Category: Guidance

Charter Band-aids for Little Warriors – PreBlast

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As most of the PAX in the Fort and Rock regions knows my 5 year old daughter (Emma) is a leukemia survivor. We still make a trip every 4 weeks to get blood drawn to check her counts at Levine Children’s Hospital. We also stepped up and raised money last year (Christmas time) for a fellow brother bout-time out of Area 51 son Jennings who has leukemia also.

It has come to my attention that the budgets have been cut in some of the pediatric departments and the first thing to go is usually the character band aids. You say how important is to have these band-aids? Well as far as the cancer kids go every time the have their PORT’s (Port is a small medical appliance that is installed beneath the skin. A catheter connects the port to a vein) which for some kids is traumatic they get a band-aid over it. For others that are done with treatment such as my daughter Emma has to go back for the next 21 years to get checked (mainly blood counts). This not always easy for instance this past Wednesday she was poked 3 times. Well at the end the band aid can put a smile on a child’s face. This also goes for those kiddos that have to constantly get blood work done not just cancer kids.

So what I am challenging you to do is every week you go grocery shopping buy at least one box or more of character band-aids girls or boys. Also Spread the word in every COT. I will tweet out what AO’s I will be at and if anyone wants to step up and help me collect that would be awesome.

I also challenge others in different regions to pull together and do the same thing. My goal is to gather as much as possible and split it between Levine Children’s Hospital and Novant Health Hemby Children’s Hospital (St. Jude Affiliate Clinic) before Christmas.

Let a simple act of kindness put a smile on a little fighters face.

AYE. Lets do this.

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77

PRE BLAST F3 The Fort 6th Annual Invergence

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Men of  The Fort,

On Friday, September 21st, we will celebrate 6 years of Fitness, Fellowship, and Faith in the Fort Mill area with our annual F3 Invergence party.   Bring a beverage, some food to share, and enjoy a relaxing evening with your brothers.   We’ll have presentations from your local leadership, take a look back at the previous year, and look ahead to what’s in store for 2019  F3 The Fort and F3 Nation.     This is the premier 2nd F event of the year so mark your calendars now,  and plan on being at Rush Pavilion on Friday night, September 21st.

This is a great FNG opportunity!

This is a Pax only event.  Make it up to your M and 2.0’s next weekend.
What:  Fort Mill Invergence (6th anniversary party)
When:  Friday, September 21, 5:30pm – 10:00pm
Where:  Bruce T. Rush Pavillion at the Anne Springs Greenway
Bring:  Food, drink, chair, cash (to cover the pavillion rental/donations to the F3 Foundation)
Please use the link below to RSVP and list what food you will bring:
6th year F3 The Fort Invergence Food Sign Up:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4CAFAE2FA7FD0-f3thefort

 

 

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2022 US World Cup Training

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5 pax and 10 young men joined together to spend some quality time together at Guidance to talk about leadership and the #1 thing you can control in leadership and that is our own, individual response to circumstances.

To start with the end… in COT asking for prayers three of the boy’s prayers revolved around going home.  That was a prayer that I can’t even comprehend but I think it became a little more real this past week as we can feel for the young immigrant children sitting in “camps” separated from their parents and these children like the young men from Guidance… just want to go home and be with their families.

Today’s theme was leadership and by golly we were going to live it.

SSSSSLLLLLLOOOOOOOOWWWWWWW  Mosey to church field at the top of the hill.

Circle up with some stretching lead by Tyrees and we then moved into some COP.  Then Curry entered the circle and helped complete a few more exercises in cadence.

Then we started a friendly competition.  Identified 4 team leaders to select their teams.  Which took slightly longer than expected but we got there.  Competing in the following events.

  • Balance – stand on one foot holding the other for as long as you can, then jumping until you fall
  • Strength – Hold the longest Plank… Senator Tressell and Pony tail were boss at this event. Respectable… very respectable
  • Speed – Sprint suicides by team… first one to finish gets points
  • Agility – Dribbling the ball down the fields
  • Agility 2 – Dibble the ball down, circle the cone and come back
  • Small sided games (1 team against the other, first goal wins)

Great time by all and a privilege to lead!

