Thursday, December 31, 2020

ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER $10,000!! ...WE JUST PASSED THE $80,000 MARK!!! .....WHAT A WAY TO END THE YEAR!!!

 

Wow! Less than 24 hours ago we were celebrating passing the $70,000 mark and now (THANKS TO 2 MAJOR DONORS) we are celebrating passing another major milestone... the $80,000 mark!!!! We praise God for our unbelievably generous & supportive Ministry Partners!! You guys floor us every year!!! Thank you so much!! Thank You Jesus!!!!!
  
Jump on the GTD fundraising bandwagon and help put us over the finish line as we strive to raise 100k by the end of January 2021 (which is also the beginning of our 25th year of ministry!!!)
  
We would love to have your partnership in this ministry! Your donation is an investment into GTD and the many youths, young adults, and people of all ages that we serve =)
  
Here's how you can donate to GTD and support the cause: 
  
***********************************
Click on any of these links to support GTD and help launch us into our 25th year of ministry!
  
* Make a one-time donation
  
* Become a monthly partner
  
You can track our daily fundraising progress on this link
***********************************
   
From the bottom of our hearts - THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!
   
-------------------------------------
Going The Distance Adventure Ministry
God-awesome adventures since 1996!
-------------------------------------
   
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Wednesday, December 30, 2020

WE'VE SURPASSED THE $70,000 MARK!

 

WE'VE SURPASSED THE $70,000 MARK!
...$7000 DONOR MATCH CHALLENGE ACHIEVED!!
....$235 PER MONTH REMAINS ON OTHER DONOR MATCH CHALLENGE!!
 
Thank you, thank you, thank you generous supporters!! You've pushed us past the $70k milestone! That's such a BIG DEAL!!!!!
 
God has blessed GTD with $71,398 raised thus far through a bunch of terrific people!!
  
That only leaves us with $28,602 left to go in our quest to raise $100,000 by the end of January as we kick off our 25th year of ministry!!!
 
To donate to the cause and help us surpass our goal click on a link below =) 
 
***********************************
Click on any of these links to support GTD and help launch us into our 25th year of ministry!
 
* Make a one-time donation
 
* Become a monthly partner
 
(You can track our daily fundraising progress on this link)
***********************************
 
From the bottom of our hearts - THANK YOU SO MUCH and GOD BLESS YOU!!!!!
 
-------------------------------------
Going The Distance Adventure Ministry
God-awesome adventures since 1996!
-------------------------------------

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Friday, December 25, 2020

Merry Christmas!!




Merry Christmas to YOU from GTD!

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Tuesday, December 22, 2020

WE'VE SURPASSED THE $60,000 MARK! ...$2400 REMAINING IN DONOR MATCH CHALLENGE!! ....$315 PER MONTH REMAINS IN DONOR MATCH CHALLENGE!!

 

Our profound thanks to our terrific supporters! You've put us over the $60k mark!! Thank you so much! God bless you guys =)
 
God has bless GTD with $61,638.75 raised thus far through some pretty incredible people!! 
 
That only leaves us with $38,361.25 left to go in our quest of raising $100,000 by the end of January as we kick off our 25th year of ministry!!!
 
To donate to the cause and help us surpass our goal you can donate through this Facebook Fundraiser or click on a link below =)
 
***********************************
Click on any of these links to support GTD and help launch us into our 25th year of ministry!
 
* CLICK HERE to make a one-time donation
 
* CLICK HERE to become a monthly partner
 
(You can track our daily fundraising progress on this link)
***********************************
 
From the bottom of our hearts - THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!
 
-------------------------------------
Going The Distance Adventure Ministry
God-awesome adventures since 1996!
-------------------------------------


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Friday, December 18, 2020

COVID Update

 Just a quick update. Over the past 10 days my mom, sister, & Laurie have tested positive for COVID. My dad's test tube was compromised on the first test and then the results were inconclusive on the second test. He was pretty sick (flu-like symptoms) for about a week before testing so we think he was probably positive. He is currently waiting for the results from his third test attempt. I haven't had any symptoms and my test result was negative (although I like to be a positive person haha!). I housed Laurie upstairs for her quarantine so she would be away from my parents. She is just about finished and feeling much better. Traci is also on the mend. My mom's symptoms have been very mild (occasional headaches and nausea). Dad is feeling better now, but still recovering. Laurie & I went to get re-tested today. I continue to feel great and have been working outside all week doing a lot of heavy lifting and physical work... no hint of anything wrong. Its wild & crazy times and like the rest of the world we are navigating this thing the best we can day by day. I'm surprised it has taken this long to hit someone in our immediate family.

UPDATE: Dad's 3rd test results came back positive. He continues to feel better than he did 10 days ago.

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Monday, December 14, 2020

One of my favorite verses!

