Dear Parents:

Welcome to ConQuest Pinckney 2007-2008!  ConQuest’s mission is to guide our sons through the process of becoming self-disciplined, confident young men who possess moral integrity and who can become the leaders of tomorrow in the Church and society.  ConQuest also seeks to cultivate in a young man a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the awareness that God has a plan for his life, and a willingness to embrace it.

ConQuest is an international organization which provides affiliated clubs with tested proven materials, in addition to spiritual and logistical guidance to start and run a club.  The national and regional organizations have been extremely valuable to helping us start our local club and many other clubs around the country over the last few years, reaching many boys and young men for Christ.

Special Kick-off Events

This year we are doing some special events before we officially start the year as follows:

• On Sunday August 26, 2007 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. we will be meeting at Mike Dewan’s for a Come and See Event.  We are inviting other ConQuest Clubs from the Michigan area to join us as well.  We will have a mini Olympics for the kids including fishing, kickball, dodge ball, football, tug of war, relays, etc.  This event is also intended for recruiting new members and so visiting parents will have the opportunity to learn more about ConQuest and hopefully decide to sign up their boys.  Please invite anyone you can think of who might be interested.

• On Friday August 31 through Sunday September 2, we are going to Meadowbrook lodge in Tustin MI  (Near Cadillac MI) on the Pine River.  The dads and boys will be staying at a large furnished lodge and the weekends activities will include trout fishing, hiking, canoeing, bon-fires, and more.  We will be back Sunday night and can enjoy Labor day to rest up for school.  Price is $25 per night per dad, the boys stay free.

Please RSVP to Tim Burke at tim@cebos.com or call (810) 534-0130 x220 by 8/17/2007.

Meeting Schedule

Our regular meetings will be on Friday nights from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Mike and Mary Dewan’s Barn according to the attached Club Calendar. The first official meeting is 9/14/2007. 

NOTE:  In order for you son to be able to participate in the programs, a permission form (also attached) must be completed and turned in the first night.

Annual Dues

To enroll, you must again register on-line and this years the annual club dues will be $150 per boy and this covers an entire year (September 2007 though June 2008).  The club wants to help families with more than 2 boys, and will offer to pay the difference of the full fees in this case.  The fees you will pay will be according to the following scale:  Boy 1= $150, Boy 2=$150, Boy 3=$100, Boy 4= $50, Boy 5=$50.  It is our belief that all boys be afforded the opportunity to participate, regardless of ability to pay so this should never become an issue.  Please don’t hesitate to ask if you need any help with the annual dues – a soul is priceless.

Weekly Dues

The boys are asked to pay weekly dues of $1.00.  The funds collected by these dues will purchase prizes for the awards nights and purchase food for our occasional cookouts.  We strongly encourage that these dues should be earned by the boy and not simply paid by the parent.  Meeting Dues are to be paid by the boy at check-in of each meeting and should not be paid in advance as part of the annual fee as they are meant (through repetition) to instill ownership, accountability and belonging to the club while also indirectly fostering the habit of tithing. You are encouraged to setup a method for your son to earn the money for his dues. 

Programs for the Upcoming Year

In 2007-2008, we intend to have three programs:

1. Father Son Program - Boys ages 5-7
2. Junior Leadership Program – Boys ages 8-10
3. ECYD Club – Boys ages 11-16

ECYD:

The ConQuest Club uses a program of formation called ECYD (Education, Culture and Youth Development).  In ECYD, the boys will form themselves in the fundamental aspects of their personality and Catholic faith.  In order to compliment your role as primary educators of your children, ECYD develops a dynamic team life, made up of a natural group of friends. Through this environment they develop Catholic leadership skills by involving themselves in works of social and cultural volunteerism, according to their age.

Retreats and camps are offered to ECYD boys to compliment weekly club meetings and to provide a dedicated time of sports and formation activities which includes daily Mass, the Sacrament of Reconciliation and many times throughout the day for individual and community prayer.  Dads are welcomed and encouraged to participate in these retreats as a way of growing themselves and to further their relationships with their sons.