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Friendly Competition and Fellowship at Guidance

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Older PAX: NASA, Chicken Hawk
Youth PAX (name/F3 name): Jonah/Iron Man, Isboset/Cassanova, Tyreese/Dragon (FNG), Jaden/Ali (FNG), Sam/Chick Flick (FNG), James/Mossy Oak (FNG), Michael/Trespass, Aaron/Rocketman, Mario/Super Mario, Tyler/Chalupa, Gage/Contra, Will/Diesel

The folks at CAH Guidance without much notice (that week) decided to change workouts from Saturday afternoons to Friday evenings since school just let out for the summer. My man Deacon was going to Q on Saturday, but he could not Q on Friday due to his much honorable commitment to the community at G-Fit. Fresh off the IR with no restrictions, I decided to go at it.

This evening it was myself, HIM extraordinaire Chicken Hawk, and about a dozen or so young men, 4 of which were new.  We gathered out back at the basketball courts, the heart of the facility for the kids. There was a full disclaimer, what F3 is, and the 5 core principals. Then we were off and running…….Not.

No mosey. COP right there:
20 ea
* SSH
* WM
* IW
* MNC
* PJs (plank jacks)
>> I did not stop each exercise until EVERYONE participated, letting them know I will not move on to the fun stuff until they ALL committed to each exercise. They policed each other quickly and got in line mostly.

Then it was off to the main event. Recently in an effort wonderfully led and executed by Chicken Wing, a new set of pull up and dip bars were installed at the home in hope the kids would use them, or the PAX would get them to use them in their workouts. I know for sure the latter has not happened much at all. I wanted to change that. Combine that with the fact that teenage boys are for the most part very competitive at everything, it led to a good friendly competition that would be tied to a reward at the end…..the old carrot and stick routine.

Let’s Get After It!

I divided the group into two teams, myself and Chicken Hawk as captains of each. In the end each team had 7 PAX. I wanted to make sure the teams were even physically and also pit folks against those I knew who would push them on, who brought out their competitiveness. There were three exercises that 1 PAX from each team would compete head to head. Cycle through all PAX of each team before moving on to the next exercise. The exercises were:

  • Hang time – how long can you hang from the pullup bars, feet off the ground of course. Last person hanging wins
  • Press time – how long can you hold yourself up, feet off the ground arms extended, using the dip bars. Face to face. Last person remaining wins.
  • Shuttle run – sprint to one end of the basketball court and back, TWICE (a few people missed that detail). First person across the finish wins.

Whichever team had the most head-to-head victories won that exercise round. Cumulative winner of all three rounds got the reward – first choice at what was in my cooler, Poweraide or water (I made sure there was only enough Poweraide for one team). That way they had to push themselves, and the entire team relied on each other for their overall results. A lesson in life right there.

Team 1: NASA, Ali, Chick Flick, Chalupa, Rocketman, Cassanova, Super Mario
Team 2: Chicken Hawk, Diesel, Mossy Oak, Iron Man, Trespass, Dragon, Contra

RESULTS:

  • Hang time (with bonus for most pullups): Team 1 = 4.5 / Team 2 = 6.5 >> TEAM 2
  • Press time: Team 1 = 6 / Team 2 = 2 (one tie) >> TEAM 1
  • Shuttle: Team 1 = 4 / Team 2 = 4 (had one rematch) >> TIE
  • OVERALL WINNER: TEAM 1 !!! Yeah baby!!!

Since I tied the performance to a reward, all the kids were really engaged, pushing themselves and each other, holding each other accountable by not letting others slack. Everyone really got after it!! GREAT mumblechatter, alot of fun!! Even the new ones quickly meshed in with the others and really got after it – both in fitness and in fellowship. It was awesome to see!! Not to mention fun for everyone. I saw smiles on everyone. Mission accomplished. We moseyed over to the COT and let the victors enjoy the rewards.

