Fall Letter to Participants and Parents

“From thee I receive, to thee I give, and so we share, in this way we live.” – Quaker blessing

"Our ultimate end must be the creation of the beloved community." - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dear AMTP participants and families,

As my first summer at AMTP draws to a close, I both reflect upon many positive memories and I look ahead towards the many challenges and opportunities that face us this fall.  It is with both sadness and hope that I say goodbye to the warm, fun filled days of summer and look ahead towards all of the challenges and opportunities we face during the coming school year.  Thanks to you, the success of the AMTP 2011 summer trips far exceeded my expectations both in participation and the quality of our overall experiences.  I have thoroughly enjoyed developing relationships with you and becoming part of this wonderful AMTP community. 

Please continue to check the AMTP website regularly for the latest program and trip updates, photos, staff information, thoughts of the week, and much more at www.teenprojectnh.com   I am also enclosing a copy of the newspaper article that recently appeared in the Laconia, Gilford, and Wolfeboro newspapers about AMTP’s summer trips. 

I want to encourage you to join us for the annual AMTP 2011 summer BBQ on Sunday evening, Sept 11, at the beach of Ellacoya State Park in Gilford from 5:15 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.  We also encourage families of participants including parents, guardians, siblings, etc. to attend the BBQ. 

Ellacoya State Park is located on Highway 11 in Gilford.  We would appreciate you bringing a dish (appetizer, dessert, salad, side dish etc.) to share but bringing a dish is optional – please come with or without a dish.  Please call Dave or Nate at the AMTP office by this Thurs. to R.S.V.P. including the number of people that plan to attend and whether you plan to bring a dish to share and what you plan to bring.  We only need you to sign a liability form for this event if we are transporting you in the AMTP van or if a program participant will attend this BBQ without his/her parent(s) or guardian(s). 

This BBQ offers a wonderful opportunity for us to reflect upon our AMTP experiences this summer while simultaneously looking towards the future of our program.  It is a chance to rekindle your relationships with other AMTP families and friends.  Many of our board members will attend this BBQ and look forward to meeting you.  Former AMTP Executive Director and mentor Dan Kusch will also join us at the BBQ. 

As we look forward towards the fall and beyond, several new opportunities appear on the horizon.  First, we are planning a day trip to involve canoeing on Lake Wentworth on Sat. Sept. 17 (rain date Sat. Sept. 24) and we plan to hike and summit Mt. Chocoreau on Sat. Oct. 1 (rain date Oct. 8).  Please note that the Mt. Chocoreau will be AMTP’s most challenging hike in 2011 (we will take an easier, shorter, and safer route up the mountain that will not involve the Piper Trail).  Please call Dave A.S.A.P. to reserve a spot on these trips.   

Second, community service and leadership opportunities are at AMTP’s core.  I want to encourage everyone in the AMTP program and especially participants and family members living in Laconia to join us at the Better Together Meeting at Laconia Middle School on the 4th Thursday of every month from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.  The next meeting is this Thursday, Aug. 25 – please attend.  Fabulous leadership and community service opportunities are developed and implemented out of these meetings.  Everyone in the Lakes Region is welcome to attend these meetings.  Many important school and community leaders, especially from Laconia, attend these meetings and by showing a strong attendance at these meetings, AMTP can expand its base of support in Laconia and Belknap County which will serve us well as we look towards the future. 

Another exciting opportunity involves AMTP participants having been selected to join me in presenting information about youth living in poverty in New Hampshire to a large group of teachers and administrators in March in Concord, New Hampshire at the annual New Hampshire Educator’s Association conference.  Three participants have already expressed interest in helping to present and I am still looking for more volunteers – please contact me if you are interested. 

I have been working hard with our personnel committee this past month to hire a part time female mentor to join our staff.  We have had approximately 30 applicants for this position and we are narrowing down the pool of applicants to a few finalists.  I am extremely excited about some of the applications that we have received and I look forward to announcing the name of our newest female mentor – hopefully by the end of August or early September. 

One of our program’s biggest challenges this fall will be to raise sufficient funds to sustain the quality of AMTP programs and services in 2012 that you have come to expect from us.  Although AMTP will no longer receive funding from either the state or counties, we feel confident that our other funding sources will continue to sustain AMTP in 2012 and far into the future. 

There are many ways that you as participants and families can help us secure needed funding for 2012 and beyond.  Specifically:

1. Write a short reflection about your experiences with AMTP and how AMTP has helped you.  Please include specific stories about trips and working with AMTP staff.

2. Word of mouth is essential.  Speak with your school’s principal, guidance counselors, teachers, town selectmen and leaders, local businesses, local charities and foundations, the United Way, mental health and family service agencies, etc. about your experiences with AMTP.

3. Tell Dave about any businesses, private individuals, or charitable foundations that might make a financial contribution to AMTP.  Even small donations add up to make a big difference.

Thank you all again for the warm welcome I have received into the AMTP community during the past several months.  I look forward to continuing our journey together.

Warmest Regards,

Dave Lynch, MSW

Executive Director, AMTP