Annual YAC-tivities!

Other than monthly meetings, The Youth Advisory Council does service projects throughout the year. Here are our major projects:

September: Annual YAC Leadership Retreat The Fall Retreat is the first meeting of the year. New and returning YACers alike get together to vote for officers (President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Sergeant of Arms, and Public Relations), and participate in different team-building leadership activities.

November: Youth on the Roof YAC Roof Sit  Every year, YAC holds a Roof Sit to benefit a local charity. YACers collect pledges and donations and sit on scaffolding in downtown Hastings. Previous Roof Sit beneficiaries include: Green Gables Haven, Big Brothers, Big Sisters, The Barry Commission on Aging’s Kinship Care Program, and Habitat for Humanity. The date of the Roof Sit is also when the fall cycle of grants is reviewed.

December: Adopt A Classroom For Christmas   Every December, YAC “adopts” a classroom of low-income children and their siblings, and buys them presents for Christmas. Then YAC delivers the wrapped presents to the classroom, presents the toys and throws a Christmas party. This is a favorite YAc-tivity, since the YACers get to dress up as Santa and his Elves!

March: Big Brothers, Big Sisters Bowl for Kids Sake   Every year, YAC is one of the sponsors for Barry County’s Bowl for Kids Sake. YAC members collect pledges, and then attend the Bowl-A-Thon to raise money for Big Brothers, Big Sisters.

April: Spring Cycle Grant Review   Grants from the spring cycle are reviewed and voted on at the April meeting.

May: End of the Year Party!  The May meeting is the last formal meeting of the year, so YAC parties! Ice cream sundaes are served, music is played, and everyone has a good time! The recipient(s) of the YAC Summer Internship is announced at this meeting as well.

June: Summer YAC Camp  Every year, the Council of Michigan Foundations (CMF) holds YAC Camp at a Michigan university.  YACers meet with other YACers from different parts of the state, country, and world, attend classes and workshops, and have a lot of fun! The Barry Community Foundation pays for several YACers to attend.