God created us to live joyfully in the present tense. The enemy will always try to ruin your today by an overemphasis on current struggles or with resentment & bitterness from the past or worries about the future.
 
But God has a remedy for all of it! The shield of faith extinguishes EVERY flaming arrow from the enemy (Eph 6).
 
Gratefulness and Godly perspective (an act of faith) conquers the current struggles of the moment.
 
Love and forgiveness (an act of faith) conquers the resentment & bitterness of the past.
 
And confidence in who God is and His unlimited power (an act of faith) conquers the worries about the future.
 
In a nutshell, God's got our past, present, and future all taken care of IF we embrace His will for our life, yield to Jesus's Lordship in our lives, and lean into the Holy Spirit's moment by moment guidance for each decision we make. 
 
It's a great way to live! 
  
Rejoicing every day! 
 
Zip-a-dee-doo-dah'ing all day long! 
 
Singing "Jimmy Crack Corn And I Don't Care" to the temptation to worry about things in the future. 
 
"This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." - Psalms 118:24
   
# 9,758,239 things I love about following Jesus =) 

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Wednesday, December 9, 2020

4 WEEKS TILL SWAMP THING BACKPACKING TRIP!!

 

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE FASTER THAN THE ALLIGATOR...
...YOU JUST HAVE TO BE FASTER THAN YOUR FRIEND!
....4 WEEKS TILL SWAMP THING BACKPACKING TRIP!
 
------------------
KICK OFF YOUR YEAR WITH AN EPIC WEEKEND ADVENTURE!!
...ONLY $25 TO CELEBRATE 25 YEARS OF MINISTRY!!!
------------------
 
To kick off our 25th year of ministry we are headed back to one of the wildest adventures we've ever offered >>> backpacking & camping in the swamps of the Everglades! AKA: Swamp Thing!!
 
And to add a cherry on top of that we are offering this adventure for a special 25th Anniversary price of only $25 per person!! That includes all the gear, planning, & guides! All you have to supply is your food & transportation 😊
 
To learn more about and/or register for Swamp Thing 2021 click on this link
 
===================
Event: SWAMP THING Everglades Backpacking Trip
Date: Jan 2-3, 2021 (Sat-Sun)
Location: Big Cypress Preserve (east of Naples, FL)
Cost: $25/person
Max # of Participants: 15
===================
 
Going The Distance Adventure Ministry
God-Awesome Adventures Since 1996!

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Tuesday, December 8, 2020

2020 GTD HIGHLIGHT VIDEO!

 


HERE'S OUR HIGHLIGHT VIDEO FROM 2020!
..."THIS IS GOING TO BE THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE!"
 
Thank you to all of our volunteers, supporters, donors, prayer warriors, & encouragers who helped make 2020 a blessing for so many people!!
 
COVID may have prevented some of our events, but it couldn't prevent this ministry from flourishing in our 24th year. Nor could it prevent the impact God made through the events we were able to run! Praise God, we were still able to pull off 10 events in 2020... seven of them before the shutdowns (a full event calendar is 25-30 events per year).
 
Here's a quick 3 1/2 minute video with non-stop action pics from those events. I hope you enjoy reliving the memories as much as we do!! We are chomping at the bit to kick off our 25th year of ministry next month!!! Glory to God!
 
Enjoy =) 
 
=====================
Going The Distance Adventure Ministry
Providing God-awesome adventures since 1996!
=====================
 
CLICK HERE TO WATCH 2020 GTD HIGHLIGHT VIDEO ON YOUTUBE
 
 
 .

Sunday, December 6, 2020

GTD LIVE VIRTUAL BANQUET TONIGHT!!

 


---> Just in from our Graphics Dept <---
  
GTD LIVE VIRTUAL BANQUET TONIGHT!!
...$40,000 ALREADY RAISED!!
....NEW $17,080 MATCHING CHALLENGE!!
.....NEW HIGHLIGHT VIDEO!
......NEW GTD ACTIVITY COMING IN 2021!
.......BIG NEWS ABOUT SLAMMED 2021!
........TESTIMONIALS, UPDATES, & MORE!
  
Please join us tonight (Sunday Dec 6th) at 6:00pm for GTD's Virtual Fundraiser Event on Facebook. (If you are not on Facebook we will be sending a recorded link for you to watch later.) 
  
Our Facebook Live will be on the Going The Distance Adventure Ministry page:
https://www.facebook.com/GTDpage/
  
As well as on our personal timelines
Doug Garner:
https://www.facebook.com/doug.garner.adventure.man
  
and
  
Laurie Finger:
https://www.facebook.com/lsfinger
   
We hope you will join us or watch at a later time!
  
----------------
  
It's fundraising season for GTD as we strive to raise 100k by the end of January 2021 (which is also the beginning of our 25th year of ministry!!!)
  
