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Calvin Connector
December 2011 -- Issue 2 Volume 4
Maximize Your Calvin Experience
PROGRAMS THAT CAN BENEFIT YOUR GROUP
Whether you are a business, a church, or a school group Calvin Center has plenty of versatile meeting space, wonderful food, and friendly staff ready to meet your needs. But you might not have known that Calvin Center also has many programs that can easily enhance your stay, and give your group something it can't get anywhere else. Here are some of those programs and how they can benefit your group:
- Team Challenge: Situated in the middle of Calvin's beautiful woods, the team challenge course is a series of elements designed to make groups work together in order to overcome obstacles. Groups practice communication skills, confidence, teamwork, and create community while in an environment of safety, support, and trust. In addition to creating unity, team challenge also allows participants to get out of their comfort zone and have fun participating in new and exciting activities.
- High Ropes: A series of interconnected ropes 30-45 feet in the air, the high ropes course tests participants physical, mental and emotional strength. High Ropes participants overcome fears while building personal trust and a sense of accomplishment, with an emphasis on personal challenges and intensity of effort, all while enjoy the view perched among the tree tops.
- CELP (Calvin Environmental & Leadership Program): CELP is designed to provide opportunities for young people to interact with the natural environment while deepening their understanding of science, math, and other academic areas. By interacting and learning in natural settings through outdoor and environmental education students grow as individuals, and discover ways to show leadership in protecting the environment.
- Global Village: Experience the challenges of living in a developing country. Global village participants will see through experiences and simulations how important the simple parts of life are and how we can often take them for granted.
- Equestrian Program: Looking for a new experience, or a change of scenery? Come take a trail ride through Calvin Centers splendid 548 acres, surrounded by green trees and the wonders of natures beauty. Calvin Center also features a Therapeutic Riding program for adults and children with developmental disabilities.
Not only does Calvin Center have flexible spaces, cozy housing, and amazing food, it also has additional programs that can help your group grow closer together, build community and experience something new.
SRV 24 Cleans Up Around Town
New Retreat emphasizes service
High school students and volunteers repainting shutters over the weekend.
In November Calvin Center held its first ever high school retreat, Serve 24. The retreat derives its name from the fact that the youth are only here for 24 hours, and during that time they go out to the community to perform various service projects. In its inaugural year, SRV 24 involved upwards of 40 people and completed work at three different sites.
When asked why he wanted to start this type of retreat, Calvin Center Program Director, Paul Humphreys said, "I wanted to start a retreat for high school youth in the Presbytery, and I wanted an opportunity for mission work in our community." Serve 24 puts a different spin on retreats by centering itself around restoration and helping which, according to Paul Humphreys, is a good thing. "High schoolers are motivated by service and volunteerism."
Two groups of youth and volunteers helped repair two different homes by painting, cleaning, doing yard work, and small home repair. The third group stayed at the Calvin Center and sewed six quilts that will be donated to The Open Door Community, a homelessness outreach center located in downtown Atlanta.
In addition to working in the community, these high school students learned about the importance of giving and service with help from the keynote speaker, Katie Blankenship. Katie is currently a student at Columbia Theological Seminary with specific interest in service and volunteerism. Her worship focused on how much good can be accomplished by groups when they choose to work together in order to complete tasks.
Humphreys wants to continue with this retreat and make it an annual event. But as for how it went in its first year? Humphreys said, "I don't think it could have gone any better."
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