On January 15th the Youth Group travelled to Pocono Plateau Retreat Center in Cresco, PA.  The officers (Jenna Hanzel and Pat Howie) and our college mentors (Julie Leinhauser and Paul Boger) led the group in team building activities throughout the weekend. The group had balloon wars, swamp crossings, and other challenges.  We had an impromptu story time, late Friday night (or early Saturday morning depending how you look at it).  Dr. Seuss is fun for all ages! All weekend, we worked hard on a candle craft to remind us of the light that we spread to others.  Ask a youth member to see a picture of one, they are beautiful. Early Saturday, they played broom hockey on the frozen lake stopping only when the ball rolled WAY past the safe zone!  In the afternoon, our youth got to know some other youth groups who were staying at Pocono Retreat through an interactive snowball melee!  (We retreated to our cabin for some safe card games.) Saturday night we played a crime solving/survivor game while roasting marshmallows around a campfire by the lake.  Pat chose himself as the murderer with an “eany-meeny-miny-oh-no-not me!” and Andrew gave the most complicated, nonsensical alibi ever to end the game in hysterical laughter. Sunday morning we held a short church service and headed home a little early due to reports of an imminent ice storm.      Thanks to the chaperones for giving of their time and energy this trip, we couldn’t do it without you. Tina Shippley and Helen Gallagher solved the shower water all over the bathroom floor problem, Steve Nickel survived driving with 5 teen-aged girls (and their music) for two and a half hours, and Paddy Keith kept everyone safe with card games after the snowball debacle.       The next Youth Group Retreat is at Spruce Lake Retreat Center April 30th to May 2nd.  Permission slips and money are due by April 4th to join us for a great weekend! Hope to see you there. Dawn A. Boger Youth Leader