We would love to have your partnership in this ministry! Your donation is an investment into GTD and the many youths, young adults, and people of all ages that we serve =)
  
Here's how you can support GTD: 
  
***********************************
Click on any of these links to support GTD and help launch us into our 25th year of ministry!
  
* Make a one-time donation: https://gtdbullhorn.blogspot.com/p/payments-donations.html
  
* Become a monthly partner: https://gtdbullhorn.blogspot.com/p/monthly-partners.html
  
(You can track our daily fundraising progress on this link: https://gtdbullhorn.blogspot.com/p/fundraising-tracking.html)
***********************************
  
From the bottom of our hearts - THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!
  
-------------------------------------
Going The Distance Adventure Ministry
God-awesome adventures since 1996!
-------------------------------------
   
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Friday, December 4, 2020

***VIRTUAL SPONSOR #4***

 PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE

WOW!!!!

This is the 16TH YEAR PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE of Pinellas Park has sponsored tables for the GTD Annual Fundraiser Banquet!

We are blown away by your continued support, kindness and generosity! From the bottom of our hearts, thank you very much! Thank you also for the work you do to serve the community.

*****

People Helping People is a non-profit organization with goals aimed at helping low income, elderly, or disabled Pinellas Park homeowners improve their property when in need.

People Helping People

"Ordinary People Working Together To Accomplish Extraordinary Things!"

*****

If you'd like to become a virtual sponsor for GTD's Annual Fundraiser Banquet  please go to: https://gtdbullhorn.blogspot.com/p/annual-banquet.htm




Tuesday, November 24, 2020

***VIRTUAL SPONSOR #3***

***VIRTUAL SPONSOR #3***

Thank you so much to the Kiwanis of Pinellas Park for their virtual sponsorship.    

This is the 12th year Kiwanis has been a sponsor of GTD’s Annual Fundraiser Banquet!  We love what they do and are blessed to receive their donation.  

 THANK YOU Kiwanis for all you do for our community!

*****

Kiwanis of Pinellas Park conducts a variety of events, projects and fundraisers to help support initiatives that benefit the children of our community in conjunction with Kiwanis, a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world, one child and one community at a time since 1960. We meet for lunch every Thursday at noon and host a monthly social on the third Wednesday of each month. Everyone is welcome. We hope you will enjoy our hospitality and learn about our many service projects. No invitation is needed to attend a meeting.

The Kiwanis Club of Pinellas Park has been serving the community since 1960. We find that being a member of Kiwanis is one way we can help keep Pinellas Park one of the best places to live. Whether you’re raising a family or retired, The Kiwanis Club of Pinellas Park is a great way to stay active, give back to your community and make new contacts.
To learn more about the Kiwanis of Pinellas Park visit their website at:

*****

If you'd like to become a virtual sponsor please contact us. Details regarding GTD's Annual Fundraiser can be found at: GTD BANQUET


 

Monday, November 23, 2020

GTD VIRTUAL BANQUET... ...RESCHEDULED FOR DEC 6th @ 6pm!! .....at 6 on the 6th =)



We needed more time to prepare for our VIRTUAL BANQUET and I didn't want to use the family vacation time we've been planning for a while when we could simply move the VIRTUAL BANQUET back one week. So I've rescheduled our VIRTUAL BANQUET for Sunday night December 6th at 6pm.
 
We hope you will join us for this special event! 
More info to come!!
 
Happy Thanksgiving week from The GTD Crew =) 


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Friday, November 20, 2020

GTD SURPASSES $30,000 RAISED! ...THAT'S NEARLY 1/3 OF OUR GOAL!! ....ONLY $824 REMAINS ON THE DONOR MATCH CHALLENGE!

It is definitely the season of Thanksgiving, and we are so thankful and so grateful for our amazing & generous supporters! GTD just surpassed the $30,000 mark for funds raised!! 
  
Last week we received a hulk sized $4000 Donor Match Challenge from some pretty special people. Over the past few days those donors have matched several donations totaling $3175.96 and doubled them all to the tune of $6351.92!! Now that's a powerful impact! ...Aaaaaand it only leaves $824.04 remaining in the Donor Match Challenge!
 
The gratitude in our hearts overflows for our incredible supporters! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
 
----------------
  
It's fundraising season for GTD as we strive to raise 100k by the end of January 2021 (which is also the beginning of our 25th year of ministry!!!)
 
We would love to have your partnership in this ministry! Your donation is an investment into GTD and the many youths, young adults, and people of all ages that we serve =) 
 
Here's how you can support GTD: 
 
***********************************
Click on any of these links to support GTD and help launch us into our 25th year of ministry!
 
 
 
 
***********************************
 
From the bottom of our hearts - THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!
 
