Summer Stretch keeps kids busy, active in community

By MaryHelen Swanson
Hereís what some local kids were up to this summer. A large number of youths ñ some high school-aged leaders, some younger participants ñ were involved in the Summer Stretch program. Locally, St. Gregoryís Catholic Church and Trinity Lutheran in North Branch joined 53 other churches for this highly successful youth program. The churches range from Star Prairie, Wis., to Burnsville, from North Branch to Hastings and many points in between.
Each Wednesday for 7 weeks, the young people gathered at St. Gregoryís at 8:45 a.m. to get assignments for their morning service projects at one of the following sites: two Linnea Houses (Taylors Falls and Chisago City), Green Acres Country Care Center, Family Pathways in Wyoming, Chisago Lakes Achievement Center, Chisago County Historical Society, Homestead Cooperative in Chisago City, Loving Arms Child Care Center in North Branch or collecting food throughout the community for local food pantries.
The youth participants, dressed in their bright yellow Summer Stretch Tour t-shirts, arrived each day full of enthusiasm and energy. The young people who were leaders of the program, wearing a maroon version of the t-shirt, started the day with an inspirational moment and then gathered their work groups together. The groups would work during the morning, then return shortly before noon to St. Gregoryís where they talked about their service projects and answered the questions: What did you like about it (your project) and how did your group affect them (the people who you worked with).
After lunch, the kids enjoyed fun activities like going to the wave pool, etc.
The program ended last Wednesday with a big picnic at Paradise Park for all participants. This week they take a trip to Valleyfair where they will gather with the other Summer Stretch participants, some 3,000 kids in all.
Local adult leaders of the program are Krista Anderson, youth minister at Trinity Lutheran and Dani Rice, youth minister at St. Gregoryís.
Rice, an enthusiastic advocate for young people, said she enjoys the Summer Stretch program, (this was the sixth year in North Branch) because it helps keep her in contact with the youths of her church during the summer.
The youth participants pay $75 to be a part of the program, the youth leaders pay $25. Each gets a t-shirt, lunch and free afternoon activities as part of the program. Many people and organizations assisted the program either financially or with donations. Rice and Anderson have a letter of thanks to all that can be found on page 4.

Top of Page

©ECM Post Review

6448 Main Street
North Branch, MN 55056
Telephone: 651-674-7025
Fax: 651-674-7026
E-mail: editor.postreview@ecm-inc.com