1 more day/ 24 more hours until our adventure begins

Last minute stuff - MAKE SURE your name is on EVERYTHING!  There is a good chance that the logistics people will help bring some of your (Ma/Pa) supplies to the camp sites. 

Did you notice your families are growing?  You will probably have up to 13 youth in each family.  Congrats!  I know you will be the proud Ma and Pa of your family!

Bathroom kits - each Ma and Pa need to have a bathroom kit for those emergencies in between port-a-potty stops.  LEAVE NO TRACE BEHIND. 

• toilet paper - in a zip-loc bag to keep clean and dry
• trash bag
• wipes
• feminine hygiene products
• hand sanitizer or soap on a rope
• and anything else you can think of.

Equipment check will be from 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.  Please come 15 minutes early and wear regular clothes.

Wednesday morning at 5 a.m., come ready to go in your pioneer clothes and with your camelback filled with water.  Once we have a short devotional, load the buses, and arrive in Happy Jack - the first thing the Ma's and Pa's and CAPTAINS will do is an introduction cheer!  Make it a song, chant, top 10 list, or anything that is fun and introduces you to the youth! 

THANKS for all of your time, talents, and energy in preparing for this trek!  Enjoy your nice soft bed one last night and don't forget to enjoy your glass of ICE water.   We will see you soon!

HAPPY TREKKING!

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate - KEY to a good Trek is WATER and good SHOES/ hiking socks - 3 days!!!

Check out this article HERE. 

And this one HERE.

If you can't take the time to click away, let me sum up.  When exercising, you can lose a quart of water through sweating.  While hiking, drink regularly – every 15 to 20 minutes take in approximately one glass of water to replenish what you are losing.  When you feel thirsty, you are already on the way to dehydration. So, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

Avoid soda before and during your hike or backpacking trip. Caffeine is a diuretic and will contribute only to depleting the water that you already have stored in your body.   The rule of three states that you can live three minutes without air, three weeks without food, and just three days without water.  Hydrate before you start your trip.  Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

SIGNS of dehydration:

• Thirst
• Loss of Appetite
• Dry Skin
• Fatigue
• Chills
• Head Rushes
• Dry Mouth

EFFECTS of dehydration:

• Increased heart rate
• Increased respiration
• Decreased sweating
• Decreased urination
• Increased body temperature
• Extreme fatigue
• Muscle cramps
• Headaches
• Nausea
• Tingling of the limbs

If you see any of these signs, please contact someone on the Trek Medical Staff.  We will all be well taken care of. 

There will be plenty of water to drink on the trek, so no worries.  Just make sure all the youth in your family is drinking even if they don't want to.  It is a must!  Happy Hydrating!  (Make sure your pee is clear and then you are ready to start the trek!)

A note from "Aunt" Jackie - 4 days to go!

I am suddenly flooded with ancestor papers. As I get them organized, most people have the right idea of a name, a little biography and a short story. HOWEVER, there are a few that are handing in "books" of information. I have skimmed through these and highlighted or underlined what they can use  
so please let the Ma and Pa's know that for their ancestor activity to stress that   

• first to give the youth a few minutes to read their info and look for my markings and
• then to share it by telling, not reading it.

 Just a short story, if they are one of the ones with a stack. Nobody wants to hear someone read a stack of papers.  Anyway, I am finding this highly interesting reading all their info!  Thanks for your help.

Jackie

Don't forget Aunt Jackie and Captain Reber are great resources to call on during the trek.  If you are stopped and want to invite a guest to share a pioneer story with your family, keep them in mind.  Every Ma and Pa should have turned in their Trek for a Pioneer form to Sister Anderson or Aunt Jackie.  It is not too late!  Do it and bring it to the Equipment Check - Tuesday night.  

On the trek, every Ma and Pa will receive an envelope of their family's Trek for a Pioneer forms.  You may break up the day, the bathroom stop, or even wrap up the night with a family circle and let one or two of your family members share their stories.  YOU (as the Ma/Pa) decide when it is best to share these stories.   

POST EDIT:  A NOTE FROM PAM- On Thursday, there is some significant time spent waiting. We have several ideas for activities to fill the time, and sharing ancestor stories is one of those. It fits well with everything else we're doing that day. You may want to do it in more than one session, just be sure everyone shares.

5 days to go and some thoughts

Dear Ma's and Pa's,

You are about to adopt 12 - 13 young men and young women into your lives on this Trek.  I wanted to pass along some thoughts.  None of us know what is going on in everyone's lives at this particular moment, but one ward is hurting right now and I am sure others are too.  In a recent exchange with a Ma she says,

• "I just wanted you to be aware of the situation just in case and also because some of the youth from our ward might need a little extra love, everyone's a little traumatized right now.  Thanks for understanding and for the prayer..." 

It doesn't really matter what the situation is, we all need and want love.  We have these amazing youth in our lives for 4 short day and 3 long nights.  I know all the Ma's and Pa's are ready and well trained, but I wanted to share these thoughts and words with you.   Good luck and "ALL IN!" as we do our last minute preparations for this trek.  Thank you for your time and talents.  I love you all and am looking forward to our upcoming adventure!

The Count Down is ON!

 I am sure you are all ready for the Trek. 

It is in 16 DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Does this picture ring any bells?  Don't forget that every Ma/Pa needs to create a chant/cheer/ joke/ top 10 list/ or a fun way to introduce yourself to ALL of the YOUTH!  Did you remember?  Let me remind you what will happen.  After we get off the bus in Happy Jack, AZ, we will then divide the youth into families.  Each MA/PA will be introduced one at a time by the Stake Leader announcing.  At that point YOU will do your cheer, then the 6 young men and 6 young women will be announced and placed in your family.  Then we will do it again with the next Ma/Pa.  It is a great ice breaker and wakes up the youth too!  Have fun with this!

Lastly, I want to remind you that every Ma and Pa and lots of Stake Leaders are needed at the Equipment Check Tuesday night, July 12 at the Stake Center at 5 p.m.  I know that is early for a lot of priesthood leaders, so I need every Ma and Pa to let me know if they can be at the Stake Center at 5 p.m. Please email Audra or respond in the comment section.  Thanks for your help! 

Here is the suggested schedule for the youth to come to the Equipment Check:

TREK CHECK IN:  July 12th 5pm-7pm Registration & Equipment Check In- at the Stake Center

5:00 pm - NC, GP

5:30 pm - DM, PV

6:00 pm - DV, NV. RG

6:30 pm - AN, BR

 

We need Ma's and Pa's there from 4:45 p.m. - 7 p.m., not just at their wards time slot. Okay?  Just wanting to clear things up.  Ma's and Pa's should bring their supplies that night as well if possible.  The bulk of the trailers with supplies will be going up before the buses.  

Thanks everyone!

Trek for a Pioneer

Hello everyone!

Just a few reminders.  Forms are due April 27, 2011.  We are looking for the TREK for a pioneer form and the medical forms for everyone, including Ma's and Pa's and leaders.  The youth need to turn in those forms AND the registration form so we know who is going by April 27th.   We want to know each and every youth that is planning to go on the trek BEFORE the fitness challenge so we can track their progress that day.  If you have a youth turn a form into you, please get it to a stake leader before April 30th. 

THANK YOU!

If you are a Ma/Pa, we look forward to seeing you at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday April 30th at the Weathersby's.  All Ma's and Pa's and leaders attending this meeting, don't forget to bring your bucket to sit on.  Everyone else (all other leaders and youth) should be there at 8 a.m. for the fitness challenge.  Don't forget to wear your "ALL IN!" t-shirts.  If you don't have one yet, let Audra know.  She has all ones that still need to be passed out.