-------------------------------------
Going The Distance Adventure Ministry
God-awesome adventures since 1996!
------------------------------------- 


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Wednesday, November 18, 2020

***VIRTUAL SPONSOR #2***

 WOW! We have a PLATINUM Virtual Sponsor who would like to remain ANONYMOUS!   This sponsorship comes from a family who has been an incredible support to GTD over the past years!  They have blessed us in many ways and for that we are very grateful!  Thank you so much your support!  We appreciate your generosity  

If you'd like to make a one time donation to GTD or become a virtual sponsor to help us reach our fundraising goal of $100,000, please go to: 



 

EMPTYING THE GREEN MONSTER! ...WHEN I SAY ROACH, YOU SAY POOP!! ....ROACH! (DID YOU SAY YOUR PART?)

 It took a couple of days, but Carson & I cleared our newly donated 40' cargo container. It was full of old equipment I intended to one day repair as well as a lot of our old island camping gear, mountain boards, and outdated supplies. Unfortunately several years ago I didn't fully tighten a gallon canister of turpentine and it had evaporated out of the can and was absorbed into everything that's inside of the cargo container. The heavy odor is like "the beast"... it's in everything! In the past, if we wanted to salvage anything, we had to thoroughly clean it and let it sit outside and air out for about a month. In addition to the beast there were hundreds of carpenter ants and countless ant eggs... not to be undone by the multitude of roaches and roach turds everywhere... let's just say that I haven't stayed on top of the upkeep of the contents of this container for several years. We removed about 85% of the stuff (3 truck loads & 2 trailer loads). Much of it went to the dump and the other portion went to The Salvation Army. We kept about 15% of the stuff that was inside along with a ton of empty plastic containers we can clean and use to store gear. I see a whole lot of pressure washing in our future! Even though it was a nasty job and one of those chores I haven't wanted to tackle for years, it went soooooo smoothly and way faster than I anticipated... plus the weather was nice. I'm so happy to finally have that task checked off! Aaaaaand I was so happy to take a few thorough showers to de-nastify! Now on to the next step =) 
 









Tuesday, November 17, 2020

FIRST VIRTUAL SPONSOR!!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH to our first virtual sponsor!  We are so grateful for your support of GTD and for helping us to kick off this event!  You've been a great support of this ministry over the years. This sponsorship is made "IN MEMORY OF BETSY SARGENT".

To learn more about our Virtual Event, go to: GTD VIRTUAL FUNDRAISER



 

Reflections And Thankfulness

So much has changed this year with Covid on so many levels. 

It’s so strange to think that tonight would have been GTD’s Annual Fundraiser banquet. We would have loved to of seen our GTD family tonight. Unfortunately, with everything going on in the world we’ve had to adjust to a new format this year (as many of us have had to do), a virtual banquet scheduled for November 29th @6:30pm. 

This is a photo taken right after our set up for the banquet last year and right before people started coming in. It was that last moment where we paused to give thanks for all that God would do through the event to support the ministry. It was also a time for me personally to give thanks for each person who gave of their time that day, evening, and the weeks leading up to the banquet to ensure it was a successful event. 

Today as I reflect on that particular moment and the significance of this day, we continue to give thanks for all God is doing to continue to support this ministry through the generosity of so many people. We are blessed during a challenging season for so many.  I also give thanks in advance for how this years event will unfold with a virtual banquet. I don’t know how it will all work out, but I trust that HE does and for that we have much to celebrate!  

Currently we have a $4,000 donor match challenge!  If you’d like to help double this  donation, we invite you to give by clicking here:




 

Wednesday, November 11, 2020

HULK SIZED CHALLENGE ISSUED!! ...$4000 MATCHING DONATION CHALLENGE!!!

 
One of our INCREDIBLE top supporters has offered up a $4000 Donor Match Challenge for fellow GTD supporters!!! This is HULK sized news! That means that this AMAZING anonymous family will match dollar-for-dollar every one-time donation made to GTD for our end-of-the-year fundraiser up to $4000!!! This is a great way to have your donation doubled! For example, if you donate $100 then they will match it with $100 so that GTD receives a total of $200! $1 becomes $2! $10 becomes $20! $500 becomes $1000! All the way up to $4000 cumulatively!!!! That $4000 will become $8000!!! That's HUGE for us!!!! 
 
This wonderful family continuously floors us and blows us away!! Their support & love touches our hearts and goes on to touch many people's lives thru GTD's programs. We can't begin to thank them enough for their magnificent love, encouragement, and support!! We know who you are and we praise God for you and your partnership in this ministry!!!! We are so blessed to have your family on Team GTD!!
 
----------------
 
It's fundraising season for GTD as we strive to raise 100k by the end of January 2021 (which is also the beginning of our 25th year of ministry!!!)
 
We would love to have your partnership in this ministry! Your donation is an investment into GTD and the many youths, young adults, and people of all ages that we serve =)
 
Here's how you can support GTD: 
 
***********************************
Click on any of these links to support GTD and help launch us into our 25th year of ministry!
 
