Thursday, September 23, 2010

Life of a Bunk House Leader

I really enjoy bunk house leading at Teen Ranch, though it can be draining at times. Any- one who has done it for an extended period of
time can tell you that it's not easy - not if you do it well. Spending time with the kids when you would rather be with your friends and dealing with things like homesickness and lack of respect can be draining for sure.
Why do I enjoy it? There are some shallow reasons to be sure, the time that you do get to spend with other staff is amazing, and the Ranch is a great place to be in general, but the real reason that I love being a bunk house leader is that I get to share the gospel with kids over and over again! I get to discuss it. I get to explain it. I get to tell it to some people for the first time! It's truly amazing!


Josh Menzies, son of former camper Rob Menzies, has been involved most sum- mers his whole life. We are pleased to have him start this month as Teen Ranch’s year round Program Coordinator

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Cory Boyd and the Argos

Come out to the REAL DEAL.
Argos vs Roughriders. Oct 2, 2010.
Tickets available through Teen Ranch as low as $20!
http://www.teenranch.on.ca

Check out this clip on Cory Boyd
http://watch.tsn.ca/cfl-news-and-highlights/clip344628#clip344628

Monday, September 20, 2010

Upcoming Events.

Saturday, October 2 is the Real Deal—Come sit with Teen Ranch Staff and watch the Toronto Argos vs. Saskatchewan Rough Riders, hear Pinball Clemons and enjoy Christian band Building 429. Contact us for tickets.
October 9, you, your family and friend are invited to take part in our first-ever Fall Festival. Pony rides, pumpkin painting, carnival games and more are all taking place right here.
For details and more of our upcoming events check us out on Facebook: facebook.com/ teenranch or on Twitter: twitter.com/teenranchcanada. Hope to see you soon!!
Shannon Hicks has been involved with Teen Ranch since 1991 and is blazing the trail as the first-ever Teen Ranch Sales and Marketing Coordinator.

Friday, September 17, 2010

What Keeps You Coming Back to Teen Ranch Val?


I have been a volunteer at Teen Ranch since March, 2001 initially on weekend staff and eventually moved to helping each summer for about four weeks.

Why do I do this? Most teachers look forward to a long break to recuperate from what is often an exhausting year. Teen Ranch IS a place of rest and refreshment for me, in spite of long days in the    kitchen, snack bar, painting, weeding or whatever else I‘m asked to do! Great friends, a chance to work with children, and a fantastic oppor- tunity to serve God keep me ener- gized. I have and continue to learn so much about God through both the full time and summer staff as I interact with them. Selfishly, I come back to Teen Ranch because I am always blessed. More importantly, and my central reason for       volunteering at Teen Ranch is the impact I have seen in the lives of campers, retreat guests and staff. There is something about Teen Ranch that cannot be put into words. God is clearly in this place. People immedi- ately feel loved, accepted and safe. I consider it a privilege to be one of the smiling faces that make this possible.

Valerie Moreton has been a Music Teacher since 1999 with the Toronto District School Board.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Top Ten Summer Highlights



1. People that were here last year came back— AWESOME!!

2. New staff members and they were all amazing.

3. Super Hero week was amazing. Why? Flame Boy was back in action that‘s why!

4. ALL the games we played—Gauntlet was fantastic

5. There were more gin- gers (red heads) than I‘ve ever seen in my life. I felt peace knowing that I am not the last one.

6. I got to spend the summer in the hotel with the coolest roommate.

7. Alka-Seltzer Explosion— don‘t need to say anything more except—thanks Jared :)

8. Seeing campers from last year and witness how they have grown.

9. Being at the Ranch...there is a peace here which I don‘t get in the city of Glasgow.

10. Last, but not least, Extreme Skipping. Thank you Stefan and Mike— also known as Coach and Aviator.


 - Graeme Sharp

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

SUMMER and FALL STAFF 2010


What a summer. What a staff. Thank you Lord! And to you summer staff,  ̳thanks‘ is not enough to express our deep appreciation for encouraging, challenging and inspiring us as you passionately invested your time, energy and talent to make a difference in the lives of the campers God sent to Teen Ranch this summer. We trust that God, who is no man‘s debtor, will come through on His promise to refresh you just as you have allowed Him to use you to refresh others—and that He will bring you back soon :)!
This month we are very saddened to say good bye to long term staff that are family to us. Kayla Schenk has served here as a bunkhouse leader, kitchen staff and crafts guru and goes back to Australia to work and study. Luke Rettie has served as a bunkhouse leader, in the dish pit and as grounds maintenance boss. He is going home to Scotland to find work and then? A couple of lessons he‘s learned include, ―Be a self starter‖ and ―It‘s better to be five minutes early than to be one minute late. :) Lee Stevens is beginning a brand new adventure undertaking the running of her own stable in Shelburne. Thank you to each of you for allowing God to work powerfully in and through your lives here.
We have several summer 2010 campers applying to fill volunteer hours here and we are glad :) Some will become next summer‘s staff. Applying to do so requires each one to complete a nine part Bible Study Discipleship course. Here‘s some feedback from this summer‘s studies:
―The most meaningful part (of this study) to me is God‘s solution to our sin because when you are willing to confess your sin‘s and ask for forgiveness you are able to live a satisfying life and eternal life. I am going to keep trying to live by God‘s word so I can live a better life.

