that I can blog about?" Heather replied with, "Blog about how Joel is learning to speak Italian using the Rosetta Stone curriculum." And it's true. He really is learning how to speak Italian. "Il bambino sta correndo." That means, "The boy is running." At least that is what he tells me that it means. If anyone reading this speaks Italian, you should email Joel (jminter@reachwc.org) in only Italian and make him figure out what it means. That could be a good homework assignment for him. He doesn't know I'm writing this, which will make it even funnier.October 16, 2008 - "Burn Calories By Laughing..."
The five of us (Mike was out of town) went out to lunch earlier this week to a small Mexican restaurant. It is a great deal as you get 3 tacos for only $3. And this isn't the Taco Bell quality (no offense to Taco Bell), but this is good stuff. Then we share baskets of sopapillas for like $2.75. Needless to say, we have a great lunch for like $5 a person. But the best thing about these lunches, is the quality of people sitting around the table. I feel blessed to work with the people I do, and I would hope they would say the same. At one point during the meal, we were all laughing so hard that a few tears were being shed. It was a priceless moment. Good office bonding with great friends. If you haven't had a good laugh with some friends lately, pick up that cell phone and make a lunch date. You'll be surprised how much fun you can have.October 8, 2008 - "All Six In The Office..."
Today during our weekly Bible/book study, it was the first time in a while that all 6 of us were in the office. There have been numerous things that have kept at least one of us absent including a car accident, a worksite videotaping trip, a honeymoon, a marketing trip, and even playing hookie (I'm not telling you who). But today, all 6 of us were there. What a good time we had. As we were sitting around discussing our current book, "The Life You've Always Wanted" by John Ortberg, some of us were chomping on a bag of salted peanuts, you know, like the ones at a baseball game. As I reached into the bag, it was the coolest thing... a four peanut shell. I've never seen such a cool thing and Heather wanted me to blog about it. So here you go. A blog about a 4 peanut shell. So it's been a couple days (or weeks) since the last blog. Most of us in the office have been sick, and plus I'm planning for a wedding. How's that for two good excuses? Thanks to all who have been praying for me. I can't believe it is this Saturday. I'm so excited and so thankful. I actually fly out tonight to Illinois for all the festivities to begin. I won't be back until October 7th, so you'll have to find other means of entertainment other than my captivating blog. Registration numbers are beginning to climb for the 2009 summer. You should be getting an email newsletter in about a week with lots more happenings around Reach. Here's a fun office tidbit for you...Annie Dodge has a plant in the office that is growing about an inch a day. Neil thinks it is going to start talking to her next like in "The Little Shop of Horrors." My next blog will be as a married man! That's fun to think about. Have a great day! September 9, 2008 - "Calling All College Students..."
We've started the process for hiring our college-aged Summer Staff for next summer. The Summer Staff are the ones in the blue shirts that you see up on stage. Check out the Staff Page for more information and to print out an application. We know that college classes have started for most of you and that only means one thing...procrastination! So we're giving you plenty of time to get them back to us. All applications are due to the Reach Office by December 31st.September 5, 2008 - "Welcome back, Heather..."
I made a pit stop on the way out to the office this morning. It was during this pit stop that I picked up a hitch-hiker. Her name was Heather and it was good to see her. It's been a week since she was at the office last due to her scary car accident last Saturday (see Sept. 3rd blog). We're so thankful to have her back, even though we can't say any jokes around her because it hurts her to laugh due to her broken ribs. Imagine all of us trying to be serious at the office...it's not easy, especially because us guys are so funny, at least we think so. Well, it's Friday. It's past 3:00. Doesn't that mean it's time to go home! Have a great weekend everyone.September 4, 2008 - "Stay in touch with us..."
By now you should have received the email newsletter that was sent out on September 1st. It's a fun monthly newsletter to keep you up to date with stuff in the Reach world. If you haven't received it, be sure to sign up at: /pages/news.shtml. This quote was passed on to me from a person who's reading this blog..."LIFE IS INSPIRATION. DON'T THINK THAT YOUR LIFE DOESN'T AFFECT EVERYONE, BECAUSE IN SOME WAY, IT DOES." That's it for today. Check back soon for more blogging fun. September 3, 2008 - "You're lucky we're alive!"
