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Adventure Guides
The Adventure Guides Program
Welcome to the YMCA of Metropolitan Denver Adventure Guides Program. We offer Adventure Guides (father/son), Adventure Princess (Father/Daughter) and Adventure Maidens (Mother/Daughter) . Over 250 children in grades K-5 are currently enrolled in the program. One of greatest gifts a parent can give a child is quality time spent together. It is to this end that the Rocky Mountain Expedition Adventure Guides Program is dedicated. Families are participating in fun and exciting activities together, creating life-long memories and a bond that will make them “friends forever”.
Joining the Adventure Guides Program
The program typically operates August – June, with new circles forming at the beginning of the school year. Please click on the program links below to learn more about the three program areas and circle locations. Once you have joined a circle, registration may be completed on line or through each circle.
For information about the program or joining a circle, please contact Linda James at ljames@denverymca.org or (720 524-2714) or contact the Expedition Navigator listed with each of the three programs.
The YMCA of Metropolitan Denver currently offers:
A Brief History of the Adventure Guides Program – A look back in Time
Around a simple campfire, two men engaged in deep conversation, reflecting carefully on the events of history and how they were affecting the integrity of the family and quality of life. It was 1926, a time of great fascination with the culture and way of life of American Indian, Joe Friday, an Ojibway Indian, told his friend Harold Keltner, a YMCA Director in St. Louis, about the spiritual relationship of father and son in his culture.
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Friday described the father’s active role in the rites of passage for the young son as both became friends forever. Inspired by his friendship with Joe Friday, Harold Keltner created a new YMCA program and gave birth to a remarkable tradition. The realization that father and sons shared a common interest in Native American traditions gave Harold an idea. Perhaps this strong mutual interest could be put at the heart of a program aimed at closing the gap that he had seen widening between American fathers and their sons. He set out to establish a program that would encapsulate the best qualities of the American Indian culture and life: dignity, patience, endurance, spirituality, feeling for the earth and concern for the family. From this, the YMCA Indian Guides were born.
The program grew rapidly across the country. As years passed, the program evolved. In 1951, the acknowledgement that little girls also need support in their personal growth combined with the demonstrated success of the father-son led to the development of parent-daughter groups, Indian Princesses (father/daughter) and Indian Maidens (mother/daughter). Today, the name has changed to YMCA Adventure Guides but the program still captures the intent and magic of the original program – a deepening bond between a parent and a child. With busy families, this is the perfect program to be able to set aside some special time to spend with your child.
YMCA Adventure Guide Compass Points
The program is based on the adventures of a parent and child and of their circles and expeditions.
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The Compass points give the members a sense of direction and an inspiration for activities. The four main direction points on the compass are the essential components of the program.
- The Family is True North – the focal point of the program
- Nature and the camping experience are integral parts of the program
- The spirit of the program is experienced through belonging to a small community, called a circle.
- Fun is the magic of the program
Program Structure
THE CIRCLE
The circle is our basic group unit and provides the structure for our sense of community, for supporting the members of the circle and for all group activities. The circles contain anywhere from 6-15 parent/child pairs.
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Leadership of the circle is shared among the parents, rotating from year to year. The circles schedule monthly meeting at one another’s homes or meet in churches or schools. Circle meetings usually include crafts, games, stories, snacks, planning for upcoming trips, along with opening and closing ceremonies. Circles may also participate in special events or outings on their own. Each circle creates a unique identity and name and develops a sense of community recognizing the depth, strengths, weaknesses and unique capacities of each member. Circles are typically, but not necessarily, organized based on schools and neighborhoods.
THE EXPEDITION
Expeditions are made up of the various circles in each program area (Guides, Princesses, Maidens). There may be anywhere from 6-15 circles in an expedition. Expedition gatherings and events vary from year to year and are an important and meaningful part of the program experience. All circle members are encouraged to participate. Events typically include camp-outs, induction and graduation ceremonies, pinewood derby races, service projects, skating and bowling, hayrides and more. Expedition gatherings are a time to show circle pride, celebrate the achievements of circles and members, experience the outdoors, practice good environmental skills, and visit interesting places.
BASE CAMP
The Base Camp for each expedition is made up of representatives from each circle. Their monthly meetings provide the support for planning expedition outings and establishment of policies and standards for the circles.
Circles take turns hosting the various expedition events, and base camp meetings give everyone an opportunity to get updated on event happenings and evaluate past events. It is also a time to share ideas for circle crafts, games, invitations, rituals and outings. Leadership is provided by the Expedition Navigator, a volunteer position chosen each year. A YMCA Staff member (Outfitter) provides assistance to the expedition with recruiting, scheduling, etc.
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