* Sponsor a VIRTUAL TABLE for this year's Virtual Banquet
 
(You can track our daily fundraising progress on this link)
***********************************
 
From the bottom of our hearts - THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!
 
-------------------------------------
Going The Distance Adventure Ministry
God-awesome adventures since 1996!
-------------------------------------

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Tuesday, November 10, 2020

GTD TO RECEIVE A 40' STORAGE CONTAINER!!

 


We want to thank our longtime supporters David & Sherri Wilder for their generous donation of a 40 ft storage container to GTD!! This container has a lot of history with GTD. For over 15 years the Wilder's have allowed GTD to use this container at their place of business to store our gear & equipment. We've spent many hours working in "The Green Monster" (that's what I named it when we first started using it) organizing & storing our items. It has saved us thousands of dollars in rental fees from private mini storage. It has been a great asset to GTD! And now we are going to own it thanks to the Wilder's continued support of this ministry =) . I've always wanted to transform a storage container into a tiny home or a GTD office or a home gym or a cool looking storage unit. There are so many possibilities of what this can become!! One of the visions for GTD is to purchase inexpensive land for camps at strategic places throughout the US and build a tiny home on it for the Camp Director. Lord willing, this amazing gift will give us the opportunity to learn the in's and out's of building a tiny home / office for GTD's future camps. David & Sherri, THANK YOU SO MUCH for this wonderful gift to GTD aaaaaand for your years & years of loving support!! This is a great investment into the next 25 years of GTD!!
  
This container is valued at around $2500 and saves GTD about $1800 per year in rental fees. 
  
This is just another "outside the box" way to support non-profit organizations... actually I guess this is technically an "inside the box" way ;) 
 
=============
 
PS: This Saturday & Sunday (Nov 14th & 15th) I could use some help cleaning out The Green Monster. Let me know in the comments below (or private message me) if you want to help =)


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We Give Praise!!!


For their faithfulness.

For their love.

For their prayers. 

For their generosity. 

For their kindness.

For their continued support. 

For their blessings. 

For their care. 

For their commitment.

For their friendship. 

For their partnership. 

For their sacrifice. 

And for SO MUCH MORE...

WE GIVE PRAISE!!!

Thank you to all of GTD’s Ministry Partners and 
all they do to support the work of the ministry. 

WE LOVE YOU DEARLY.

Friday, November 6, 2020

YAKETY YAK DON'T TALK BACK! ...GTD TO RECEIVE 2 HAND MADE KAYAKS!!

 



Look at these 2 kayaks... they are fully functional works of art =). A gentleman in Bowie, Maryland found our ministry online and wants to donate these beautiful kayaks that he and his late wife built. We touched & honored to receive them and use them on future adventures. 
 
In honor of the builders / donors, we are going to name the kayaks after he & his wife.
 
There are so many ways to help out non-profit organizations. This is a wonderful blessing and addition to GTD!
 
----------------
It's fundraising season for GTD as we strive to raise 100k by the end of January 2021 (which is also the beginning of our 25th year of ministry!!!)
 
We would love to have your partnership in this ministry! Your donation is an investment into GTD and the many youths, young adults, and people of all ages that we serve =)
 
Here's how you can support GTD: 
 
***********************************
 
Click on any of these links to support GTD and help launch us into our 25th year of ministry!
 
* Sponsor a VIRTUAL TABLE for this year's Virtual Banquet: https://gtdbullhorn.blogspot.com/p/annual-banquet.html
 
* Make a one-time donation: https://gtdbullhorn.blogspot.com/p/payments-donations.html
 
* Become a monthly partner: https://gtdbullhorn.blogspot.com/p/monthly-partners.html
 
(You can track our daily fundraising progress on this link: https://gtdbullhorn.blogspot.com/p/fundraising-tracking.html)
 
***********************************
 
From the bottom of our hearts - THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!
 
-------------------------------------
Going The Distance Adventure Ministry
God-awesome adventures since 1996!
-------------------------------------


Tuesday, November 3, 2020

CHANGE OF PLANS... ANNUAL IN-PERSON BANQUET WILL BECOME... A VIRTUAL BANQUET THIS YEAR!

 

With the increase of Coronavirus diagnoses on the rise, the maximum attendance allowed reduced to half capacity, in abundance of caution, and simply doing the wise thing I have decided to switch this year's in-person Annual Banquet to an online Virtual Banquet. 
 
We are looking at the last Sunday night (or possibly the last Monday night) in November as our new date for a Virtual Banquet. It will last about an hour and will piggy-back onto "Giving Tuesday" which will happen a day or two after our Virtual Banquet. GTD's Virtual Banquet will become a great opportunity for a larger size audience to learn more about GTD, hear about our 2021 plans, hear some great testimonials, and watch some highlight videos from 2020... as well as an opportunity to donate to the cause =)
 
Any current Table Sponsors will be given the option of a full refund or to become a Virtual Banquet Sponsor.
 
