Page 19 - December CPC Proof

WyldLife of Douglas County
By Julie Matuszewski; photos courtesy of Anna Spitzer
WyldLife camp was a high-energy, non-stop fun and incredible weekend where all kids and leaders unplugged from their daily grind to enjoy a weekend together.
Dear Reader,
It is the gift giving season and a perfect time to address the art of the thank you.
A “thank you” is defined as a note of gratitude, and I would add that it can be an act or an expression. According to William Arthur Ward, “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.”
Expressing gratitude is one of the ways we nourish each other. Support is shown, a kindness is received, a gift
is given, to which we say these two words – thank you. The way we show our gratitude and the delivery vehicle we employ can come in many forms.
Expressing your gratitude verbally or
in a handwritten note will expand your cultivation and sense of gratitude. To make this easier, invest in a stationary wardrobe. Create a collection of beautiful notes, custom stationary or re-cycle notes (I like to take the fronts of cards and make them into post cards). Keep your stamps and return labels ready so you don’t put a thank you note off.
While I prefer a handwritten thank you note, I was shocked to see this statistic last week:
According to a CBS News survey, 37% of adults polled in the U.S. said it’s been five years since they’ve written and sent a personal letter through the mail, and just under a third said they’d written one within the past 12 months. Another 15% of the 1,717 adults surveyed have never written and sent a personal letter – ever. Half of the respondents said they haven’t received one in the past five years, and 14% haven’t ever received one. Call me sad.
Do you have to send a thank you note
if you thanked the person directly? You do not. The degree to which you desire to show your gratitude is a personal one. But you MUST thank someone in some way if you weren’t able to do it directly. Options include, text message, email, social media, phone call and other online services. All have their place. If you’re choosing a digital option, maybe you’ll want to create some cute stationary or use a thank you meme.
Take the five minutes for a handwritten note or even 10 seconds for an instant message; it’s important and it reflects the importance of the gift givers.
Big Love, Mrs. Abramovitz
Wyldlife is a Young Life Christian ministry group geared toward middle school students. It is often called a party with a purpose,
and all Douglas County middle school
kids are invited for a few hours of fun and conversation about what matters in life.
This year’s winter camp was a place where kids were able to take their friendships to the next level and grow in their faith together while being adventurous.
Anna Spitzer, a WyldLife staff member said the camp was an opportunity where kids could truly experience the fullness of life that God has for them, unplug, ask questions, get answers, and see amazing things
happen. Middle schoolers are faced with more change than any other age group. The WyldLife community has become such an important place where kids can attend club and be part of a community where they feel
welcomed and loved while having a fun and crazy time together, Spitzer continued.
Douglas County WyldLife kicked off in August with biweekly club meetings held throughout the fall semester. Kids had the opportunity to meet new friends from their home schools as well as from surrounding areas. The group was able to build friendships alongside Rock Canyon High School senior students and adult volunteer leaders while having fun and learning more about their faith along the way.
WyldLife is rapidly growing. Currently there are leaders at Rocky Heights Middle School and the organization has a goal of having a presence at all Douglas County middle schools.
For more information or to volunteer, visit
https://dcsd.younglife.org.
Forty-three Douglas County WyldLife students ready to escape the pressures of everyday life with a little messy fun over a three-day winter camp at Crooked Creek Camp located in Frasier, Colorado.
CastlePinesConnection.com
19
December 2021