In this issue, you'll read:
ASU Football Stars Make Time for WYN
2nd Annual Punkin' Fest is Coming Up
Dinner Theater is October 26th
WYN After School Off to a Great Start
WYN Offers Love and Logic Classes
Stories from the Summer
Mentor of the Month
Dare to Discover the Magic of WYN

ASU Football Stars Make Time for WYN

On Wednesday, September 5th, the widely celebrated ASU football team received yet another enthusiastic homecoming. This time, it was from the kids of Western Youth Network. Members of the victorious Mountaineer team carved out time for some of Western Youth Network's mentor/mentee "matches" to sign autographs and introduce themselves to the very excited group. Western Youth Network is very grateful to the football team for giving our kids a brush with fame. We wish the team continued success in their season. To view photos from the event, click on the following link: http://westernyouthnetwork.org/photos/album02

2nd Annual Punkin' Fest is Coming Up

Please plan to join us for the 2nd Annual Punkin' Fest, co-sponsored by WYN and the Mast General Store on Saturday, October 27th from 11:00am-3:00pm at the Mast General Store Annex in Valle Crucis. There will be games, coffee and baked goods, music, face painting, and of course, pumpkin carving. All collected proceeds will go towards supporting the transportation services WYN provides to area youth. Without this service, most youth would be unable to participate in the programs WYN offers.
For more information of the Punkin' Fest, check out the following link: http://www.mastgeneralstore.com/punkinfest

Dinner Theater is October 26th

Please mark your calendar now for the evening of Friday, October 26th -- the date of the annual dinner & theater fundraiser of the Western Youth Network.

This spirited evening will begin with a gourmet dinner with wine, prepared by the former chef of the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa in the California Wine Country. After dinner, we will be treated to a performance of "Pump Boys and Dinettes" by a professional touring cast. The play is a rock 'n roll, country 'n blues musical revue that feeds off the energy of the audience, celebrating life and love in a small, southern town. During its highly successful Broadway run, "Pump Boys and Dinettes" was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Musical.

All the festivities will be at the Hayes Performing Arts Center in Blowing Rock. Tickets are $75 per person, inclusive. We promise you a wonderful evening, enhanced by knowing that the proceeds will help sustain WYN's life-changing work in the coming year.

Please call WYN at 828-264-5174 if you are interested in reserving your tickets. Thanks, in advance, for making this event part of your fall schedule.

WYN After School Off to a Great Start

The WYN after school program is in the midst of another successful year of working with 6th-8th graders. In fact, both the Eastern and Western sites are getting full! Monday through Friday, youth receive homework and tutoring assistance combined with recreation and enrichment activities such as music, drama, art, and service learning. The program operates from 2:30-5:30 p.m. The program will be receiving a special treat when WYN hosts career days in mid-September. Students will get to hear from area professionals and learn more about job options for their future.

Please feel free to contact Angela Grimes (brownah@westernyouthnetwork.org) if you have any questions or wish to volunteer with the After School Program.

WYN Offers Love and Logic Classes

Angela Grimes, WYN's Director of After School and Summer Programs will facilitate Love and Logic Parenting Classes for the community beginning October 2nd from 6:00-7:30pm at the Western Youth Network. The purpose of the program is to offer parents helpful behavior management strategies that incorporate empathy and logical consequences. This group will complete one module per month for 7 months. The first Module, held on October 2nd, will be "Raising Responsible Kids."

There is a fee involved, however, if a family is unable to pay, WYN would be happy to accept a small donation. Additionally, if a family is referred using a WYN Agency referral form, available on our website (www.westernyouthnetwork.org), they can receive this training free of charge!

We have space for 20 families per module. Please contact Angela Grimes at 264-5174 or brownah@westernyouthnetwork.org to register.

Stories from the Summer

WYN's 2007 Summer Life Program was unbeatable and the youth/staff relationships were some of the best we have ever seen!

The summer's field trips were both exciting and meaningful for all involved. Although many trips and activities were provided in the 5-week program, some trips were more memorable than others. One such time was when the older tribe enjoyed a leisurely canoe trip down the New River, complete with hot dogs and beans and fun-filled night of stories around the campfire (made with wet wood!).

Another memorable trip was the "Challenge Tower" trip, after which almost every participant said that they challenged themselves out of their "comfort zone" at some point during the trip. All of our kids were able to spend the day on the challenge course and many of them were able to clip onto the 300+-yard zip line that brings them to the ground. "Awesome" was the most commonly uttered comment upon reaching the bottom. This trip gave all of our students a chance to "reach" just a little further towards personal goals and challenge themselves, while experiencing tremendous excitement and fun.

Perhaps the most exciting trip was when the younger tribe got to go to Bryson City, NC. They visited the Cherokee Indian Reservation, had an evening filled with swimming and pizza, and even went on a train ride through the mountains of East Tennessee. Spirits were high and much laughter was in the air when parents picked up their kids around 8:30 pm.

WYN thanks everyone for their time and donations which made this summer such a great success. If you would like to see photos and summer calendars of our summer life program please visit our website at: www.westernyouthnetwork.org.

Mentor of the Month

Congratulations Mentor of the Month, Janie Parsons!

A volunteer with WYN since April of 2007, Janie's outstanding work as a mentor has really come through in the past few months. She has consistently shown her commitment and dedication to this program, and more importantly to her mentee. Janie is present at nearly every WYN-sponsored event, and when she shows up, she does so enthusiastically! She will know everyone in the room by the time she leaves an event, and everyone will consequently know WYN and the important work of mentoring.

Janie exhibits a strong desire to see her mentee succeed in life, and a strong commitment to her volunteer work. For that, we thank her for being such an inspirational volunteer!

Dare to Discover the Magic of WYN

To learn more about volunteering in our mentoring, after school, or prevention program, or to make a referral, please visit our website www.westernyouthnetwork.org or contact Jennifer Grubb at (828) 264-5174.