Many Thanks!

The 2006 Summer Kick-Off parties are history and we've lived to tell of it! After all that hard work it was so rewarding to see all the kids come out to the parties. On Thursday we had 70+ and on Friday we had 60+. I'll be able to give you registration numbers next week, but it appears that the majority of party attenders signed up for M:A. A special thanks to all those who helped us with the promotion drive. The youth missions team gave it a kick start last Wednesday with four hours of house to house flyer delivery. The Luksts delivered flyers, put up posters at stores and on power poles, and got Save-On-Foods to put 300 mini flyers in shoppers' bags. The Rhinds put up posters around Rutland. Pauline Leskosek did a section in Rutland. Noah and Amanda S and Barry each took a shift deliverying flyers with me. Kim and Cassie each went above and beyond with multiple shifts of many hours! Krista was a major trooper, even pressing her own family into service. I've lost track of how much she did. I'm pretty sure that Niki and Krista handed flyers out downtown on Canada Day. (If they actually didn't, it's the thought that counts...) People from Rutland Gospel Tabernacle did a significant chunk of delivering. Some random lady at church delivered flyers in her complex. Daniel helped the missions team and then later did a complex on his own. Trevor and Zach delivered in their neighbourhood and even got to tell Ron Cannan about what we're doing. I think that's it. Forgive me if I've missed you!

While I'm in the thanking mood, thanks to Marty Luksts and Dwaine Parker for donating generators for the week. And thanks to Pastor Ted and some of his people from RGT for helping us in Rutland. Thanks to Walmart for some of the bags of chips that we gave out. Thanks to Darren Scuffi for all the water. Thanks to Michelle for the party signs and the phone booths. Thanks to Madeline who did whatever I asked of her, usually at the last minute! Enormous thanks to everyone who prayed, especially our own prayer team. A big thanks to Pastor Kevin for taking time out of his very busy schedule to be a big help at every site. Thanks to the "other intern" (Niki) who wasn't even expected to do any children's ministry this summer. And I can't forget my parents either. Thanks Dad, for installing the trailer hitch and lending us your trailer. Thanks Mom, for basically the same thing as Madeline!

And finally, a giant thanks to every member of the M:A team who made the parties happen. Some of you came to 2 and even 3 of the parties and I've been amazed at your dedication and commitment.

Oh boy, now I'm thinking of more people who have helped with other things that won't be evident until M:A starts next week. Maybe we'll save that thanking for another day...