Retreat 6
July 23-30, 2006
The 6th retreat of this season was nothing short of fabulous with the weather to match, if you do not count the heat. A delightful view of the Gulf and Sand Dunes started off the week with everyone checking in at the anchor home appropriately named Vista Dunes. This is where the heart of the retreat was found on a daily basis with all meals taking place under the elevated home and the sights and sounds of Flip-Flop and Talent Show practice filling the air.
This particular retreat, as they all are, had some special volunteer guest returning to the line-up. Mark Brown arrived to Emcee the retreat and he jumped right back in the mix and made us all laugh to our hearts were exhausted. Backing up Mark in the Emcee position was none other than Danny Dukes on the Guitar. Danny dug in hard giving it everything he had in keeping the music alive while touching our hearts at the same time. The incredible volunteer team took care of eleven families that had a great mix of returning families along with some first time families. Our long distant award winner for the retreat family that traveled the farthest came from Columbia, MO. In addition to the furthest traveled retreat family, the volunteer team had some of their own from a long distant like Sparta, MO and Wyandotte, MI.
The week’s activities progressed from catered dinners and lunches from Moes, Pizza Hut, Publix and Chick-Fil-A, to the awesome dinner meal prepared for the luau by the hard working kitchen staff headed up by first time Kitchen Mom, Jane Shine. The luau was a great time of celebration and great food mixed in with some dancing by all. We would have to say that Retreat Family member Louie Layfield entertained us all and will soon be a guest on Dancing with the Stars.
|
Of course you cannot discuss the week’s activities without the inclusion of Beach Olympics and the talent show. Beach Olympics brought out the competitor in all of us while several took it to the next level in the obstacle course. The Yellow team provided an un-orthodox answer to the challenge of large adults traversing the tunnel with quite a large beach excavation to aid us “older” personnel. It was really tough to sweat out the competition while the Red Flag of beach conditions kept us at bay from fully cooling off in the Gulf of Mexico. The Talent Show, shadowed with the threat of a major storm, survived to its completion with a display of some incredible hidden talents that were second only to American Idol. We enjoyed the voices of many children and displays of athleticism and of course who can forget the Cinderella story with Tim Roberts in the lead as Cinderella. You have to see it to believe it. We all were treated to the incredible talents of Retreat Family parents Eildardo and Argelia Villatoro as they serenaded us with a Spanish Ballad on open mike night.
Thanks to all the retreat families for allowing us to share in their lives. There are many, many, many thanks that go out to so many people and businesses that make this all happen from the untiring volunteers both at the retreat and off site to the local businesses that support The Lighthouse!
|
