Young Friends Information

For those who have never attended Annual Sessions before, some of the information in the Interchange may seem confusing. (Contact Hope at the Yearly Meeting office or the Young Friends BYM Co-planners, Liz Arginteanu, John Stitzer, or Aaron Marcinkevich) As many of you know, YF’s gather five times each year for weekend long conferences in various Meeting Houses. During the week of Annual Session, YF’s gather from Tuesday to Sunday in dorm style housing on the campus of James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The daily routine is much fuller than at a conference, and YF’s are welcomed into the larger YM community for several all-age events. This year the schedule will allow YF’s to join a YM workshop on Friday afternoon, and YF’s are invited to all evening lectures. In addition to the many community events, the YF’s will participate in a series of workshops that will be exclusive for the YF community.

Young Friends: Traditional & New Activities

Tuesday:

Opening Lecture:

Lorraine Stutzman Amstutz, 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday:

YF’s join Evening Program, 7–9 p.m.;

Produce Department 9:15 p.m.

Thursday:

YF’s join All-Age Celebration 7–9 p.m.;

Produce Department, 9:15 p.m.

Friday:

Vicki Cooley at 7:30 p.m.;

Produce Department, 9:15 p.m

Saturday:

Carey Memorial Lecture:

Vicki Cooley at 7:30 p.m.;
COFFEE HOUSE immediately following!!

Sunday:

YF’s read Epistle at Business Meeting.

There are workshops scheduled on Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday, plus a YF Gathering business meeting each day. Whew!

Young Friends: Registration

EVERYONE must pre-register. (Complete the registration form and mail to BYM office.) If you realize that you can make it after the July 11 deadline, PLEASE CALL Hope at 1(800)962-4766. YF’s are welcome to register for just a day, or for a few days. PLEASE NOTE THAT to be on campus at all, YOU MUST REGISTER. Please check the registration hours listed in this Interchange. Please look for Hope Braveheart, Liz Arginteanu, John Stitzer, Aaron Marcinkevich if you show up on campus and are not registered.

Young Friends: Financial assistance?

First apply to your Monthly Meeting clerk for assistance. The Yearly Meeting will match your Monthly Meeting contribution and will ask to you to make a contribution to the Scholarship Fund. Please, call or email Hope Braveheart (800/962-4766 or hopebraveheart@bym-rsf.org) with requests for financial assistance before July 11, 2005. Hope and the YF Clerk will evaluate requests on an ongoing basis.

Young Friends: Opening Retreat

YF’s who have been nominated to the Steering Wheel during the May conference will be asked to participate in a retreat from Monday evening (August 1st) to Tuesday morning (August 2nd). The Steering Wheel will be comprised of current and newly nominated Executive Committee members, and YM attenders who are nominated to the committee for the week. The mission, purpose, and charge of the committee will be decided during the spring YF conferences. The group will assist the YM planners throughout the week during daily meetings, with food planning, and in organizing activities. Please Note That The Dorm Will Open After 1:30 P.m. On Tuesday, August 2nd. YF’s who are not participating with the Steering Wheel retreat, but arrive before the dorm is open, will need to remain with a parent or guardian while on campus.

Young Friends: Workshops

YF’s will participate in three workshops from three different workshop leaders. This year our theme for workshops will explore Restorative Justice and Alternatives to Violence Projects. At the present time not all of the workshop leaders have committed to being there. Information on the workshops will be made available in the Spring/Summer BYFN.

Young Friends: Produce Department

This is an inter-generational activity that is organized, planned, and facilitated by Young Friends. Beginning on Wednesday at 9:15 p.m., OAF’s (Older Adult Friends), YAF’s (Young Adult Friends), and JYF’s (Junior Young Friends) gather under the care of YF’s to find out their true vegetable or fruit inner self. YF’s lead their fruity vegetable groups in discussions centered around queries or to play very intellectually stimulating games such as “Two Truths and a Lie!” If you have missed out on this opportunity to obtain a deeper understanding of your inner watermelon or kumquat, please join YF’s this year at 9:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Returning fruits are welcome!

Letter of Understanding Between Parents/Guardians, or Sponsors, and Young Friends, and Baltimore Yearly Meeting

Those Friends under age 18 who will be living in the Young Friends dorm must have on campus, either a parent/guardian or sponsor. (A sponsor should be over age 35, but must be over age 25.) All adults who will be responsible for a Young Friend throughout the week, must read and sign this letter and fill out the information on the reverse.

Parents who are not planning to attend Yearly Meeting should sign this form as well. The following are the expectations of this and all Young Friends gatherings, as Young Friends have set down for themselves:

When Young Friends meet together, we strive to foster a Friends’ community built on caring, trust, and love. From experience we have found that attenders who leave the gathering, use or are under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs, or engage in inappropriate sexual activities jeopardize the Young Friends community and betray our trust as well as the trust of our parents, sponsors, older Friends, and the trust of the Baltimore Yearly Meeting.

Young Friends welcome high-school age or older attenders who wish to enjoy the fellowship of our Quaker community. We hold all attenders in the Light, but those who are unable to conform to these guidelines that Young Friends have set for themselves will be asked to meet with the Executive Committee, and appropriate action will be taken on a case by case basis.

Parents/guardians and/or sponsors must:

• Notify the Young Friend if she or he expects to be off campus at any time.
• Accompany the Young Friend for any medical attention required.
• Meet with the Executive Committee, in the event that the Young Friend displays inappropriate behavior.
• Make travel arrangements, in the event that the Young Friend must leave Yearly Meeting.
• Find another sponsor and secure a signature on the “Letter of Understanding” by this person, in the event that the parent or original sponsor must leave Yearly Meeting unexpectedly, and notify a Baltimore Yearly Meeting staff person or a Friendly Adult Presence.