Club Beyond teens travel Italian style

  • Published
  • By Lori Burling Alves
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, That's Amoré.
When the world seems to shine like you've had too much wine, That's Amoré. 

Decades ago, Dean Martin sang about falling in love Italian style. This week, several teens from Incirlik Air Base are singing about falling in love in Italy ... with pizza. 

"I had the best pizza I've ever had in my life. It was this little spot in an alley and it was awesome. They used pesto, it was so good," said Ryan Ruiz, 16, who was one of nine teenagers who visited Italy for a week with Club Beyond. 

Club Beyond, a faith-based youth ministry for middle and high school teens who are part of military families, hosts a European summer camp every year at Camp Darby, just outside Pisa, Italy. Nearly 1,000 teenagers attended the camp over a three-week period, according to Chris O'Shaughnessy, the community director here for Club Beyond and a leader at the Italian camp. The teens left the first week of July and returned this past weekend. 

"We met tons of people," said Josh Hill, 17. "We met kids from England, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands. It was awesome." 

Josh and most of the teens that attended the camp made lasting friendships, even exchanging e-mail addresses. Over the week stay, the group spent three days at a beach in Tirrenia, visited Pisa, swam at an Italian water park and scurried through the cliff-built town of Cinqueterra. Nights were spent back at camp for dinner and Club Beyond meetings, where hundreds of teens came together to discuss teen-related issues and religion. 

"I think they really enjoyed Cinqueterra. They weren't too impressed with the beach because Turkey has so many beautiful beaches, but they were impressed with Cinqueterra. It's what you would picture Italy to be," said Mr. O'Shaughnessy. 

Cinqueterra is built within a mountain. The small town offered authentic Italian dining, street vendors, cliff diving and snorkeling. The teens didn't do much diving, but they did jump into blue waters from a cliff about 30 feet high. 

"It was groovy," said Raustin Hernández, 15, who said his favorite part of the trip was having the gelatto, Italian ice cream. 

"I think that was the only Italian they learned. How to order the gelatto," said Mr. O'Shaughnessy. 

Club Beyond was established by military chaplains who saw a need for a youth ministry for the more than 300,000 sons and daughters of armed forces overseas and the United States. The program, sponsored by Military Community Youth Ministries, began in Germany and currently operates at Air Force, Army and Navy bases around the world in countries such as Germany, Belgium, Korea, Japan, the Netherlands, England, Italy, and just recently, Turkey. Since being established at Incirlik in May, more than 50 of the 250 middle and high school kids are attending Club Beyond activities. 

"That's really good for this base, said Mr. O'Shaughnessy. "We're just kind of getting geared up for the school year. We really kick it off once school starts again. Hopefully, more teens will come out after hearing these kids talk about their experiences in Italy."
The teens that traveled to Italy say they had a great time, but more importantly, built friendships. The nine travelers had a reunion dinner at Mr. O'Shaughnessy's home three days after returning from Italy. 

"I think they had a great time and just wanted to share pictures and tell stories," said Mr. O'Shaughnessy. 

Brooke Gillespie, 16, said she enjoyed the trip, but was disappointed with the leaning Tower of Pisa, the infamous bell tower built in 1173. 

"I guess I just thought it would be better. I anticipated more, but it was still fun," she said. "The whole trip was good for me. I mean, not many 16 year olds get to go to Italy. I just feel really lucky." 

Club Beyond will continue its Monday night meetings throughout the summer.