The opportunity of a lifetime for campers and volunteers alike
Former Seattle Seahawk fullback and Pro-Bowl veteran Mack Strong and his wife Zoë are working in partnership with HOPE worldwide and local organizations to bring the TEAM-WORKS Sports and Leadership Camp to Barrow, Alaska this June. The seven-day camp, running June 23-29, will provide youth in grades 7-12 from Northern Alaska’s remote villages the opportunity to receive mentorship and professional coaching in football, basketball, wrestling, volleyball, and the arts. Several dozen students from the Tulalip Tribe in Washington State will also attend. In addition to the sports and arts clinics, the Strongs and other motivational speakers will teach on character growth and leadership.
These communities are home to youth with staggering amounts of substance abuse and school dropout rates. The purpose of the camp is to provide these children with opportunities for character development and inspiration for their futures.
Barrow is the northernmost community in North America! June temperatures will barely be above freezing. The community is extremely excited to host this event. It is certainly a collaborative endeavor between the local government, school district, Alaskan corporations, and HOPE worldwide. About 20 disciples from Anchorage will be volunteering to help run the event, and a number of others will be visiting from what we in Alaska call “the lower 48.” The Strongs are coming from Seattle, San Diego Charger Ian Scott and family are visiting from San Diego, and former professional basketball player/Evangelist Brandle Studevan is traveling from Kansas City—all to provide the opportunity of a lifetime for these kids to receive world-class coaching on and off the field.
Mack and Zoë, who live in the Seattle area, hosted the TEAM-WORKS Sports and Leadership Camp on the Tulalip Reservation in Washington State for three consecutive years. About 100 Native American youth from Washington and Idaho spent three days working with professional and collegiate athletes and other volunteers on their sports skills and personal character development. They also celebrated their cultures with song, storytelling, and dance. The camp has grown in attendance every year and is held in high esteem by the youth and the tribal communities. The Strongs and HOPE worldwide—Alaska Chapter are excited to bring an expanded version of this camp to the “top of the world” at Barrow. The local community has expressed its excitement and support of this prospect. The goal is for 400 students to attend the camp.
For more information, to donate, or to find other ways you can help, please visit www.topoftheworldcamp.org or www.hopeww.org/alaska. Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with any questions.
Visit us at www.HOPEww.org to learn more about all of HOPE worldwide's programs and see how you can be a part of global change to bring hope to some of the world's most needy.
To read more articles from HOPE worldwide on Disciples Today:
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Reflections on the Global Summit 2010 |
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Students to Create "Lots of Change" Click here |
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Specialized HVC for Haiti Click here |