Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
It wasn't "Star Wars" but "Food Wars" at the YMCA Teen Night Friday.
With approximately 100 teen-agers during the 11-hour event, teams competed for the right to participate in the grossest, smelliest, stickiest food fight toward the end of the night.
Until the food fight at 5 a.m., squads participated in activities like 3-on-3 basketball, icebreakers, video games, dodgeball, soccer and chicken ball.
Kicking off the night's events was guest speaker Nick Deck, Winona Lake Grace Brethren Church junior high teacher, who spoke about choosing to follow Jesus. Afterwards, teens snacked on pizza donated by Dominoes.
"Dominoes donated a lot of pizza tonight," said Ryan Finney, YMCA Family and Teen director.
Friday's Teen Night was the last one for this school year. Kelly McGorge, YMCA staff, said of the monthly event, "I think it provides a place for them to come out and hang out" and be with other teens, have fun and learn some important values. She said she enjoys the nights herself because, "I like to hang out with teens."
Friday was the first Teen Night for volunteer Heather Deliere. "I didn't know what to expect when I got here. I think it's really cool," she said.
When she was a teen, Deliere said, she didn't have anything like the YMCA Teen Night, just her youth group. Had there been such a night, she said, "I think it would have been fun."
Teens at the YMCA Friday agreed. "It's pretty fun for the price. Not too high, not too low. There's interesting stuff to do," said high school freshman Tom Conley.
He said he's missed a couple of Teen Nights this year but usually goes to every one.
Seventh-grader John Sommers said, "You get to play basketball tournaments and the slam dunk contest. And have fun."
His first time, he said he will return, as he enjoyed Friday night.
Sommers and eighth-grader Clayton Wood agreed on at least one thing. "It's a great opportunity to meet new friends," said Wood. "... It gives me an opportunity to interact with and meet new friends."
His second time at Teen Night, Wood said, "It gets a lot better each time."
Matt Wood, eighth grade, said, "I think it's pretty cool because you get to stay here all night and hang out with your friends and play basketball."
Boys aren't the only ones who enjoy Teen Night.
Ashlee Brookins, seventh grade, said, "It's fun and I get to hang out with my friends. "
Seventh-grader Tiffany Fruit said she also enjoyed hanging out with her friends and participating in the wacky games like the food fight or "the barf Olympics."
Of course, many of the girls said they go because, as seventh-grader Kayla Armey said, "Guys."
"The friends and the basketball," said eighth-grader Mindy Marcum.
"Free pizza and guys!" agreed Jennifer Whitaker, eighth grade.
For whatever reason they attend Teen Night, many teens said they can't wait until the Teen Nights start up again - which will be in September.
'LifeFest' To Feature Singers, Author
BY DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer
This year's LifeFest will feature the talents of musical group LaRue and featured speaker and author Mike Long.
LifeFest, presented by Kosciusko County Right to Life, will be Thursday at Lakeview Middle School gym, Warsaw, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. with food and a live Pulse FM remote with Molly McLane. McLane will also serve as the night's emcee.
The event is for teens from seventh grade on up. Parents are invited to hear Long's presentation around 7:30 p.m.
Long began his abstinence education program in 1986. At the time, according to provided information, almost no public schools or institutions were espousing sexual abstinence before marriage, and the education establishment was promoting safe sex educational programs.
He was a teacher in the Durham, N.C., public schools when he first realized the effects of such programs on teen-agers. Determined to find a positive alternative, he received a grant from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Resources to develop an abstinence education strategy acceptable for public schools. After a decade of proving it can be successful, the program he developed - "Everyone Is Not Doing It" - began making headway in 1995.
Long has produced a number of teaching materials, including videos, audiotapes and books. The latest video series is "Everyone Is Not Doing It." The four videos in the series include "Overcoming Peer Pressure," "The Emotional Roller Coaster," "Responsible Sexual Freedom" and "The Parent-Teacher Role." The series is complemented by a pair of books, one for parents and one for teens.
He has conducted in-service training for more than 23,000 educators and youth leaders in 43 states. He has been featured on NBC's "A Closer Look," MTV's "Choose or Lose," Janet Parshall's "America," Billy Graham's "Decision Today," Concerned Women for America, American Family Radio, Focus on the Family and more.
LaRue is Natalie and Phillip LaRue, a teen brother and sister singing duo. Their self-titled debut album made its mark on the Christian music scene in 1999. Release magazine readers voted LaRue their favorite new artist of 1999, and both Campus Life and Brio featured the group on their covers this past year. The Disney Channel recognized the duo's talent when it chose to air LaRue's video to the single "Reason."
With the release of their sophomore effort, "Transparent," Phillip and Natalie have created a more aggressive pop-alternative sound.
One way the duo has touched lives within their own generation is through an abstinence campaign they began in spring 2000, an idea that originated from their song "Someday" on the duo's debut album. The goal of the campaign is to gather 250,000 signatures on a petition to make it mandatory for all sex education classes in U.S. schools to teach abstinence as the most effective method in preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease for unmarried teen-agers. Campaign supporters sign petitions at LaRue concerts across the country and on the Internet at www.laruepetition.com
Tickets for LifeFest are $6 in advance and $8 at the door. Charge is $5 per person for groups of 10 or more. For parents who want to hear only Long, the entry cost is on an any-donation basis. For parents who want to attend the entire evening, the cost is the regular ticket price.
Tickets can be purchased at Bibles and Books and Karma Records in Warsaw, Pickwick Theatre in Syracuse, Bible Bookstore in Plymouth, Joy Christian Bookstore in Wabash, Music Express, Goshen, Christian Light Bookstore, Nappanee, and Family Christian Store, Mishawaka. Tickets also can be purchased by sending a check to KCRTL, P.O. Box 1162, Warsaw, IN 46581.
For more information, visit www.kcrtl.org or call 267-3481.
