SERVE2013 - Day 1 - Friday, = Mentors Arrive

SERVE - Day 1 - Friday - Mentor's Arrive

Greetings all. Welcome to you who wish to experience our Special Needs SERVE 2013. Whether you are from Ottawa, or further away, I hope you enjoy the daily posts that will be happening.  

Lots of planning has once again gone into this week, and we have finally finished our first day.  This year I'm trying something new in the picture department.  I've asked Chris, my son, and Ailene, a mentor from last year, to be our photographers.  They both love to take pictures (even more than me), and quite honestly, they are better at it than I am. 

So this year, they will take the pictures, sort them, and get them ready for my blog.  I will load them up, and type up the entries.  I hope this gives me more time to get some sleep (though not tomorrow morning, unfortunately).   

In doing things this way this year, it will mean I will have to let go of control of the picture taking, something I confess that is not easy for me to do, but I'm going to do my best (though I will still be giving some instructions as to things I want to see, so bear with me Chris and Ailene).  We'll see how things go.  

Let me back up a couple of days though, to fill you in on what has been happening.  On Wednesday, Ailene arrived in town by train.  She wanted to come a day early in order to take in the National Art Gallery.  

On Thursday evening, I picked up Becca from the airport (her first time flying, and not a pleasant experience for her, she says)  and then Joy and Carissa from the train.  They all had supper at our home and I then dropped them off at the church for them to hunker down.  

This morning I picked them up at 8:30 am for breakfast at a small diner I've come to love, and then it was off to church to begin setting up. 

Bea and Grace and Joanna had started setting up their small group stuff on Thursday, but we also needed to set up the stage area and basement area for small groups, etc.  

As the morning wore on, our mentors began to trickle in.  By noon, everyone was here, thankfully safe and sound.  Mark, our speaker, arrived and for that I was thankful.  : ) 

Joy is helping out this year as our warm fuzzy coordinator and games person.  Tomorrow you will get to meet the planning team and mentors and participants through pictures.  

Many different elements go into our week, and much of the great stuff that happens is during our small group time and speaker time.  Bea and Grace always do fantastic work, and here they have solicited help in setting up something for our get to know you exercise tomorrow.  I'll keep you in suspense as to what it's supposed to be

This is our speaker, Mark.  Shellie was unable to make it out for our SERVE this year.  I've said in previous years that I can't imagine doing a SERVE without Shellie, but alas, this year I will have to actually do that.  But you know, I think Mark will do a fantastic job, and I look forward to him putting his own stamp on this SERVE experience.  

At noon we had lunch, and then it was time to go over instructions for our scavenger hunt.  Here's me doing that....oh, and this year you might actually see more pictures of me than in other years, as I will NOT usually be behind the camera.  Sorry about that.  : ) 

Joy continues her preparation for our warm fuzzy place.  

We took the bus downtown and walked to parliament hill, our starting point for the hunt.  Annette just LOVES SERVE, and she's already having fun.

Oh, and here's a funny side story: Jessica, one of our new mentors,  had never taken a bus before.  I handed out two bus tickets for her to place in the box, but as she went on the bus, she just walked right past the driver and didn't put her tickets in.  The driver either didn't notice, or care, because she just kept on walking.  Saved me two bus tickets, and I've never seen that happen before.  Jessica knew to put the tickets in, after we all had a good laugh.  

Fayth (foreground) is back again this year, as is her sister Rachael (background wearing greet shirt).  Both fun loving people and I look forward to bugging them all week long.   

We arrived at parliament hill and I handed out the questions each group needed.  We had 6 groups of 3 or 4 mentors go out.  They had 2 hours and 45 minutes to complete the things they could do.  All done by points.  

It was a hot, humid day, so I was glad that I could go to an air conditioned coffee shop and sip on a lemonade and share the company of Annette, Harold and Bea.  

Chris and company wasted no time in getting the answers to questions like:  

In what year was the existing peace tower built? 
What is the flame called at the foot of centre block?  

How much is the most expensive room in the Chateau Laurier? etc. etc. 

Ailene getting her picture taken by Chris.  Resting from the heat and humidity.  

Chris and Ailene have made this week a sort of competition.  Who can take the best pictures, and how many.....sigh.  : ) 

Both have a knack for photography, so it will be hard to tell who will be the best.  That will make for some great picture, I think.  

A team figuring out what was the most “Pathetic” incident that happened during the fire at Parliament Hill?
 

Ben and Niesje and Valerie on to the next thing to find.  

I don't recall anyone having to speak to a police officer, so I hope that Joy and Nicolette (with one L BTW) aren't in any sort of trouble.  

Hmmm, Sarah looks like she's overheating, Becca looks cold, and Fayth and Jonathan, well, they just like posing for the camera in interesting ways I guess.  

Another group by the locks.  

Apparently this man did not like having Jonah talking to him, but I have not yet found out why.  He was told to leave.  

Chris getting that "perfect" shot.  

This was NOT part of the hunt, but alas, there were lots of pictures taken that were not part of the hunt.... : ) 

How many different types of Beaver Tails are sold at the Beaver Tail store?  The answer is still being disputed.  

This store was not on the list, so either the girls are going shopping, or they have misread something.  

After spending some good time in conversation with Bea, Harold, and Annette, they decided it was time to go walking.  No, I know that these 3 are not your average walkers.  Power walkers is what I like to call them.  Sooooo, I walked with them for a bit, but decided after a bit, that I'd return to Parliament Hill and let them walk.  

Here I am waiting for the groups to arrive.  

Here's Joy returning.  

Almost at the end of their time.  You weren't given extra points if you came back early, but if you arrived late you were docked points.  

Niesje and Ben discussing the finer points some of the questions they had to answer.  

Ben and Valerie running to make it, because they were late.  Unfortunately, they left Niesje behind so they had to go back and get her.  You had to arrive as a team.......

On the bus back home.  Sarah looks like she had a good time, but was ready for a shower, as were we all.  

Valerie relaxing on the bus trip home.  

Once back we took showers at different people's homes and then relaxed until dinner.  That was supposed to happen at 6 pm, but the ovens were acting up and we didn't start until 6:35 ish.  

We are hoping our ovens will get fixed on Monday.  Can't have that happen all week long.  

Our Kitchen co-ordinators - Annet and Anne -  spoiled us on the first night.  Roast beef, potatoes and veggies.  Yummy.  

Fellowshipping around the tables.  I had to break everyone up this time in order to get them to get sit with people they might not already know.  

While we were waiting, Chris and Ailene tallied up the scores by looking at pictures and the answers to the various questions.  Thanks for all your work on that.  
The winners received some Tim Horton's gift cards...well worth it.   

After dinner we settled into the youth room as a group and began our training time.  Time to go over rules, expectations and learn about our participants due to arrive the next morning.  

Some of us were pretty tired, so staying awake wasn't so easy.  

I'm looking forward to this week.  We have a great group of mentors once again, who seem to be gelling together well already.  They all want to be here, and they all will learn and grow during this week.  

I'd be lying if I said it is going to be an easy week, but this week will be just another learning opportunity for  everyone, and I always enjoy that part of mission weeks, whether at home, or abroad.  

It's time for bed now.  I have to be out the door at 6:30 to greet some early participant arrivals.  Until tomorrow evening, blessings to you all.  

If you wish to leave any comments during the week, please feel free to do that.