COT, P&P ensued. Not alot of prayers, but I let them all know I pray for them daily.

Had ALOT of fun naming the FNGs. Chick Flick was named by his older brother Mossy Oak, and you can tell they both enjoyed that.

NMM:

Today I wanted to drive home a couple of key terms – Fellowship and Impact – and how they are part of everyone’s lives.

When I asked them what fellowship means to them, I got the expected – friends, friendship, having a good time, and so on. That’s part of it, but in my opinion fellowship runs deeper, stronger. Fellowship involves effort towards mutual trust, reliance, respect, acceptance, accountability, and vulnerability, creating a bond that is more than friendship. We as men, old or young, tend to carry all of our burdens on our own shoulders. We let self perceived things like fear, anger, pride, prejudice, shame, expectation, and guilt prevent us from lightening those burdens through developing a fellowship with others. It takes a brave person to make themselves vulnerable to try to develop a fellowship with someone else, but when you do it becomes a blessing. Life changing. Forging a fellowship allows all the walls we each build around us to protect ourselves from each other to come down. A good fellowship can make the difference in being miserable at the home, or – more than just surviving – enjoying the blessings the home provides. It all starts with trust and making yourself vulnerable to others. Fellowship is a really strong word in life. It all starts with the first step of making yourself vulnerable. Life is much easier when you have a fellowship with others. I encouraged them to seek fellowship at the home, find a battle buddy to make life at the home much more enjoyable.

When I asked them what the word impact means, in general I heard something along the lines of one thing pushing on another, involving some type of force. In a nutshell, that is correct. It is just how it is applied in the F3 world – and thus life in general – is what they needed clarification on. Impact is in its simplest form how something changes or affects something or someone else. The most crucial is how one’s actions impact the lives of others. I was blunt and straightforward with them when I discussed how the actions of their parents, loved ones, or others impacted their lives and led them to the home, or how their actions may have impacted their lives in school or home and led them to the home. In all cases the impact started with a choice to do something. True to physics, everything you do creates an impact on your life and something or someone else. It is inescapable. This is where they need to do their best to put their past behind them and move forward with what the home provides for them and try to make positive impacts in their lives. Sky Q knows the path, and shows the path. It is up to them to follow it to a better life. I left the subject of impact with reinforcing to them that they cannot control others’ choices, but you can control your own and how you react to your situation.

Sometime during the workout I also briefly discussed what happens when you combine the two – a fellowship with impact. They go hand in hand. You bond with someone, and you have a mutually beneficial relationship where both parties are trying to make each other better. We call that a whetstone relationship.

It was a great evening there. I strongly encourage the PAX to come out and be a part of this.

-NASA

PS – My thoughts on the kids at the home

Often when I show up at Guidance, I really do not know what to expect. How many older PAX will come out to support? How many kids will be there? Will there be new kids? Would some of the repeat attendee kids be gone without notice (a sad-happy moment)? Sometimes it’s just me and a handful of kids. Sometimes it a good crowd of old and young, full of energy. As a site Q, and workout Q, you really have to be prepared for the unexpected…….tailor your weinke for a specific crowd, number, etc, and it may not be as engaging. You really have to be able to read the crowd and know how to push each button right in order to get them engaged, to reach them. Only way to be able to do that is be there and get to know them. An impression can be made with one visit, but a real impact can only be made through time.

The youth at the home are not there on their own making. They were thrust there unexpectedly due to the actions, or lack thereof, of others who were supposed to be caretakers to them. The IMPACT on their lives. There is also self accountability in play as well, for each teen is responsible for their own actions – or IMPACT – on their own lives or that of others. But I truly feel that how a child behaves is the result of their environment, the community they know. No child is brought into this world bad, they are made that way. They did not choose to be troubled teens, they were made that way due to lack of positive impact on their lives. No child should go through what they had to, but unfortunately it happens. They are all in the same boat regardless of age, color, etc.. Whether they know it or not they are forging a fellowship with others at the home because of this commonality. After some time they grow together, create tight fellowships. You can see it as each child spends more time with others there.

