Winterfest Information

It’s almost here!

 

We leave for Winterfest on Friday at 8 am, so please be to the building by 7:50 at the latest. If at all possible, please try to turn in the medical release form tomorrow night, as this will help us get on the road quicker on Friday morning. If for some reason circumstances have changed and you will not be able to attend this weekend, please let me know as soon as possible so I can make the proper arrangements and not pay for tickets to Winterfest that we don’t need. If you need a letter to get an excused absence for school, please let me know. Some schools only require a note from the parent and some schools are out for a teacher workday on Friday anyway, so check with your school.

 

If you are curious about the line-up/schedule, you can go to www.winterfest.org

 

to check it out. If you want to attend the Sixteen Cities

 

concert on Friday, the tickets are $12 extra, and that has to be paid in cash.

 

Items to make sure to bring with you:

Warm clothes – you will be standing outside for long periods of time. The weather is supposed to be pretty nice, but bring something for rain, just in case.

Money for 7 meals.

Extra money for snacks and any junk... uhh... I mean, souvenirs you may want. Winterfest T-shirts are $12 if you want one.

Snacks – it is much cheaper to bring them with you than to buy them there.

Bible, notebook, pen

Any PG or G movies we may want to watch as a group on the bus.

 

Items not to bring with you:

Weapons (this includes pocket-knives) – No buying knives or Airsoft guns at the stores in Gatlinburg

Drugs or Alcohol (did I really have to write that?) – if you are taking any medication, let Greg and your chaperone know

MP3 players, Portable Video Games, Personal DVD Players – Cell phones will be permitted except for during specific times – but do not bring headphones for them. Part of the purpose of Winterfest is for you to spend some time growing closer with your Church family.

 

Other rules to be aware of:

Outside of the hotel, students are to be in groups of no less than five, or with an adult at all times

Students in 7th or 8th grades have to be in a group with 10th graders or higher, or with an adult

Your assigned chaperone should always know where you are

In the hotels, students of the opposite gender are only allowed together in the living area of the suites, and only then if an adult from our group is with them.

Students are not allowed to go into another group’s hotel room unless an adult from our group and their group is with them.

You will be expected to be on time and ready to go at all group meetings.

You will be expected to treat everyone with respect. This includes chaperones, other students, and all hotel, restaurant and convention center staff.

Do not damage any property. If you do damage something, you will be expected to pay for the repairs.

No Public Displays of Affection – this includes leaning on each other in the bus. This trip is designed for you to grow closer to God and the entire Youth Ministry, not as a romantic getaway for teenage love, or an opportunity to find new romantic interest.

No complaining.

There will be times where you are asked to put away your cell phones or leave them in the hotel. Please respect this rule – it has a purpose.

 

A note for parents:

Parents, please go over the rules with your students and make sure they understand them prior to leaving on Friday. If you have any questions about them, please feel free to contact me. There will be times where your child will not be allowed to have their phone on them. I will have my phone with me the entire weekend, so if you have an emergency in which you need to contact your child, call me at 843-568-6962 and I will get you in touch with your child as soon as possible. We will return around 7 pm on Sunday evening. The name of the hotel we are staying in is the Gatlinburg Towne Square.