Junior Leadership Program:

In the Junior Leadership Program, the theme of Jesus as our Brother and Friend is used to inspire each boy to establish a natural relationship with Christ. Christ taught us how to love through his example of obedience to his Father. Using this example, the boy learns that obedience is good and that being obedient out of love for God will help him to become a better person. The program reinforces basic elements of friendship, such as trust, loyalty and sincerity.

The program is structured around 5 virtue-centered campaigns of 6 meetings.  The program is led by adult mentor volunteers with assistance of the ECYD-age boys.

Father and Son Program:

The Father/Son Program provides an opportunity for fathers to participate in their sons' formation and to introduce young boys to God the Creator and Father. Stories of Biblical heroes demonstrate how God's heroes assist Him in His work. The boy is thereby motivated to become one of God's heroes.

The program is structured around 5 virtue-centered campaigns of 6 meetings.  The program is led by adult mentors with assistance of the ECYD-age boys.

Commitment Cards

Each boy will be given a commitment card at the beginning of each campaign.  The purpose of this membership card is to bring the study of the club virtues home.  There are 5 specific daily commitments as well that the members should be working on at home.  Parents are asked to review the card with their sons, check their progress, and provide positive reinforcement and encouragement.  The member and parent signs the card and it is brought weekly to the meetings.  

The card will then be used twice per campaign at the club meeting through a one on one dialogue with the program leader.  This dialogue, called a code check, is completed during sporting activity time.  The boys are challenged to memorize their daily commitments as well as focus on the practice of the campaign virtue, and the virtues listed on the card. 

Snacks

Snacks will be served to the boys during the weekly meeting. Typically snacks include pretzels, cookies, chips, etc.  Parents are asked to provide snacks periodically throughout the year.

Awards Nights

The final meeting of each campaign is considered an awards’ night. At each awards’ night, the boys are treated to a special event (such as extending sports time, ice cream, pizza, a guest speaker etc). At the end of the evening, the final point tally is determined and the top squad claims their prize. Parents and siblings are welcome to attend the awards’ presentation.

Special Regional Events

We also will have the option of attending special ConQuest events. A tentative schedule follows:

September 8-9, 2007 - Father/Son Campout (Everest Academy in Clarkston, MI)

October 12-14, 2007 - Team Leaders Retreat (Everest Academy)

November 16-18, 2007 -  ECYD Boy’s retreat (ages 10-15) (Everest Academy)

February 8-10, 2008 -  Father & Son Ski Retreat (ages 10-15) (with dads welcome)

March 7-9, 2008 - ECYD Boy’s retreat (ages 10-15) (Everest Academy)

May 9-11, 2008 - ECYD Boy’s retreat (ages 10-15) (Everest Academy)

June 7-8, 2008 - Father/Son Campout (Everest Academy)

            June 20-27, 2008 Camp Kilimanjaro 2008 (ages 10-14) (Everest Academy)

Date TBD - John Paul II Tournament – Michigan Location TBD

Dates are subject to change.  For more info contact Jim Gregor (614) 738-3498 jgregor@missionnetwork.com

Volunteers

Finally, we are looking for additional volunteer dads to help with some of the activities and leadership roles.  If you are interested, you need to sign-up on the website  http://www.conquestclubs.com and part of the process will require a small fee (approx $30 which includes a nice Polo Shirt) and a background check.   So far, the men listed below have made a generous commitment to the formation of these young souls and tomorrow’s leaders.

Todd Borek – Program Leader (ECYD Program)

Mike Dewan – Club President and Program Leader (Father/Son Program)

Bob Galloway - Adult Assistant (ECYD Program)

John Kukalis – Program Leader (Junior Leadership Program)

Tim Burke - Adult Assistant (Junior Leadership Program)

New Members

Please feel free to share this information with any other families that you think may be interested in ConQuest.  The boys are encouraged to invite guests in order to check it out, but there will be an expectation for any guests to become members before the next meeting if they are interested.  The registration process is easy as follows:

1)      Go to http://www.conquestclubs.com

2)      Click Become a Member USA

3)      Choose Michigan and then the Pinckney Club

4)      Choose Member Registration

5)      Be careful to choose the proper program according to your sons age:

Father Son Program (5-7) Junior Leadership Program (Boys 8-10) or ECYD (Boys 11-16)