Alaska Training - What a Beautiful State

I recently got back from Alaska doing a RFK training with Larry Farr.  We trained about 20 people from 2 existing camps in Anchorage and Kenai, and one new camp from the Matsu area.  We had a great time and I was able to spend a few days looking around, enjoying downtown Anchorage and driving to Kenai.  Had there been less snow I would have done some Kayaking!!!  Maybe next time.

Here's a video and a few photos.

Video clip:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/65179634/Alaska%202014.mp4

Playing Spoons

Moose feeding by the road!

RFK Regional Training

This year it was Irvine, CA. Portland, OR. Chicago, IL and Lenexa KS.  Four locations and four different groups of great RFK volunteers touching the lives of kids around the country.

 Lenexa KS volunteers

 Cold day in Kansas

 My Airplane office

Irvine CA Volunteers

Chicago cold, but good times

Regional Training Events

Traditionally RFK has done a large annual Leadership training for all of our camps and clubs in So. Cal. around the first of March.

This year we have taken on the ambitious plan of doing 4 Regional training events to make better connections with more local volunteers.

It's a lot of work and more travel, but it gets us out into the local world of our volunteers and brings us into deeper relationship with those who are so passionate to serve the kids, our volunteers.

This year we started our first Regional Event in Irvine, CA. and then we are off to: Portland, Chicago, and Kansas.

Crazy busy, but making things happen.

 Here I am with a group I was training on how to keep your Camp and Club training fresh each year.

 Here is the group that drove down from Concord.  A great Leadership team!

Here is a shot of the whole group, about 150 people from all over CA. and even some who flew in from TX. AL. CO. KS and AK.

2013 Donor Report

Jeff and Janet’s Donor Report - 2013

Looking back to 2013, we see another year of encouragement to our hearts and souls from the support of so many people who believe in us and the mission of Royal Family KIDS.   Last year, Janet and I had 81 different donors, down from 101 in 2012.  That’s a 20% decrease in donors, but the budget only decreased by 12%.  We remain encouraged and optimistic about God’s plan for us at RFK, and the great things that are happening this year.

We are so encouraged to know that people have said, “Jeff and Janet, we believe in you and what you are doing, here’s my part to help.”  

Thank you for entrusting us with your prayer and support.  We have been investing them into the lives of children around America and around the world.

Our budget goals for 2013:

1) Add or renew 15 donors to our support team 

2) Budget at 100%.

Donor Breakdown

Churches	Business & Organizations	Car Donations	Golf Tournament	Safety Clients	Individual Donors	Memorial Gifts
6	4	0	1	5	72	1

We accomplished a lot in 2013 with your help:  a lot of travel, phone calls, meetings, emails and training.  What does it all add up to?  Our Lancaster, CA camp recently asked a former camper what they remembered about camp.  The former camper responded, “The most important thing that happened at camp was that someone listened.”  Another camper from Michigan stepped off the bus onto a red carpet, raised his hands and said, “I’ve been waiting all year for this!”  You have been a part of all of the great stories from 2013 and beyond.

Who knows how many more life-changing experiences have been taking place because of your support!

We always want to stay connected.  If there is anything we can do for you in prayer or in a phone call, please let us know.  We’d love to see you in person whenever we’re nearby. 

Summer 2013 500 Miles "video"

Here's a fun way the kids spent the summer.  Some cameo appearances with their cousin Jake.

Several shots from our summer vacation too!


http://youtu.be/wkaPslV8ZN0

Good News / Bad News for Kids

Two recent articles about kids.  

3 girls held captive for several years in AZ. by their own parents.

http://www.aol.com/article/2013/11/27/3-girls-say-they-were-imprisoned-in-arizona-home/20777311/?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl2%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D411969


Foster boy asks only for a family to love him and gets 10,000 replies

http://mom.me/home/10038-kids-chutzpah/

Thanks for caring-

Parents who give up their adopted child.

I read this article and then I read many of the posts below and found them to be just as interesting.


http://shine.yahoo.com/parenting/will-couple-be-jailed-for-returning-adopted-son-after-nine-years--194054370.html

Camp Videos from 2013

Here are two short videos from camp.  Thanks for your support!