I believe this is the right thing to do for several reasons:
  (1) Infection numbers are on the rise and we don't want to be a mini "super spreader".
  (2) We have several older Ministry Partners that we want to protect.
  (3) My gut-feeling is that current COVID concerns will dramatically decrease attendance even if we forge ahead with an in-person banquet.
  (4) We already had to limit the number of people who could attend to 115 people and that number may be decreased if infections continue to rise.
  (5) It costs about $5000 to run the banquet and I don't feel like it's a wise financial decision to move forward with the banquet in the current pandemic surge climate.
  (6) Most of the donations we receive from our Annual Banquet fundraiser actually comes from people who typically can't attend the banquet. Many live too far away to attend.
  (7) Most of the funds we raise each year actually are done online through social media.
  (8) A Virtual Banquet is a good option and will allow more people to "attend" than usually make it to our in-person banquet.
  (9) I believe most of our supporters would agree with this decision.
  (10) I like taking healthy risks, but I don't like to gamble. Moving forward with an in-person banquet feels more like a gamble than a healthy risk.
 
Nothing else has changed... We are simply switching from an in-person banquet to an online banquet... We are still raising funds... Our goal continues to be 100k raised by the end of January 2021 to launch GTD into our 25th year of ministry!!
 
Thank you for supporting GTD!! (More info to come!)
 
If you would like to be a part of what God is doing in GTD by investing in this ministry now is a great time to jump in! Make a one-time donation or sign up to be a monthly partner... it all makes a huge difference in this ministry!!!
  
***********************************
  
Click on any of these links to support GTD and help launch us into our 25th year of ministry!
 
 
 
 
***********************************
 
From the bottom of our hearts - THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!
 
-------------------------------------
Going The Distance Adventure Ministry
God-awesome adventures since 1996!
-------------------------------------


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Monday, November 2, 2020

MORE BIG NEWS! ...GTD RECEIVES A $6,283.18 CORPORATE MATCH DONATION!! ....PLUS MONTHLY PARTNERS START SIGNING BACK UP!!! .....$23,901.14 RAISED SO FAR!!!!

Wow, where do I start?!
  
Let's start with the Corporate Match Donation that GTD just received. One of our all-time top donors works for a generous company that matches donations to 501(c)(3) non-profits dollar-for-dollar up to a certain amount. In past years they matched donations up to $3,141.59 which was incredible. This year they have doubled that! Aaaaand amazingly our generous donor has already donated over that amount this year which means his company is matching his selfless giving up to $6,283.18!!! Wow, talk about a double blessing! Once again, we are blown away by people's love & support!!! Our deepest heartfelt thanks goes out to our fantastic anonymous donor and the company he works for!! His generosity opened up a God-awesome opportunity for a double blessing. And in a pandemic year like 2020 that's bigger than words can express. Thank you so much & God bless you generous donors!
 
And this leads to a great question... Does Your company match donations to non-profit organizations?
 
All you have to do is ask your Boss or Human Resource Director.
 
If they do and you have already donated to GTD in 2020 then you can get part (or all) of your donation doubled simply by completing your company's application process. This usually only takes a few minutes to complete and that few minutes can become a powerful investment into GTD!
 
Our other BIG NEWS is that we've already started receiving donations from wonderful donors for our end-of-the-year fundraising campaign!! This includes awesome people who sign-up (or sign back up) to be Monthly Donors for 12 months in 2021. This is a great way to make a HUGE IMPACT in this ministry over the course of one year! $10 per month over 12 months is $120... that's a BIG DEAL to any non-profit - especially GTD!
 
OUR CURRENT FUNDS RAISED SO FAR = $23,901.14 !!!!
 
That's nearly 1/4th of our total goal to raise $100,000 ($50,000 in one-time donations & $50,000 in monthly pledges) by the end of January 2021!
 
THANK YOU JESUS!!!
 
If you would like to be a part of what God is doing in GTD by investing in this ministry now is a great time to jump in! Make a one-time donation or sign up to be a monthly partner... it all makes a huge difference in this ministry!!!
 
***********************************
 
Click on any of these links to support GTD and help launch us into our 25th year of ministry!
 
* Make a one-time donation
 
* Become a monthly partner
 
(You can track our daily fundraising progress on this link)
 
***********************************
 
From the bottom of our hearts - THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!
 
-------------------------------------
Going The Distance Adventure Ministry
God-awesome adventures since 1996!
-------------------------------------


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Sunday, November 1, 2020

LOOKING FOR AN ONLINE CHURCH DURING THE PANDEMIC?

