Well I’m finally on my way again after a wonderful rest in Smithers and I didn’t leave without acquiring a new navigator!  Kenny, Kristina and Mike’s 14 yr old son, has joined me.  Kenny is an unusually gifted boy who has a lovely heart!  He had been doing some silly things in the past while without thinking of the consequences… some could say that’s typical of 14 year olds spur of the moment thoughts.  They definitely live in the moment – the now!   I won’t go into details, but some of his choices were beginning to affect his future and were definitely affecting his family.  I have grown to love this family like they were my own (Kristina says that we are!) and wondered if I could help.

I started thinking about what my travels really mean.  I started on this venture because I love working with youth.  I wanted to make a difference.  I wanted to do more than just travel and see the world.  That’s why I teamed up with StreetKids International in the first place.  They have the same foundation that I have when it comes to helping youth.  So, I saw an opportunity for both Kenny and I to help each other.  We talked about him joining the tour and his parents were very supportive.  (Even the Bulkley Valley Learning Centre, where he goes to school, suported Kenny’s travels by letting him do his work on the road and even working in some of his credits with his travels!)  

Kenny had already worked with Chris and I to get the skateboard project off the ground in Smithers, so I knew he was a very caring kid with a lot of creative ideas and a lot of energy.  I thought that this could give him the opportunity to stretch his mind, to go places and see things that could open up a broader, more positive world for him.  He could have the time and opportunity to think of creative things that are outside his area. He is a very good speaker and has a lot of talents that I don’t think he even knows he has yet. He’s the one who started teaching me the guitar (and yes, we brought a guitar with us!). He brought his sketch book with him and I like watching his newest artwork take shape. But, best of all, he can connect with the youth we meet and help to make a difference in their lives.  And that will make a difference in his eyes too.  It’s when we give that we receive the most and learn the most and grow the strongest we can be.  Kenny has started his own blog.  We will have it connected as a link on this site soon, but if you want to go take a look at it now, go to http://goingbeyondlimits.blogspot.com/ .  I think he picked a great title for his blogspot! 

So, here we are in Prince George getting ready for the fundraising event on Saturday and trying to get some other things going for the youth here.  Jason, from Rayz Board Shop in Smithers, let Kenny bring the RamblingRat skateboard with him so we can show it to other board shops and maybe get the same kind of sponsorship going with them!  The Aquatic center here gave us 100 free pool passes to give out to underprivileged youth in Prince George which Kenny will be presenting to Future Cents Youth Ministry on Friday. I would like to thank Jim Worthington the Aquatic coordinator for setting us up with this great package. I’m sure this will be greatly received by the kids at Future cents. We have also been given from Bubba Baloo’s Northern british Columbia’s largest indoor adventure playground, 5 x Punch card fun passes, they are a great package allowing the holder 12 visits and two food pass’s and tokens too. For this i would like to thank Derek Beitz manager for making this work too. 

Thank you to all my friends and newly acquired family in Smithers!  I will be back!