Some have grown together with me. After the workouts end, I usually stay after for some time with them because during the workout, we are their chaperones of sorts. When we leave, they have to go back in their cottage. They don’t want that, so I try and stay as long as I can. This time myself and Chicken Hawk stayed and played some basketball. The kids love to be outside, and most love basketball. Plus it gives us more time to bond, to get to know them, them know us, and each other open up a little more. This is when I usually get a peek into their worlds a little more each visit.

Today was no different. After basketball ended around 8:30 or so, C-Hawk went home and I sat down on a nearby picnic table and just started talking with a few of the teens – Contra, Trespass, Dragon, Mossy Oak, and Chick Flick. I  noticed early on that Dragon, a FNG, was very friendly, engaging. I decided to try and get to know him by asking general questions – where are you from, where do you go to school, what do you like to do, etc. The general questions I ask all the kids. He was quite open and we had a great conversation going. Then I decided to probe a little more by bluntly asking “what’s your story, what brought you to the home?” I don’t always ask this, for it is a very touchy subject for the kids and I have to know without a doubt that they will trust me with their story. I assured him that nobody will be allowed any negative input towards him if he responds. The other kids were all quiet at this time, but not really looking at him, just doing their thing. To my delightful surprise he told me everything – what happened to him daily growing up in Hackensack, NJ – directly across from the Bronx, NY – a tough tough area for kids. Then why they moved to Charlotte, how he ended up in the home, then his plans for the near future.  I was honored for him to trust me enough for him to tell me this, and i let him know that. It was a breakthrough moment in my opinion with this young man, but that was not the only breakthrough. During our conversation I noted that the other kids with us were really paying attention to him, watching and listening. Eventually they started getting involved in the conversation, asking questions and offering their emotional support to him. BUILDING A FELLOWSHIP!! Next thing I knew, after Dragon was done, Contra asked to tell his story, then Trespass, then the two FNG brothers Mossy Oak and Chick Flick. WOW!! As we went on, the crowd around us grew, over half the kids were engaged in the stories of each others lives. More fellowship be built!!

As great as it was for them to trust me, and the others listening, to tell their stories, the things I was hearing was hard to hear and making my heart hurt for them.  The things their parents and loved ones did to negatively impact their lives was astonishing to me, but I was outside my bubble of comfortability and taking a peek into their everyday lives. Things like alcohol/drug abuse, physical abuse, mental/emotional abuse, parental incarceration, and horrible neglect were their everyday worlds and nearly all they knew. Despite that, all of these kids at the home are coping quite well in my opinion, they are good kids at heart with hope in their eyes. The really bad kids, the ones most others really give up on, are sent to different homes. These kids at Guidance are good kids at heart that are starting to grow a tough shell and negative outlook on their lives, and in risk of choosing a good path in life or a bad one. They are really in need of what their parents could not give – a positive, nurturing environment, positive role models, positive influence and Guidance (that’s why Travolta chose the AO name).

This is where the home does an outstanding job. I’ve seen positive change in these kids from the time they first show up until they leave. And I know for a fact that F3’s continued presence there has had a positive impact on the kids – I hear testament from the staff at the home, and I see it as the kids become more and more engaged with each passing workout. That is very reassuring. With that they’ve become somewhat like my own sons, even though I don’t get to see them as much as I would like. Sometimes I know when they are going to leave (they or the councelors will tell me). Sometimes I show up and they are gone – mostly back to their home (after SC DCC determines it has changed to a good environment), but on occasion they go to the home for more problem children. It’s a happy-sad moment whenever I show up and kids are gone – for example Travolta (home), Yzerman (home), Eagle Eye (grandmother’s), Superman (different childrens home), and recently Sherlock and Phoenix went back home. It’s selfesh for me to be sad at their leaving, for they grow a spot in your heart, but there is also joy at the hope that they are home where they should be and hopefully there is now a much better life ahead than before Guidance.