 
I've been listening to Pastor Dharius Daniels online for the past year and more so during the pandemic. I absolutely love his style of teaching & preaching on top of his love & zeal for Jesus. 
 
There are so many great Biblical teachers & preachers out there (and we've been fortunate to work with several through this ministry). Here's another great one you may want to check out if you're still not able to attend your local church =)

YouTube: https://youtu.be/0maDCYFiXgY
 
(Dharius Daniels is the pastor of Change Church in Ewing, New Jersey)

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Friday, October 30, 2020

IF IT'S FREE THEN IT'S FOR THEE! ...GTD'S FREE "LIQUID" DAY TRIP SET FOR APRIL 3, 2021!!! .....FREE LUNCH INCLUDED!!

Great news, our annual FREE paddling day trip that we call "LIQUID" is scheduled for the day before Easter (Saturday April 3, 2021) =)

This is a fan favorite and spots fill up fast!

This year we will be paddling 4 miles along Boca Ciega Bay & Long Bayou in the St Petersburg / Seminole area of Florida. We will start at War Veterans' Memorial Park in St Petersburg and finish at the new Waterfront Park in Seminole.

It's going to be a great time of recreation and pre-Easter celebration!!

Special thanks to our amazing donors & supporters that enable GTD to offer some free & greatly reduced cost events!!!


*We can accommodate about 40 total participants so we have to limit this to no more than 6 people per family/group.

CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!

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Going The Distance Adventure Ministry
God-awesome adventures since 1996!
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Wednesday, October 28, 2020

BIG DONATION ALERT!! ...GTD RECEIVES 2008 FORD F250!!!

I'm humbled & elated to share with you that GTD is the recipient of a donated pre-owned 2008 F250 from the original owner!!! This truck has just over 100k miles on a Triton V-10 gas engine and is valued at $10,000, and the mechanic says it's in perfect condition!!

 
THIS! IS! SUCH! A! BIG! DEAL! TO! US!!
 
Since we are a mobile ministry OUR TRUCKS ARE OUR MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF EQUIPMENT. Without a heavy duty quality reliable truck we can't get our trailers full of gear to our adventure destination to run group events. 
 
It's simple... GTD can't function without heavy duty reliable trucks. That's why this donation is such a BIG DEAL to us!! We've needed a 2nd big truck to pull our big trailers as well as a backup plan if to our primary truck gets sidelined (which is an incredible 2005 F250 diesel which was also donated to GTD by some amazing donors 10 years ago!!)
 
We want to profusely thank the donors of this amazing gift!!! Like many of our donors they like to stay anonymous, but we know who they are and we simply want to say THANK YOU SO MUCH for impacting the next 10+ years of this ministry and thousands of young people's lives with your generosity!!!!
 
We are touched & blown away!!!
  
It's fundraising season for GTD as we strive to raise 100k by the end of January 2021 (which is also the beginning of our 25th year of ministry!!!)
 
We would love to have your partnership in this ministry! Your donation is an investment into GTD and the many youths, young adults, and people of all ages that we serve =)
 
From the bottom of our hearts - THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!
 
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Going The Distance Adventure Ministry
God-awesome adventures since 1996!
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Monday, October 26, 2020

GTD RECEIVES $10,000 DONATION!!! ...WHAT A WAY TO KICK OFF OUR 100K FUNDRAISING DRIVE!!

 


We are overflowing with joy to announce that an awesome amazing phenomenal generous donor (that wants to remain anonymous) has made a $10,000 donation to GTD to kick off our end-of-the-year fundraising drive!!!
 
WOW!!! WE! ARE! BLOWN! AWAY!
 
Our hearts abound with gratitude & thanksgiving for this amazing gift!!! We will never get used to being the recipient people's generosity whether it's $1, $10, or in this case $10,000. We are touched, humbled, and abounding with thankfulness all at the same time. 
 
Thank you, thank you, thank you generous & kind Donor for this incredible gift to GTD!!!! 
 
Thank You God for strongly supporting this ministry and moving the hearts of amazing people to donate to our mission & vision!!
 
Wow, with one donation we have just checked off 10% of our $100k goal!!
 
That leaves $90,000 to go to raise $100k by the end of January.
 
If you would like to be a part of what God is doing in GTD by investing in this ministry now is a great time to jump in! Sponsor a table, make a one-time donation, or sign up to be a monthly partner... it all makes a huge difference in this ministry!!!
 
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Click on any of these links to support GTD and help launch us into our 25th year of ministry!
 
* Sponsor a table for our Annual Banquet
 
* Make a one-time donation
 
* Become a monthly partner
 
(You can track our daily fundraising progress on this link)
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From the bottom of our hearts - THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!
 
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Going The Distance Adventure Ministry
God-awesome adventures since 1996!
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Thursday, October 22, 2020

IT'S BAAAAAACK!! ...OUR ANNUAL BANQUET IS 1 MONTH AWAY! .....AND CATERED BY CARABBA'S AGAIN!!!!


