A New Twist and a Change of Plans

There are TWO big changes that you need to be aware of if you are thinking of going on the Pine Ridge mission trip in 2007.

The Omega Youth group will be going with us in 2007! I am excited about this and belive it is going to be a GOOD thing!

Because of this change I am going to push back the deadline for registration so that the youth can have a chance to make some $ before payments are due.

The new deadline is ....

January 1, 2007

This deadline is FIRM so don't miss it if you want to go.
After Jan. 1st the trip will not be open to accept new team members.

Remember we have an Informational Meeting on

Sunday, Sept. 3, 2006 @ 4pm

in the Omega Youth Room

ANYONE who is thinking of going next summer needs to be at that meeting.

Parents of youth also need to attend.

God Provides

Our church family has done it again!

ALL of the backpacks and school supplies are paid for!

Many thanks to all of you who gave!

It never ceases to amaze me how God supplies exactly what we need. For the past couple of weeks we have been collecting money for school supplies and backpacks. I decided to go ahead and purchase school supplies now, while they are on sale and readily available and wait unitl later to buy the backpacks. Today I finished purchasing all of the school supplies and was out of money. I was starting to get nervous wondering where the money would come from. Then I went to church tonight and was given the rest of what we needed to buy all of the backpacks! Once all of the backpacks are bought, we will have collected exactly the amount we needed - to the penny! Is God perfect or what?

2007 Trip News

Informational Meeting

An informational meeting for the 2007 Trip to Pine Ridge will be on Sunday, Sept. 3rd at 4:00pm at the church. If you are at all interested in going to Pine Ridge next summer, please attend this meeting to get important information.

Registeration Deadline

The deadline for registering for the 2007 trip is Nov. 5, 2006. After this time the trip will be closed. You will need to register by submitting all of the following:

• Your first non-refundable payment of $100.00
• Your health forms (available at the informational meeting)
• Your completed Team Member Information paper (available at the informational meeting)
• Your signed Team Member Agreement slip
• Your driving record if you are age 21 or over and have not previously turned it in to the church. The church requires this in order to drive Thelma & Louise (the church vans).

Fundraiser

Our first fundraiser will be the Christmas Cookie/Candy sale. We will begin this in mid-November.

Backpacks!

Thanks to everyone who made it possible to take backpacks filled with school supplies to the reservation this year. We almost didn't take them this year - the money just wasn't there, but at the last minute our church family pulled together and made it happen. I am SO glad we did.

The first day we were there one of the kids saw the big Ryder truck parked in the parking lot and exclaimed, "Cool! There's our backpack truck!" It would have killed me if I had to tell him we didn't have them this year. After that I promised myself that we will take backpacks there every year.

So, I am again asking for your help. I know this comes just on the heels of this year's backpack pleas but it is the time of year when school supplies are on sale and it is a lot easier to find deals on backpacks as well.

$15.00 will buy a backpack with school supplies for one child.

If you would like to help us with purchasing backpacks for the 2007 trip, see me ASAP so we can start stocking up for the 2007 trip.

Let's make sure the "backpack truck" rolls again next year!

Policy Regarding Money

It's the time of year when people generally are really happy that I over estimate the cost of the trip. Every year we end up with money left over. I over estimate on purpose to ensure we have plenty for any unforeseeable event that might happen on the trip. I would much rather make you all happy by giving money back than to disappoint you by having to ask for more money at trip's end. Since this trip is not underwritten by anyone - I see no other way than to do it this way.

So here is the policy regarding left over money:

There are generally two figures - sponsor money and money the team member paid out of his/her pocket.

Sponsor Money

Sponsor money can NOT be returned. It was given for Pine Ridge and must be spent on Pine Ridge in one way or another to keep us out of trouble with Uncle Sam - and God for that matter. It CAN be used in one of several ways:

• IF the team member is planning to go back to Pine Ridge next year, the money can be held in their account for that trip. However, it cannot be held for more than ONE year because it makes a mess of the books. We have a volunteer bookkeeper and I don't want to make that job harder than it already is.
  
• If the team member is not going back to Pine Ridge next year, the money in their account can be given to someone else who is going next year.
  
• It can also be given to the church on the reservation.
  
• We could also choose to use it to purchase something for the village.

Money Paid Out of Pocket by Team Members

Money paid out of pocket by team members is refundable unless it was given to the church. The church has a policy of not returning donations. You get tax credit for money given to the church but it is not returnable. But if you wrote your check to the Pine Ridge Mission Fund, then that can be returned to you. You do not get the tax credit for any money given to that fund though because it simply a checking account set up for trip expenses and not a non-profit organization.

You can choose to do any of the following with this money:

• Have a check written to you to put back in your pocket.
  
• If you are going back next year you may also hold it in your account for that trip and be that much further ahead for next year. (I recommend this option.)
  
• You may choose to give it to someone else who is going back next year.
  
• You may choose to send it to the church on the reservation.
  
• You may choose to purchase something for the village on the reservation

You will need to let me know ASAP what you wish to do so that we can cut checks and wrap this year's trip up, clear the books and begin on next year's trip.