Pathfinders

1. Camporee was conducted in Ashburham, Massachusetts. Every five years the SDA divisions hold division-wide international camporees. The first was at Camp Hale in Denver, Colorado in 1985. The first sponsored North American Division, of which we belong, was held in 1989 at Mt. Union, Pennsylvania. The latest International division camporee was held in August of 2014 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin with an estimated 55,000 Pathfinders in attendance, representing countries from all over the world. Adventurers Inspired by its “older brother”, the Pathfinder Club, the Adventurers club commenced in 1972. Adventurers is a program focused on the education of children between the ages of 6-9 years old. The Little Lamb and Eager Beaver programs became a sub-set of the Adventurers, and focused on 4 and 5 year olds. The first Adventurer program prototype was developed in Washington, DC, and tested throughout the northeastern United States in 1975. In 1988 the Youth Ministries Department of North American Division invited associations and experts in children studies to formalize the Adventurer Club. As a result four curriculum classes were established that became the harbinger for the Adventurer Club. In 1991 the Adventurer Club went global. Just like it’s big brother”, the Adventurer falls under the umbrella of the Youth Ministries organization throughout the world. Trained leaders are the nucleus for the success of the Pathfinder and Adventurer clubs. The “Master Guide” program was designed to be a key component for training leaders. The MG course of study has been developed for both Pathfinder and Adventurer leadership, and are promoted strongly within the global divisions. Today, the Pathfinders and Adventurers within the Western New York area who have completed their course of study will be recognized for their achievements in the annual Conference sponsored graduation called the Investiture. The ceremonial “pinning” will be conducted by the WNY Area Master Guides. Pathfinders The Pathfinder Club is an integral part of the Seventh-day Adventist Youth Ministries Department. The philosophy deals specifically with the cultural, social, and religious education of adolescents and teens between the ages of 10 and 18 years. The Pathfinder Club’s philosophy is centered on the “physical-mental-spiritual” as demonstrated in the Pathfinder Shield emblem tripod. The Pathfinder club was a by-product of some very energetic, religious, and faithful youth who desired to develop a program for youth in the early 1700’s. In 1907, the first step towards an organization developed within the North-American Youth Department. As a result the first organized Missionary Volunteer Society (MVJ) was established under the leadership of Pastor M.E. Kern in 1909. In 1958, a MVJ was established in Malaysia, which spurred the world-wide initiative. In 1982 the global MVJ emblem was established. The MVJ emblem would be replaced by an Adventist Youth Society emblem. Conversely, the Pathfinder shield emblem was created, and the Adventurer Club followed suite. In 1914 the MVJ societies would develop progressive youth classes, which were the precursor to the Pathfinder club classes. It is estimated that 38% of Adventist youth are members of a Pathfinder clubs. In 2001 it was recorded that there were over 2 million Pathfinders in the world, and over 90,000 clubs in over 150 countries. In October of 1953, the first Pathfinder Conference sponsored camporee was conducted in Ashburnham, Massachusetts. Every five years, the SDA divisions hold division-wide international

2. WNY PATHFINDERS We, the Western New York Pathfinder and Adventurer Organizations, are devoted to the Spiritual Growth of the children in our Church and Community. Our goal is to equip these children with functional skills that will prove useful in their everyday life. WNY ADVENTURERS & STAFF WNY PATHFINDER STAFF Western New York Federation Officers Henry L Nelson - WNY Pathfinder Area Coordinator Evelyn Boltwood - WNY Adventurer Area Coordinator Evelyn Boltwood – WNY Pathfinder Asst. Area Coordinator Kendal Ferraras - WNY Asst. Pathfinder Area Coordinator Valerie Nicholson - WNY Asst. Pathfinder Area Coordinator Erik Gomez – WNY Pathfinder Teen Youth Leader Prudence Joseph-Belle - WNY Drum Corp Coordinator Brenda Reaves – WNY Teen Leadership Training Coordinator Onisee Colon’ – WNY Pathfinder Communications Coordinator Jalanda Seaborn – WNY Pathfinder Secretary