I hope and pray that myself, and the other F3 PAX who have come out to the home, made a positive impact on their lives like F3 has done for us. I believe we have. But there will be an endless stream of at-risk kids coming to CAH Guidance as time passes. We F3 PAX have to continue our presence there!! There are not many men coming out to the home – CAH staff told me once that we are one of 2 or 3 mens groups that come out specifically to be with the boys. The male teens NEED positive male role models at this point in their lives – they are screaming for it, whether they know it or not. Women can do only so much for teen boys, for they really cannot give them what men can. Men need to step up and lead them, be role models for them, lead from the front by example, and help them make sense of the testosterone-induced changes that are happening to their minds and bodies . It is an enduring effort to be there for them, a calling. Intentionality at it’s most extreme. It will push your limits of patience, grace, mercy. BUT it is not about us. We are all about fellowship and faith towards each other, we need to extend that to these at risk kids. Give it away to those most in need. The only reward you will get is the personal satisfaction knowing you have helped someone through the positive impact you have imparted on them. The greater the numbers, the greater the impact. Please consider joining this effort.

 

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A Sunny Saturday Afternoon at CAH

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20 posted for a Saturday afternoon game day at the Children’s attention home.  The boys were already playing basketball before we got started, but they still had some energy to burn.  So, we did a slow mosey/walk to the field up the street from CAH and got to it.  Here is what we did:

The Thang:

Mini- COP

SSH x 20, merkin x 10,   windmill x 10, squat x 10, mountain climber x 10

We split the group up and played a friendly, but competitive game of kickball.  There were some good plays, some not-so-good plays, but we all had a lot of fun on a beautiful, late afternoon spring day.  I think the score was 8-7, but it wasn’t important who won the game.  The time we spent together, getting to know each other better and learning from each other, was what it was about.

Welcome FNG/Trek Star who is a friend of  Man of Steel (my son), and also, who we found out today, a neighbor of NASA’s.  He said that he enjoyed himself today and wants to come again.  I was very happy to hear that and hope that he can join us any time we come to CAH.

I told the boys about a news story I saw this week about a high school boy named Gerald Hodges who swam for his high school swim team in Texas.   It’s an amazing story about a young athlete, who could have easily played for just about any sport team at his school.  But instead, chose to join the school swim team.  Gerald could barely swim, but decided to join the swim team because he wanted to learn how to handle failure if it happened (it didn’t).   Being able to handle failures and learn from them, Gerald thought, would make him successful.  This to me, was an incredibly mature thing for an 18 year old to do, and was a powerful message for anyone.  The link to this story is below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0tjVEncJyg

My thanks to NASA for the invitation to Q.  I have been absent from the CAH for too long and plan on getting there more regularly this year.

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3

Fun with Big Balls and Little Balls at Guidance

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One of the things you have to appreciate about serving, I don’t mean sending a letter to a service member oversees or collecting cereal boxes kind of serving… rather I’m talking about roll your sleeves up and get into the trenches kind of serving with the people that you are serving… is the reality that you can’t anticipate what the twists and turns and speed bumps and hurdles that will experienced along the way.  Not to mention what God will show you along the way.

This post at Guidance started out surprisingly divided as the great divider was working overtime with these young men with a little in-fighting and much negativity of those moping around not wanting to participate.  It was apparent that even one of the boy’s that is new since our last visit was spewing negativity and didn’t want to participate.  This day required an overdrive of positivity and encouragement with a dose of peer accountability and expectation set by the Pax.  By the end of our time with the boys the mood changed materially and the boys had fun and were much more engaged and participatory.

