Who needs to have fun, right? Well, I would say – everyone. Perhaps we buy into the idea that people need a lot of money to have fun. And to a certain degree, in our culture, that is true. But it is not entirely accurate, and the danger is this mentality forgets the importance of fun on a deep, human level. We tend to drift away from the importance of fun in our culture of hyper-efficiency and ‘keeping up with the Joneses’, which is unique to the United States, and even more so in places like California and New York. It’s important to remember:
To have fun is a part of being functional
Here at Koinonia, we recognize the importance of fun and do everything in our power to provide opportunities to have fun for our youth. After all, we were all raised to play before we could work. There is a lie that we may believe, claiming that we phase out of fun and into work, but even if that were true, all youth should still be able to play. Thankfully, we partnered with some amazing people to provide a thrilling experience for our kids!
On Wednesday, July 27th, Koinonia brought teens and staff to Wake Island. What is this place, you might ask? Wake Island is a water wonderland with no boats – but rather mechanics – that pull a person to wakeboard as if they were behind a boat! Not only that, but they have obstacle courses, zip-lining, a ninja race course, paddle boards, and even a hamster wheel. No doubt, the kids had a blast! Huge shout-out to Krystal Edwards and her teammates at Kaiser Permanente for pooling personal resources to make this possible. A Big Koinonia thank you to Krystal and her team!
August 1st kicked the month off with another spectacular event by the non-profit In His Wakes. This time, the teens that went boarded and tubed behind boats. Wakeboarding, lessons for beginners, and inter-tubing were all facilitated for different comfort levels. In His Wakes also provided a message of hope for our youth, to which several teens responded to positively. Spirits were lifted high! Some kids’ bodies also lifted high as they caught air on the inter-tubes. Let’s give a big Koinonia thank you to Joanne at Sheridan Oaks Water Ski Club and to In His Wakes for making this possible! Events like these are some of the most significant difference makers for our kids, and how amazing is it that we get to facilitate positive life-change just as youth are transitioning to adulthood? It could not be more of an honor.
Remember to have fun with your friends and family. Don’t forget, having fun is part of being healthy. So get some rays, splash in some water, and soak in some joy, as that joy can change us profoundly – and even be contagious to others! As Koinonia continues to gain momentum once again (in the wake of the last couple of years), we will not hold back in generating fun and sharing joy with our community. There are a lot of opportunities to do this with us – especially during the holidays, when our teens need positive interactions and lasting memories. If your heart desires to have a huge impact – and to have fun doing so – email us at teens@kfh.org.