Dear all,

I hope this blog post finds you well. Yes – you heard right, there is ONLY four months remaining until we are back down in our most favourite place in the world! It is almost time again for “Don’t Forget the Lyrics”, “Project KAD”, “Bubble Footballs” and all your favourite KYW activities. The excitement is building no doubt. But for us leaders, we have a lot of work to do before we can get too excited!

What plans do we have in store for 2015?

Our biggest news this year is the addition of a third KYW week for the first time ever. We are hoping to have campers on this week from Cork, Kildare, Newry, Waterford, Dundalk and Tallaght. This is a massive achievement from the KYW leader group and is a testament to the excellent work that has been done over the previous years. As this week takes place from 20^th – 27^th June, it will be aimed at secondary school campers in these areas. Week 2 (27^th June – 4^th July) will be offered to our Tallaght based campers in the normal manner whilst Week 3 (4^th – 11^th July) will be offered to Dundalk campers from the Friary Youth Club.

This year we also introduced KYW camper events for the first time ever. The KYW Christmas Party Extravaganza which was held in the Friary Youth Club Dundalk attracted 80 campers and was a massive success. Santa “Damo” Claus even made an appearance! We will be organising another camper event before the summer so keep checking this website and our social media platforms for more details.

What makes a KYW leader?

The KYW leaders adhere to the best standards in the supervision of children and will be undergoing extensive training courses in the areas of child protection, first aid, SAFEtalk and lifeguard training to name but a few. We also offer many in-house training sessions for the leader group such as a Mentor course, Dealing with Conflict course and the compulsory Leader Training Day in April. As you can see, the leaders are busy all year round improving their skills and ensuring that they are fully equipped to be responsible adults on camp.

How will we achieve our goals?

Our goal is simple. To ensure we provide the best possible holiday for our campers. We have set a fundraising target of €10,000 for this year. It is vital that we reach this target as with the addition of the third week, the costs for the KYW have increased significantly. We have many fundraisers organised over the coming four months such as bagpacks, bakesales, free dress days etc. and would greatly appreciate support from our campers and their parents / guardians. We appreciate all efforts no matter how big or small. Please contact us if you would like to get involved.

How can the campers / parents help make our jobs easier?

As you can see from the above, the KYW leader team are extremely busy over the coming months. To make our jobs a little less stressful, we would be grateful if campers could return application forms as soon as possible. We would also encourage parents to ensure that they only pay outstanding balances on the designated collection dates and before the deadline in mid-April. I know I previously mentioned it, but assistance with our fundraising efforts (whether through packing bags for an hour, donating cakes for a bakesale, cash donations etc.) is the most meaningful support you can offer us and is much appreciated.

I hope I have given you an idea of the kind of events we have coming up in the not too distant future. We have an action packed schedule and that’s before we even get to camp!

We have a leader team full of inspiring, responsible, caring, enthusiastic individuals who selflessly give up their time not just during the weeks on camp in the summer but all year round to ensure that the campers experience the best holiday of their lives. As Senior Leader of this mighty group, it is very comforting to be working with such an accomplished and hardworking team. I have no doubt that we will achieve all of our goals.

Best regards,

Liam

Senior Leader

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much” – Helen Keller