Vacation Highlights 2013

For those of you who like to keep up with the kids, here's some vacation highlights from this summer.  We were offered the free use of a condo in Colorado this summer so we took the long way around through Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Arizona and New Mexico.  It took two weeks but we figured this might be our only time to take a long vacation with the kids before they all get too busy with jobs and college and friends.  We saved up, sold some things on ebay, found some deals and headed west.

What a great trip.  America is truly a BIG country!

Obituary of an Abusive Mother

This obituary was posted in the Reno Gazette Journal on September 11, 2013 but was quickly removed.  The article has gone viral and several news agencies have done follow up reports.  After reading it, my first thought was that this was an evil woman, not just abusive, but evil.  She apparently went out of your way to cause hurt and pain well beyond that of abuse.  

Some of the kids who come to our Camps and Clubs have only arrived in the Foster care system because their parents died and there was no one to care for them. But some kids have literally been through hellish situations and their depth of pain and suffering can barely be believed.



Marianne Theresa Johnson-Reddick born Jan 4, 1935 and died alone on Aug. 30, 2013. She is survived by her 6 of 8 children whom she spent her lifetime torturing in every way possible. While she neglected and abused her small children, she refused to allow anyone else to care or show compassion towards them. When they became adults she stalked and tortured anyone they dared to love. Everyone she met, adult or child was tortured by her cruelty and exposure to violence, criminal activity, vulgarity, and hatred of the gentle or kind human spirit.On behalf of her children whom she so abrasively exposed to her evil and violent life, we celebrate her passing from this earth and hope she lives in the after-life reliving each gesture of violence, cruelty, and shame that she delivered on her children. Her surviving children will now live the rest of their lives with the peace of knowing their nightmare finally has some form of closure.
Most of us have found peace in helping those who have been exposed to child abuse and hope this message of her final passing can revive our message that abusing children is unforgiveable, shameless, and should not be tolerated in a "humane society." Our greatest wish now, is to stimulate a national movement that mandates a purposeful and dedicated war against child abuse in the United States of America.

Read more: http://www.upi.com/blog/2013/09/12/Scathing-obituary-goes-viral-describes-abusive-violent-mother/4061379031519/#ixzz2gFqzeQ8V


Here are some additional links about the story-

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/13/marianne-theresa-johnson-reddick-obit_n_3921058.html

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/09/12/scathing-obituary-about-abusive-nv-mother-goes-viral-after-appearing-in-reno/

What Motivates You?

Different things motivate different people of course, but according to this creative video clip (10 min. long) there's some interesting research to think about.  Produced by RSA Animate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6XAPnuFjJc

A Poem from a Counselor in Iowa

Not Your Typical Friday

So here it is on Friday,

the day we all regret,

For we have to say goodbye,

Although we never will forget.

Their first time ever fishing,

Or that perfect birthday dress,

That feeling of true friendship,

And the lunch plates all a mess.

Each camper oh so different,

Yet all of them the same,

Misunderstood and hurting,

And we will never know their pain.

But when that smile comes,

And we all have seen its face,

We know it all is worth it,

To help Jesus find a place.

These kids don't need our pity,

Or a handout in charity,

Their request is simple,

to be loved unconditionally.

We have heard about their storms,

And heard their broken crys,

But what a sight to see,

When Jesus is fully in their eyes.

So now,

Once again its Friday night,

And we lean onto one another,

Our emotions running high,

And we know they’re like no other.

It's the day that we have dreaded,

And hoped wouldn't come so soon,

The day we hug them one more time,

And see the darkness start to loom.

How can we make a difference?

How do we make this last?

When all the hurt and pain,

Is welling from the past.

And then we are reminded,

Our job has merely just begun,

And a week at camp is nothing,

When Gods work is never done.

So now It's our time to shine.

To fall to our knees and pray,

That God protects our little ones,

And watches every single day.

They’re so precious in our hearts,

And special in our eyes,

But when compared to you, oh God,

It should come as no surprise.

These are your children God,

Each and every hurting one,

But now we ask for our biggest favor,

For you to bring them closer to Your Son.

God grant me one more blessing,

After they’ve been raining down all week,

Watch over our little ones,

And help them to hear You speak.

By: Peter Voss

Camp Counselor

Northeast Iowa Royal Family Kids

Camp #253