-Ann Stevens

Friday, September 10, 2010

From Our Director

What‘s the mission of those of us on staff at Teen Ranch?
―To love Christ and radiate His love.
Many times bunkhouse leaders have commented on the spiritual hunger of campers this past summer and we know that some of them have put their trust in Jesus as Saviour and Lord of their lives.
In answer to the question, "What is one thing you have learned from your stay at Teen Ranch this week?" Here are some camper quotes:

―New things and not to swear
―A lot about God
―How to clean my room
 ―A lot about God and the Bible
―That you have to stick together as a team
―God is always with us in whatever we do
 ―You can do anything if you put your mind to it 
―To be myself
―A lot of new hockey skills and techniques
―Have fun and don‘t give up
―A lot about God and friendship. I also feel I have grown as a rider
―A lot of different skating moves
―God is loving, forgiving and awesome
―Cantering over a jump
―How to talk to God
 ―A lot. To pray to God more and to trust Him with everything.

What an incredible responsibility and privilege we have to be involved in God‘s eternal work here. It has been an amazing summer and we thank God.

-Tim Stevens (Director)

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Hockey Training


Hockey is a constantly growing and evolving sport, and since the rule changes in 2004, the sport has gradually changed from favoring bulky, strong players to players emphasizing speed and agility. With a new season upon us, here are five tips to improve that on-ice speed, off the ice.

1.     Improve your leg strength: Basic concept that lower body strength translate to on-ice speed. A variety of off-ice exercises are recommended to build this strength such as one and two leg squats and dead lifts.
2.    
      Emphasize Power: A fundamental component of improving your on-ice speed is improving your lower body power. One of the most common exercises for improving this is the hang clean exercise (it’s a tricky technique I recommend looking it up on youtube). For younger athletes explosive lunges are recommended. The main focus in these exercises are explosive power which relate to explosive power on the ice.

3.     Hockey Specific Strengthening: While it’s important to gain a fundamental general strength, there’s importance in strengthening the lower body muscles through hockey movements. Our summer campers from our elite hockey program will be familiar with the penguin hill sprints we often put them through. Exercises like this mimic the skating movement and strengthen the muscles used when skating.

4.     Improve Your Flexibility: Improving your flexibility will allow you to maximize your stride and give you a greater range of motion. This will also allow you to reduce injuries throughout the season. Hockey players should try and stretch before and after each workout to improve flexibility and decrease chance of injury.

Similar to the Teen Ranch Elite Hockey Program’s dry land, lower body exercises should be integrated to a workout plan 2-3 days per week.  These tips will allow for you to maximize your speed, and make you an overall better hockey player.  An average NCAA hockey player can skate from goal-line to blue-line in 2.8 seconds, better start training!

-Kyle Kokotailo (summer hockey staff)

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

It's ALL About Jesus

The message of the Gospel has gotten a little foggy these days with the myriad
of issues facing people in the new millennium. Ask the average person on the street what a Christian is and it may be a while before you hear anything about Jesus or the cross. As Christians our message is simply Jesus – who he was, what he said, and what he did.
Our mission is to share that person with the world. God made us to belong to Him, but we wandered away... Jesus is the way back. More than forty years ago Mel founded Teen Ranch on that message, and the heart of it has never changed.
I have delivered the essence of
this message at countless camp- fires. It‘s a personal message. It‘s non- threatening. It‘s all about a meaningful relationship with God though Jesus.
Our opportunity to deliver the message is certainly more fo- cused during our time at the Ranch, but most of us live our lives away from the barn, the Ice Corral and Dining Room. More often than not, the good news of a relationship with Jesus comes to a person from someone they already have a relationship with. God has blessed us all with the ability to share that message. There may be people in your lives who may never hear it un- less it comes from you...
Over the years Mel has taught me many things, but one of my first summers at the Ranch he
said something that I never lost sight of. Quoting St. Francis of Assisi, he said: ―Preach the Gospel at all times... when necessary use words.‖

Jesus came to save us, unite us and teach us. Question: What can YOU do to spread the message?
“For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
1 Corinthians 3:11



- John Clarke
John Clarke, his wife Velvet, son Ben and daughter Kayla have been a huge blessing to each of us for the past 13 summers.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Hockey Posts

Stay tuned for our new Hockey posts.
We're hoping to encourage young players in their development and invite them out to play with us at the Ice Corral during all seasons.

Our year round Hockey program director Jim Ensom and summer staff member Kyle Kokotailo will be updating regularly with the wild world of hockey.