What is the lesson?  First, I’ve noticed that currently amongst the boys there is lacking leadership within that has positivity rather there is more negativity that is infecting the home.  In reflection, this is a reality in my daily life that in my home, work, F3 or any group I participate in I can be that person that takes the group to new heights with my positivity or I can be the cancer that infects the group and at worst infects others or at best stagnates the group at mediocrity.  I challenge the Pax to be a light in the circles you run in but also take your light into the world, into these darker places in our community to be a light, a beacon of hope and encouragement.  Serving the least of us is not easy, comfortable or always safe but we are called to step out of our comfort zones and serve.

The Thang:

Mosey to the church at the top of the hill (slow but steady).  We had some fast pacers and some slow anchors to get to the top of the hill.

COP:

It is not abnormal to have varied participation amongst the boys but today they were going to hold each other accountable to participate because we weren’t going to stop until they could string together three exercises in a row with full participation and effort.

SSH – 10x – Not all participated so exercise didn’t count

Squats – 10x – Again not all participated …

Imperial Walkers – 10x Now we’re talking!  All boys are in!

Mountains Climbers – 10x Best yet!

Windmills – 10x Mission accomplished

In the spirit of Easter we dispatched the boys to search the property (aka Easter Egg hunt style) to find the supplies for the next event.  Searching for 4 bases and two balls the boys scoured the grounds, secured provisions and returned to the field.

Ended the work out playing kick ball with a twist.  Playing one round with a large 20″ exercise ball and the other round with a dodge ball.  Each time the kicking team got on base the fielding team had to do a burpee and each time the fielding team got an out then the kicking team had to do a burpee.

COT and mosey home!

Editorial Comment:  The beginning of the workout shows me that these boys need the men of F3, they need more men to invest in their lives, to give them direction, accountability and hope. Consider how you can invest your time in their future!  They don’t need more prayers… they need  men to be in community with them on a consistent ongoing basis.

Chicken Hawk

 

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6

#Seeitbeit – Paradise Reading Center

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I had the chance to listen live to David Chadwick (Senior Pastor, Forest Hill Church) talk about his recent interview with Charlotte Police Chief, Kerr Putney. In his final question, David asked the Police Chief: What can the church do to make Charlotte a better place to live? The Chief listed three items:

“We need three things,” the Chief said:

  1. Volunteers to hold babies
  2. Volunteers to read to kids
  3. Mentors for kids, Especially male mentors

In that moment, I wanted to say, “David, there is this group of guys that are already doing this!” #F3Nation. In that moment, I was especially proud to be one of the PAX! My mind went to the good work the PAX are doing with the Children’s Attention Home and The Paradise Reading Center (and more!).

My opportunity to be the change I want to see was with serving the underserved community of Paradise. My first time volunteering I was excited to see, how may kids showed up to this after school program for help with reading and homework. And also, how fun, energetic and smart they are (My first reading partner was Kelvin, a six year, who was easily a better reader than me when I was six. He didn’t laugh too hard when he had to correct me with the correct pronunciation of, “Galileo”)!

I also had the chance to watch CoPay give his story. What a story! And more importantly T-Claps for this HIM for showing our youth, if you can see it, you can be it! I simply followed Copay’s (and Deacon’s!) lead and made it known to them I wanted to share my story too.

Deacon sent me an outline with suggestions of what I should cover during my 10 minute talk (1. My personal background, 2. What I wanted to be when I was a kid, 3. My job, 4. School experience, 5. Advice I wanted to share with them) and I was ready.

I was pumped to share my story with the hope that if just one kid could #seeitbeit, then it was well worth the 60 minutes I spent with the kids that day.

 

NMM:

F3 has made me physically stronger, put more PAX in my life that have given me great community, and have helped me to have a better walk with Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior.  To give a little back to this community that has given me so much was a true pleasure.

Thank you to the PAX for all being HIMs in your own individual ways.

—————————————————————————————————————–

The Reading Center takes place every Monday and Wednesday from 4PM-5PM at Bethlehem Baptist Church 601 Joe Louis St. Fort Mill,SC 29715. The kids are doing homework and reading and we have the opportunity to assist or listen. This is  a great opportunity for us to mentor and encourage beyond the workout. Looking to get a schedule with 4-8 PAX each session starting 1/8/17 and going throughout the school year.

