We would like to take this time to inform you of some of the extra opportunities Awana has to offer your child(ren). Our club has been able to participate in these events in the past and we hope that this year will be no different.

Gear Up! is the Scripture memory counterpart to the AwanaGames™ events. Both use the element of fun competition as a motivating factor & is open to 3rd-6th grade clubbers. Gear Up! is an opportunity for clubbers to display their knowledge of God’s Word.

Gear Up! motivates clubbers to increase their Bible knowledge & stay current in their handbooks while giving them, their parents & leaders an intense exposure to Scripture in a fun & exciting setting.

Gear Up! stimulates Scripture memorization & review. Clubbers memorize more verses, complete more handbooks & comprehend more Bible truths with the incentive of making their church’s Gear Up! team & competing for honors at the local/regional levels. As clubbers spend time preparing for this Ultimate Adventure Day, their parents are exposed to the truth of God’s Word.

AwanaGames is an athletic competition between the Awana Clubs in this area. The children compete for speed, dexterity and strength in games such as sprint, marathon, bean bag toss, three-legged race and balloon relay. It is a very fun and friendly one-day event.  The date for the competition has not yet been scheduled but will probably be around early March. Practices will probably begin in January (and perhaps as early as December). In order to qualify for this competition, each child must have completed 10 sections in their handbooks by the day of the games. (If a child completes one section at each weekly Awana meeting, he/she will have finished about 20 sections by the day of the competition.)

Sparks Camp-A-Rama is a relatively new offering. This is a one day Sparks Camp for those who have earned their Sparky Plaque (i.e., have completed all three Sparks books). The cost of this camp is $20 and will be split - $10 from the parent and the remaining $10 will come from our Awana club. Included in that price is a T-shirt, lunch, badge, balloon, team picture with Sparky, a souvenir goodie bag and, of course, a fun-filled day.

If your children are interested in any of these activities, simply have them talk with their Awana Leader about them. They do not need to decide right now, but they will need to start preparing for them by working on their handbooks.

Also, there will be some costs involved. For Bible Quizzing, there is no cost. For the AwanaGames, each child will need to purchase or rent a team T-shirt. The purchase price will be about $7 or $8 (we do have some shirts that can be borrowed). For the Sparks Camp-A-Rama, the parents’ portion is $10.

By the way, there are opportunities for parents as well. We are hoping to have parents as coaches for our Gear Up! and AwanaGames teams this year. Also, if you would like to help our Awana program as a leader, we would be delighted to have you. If you feel that you can’t commit to the full Awana year but can contribute on a part time basis, you can be a verse listener, a coach, or nursery worker. And all kinds of help will be needed for the Awarnival! Preparation for that begins in January and runs all the way to the day of the Awarnival. On the big day there are ample opportunities for volunteers to help out. If any of this interests you, please contact one of the commanders.

Since we are not charging for dues this year, we are counting on donations for the Awana Store and Awarnival Store. All help in that area will be appreciated.