Don't mind a little rain when you can see a rainbow

Rain----that's exactly what happened at the Kicking Bear campout in Lewiston, MN at the Lewiston Sportsman's Club. Seems like it always rains at this event, no matter what weekend they choose. However, the rain didn't dampen anyone's spirit and although tents got wet, feet sloshed through wet grass, and paths turned to mud, everyone had a super time! Actually the weather was beautiful for the games, etc. on Friday afternoon and evening so the event started out great.

It didn't rain until early the next morning and as in the past, a little rain doesn't stop kids from shooting the 3-D course. They were thrilled to be going out on the course to fling arrows at all kinds of 3-D targets--large and small. Their anticipation level was at an all-time high and they, along with their mentors and parents, were eager to get started. That's where the "rainbow" comes in. This isn't a reference to the rainbow you see in the sky----but to the "rainbow" of excitement and enthusiasm shining in these kid's eyes! That's what makes it all worth while.

Many of these kids had never slept in a tent before, never shot a bow, never participated in a sack race, never experienced sitting around a bonfire, and especially never had taken part in a gigantic marshmallow fight. Wow----that's a lot to pack into a Friday evening to Saturday afternoon event!

Members of the Lewiston Sportsman's Club have been putting on these Kicking Bear events for the past 5 years. They are a great group of people who are well organized and love to give of their time and talents to help kids. As always, there was a great variety of food which everyone scarffed down as though they hadn't eaten in days! It seems like that always happens when kids are outside enjoying fun activities in the fresh air. The Lewiston ladies, along with help from some of the men, put out an awesome variety of food. There was also a pig that was roasted right at the club grounds and I know for a fact that no one went away hungry----unless they chose not to eat!

The Lewiston Kicking Bear event has been growing each year and this year was no different as there were approximately 180+ kids in attendance, not counting the adults. Ray's daughter, Tammy and her friend Lee were in charge of the activities for Friday evening. They did a super job of keeping the kids involved in one activity after the other. Tammy has a megaphone she lovingly refers to as her "Baby" and with that in hand, no one could doubt that she was in charge; when she spoke----everyone listened----kind of like when E.F. Hutton speaks.

When the 3-D shooting was drawing to a close and everyone had shot the course until they couldn't anymore, everyone gathered for pictures and then the whole group met in the shelter to listen as Greg "Sarge" Symons explained why it's so important to have a father figure in a child's life; then to hear Matt Berg aka "Bergie" tell first hand what it's like to be a mentor to a young person and how rewarding it is to be able to take a kid on his first hunt. When they finished, Ray told about what happened to him when he was growing up; how, like some of them, he hadn't had the opportunity to experience a lot of what he dreamed about because his parents had divorced when he was very young and he ended up in foster homes until he turned 18. He explained to them how important it was to him to have a mentor take him under his wing and how it changed his life forever for the better. He told the kids to never, never, never give up no matter what life has in store and that they could always talk to their Heavenly Father.

Before the prizes were handed out, Ray told the kids that they had already received the best prize of all----that being their mentors and parents spending time with them in the great outdoors and showing them what life is really all about. Speaking of prizes----there were many, and as always we want to thank Ray's many sponsors for their donations to these events. The Lewiston committee had also gotten donations from local businesses and they told everyone there who had donated what and thanked them for getting involved with helping kids. They also received monetary donations, and with those they were able to purchase seven bows to give away----five of these from Diamond by BowTech which is one of Ray's main sponsors, and a truly wonderful sponsor of Kicking Bear.