See link to sign up. https://docs.google.com/document/d/11ak80g7L12X6hCDN1_h5cSUemDlqWzBdgMyJII1RHy4

——————————————————————————————————————

#CoopStrong

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8

PREBLAST: 2018 at Guidance – PAX Support Needed

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We have kicked off 2018 at Children’s Attention Home / Guidance!!

Rock Hill’s Dawg Pound is Co-Q for the Site/AO!! Woo wooo!!! He will bring Rock Hill energy to Guidance and help elevate it to new levels. We are super excited for his leadership!! Thank you Dawg Pound!!

The definition of “Guidance” is advice or information aimed at resolving a problem or difficulty, especially as given by someone in a position of authority or influence. It is also the directing of the motion or position of something towards a goal or objective.

That is exactly what we as F3 Nation intend to do, and this is where the young men need your help for the impact will be greater in numbers than alone.

We know there is alot of curiosity towards CAH, that the young men down there may not be within your comfort zone. Well it is time to step out of that comfort zone and embrace them. The young men there are in their early teens, at a vulnerable stage of great influence (good or bad). Life thrust upon them a situation that they did not ask for, and they need our love, time, support, strength, wisdom……our Guidance. Each one of them are smart, witty, and funny, but they are a close knit group working to get through life at CAH together and you can tell they lean on each other, some are hesitant to open up to outsiders.

They are not too different than some of us PAX in that they sometimes feel that they have to carry their burdens themselves and solve their own problems. They need to know that there are people out in the world they can rely on, they can trust to ‘have their back’ and lift them up when they are down, and they are part of something He has planned that is bigger than themselves. Within each one of them, hidden beneath their burdens, is a Leader and HIM. Some just do not know or realize this. This is where we as HIMs need to be Intentional and lead them through our example via the mission, principles, and foundations of F3. Now I humbly ask all area PAX and HIMs to come support this great and worthy cause.

General info for posting:

  • The first workout was 1/20/18, then the workouts are every other Saturday (2/3, 2/17, 3/3, and so on).
  • Workouts start at 4pm prompt so arrive early to prep
  • For directions, contact NASA, Dawg Pound, Decibel, Chicken Wing, Reborn, or Chicken Hawk
  • They do not want the street address or directions to their site posted online
  • Pictures or videos of the young men there are not allowed
  • These are teen boys – bring your sense of humor for they have one for sure (nothing like a fart mid-LSS to get the giggles going).
  • Trash talk – kind trash talk – is almost mandatory. Bring it if you have it.
  • 2.0’s are allowed – and encouraged – as long as they are boys over 12

If you want to Q a workout:

  • Contact NASA or Dawg Pound
  • Q schedule is on the Rock Hill tab on the Google Docs link https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mfnvJ9faf5NVFU9afWW4IDWBxJglS-4YFzZx39RGa4M/edit#gid=1726409880
  • Keep it to 30 or so minutes of workout, 30 minutes of something fun – they love basketball and football
  • Explain F3 and give the disclaimer at the beginning of each workout as usual
  • This is not a high-intensity PAX beatdown or CSAUP – these are teens in collective average shape.
  • Avoid a run-only workout as well.
  • Make it challenging yet attainable by them.
  • BE CREATIVE AND HAVE FUN…..but at the same time we want these young me to be challenged physically and mentally while achieving the goals you set for them.
  • We will be able to use the areas around the home which include Winthop University lake, the field at First Christian Church, the field behind the factory nearby, and the CAH grounds themselves.
  • In order to give them rest times – use the power of your words. Hold a short devotion incorporating the Monthly Theme that our regions are using; speak about what F3 means to you and what it has done in your life; or give them an example of a rough time in your life and how you overcame it. You can do this more than once during the workout – before the workout, after the COP, during your Thang, and before/after the COT. Keep in mind words are just words but if they have meaning, emotion, intention – they become much more powerful and impactful.
  • Engage the young men – when using your words, get them involved in the discussions through questions. Let them show you how intelligent they can be.
  • Pictures or videos of the young men there are not allowed
  • For the Name-O-Rama – please use only first names, ages, and then F3 name
  • Post a BackBlast!! I’d like this done within 48 hrs. This is marketing of the workout to build interest throughout the regions. Guidance is now live on the F3 The Fort web!

