Young Life Organization

Young Life, a national non-profit organization based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, was founded in 1941. Young Life’s mission as an evangelical Christian group is to introduce young people to Christianity and help them feel comfortable with faith-oriented ways of living.

The organization has over 700 chapters across the United States and worldwide, and the major evangelical events held for high school and college-age individuals include summer camps, where young people are encouraged to relax, have fun, and learn about Christianity. The Young Life organization also offers several niche programs, including Wyldlife, for middle school students; Young Life Capernaum, for youth with mental and physical handicaps; and Young Life Military, for the children of active military personnel. Each summer, over 100,000 young people spend time at the Young Life summer camps and several more participate in Young Life social activities at local chapters throughout the year.

About the Author: As a young person exploring his faith, Cliff Kigar is a member of the Young Life group in Lewis Center, Ohio. Cliff attends Club and Campaigners activities and enjoys the fun of the Young Life community.

Cliff Kigar Outlines Lacrosse’s History

Not only is lacrosse fun to play, but it also has a rich history, dating back hundreds of years and originating with the Native Americans. Teams consisted of entire Native American villages, and the sport was considered a good preparation for war.

Europeans began playing after they saw the Native Americans compete. The sport received its modern name when Frenchmen thought the playing stick resembled “la crosse,” the curved portion of a bishop’s staff. Canadians began playing in the 19th century, and they soon established a governing body and written rules. Only after the American Civil War did the sport became popular in the United States, and teams often sprang up on college campuses that sponsored ice hockey. In fact, the original rules of hockey derived from Canadian lacrosse rules.

Committees chose collegiate champions until 1971, when the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) launched a nationwide tournament. Many colleges have club teams, run by students, existing alongside their varsity counterparts. Today, women’s lacrosse is growing, too; the women’s game is substantially different from men’s lacrosse, with smaller sticks, less protective gear, and prohibitions against body contact.

About Cliff Kigar: When he is not playing lacrosse or competing in cross country at his high school, Cliff Kigar enjoys sailing, skimboarding, swimming, basketball, and playing guitar.

Young Life: Creatively Sharing God’s Love with Youth for over 70 Years

Cliff Kigar, a Lewis Center, Ohio, student at Olentangy High school, participates in Young Life. Part of the vast Young Life community, Cliff Kigar is one of over a million youth whose lives are impacted by the organization each year.

When Jim Rayburn began Young Life in 1941, he aimed to meet kids on their level, and to accept them as they were, while sharing with them the message of God’s love. Now, five Young Life presidents and more than 70 years later, the organization continues operating with the same mission.

Young Life’s mission is implemented, first and foremost, through the adult leaders who dedicate energy and countless hours of time developing meaningful relationships with kids. These relationships, built on trust, and developed over time, communicate to youth that they are valuable and worthy, and that God designed their lives with purpose.

Participants in Young Life are invited to attend Young Life Club each week for high-energy fellowship and a simple message about the love of Jesus Christ. Also, they have the opportunity to attend summer camp, which is often reported as the highlight of kids’ adolescent years—and lives. The Campaigners program offers Young Life participants a more in-depth faith experience on a weekly basis.

A Novice Guitarist’s Guide: Tips for Beginners

An avid lacrosse player, Cliff Kigar is also a talented guitarist. He started playing a couple of years ago and has since enhanced his skill level, even performing Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love” on stage with a local band at a venue named Hoggy’s in Delaware, Ohio. Novice guitarists like Cliff Kigar can run into several speed bumps when they try to learn too quickly, play too fast, or skip out on the fundamentals of playing guitar. This article will serve as a brief overview of the first steps an individual can take once he or she buys a guitar.

1. Learn how to hold the instrument. This depends on if you are right- or left-handed, but the guitar should rest on your right thigh and only touch the right half of your abdomen when sitting down.

2. Practice strumming. Once a beginner guitarist learns the rhythm of the down stroke (on the beat) and the upstroke (on the offbeat), he or she will be able to tackle more difficult strumming techniques. Tapping your foot also helps with this step.

3. Learn where to put your fingers. The tip of your finger should rest against the back end of the fret on the string you want to play. Remember to press somewhat hard so that the strings won’t buzz against the other frets.

4. Relax. Playing guitar is a skill that feels more natural with time, and the more relaxed your body is while you are holding the instrument, the easier and more quickly you will understand the fundamentals of playing guitar.