For our 3rd week of outreach we were in Hervey Bay. We went to Hervey Bay after our 3 day trip to Frasier Island which was where the Frasier Island ferry takes off from. So on Tuesday June 26th we woke up and the guys came by to pick us up to go to a park where the Glendyne kids were supposed to come for our first day of holiday camp. We had planned a whole bunch of beach games for the kids for their winter holiday camp but unfortunately it was rainy outside and quite cloudy so when the kids arrived we decided on going back to the school to do some games there. At the school we played a type of rugby and soccer in the rain and made our way into the gym where Simon did circuit training with us. It was such a blast! Simon was the heavyweight champion of Queensland in boxing and was asked to go professional but he shut it down. So he hangs out at the school and takes the guys through workouts every so often. After the training we had lunch then played waterballoon volleyball with the kids. Near the end it just turned into one huge waterballoon fight but it was so much fun! For the rest of the day we dropped off the kids and had a free night. On Wednesday we got up and went to Glendyne for the Challenge Day. We set up and played some games in the morning such as a scavenger hunt, capture the flag, and eating competitions. After lunch we all just hung out together and played some soccer. After the daily drop-offs we went to Dean's house and made dinner. We had a awesome meal (Will's in charge of meals) and it was so much fun. It was just like a regular nice family meal where we all sat at the table and passed the food around, you really start to miss the simple things after being gone so long. Usually on DTS you just pick up your food and go somewhere to sit but here we actually had a typical family meal. Later on us girls, Ash (Dean's girlfriend and our contact for the Glendyne school), along with another youth worker all went for coffee near the harbor and then went to bed. On Thursday we all got up and then made our way to the Go-Cart track outside of Hervey Bay. When we got there all of the girl students plus me and Susan went for coffee at McDonalds while the guys had a round on the go-cart track. Then us girls came back and drove while the guys went for coffee. It was crazy! I haven't been on a go-cart track before (unless I just can't remember it), and it was so much fun! Afterwards we went back to Dean's house and had a team meeting and went to bed. The next morning we woke up and in the afternoon we headed over to Glendyne. The guys were planned to have another circuit training session while us girls went to one of the classrooms to make some jewelry, scrapbook, and watch the show Scrubs. So all afternoon we did that but the guys' training was cancelled and some went to Dean's house instead. When we were all done and went to Dean's house all of the guys were all dressed and ready to go into the bay where Dean's house was near to go shark hunting. So they had their spears all ready and went with 2 of the students to go fishing. In Hervey Bay and Frasier Island you aren't supposed to swim because of all the sharks in the bay area but many people go fishing because of the huge amount of fish. Which after awhile they actually did catch a hammerhead shark and a puffer fish so when they came back pretty pumped. Dean's brother usually goes shark hunting and some of them get pretty big! On Saturday we got the chance to go bowling, laser tag, and play arcade games at the local bowling alley. So our afternoon was spent with the kids. It was fun to hang out and have such a good time with them. We really were able to connect with the kids so it really did seem like we were spending the day with good friends. The Baptist Church funds all of these events for the kids so usually on the weekends they have tons of activities for the kids to play so this was one of the weekend activities. That day was also my real technical grad day back in Bonnyville which sort of made me miss home but after shooting everyone in laser tag and winning the homesickness faded away quickly. That evening after dropping the kids off us girls went back to the house we were at and watched movies. For our last day in Hervey Bay we went to the Baptist Church in the morning for a Hip-Hop workshop that a couple and their dance team MnB were doing for the school. So we all met up at the church and started our Hip-Hop dance class. It was so hilarious! The guys were also involved in the dancing and it was so funny to watch them try to dance. They looked like sticks attempting to dance and bend! For 5 hours of our morning/afternoon we were at the workshop dancing with the students. We also ate together and hung out afterwards. Then we went to the church service in the evening where the same Hip-Hop group did a performance. Afterwards we then said our goodbyes to all of the students, some of the girls were actually crying and thanking us for spending so much time with us. It pretty sad for our team as well to say goodbye because for two weeks on the DTS we established good friendships with them. It was so great to get close with those girls and talk to them about all sorts of things. We really felt that we had a impact in the youth there by just getting to hang out, have a blast with them and show that we care for them no matter what kind of history they have which was good.
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