Teen Valentine Banquet & Scavenger Hunt 2014

Our annual Valentine Banquet and Scavenger Hunt was held last night. With our big Senior class of '13 gone, it was a smaller group, but a fun group that we look forward to hosting for many more years!

We served the usual: Chicken Lasagna, Beef Lasagna, Green Beans, Breadsticks, Pudding Delight (or Chocolate Quad, or Pudding Cake, or....you get the idea!), Butterfinger Cake, and Banana Pudding.

I should have cut back on the breadsticks, but they did eat quite a few of the 144 of them!  Just not as many as the larger group in years' past. We enjoyed hearing them talk, laugh, and have fun while being "served".  Kids have to go through lines enough, so to be served, is a treat for them.

 ...Desserts....

 ....Breadsticks....

After the meal, the teens were divided into 3 groups. They competed in a scavenger hunt. The first team back with everything done or brought back on the list is the winner.

My favorite "item" on the list is that the groups have to bring back two people who weren't previously at our house. It's fun to get others involved, and they seem to enjoy their time with us, as well!

We sing and have a short devotional thought. My husband did a really neat illustration of how to not follow peer pressure, but to....

 STAND OUT and be willing to not go along with the crowd.

My husband said I had way too much on the scavenger hunt list (ha ha!! I knew he would :).) BUT, these were a few of the fun things:  Someone in the group had to be handcuffed....which makes it nice to live in a small, small town, where the cops and kids know each other - and that's a GOOD thing!

And then, the groups had to buy something for someone at our convenience store.  Mr. A got some delicious donuts!

Besides, doing the above, singing silly and cute songs to teachers and elders and their wives, the groups had to do a good deed for a school teacher, take pictures of items, pick up items, and take a picture in front of the school sign. I had them text their pictures back to me so that I could see them...and have them to show you.  This one is blurry, but the best group picture in front of the school sign.

This event is so much fun for us to host, and for the teens to attend.  We thank God for this opportunity to be an influence in the lives of these young people, and for our community and the people here, that make it a great place to be able to go to homes that we know will willingly and graciously, help out.