Club goes above and beyond to reach youth
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --
After two years and three moves, Club Beyond has found a new home at Incirlik in Building 884.
Club Beyond is an extracurricular organization aimed at giving like-minded junior high and high school students a place to gather and improve their moral values.
"Club Beyond is a relation-based ministry," said Kurt Anderson, Club Beyond community director. "Our purpose is to provide a place and a program on base that builds relationships with children where we have a trust-based friendship and are able to influence their lives."
Incirlik's detachment of Club Beyond has seen many changes in the two years it has been here.
Starting out in the Community Activities Center, Club Beyond eventually moved to the former Crossroads Café. Since then wing leadership has provided them their own facility next to the Connection coffee house.
"We have a lot of furniture and equipment to turn into the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office and some building and painting to do," said Mr. Anderson.
Some of the students and parents are going to help with the renovations and work toward personalizing the club throughout the month of August.
Club Beyond is comprised of two groups: small group and club.
Small group includes in-depth conversations about the student's beliefs. Middle school students meet every Friday at 4:30 p.m. and high school students meet at 7:00 p.m. in the west side of Building 884.
Now that the school year has begun there will be the addition of high school club at 7:00 p.m. Mondays and middle school club at 5:30 p.m. Fridays.
"We are outreach oriented so we want to do a lot of activities to invite the students to participate in Club Beyond," said Mr. Anderson.
Mr. Anderson said club activities involve music and games, and wrap up with a 10-15 minute group discussion.
"Club talk is designed for every child and is nonthreatening and fun," said Mr. Anderson. "It is not bible study, but is designed to challenge children to look at their life issues."
Apart from the meetings held in the club's facility, there are events planned for Saturdays. Such trips have included visiting Mersin, an Outdoor Recreation tubing trip and dive-in movies at the base pool.
"It's a well-known fact the younger population has little to do on base," said Airman 1st Class Daniel Salanoa, 39th Medical Operations Squadron and Club Beyond volunteer. "This program gives the youth a place to come and hang out and an alternative to using easily-accessible alcohol and drugs."
During spring break, Club Beyond has an annual service project which has been held in Slovakia for the past four years. This year they also visited the Czech Republic and Poland, and plan to go this school year.
Club Beyond initially started outside the United States; however, there are now more than 25 stateside and more than 20 overseas installations offering the program.
For more information on what Club Beyond is or how Airmen and dependents can get involved contact Mr. Anderson at 676-8289, 676-6441 or e-mail him at kurta63@googlemail.com.
Club Beyond is an extracurricular organization aimed at giving like-minded junior high and high school students a place to gather and improve their moral values.
"Club Beyond is a relation-based ministry," said Kurt Anderson, Club Beyond community director. "Our purpose is to provide a place and a program on base that builds relationships with children where we have a trust-based friendship and are able to influence their lives."
Incirlik's detachment of Club Beyond has seen many changes in the two years it has been here.
Starting out in the Community Activities Center, Club Beyond eventually moved to the former Crossroads Café. Since then wing leadership has provided them their own facility next to the Connection coffee house.
"We have a lot of furniture and equipment to turn into the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office and some building and painting to do," said Mr. Anderson.
Some of the students and parents are going to help with the renovations and work toward personalizing the club throughout the month of August.
Club Beyond is comprised of two groups: small group and club.
Small group includes in-depth conversations about the student's beliefs. Middle school students meet every Friday at 4:30 p.m. and high school students meet at 7:00 p.m. in the west side of Building 884.
Now that the school year has begun there will be the addition of high school club at 7:00 p.m. Mondays and middle school club at 5:30 p.m. Fridays.
"We are outreach oriented so we want to do a lot of activities to invite the students to participate in Club Beyond," said Mr. Anderson.
Mr. Anderson said club activities involve music and games, and wrap up with a 10-15 minute group discussion.
"Club talk is designed for every child and is nonthreatening and fun," said Mr. Anderson. "It is not bible study, but is designed to challenge children to look at their life issues."
Apart from the meetings held in the club's facility, there are events planned for Saturdays. Such trips have included visiting Mersin, an Outdoor Recreation tubing trip and dive-in movies at the base pool.
"It's a well-known fact the younger population has little to do on base," said Airman 1st Class Daniel Salanoa, 39th Medical Operations Squadron and Club Beyond volunteer. "This program gives the youth a place to come and hang out and an alternative to using easily-accessible alcohol and drugs."
During spring break, Club Beyond has an annual service project which has been held in Slovakia for the past four years. This year they also visited the Czech Republic and Poland, and plan to go this school year.
Club Beyond initially started outside the United States; however, there are now more than 25 stateside and more than 20 overseas installations offering the program.
For more information on what Club Beyond is or how Airmen and dependents can get involved contact Mr. Anderson at 676-8289, 676-6441 or e-mail him at kurta63@googlemail.com.
