Our Georgia Chapter, led by Program Director Don Brooks, held its Spring Leader trip this past weekend for 3 very deserving young men.  Manny, Brandon, and Isaiah all earned their way onto this leader trip by finishing off our 2016 year of programs by being leaders in their home, community, school, and in our programs.  These leader and bonus trips are a great way to invest into the young men who are excelling in our programs and beyond in a small group setting.  It was spring break week  in Paulding County so we kicked things off Thursday night and got together with the boys and mentors Kevin, Don, and Jeff.  We cooked out, cut up, and talked life around the camp fire that evening.  We had some special guests known as Shorty and Corn Bread come by and enjoy dinner with us and a little turkey talk.   Them along with Brian Stover were hosting us for a Turkey Hunt the next day and we were excited to have them at camp to talk turkey.  After dinner they left and headed home and all the rest of us hung out around the fire and continued to talk.  We got on to bed shortly afterwards to get some rest for the next days turkey hunt.  Friday morning came early and we were all up and ready for the Turkey Hunt.  Shorty and Corn Bread arrived at camp and picked us all up.  Soon we were settled in our hunting locations and ready for a turkey.  It wasn’t long that Kevin and Isaiah had a tom on them but it stayed behind them and did not present Isaiah with a clean shot.  Manny and Jeff had a hen come in behind them but no toms or jakes to present a shot.  It was a great morning in the woods, but no turkeys were taken.  We took a break for lunch and a nap and then back out to the woods.  The action turned up a little bit as we had a couple turkeys come in behind Corn Bread, Don, and Brandon, one was a jake and Brandon got ready for the shot.  Unfortunately the bird went around them and never presented a shot.  That same jake went on down the ditch and into the sight of Manny and Jeff.  With Shorty calling hard to get the Jake within shooting range it went on out of site in the wood line.  It was not to be but all boys had seen turkeys and learned more about this aspect of hunting.  We celebrated the day that evening with some big ribeye steaks for the boys and mentors and a little more time around the fire.

The next day the plan was to go fishing, but it got cancelled becasue of some mechanical issues.  So we took the opportunity to head up to Garland Mountain Sporting Clays and let the boys try their hand at shooting sporting clays.  It was a great time as we made our way around the course. The boys learned and enjoyed shooting and lining up shots from station to station.  Garland Mountain is a beautiful facility and is very accommodating.  We finished up shooting and headed on back to camp to wrap up the trip.  We cleaned up the camp and the boys were picked up from the trip.

This was another great time in God’s Outdoors with young men from fatherless or single parent homes.  We are proud of Manny, Brandon, and Isaiah and their continued accomplishments.  Our trips and programs are not about if we get to harvest game, but more the investment we can make with a young man and the opportunities we have to grow our bond, relationship, and share our faith in Christ.  We ask that as we continue to run these program that you keep these boys, mentors, and programs in your prayers and that God continue to use them to advance His Kingdom.

You can check out all the pictures by using the link below:

2017 Georgia Spring Leader Trip