So it's been almost a week since the last blog, and no one has even called to see if we're alive after our hike. Either no one cares about us, or no one is reading this. I'll assume it's the latter of the two. The hike up to Long's Peak (see August 28 blog) seriously kicked my behind. It was a 15 mile round-trip hike going up 5,000 feet in elevation. There was a scary moment on the descend as I slipped and slid about 12 feet along the face of the mountain. Annie and Craig sat helplessly as I finally regained my footing. What an office-bonding experience! Our newest employee, Joel Minter, made it out here (to Colorado) on Saturday after driving from New Jersey. Welcome aboard, Joel. We did have a slight tragedy on Saturday as Heather Moulton and her family were in a major car accident. Heather has a few cracked ribs, her sister has a broken femur, and her mom cracked her scapula. We are thankful that all are recovering. Please drop Heather an email to wish her well at hmoulton@reachwc.org. That's the news for this week. I really need to do this more often.This whole blog thing is more work that I imagined. I keep forgetting to write, mostly because no one is responding to me and I feel like I'm writing solely for my personal reading pleasure. There is good news to be excited about, though. Our newest employee, Joel Minter, has started the cross-country drive to join us in Colorado. That brings our total to 6 full-time employees. How many can you name? There are 3 of us that are taking a day off tomorrow (Friday) and hiking one of Colorado's 14,000 ft tall mountain peaks, Long's Peak. I really hope we all make it back safely. If I don't blog for a while, send out the rescue troops! HA August 18, 2008 - "The Monday Blues..."
Why is it that Monday's are such a hard day? Out of the five of us currently in the office, four of us seriously though about taking naps over the lunch hour. When we're at workcamp, Monday morning is what we like to call "organized chaos." That's when 400+ people are picking up their supplies from the tool room, getting their bag of ice and break pop, filling their coolers with lunch stuff, figuring out where their workcrew is and what vehicle they're taking, posing for goofy pictures with the staff, going through the Reach Toll-Booth, and screaming "It's A Great Day For A Workcamp!" Whew, that makes this morning a little less stressful. I still want a nap though.August 12, 2008 - "2009 workcamps are officially underway"
As of today, we officially have workcampers signed up for the 2009 summer. I know that seems like it's so far away, but it is cool to think that people are already clearing their summer schedules to spend a week at workcamp! Click here to check the registration status of each workcamp. Did you know that if you went to a workcamp this summer and then you get a new church to sign up for a 2009 workcamp, that we'll give you a $100 credit card to spend however you want??? How cool is that? You want to hear something even cooler than that...as I type this blog entry, I can hear our Executive Director downstairs beginning the construction of the 2009 program set. What's it going to be? Only a few of us know. Check back for some clues...maybe!!!August 11, 2008 - "WOW, People Are Actually Reading This..."
I'm starting to like this whole blogging thing. I just got my first email from George Kaiser of Folcroft, PA. He was a workcamper at our last camp of the summer in Monroe, NC. It's so humbling to know that Reach Workcamps is impacting lives and that the impact lasts longer than a week of camp. So, here's a shout-out to work team 2239 from Monroe, NC #2. Keep up the good work all. Here's a thought for anyone who is reading this, shoot me an email at pcrichar@reachwc.org if you've got a cool story or testimony from a camp this summer. I'll post it here for others to read and be encouraged. Have a great day!August 8, 2008 - "Summer Staff Go Home"
It's a sad day around the Reach Headquarters as our precious Summer Staff return home today. They have truly given their all for us, for Christ, and for the workcampers this summer. They will be missed. Please pray for safe travel and a smooth transition back to their "normal" lives. We couldn't have done it without the 14 of you. Well done good and faithful servants!August 6, 2008 - "Summer Staff Returns To Headquarters"
Here we go, my first attempt at blogging. Any suggestions or comments, please hit me up at pcrichar@reachwc.org. The Summer Staff returned to Reach Headquarters today after only one flat tire on the way back from Monroe, NC. I say "only one" because there are usually 2-4, especially since we've got four vehicles totaling 28 tires. Try and count that fast in Roman Numerals! Oh there's I, II, III, IV, V, VI, ok, you get it. We'll keep you posted on the staff, the summer, and the upcoming stuff. Check back soon.
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I
think Neil had a little too much free time at the office today! He just
sent me an email with this wonderful picture attached. It was so funny
that I thought I would share it with all of you. Would someone please
email Neil and give him something to do!!! Well, today's blog is going
to be a little short...I have to go catch some crooks.