tSB 2013 has been pretty fantastic. Why are things going so well, you ask? Three reasons: phenomenal new mentor energy mixed with seasoned peer leadership and an increased level of community support. All of you reading this have played a significant part in raising the bar.

It seems like only yesterday we were running around Sound View, playing name games, organizing food at the White Center Food Bank, and loading up the buses and vans for our first trip to the Summit, yet somehow our annual Mt. Hood trip is only a few weeks away!  This is our guide to making our Hood adventure a seamless weekend.  Please read it over and call tSB office (206.324.7771) or email us if you have any questions.

 FAQ 2013 Hood

THANK YOU TO OUR COMMUNITY FOR PARTICIPATING IN GIVE BIG!

Together we raised over $10,000 for our annual Hood trip and beyond!
Right now the Service Board is wrapping up another year of mentoring youth to conquer mountains on a board, in their community, and in themselves. This means one of the most important parts of tSB is fast approaching: the Hood Retreat.  Every June we pile all of our youth and mentors into vans and drive down to Mt. Hood to push our growing edge one last time and to solidify the family ties that have been built over the last 6 months. For youth like, Tyvon, this trip is the most important part of tSB.

Mt. Hood was a life-changing experience. The snowboarding is great, no doubt, but that wasn’t the highlight in my eyes. The experience going down to Oregon, with our second family, and connecting the way we had makes this trip all the more worth it and important to our lives. The joy, happiness, smiles and tears that comes with every activity on this trip makes everything so exciting and not a single negative thing happens going there. From the hike, to dinner and to the heart circle at night, if I hadn’t gone on the trip the first time, I wouldn’t be as happy nor outgoing as I am today.

I think it [the current system] is unfair and very unjust due to the fact this country is based of immigration for means of bettering the conditions for oneself or family. It’s wrong to deny that right to anyone else because all they wish to do is be on the road of happiness – and the freedom land known as America has been known as putting people in a less trafficky lane to closer be to that success. Especially when one works harder than most of the native inhabitants of this country for less pay. It is very hypocritical and the American government needs to make it easier for immigrants to become citizens.

A very personal issue to many of the people associated with the Service Board the discussion and work around this topic isn’t finished by a long shot.

Linda and Mara weeding out a plant bed at the local White Center Garden

Not only did we help organize and clean the food bank, but we also noticed that they needed help with thing like weeding and and fertilizing the beds at the local community garden, so we jumped right in. We had just talked a lot about Grocery Deserts and how often times working-class communities don’t have access to healthy and fresh produce, so we were excited to help with this project.

Time to bust out those old straight skis, directional snowboards, one-piece snowsuits and radical attitude for the Retro Fools Day!

There will be a mega prize raffle and awards for best dressed, fastest time, best trick, and most radical. The older and more retro your gear the more style points you get in the stunt ditch and quicker time you post in the downhill slalom race.

TIME DEDUCTIONS FOR SLALOM:

Remember that the the more retro your gear the more seconds you will get deducted from your time. If you decide to rock new gear you will be penalized with seconds being added to your time. Additional accessories such as walkman, old school googles, and fanny pack will get you bonus time deductions. Judges have final say on exact time deductions but can be bribed with cheap beer.

Time deductions:

• Retro Jacket: -1 sec
• Retro Pants: -1sec
• One Piece: -3sec
• Old Board/skis: -1sec
• Old Boots: -3 sec
• Monoski: -7sec
• Snowblades: -5sec
• Post-2000 Board: +10sec
• Post-2000 Ski:s +10sec

REGISTER ONLINE HERE, and download the event waiver form HERE (under 18 must have parent signature).  Registration is only $20, which includes a limited edition t-shirt and an automatic $10 donation to the Service Board! All proceeds from RFD4 will benefit the Service Board (www.theserviceboard.org), which is rad.

Event timeline:

• 9-10am – Registration in Granite Peaks Lodge
• 10:15am Group Run to the start of the race course
• 10:30am Downhill Slalom Race
• 2:00pm Stunt ditch
• 4:00pm Awards at the Bullstooth
• 5:00pm RV Lot Après

Ashley, tSB’s loved and adored Executive Director, had her birthday last week! She goes above and beyond what is required in her job, and is a loved sister, daughter, cousin, grandkid, great-great-great-grandkid, friend, tSB bossdog, etc. Words can’t possibly capture the love we feel for this awesome human being.  We wanna keep the party going and shower her with the love and gratitude she deserves! Thanks for all that you do and for being an amazing superduper individual.

I’m thankful for Ashley because she ALWAYS follows through. She’s strong and caring and even though there are things mess with her, she powers through it. -Mickey, Prophet ’11

I love how positive Ashley is! -Anika, Prophet ’13

You’re a red-headed Jesus. -Khaill, Program Coordinator

You can send Ashley a happy note too at ashley@theserviceboard.org

Irene was a  tSB Prophet in 2008 and returned as a Peer Leader in 2009. After graduating, she moved to Juneau, Alaska where she is a college student and musician. She recently rediscovered some letters she wrote to herself while in tSB and posted them on her blog. Check out just how awesome she is: Letters From the 15 Year-old Me.

In these interviews we kindly asked Tyvon and Phelix if they could take some time out of there community service project to be interviewed. We took the time to ask two youth what is their responsibility in their own communities and how can community service fulfill that responsibility. We strongly believe that community service brings together  community together.  and we do fun projects like painting murals, cleaning out weeds around our home office at” youngs town cultural art center.”

Made by: James Hopkins, Youth Media Intern at tSB.