Pathfinders, 829 strong, set up camp on the campus of Walla Walla Valley Academy, in College Place, Wash., May 14–16, for a weekend of fun activities, community service and spiritual growth. The annual Pathfinder Fair is the grand finale of the year's activities for 34 Pathfinder clubs around the Upper Columbia Conference.
Known around the world for marching, uniforms, camping and honor patches, Pathfinders is often perceived as just a fun activity for grade school children. But for Pathfinders in UCC, it is much more than that.
"The most impressionable age for kids is between 10 and 12 years old," says Wayne Hicks, UCC Pathfinder director. "We had 68 requests for baptism this year. But even after that decision is made, Pathfinder clubs continue to disciple young people in leadership skills and community outreach all the way into academy and adulthood."
At the fair each year, many teen Pathfinders receive the Teen Pathfinder of the Year Award by reaching participation requirements and completing certain devotional or Bible reading assignment during the year. At this year's Pathfinder Fair, 79 youth earned the award.
Amanda Johnson, a senior at Upper Columbia Academy, received the award for the sixth year in a row. "I've been doing Pathfinders forever since my mom is a director, but one year I saw a teen Pathfinder receive the award for their sixth time and I was impressed. I leaned over to my mom and said, 'Mom, someday I'm going to do that.'"
Throughout the weekend of the fair, Pathfinders have many opportunities to use their talents to glorify God and witness to others. This year, Pathfinders helped collect canned food for the Blue Mountain Area Community Food Bank in Walla Walla, Wash. Each club was assigned a section of town and asked to go door to door requesting a few nonperishable items for the food bank. In just a few hours, nearly 8,000 pounds of food was collected.
Gail McGhee, food bank director, was amazed. "Those young people should be commended for their efforts," she says. "It is a huge boost for us as well as our clients. The community was very generous, and I know it has a lot to do with the way the youth presented themselves at the door."
"Our kids and staff made me proud again," says Hicks. "Figuring about 1 pound per can, that's just 10 cans for each staff and Pathfinder attending. Awesome!"
Nearly 830 Pathfinders registered for the annual Pathfinder Fair this year — the largest number ever in Upper Columbia Conference history. (Jon Dalrymple)
Nearly 830 Pathfinders registered for the annual Pathfinder Fair this year — the largest number ever in Upper Columbia Conference history. (Jon Dalrymple)
Wayne Hicks, UCC Pathfinder director, reads the names of the 79 Pathfinders who received the Teen Pathfinder of the Year Award this year. (Jon Dalrymple)
Elizabeth Hoskin, a teen Pathfinder from Deer Park, Wash., waits in the shade with her Pathfinder flag for the Grand Parade to begin at the 2010 Pathfinder Fair. (Jon Dalrymple)
Hundreds of Pathfinders in dress uniform parade past the University Church in College Place, Wash., during the Grand Parade at the 2010 Pathfinder Fair. (Jon Dalrymple)
Ron Hessel, Summit Northwest Ministries Church (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) pastor, shares a song he wrote especially for the "PATH-FINDER-FAIR." Hessel was the keynote speaker for the 2010 weekend event. (Jon Dalrymple)