Thank you all for the support you have provided in the past and we look forward to this new year at the Children’s Attention Home. Please be praying that God will bless our efforts there so that we can build up young males that will one day be leaders in the community and beyond.
Read more – http://f3nation.com/2017/01/07/new-vision-for-childrens-attention-home/

Individual commitment to a group effort – that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work. – Vince Lombardi

 Unity is strength… when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved. These young men need our strength, our commitment, our effort to bring out the Leaders that lie within.
We need your help. All it takes is 1 hour of your time, every other week. That’s only 24 hours out of the 8,760 you will be blessed with in this year. 

We hope to see you all at Guidance. Thank you and God bless.

Aye!
-NASA and Dawg Pound

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PREBLAST: FLASH DRIVE!! Yeti Snack Drive for CAH Guidance

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Winter is here, and so is THE YETI!! I know just hearing that word gets you all excited. I am. You should be too. It will be EPIC!!!!

For those PAX who will be there (participating or whatever), I ask that you make it more than just a CSAUP.

The children of CAH Guidance need you. They also need cereal, A LOT of cereal – the go-to breakfast, snack, and substitute meal for a lot of teens. If you have one I am sure you know they eat it in bulk. We are asking those who will be participating in the Yeti, those who will be helping facilitate or assist with it, or those showing up to participate in the fellowship during or after to bring in a box (or more) of cereal for Guidance.

  • There are mostly teens at Guidance now, so remember that when choosing the cereal.
  • I will collect them in my big blue truck.  I will be running the Yeti, so I can collect them before the start. I will also collect them afterwards during the epic 2nd F at the BBQ feast.
  • For those who want to drop donations off while I may be out suffering, I mean killing it – I will leave my tailgate unlocked. Leave it in there. Look for a bright blue 4 door F-150 FX4 with F3 and Ragnar on the back Window. Please shut the tailgate when done.
  • I will drive them down to Guidance later that day.
  • IF you are participating and want to collect some from PAX who you regularly interface with, then bring it with you……that would be AWESOME!!! Challenge for site/AO Q’s……

My apologies for the short notice, but sometimes last-minute picks can bear alot of perfectly ripe fruit.

The PAX of F3 The Fort, Rock Hill, and York have a great thing going at CAH Guidance. We meet with the young men there regularly not just to workout, but teach them the F3 way, mentor them, bring Him into their lives more, and just be a male role model and positive presence in their lives in this tough time they’re going through. The youth there are amazing, wonderful, good kids that are dealing with something no kid should have to.  It has had a great positive impact on them, helping them see that there is a positive future for them and that they are indeed part of something bigger than themselves.

But we need the PAX help in many ways to plant, serve, and GROW our presence there to help invigorate the young leaders within them. Please consider helping in any way you can.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

God Bless,
-NASA and Dawg Pound

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JOE DAVIS + SPEED FOR NEED = IMPACT

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In just under a month, we will have an opportunity to run one of the best races of the year which has become our Signature Fort Race, The Joe Davis Run for Recovery.

This year is going to be particularly special in that we will also be adding the opportunity to push race chariots for SPEED FOR NEED.

Here’s how you get involved, if you know of someone who has a child with a disability, someone who has a child whose home has been affected by addiction, or a child in some other kind of need, then DM Dark Helmet on Twitter and let him know. If you would like to help push, let him know.

We have a chance to have as many as 6 chairs there (several are already spoken for, but some are empty). That’s the most of any race yet…

So man up! Register, find a “Track Commander” to push, and let’s get after it!

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