Join GTD on Tuesday night November 17, 2020 for a night of celebrating and fundraising!
 
Be with us as we celebrate 24 years of ministry and fundraise for our 25th year of ministry in 2021!!
 
It has been a challenging year for so many people, businesses, and organizations. Yet, in Christ, we still have so much to celebrate! Let's throw a God-awesome party to say goodbye to 2020 and hello to 2021 =)
 
And join us in our quest to raise $100,000 as we prepare for our 25th year of ministry & beyond!!
 
 
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* COVID-19 PRECAUTIONS *
- FACEMASKS ARE REQUIRED WHEN AWAY FROM TABLES -
- VENUE CAN ACCOMODATE UP TO 120 PEOPLE (HALF OF IT'S CAPCITY) -
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DATE: Nov 17, 2020
DAY: Tuesday Night
TIME: 6:30pm - 9:00pm
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FUNDRAISING GOAL: 100k
ATTENDANCE GOAL: 120
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CATERED BY: CARABBA'S
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LOCATION: Banquet to be held in The Parkview Room of the Central Park Performing Arts Center (formerly known as Largo Cultural Center) / 105 Central Park Drive <> Largo, FL 33771
 
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FOR MORE DETAILS & TO SPONSOR A TABLE OR MAKE A DONATION CLICK HERE

TO TRACK OUR FUNDRAISING AMOUNTS & BANQUET RESULTS CLICK HERE
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Going The Distance Adventure Ministry
Celebrating 24 Years of God-awesome Adventures!!

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Saturday, October 17, 2020

GREAT NEWS!!! ... DAD'S KIDNEYS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED!

 




We are thrilled to share that my Dad's latest appointment with his kidney doctor was full of great (some may say miraculous) news. Six weeks ago Dad received the news that his kidneys where rapidly declining and that without some sort of dramatic turnaround he would be on dialysis by the end of the year. His GFR number had plummeted from 22 in July to 12 in Sept (a person with healthy kidneys is 90 and above). That means he had fallen below 15 which is the line at which he would be considered in stage 5 kidney failure as well as the number when dialysis starts coming into the equation. In addition, his creatinine levels had shot up to 4.7 in Sept from 2.8 in July. Creatinine levels in healthy kidneys should be below 1. All that to say that Dad was trending rapidly towards kidney failure. His cardiovascular surgeon cancelled his surgery to remove a 95-99% blockage from his carotid artery because of concerns that the surgery would finish off Dad's kidneys.

Factoring in all of these numbers Laurie spearheaded an effort that Traci & I were already on-board with to switch Dad to a plant based whole foods diet and get him off of any foods, drinks, and some medications that are hard on the kidneys. Laurie worked like it was her full time job to save Dad's kidneys. She researched day after day and talked to friends with nutritional expertise and came up with a customized menu for Dad's situation. We needed to switch my Dad from a fried food, steak & potatoes, high sugar, high salt typical American diet to a no salt, low sugar, whole foods, plant based diet. Dad didn't enjoy the taste of his new diet, but he was all in for saving his kidneys and being able to have the surgery to remove the blockage. He didn't always understand what he could & couldn't eat and he had several moments of frustration, but he had a motivated and willing spirit to let the healthy foods be his new medicine. We have been working with him on a bunch of dietary changes for over 2 months, and specifically on a plant based diet for 6 weeks. Laurie made a lot of tasty vegetarian meals for the folks to help my Dad find delicious alternatives to his regular diet (Mom has always been a vegetarian). Traci has been eating healthy for a while and has been helping our parents with good healthy meals. I also switched to a plant based diet to help support Dad. It was a total team effort. We have been trying to build a healthier infrastructure to keep Dad on track.

And just as important, Dad has eliminated about 7 of the 20 pills he regularly takes. For the first time ever he is reading the warnings about the potential adverse side effects of his meds.

So this week was the big week to see if all the efforts were making any impact at all. We were going to be happy if we had at least slowed the digression down or if his levels all stayed the same. To all of our surprise, especially the doctor's, Dad's blood results showed a miraculous turnaround!!! His GFR shot up to 31!!! His creatinine level fell to 1.99!!! His sodium and potassium levels were in the normal ranges!!! And to top it all off he lost 30 lbs of fat over the past 2 months!!! He is feeling better and is regaining energy levels that he hasn't experienced in a long time. Aaaaaand he was approved for immediate surgery to remove the blockage. We are all celebrating the great news! Laurie cried tears of joy. And to give Dad a small reward he had his first ice cream in 2 months =)

He still has a long road ahead, but Dad is giving his kidneys and his entire body a fighting chance simply by eating healthy and backing off from being over medicated. His body is responding in a great way.

I have no doubt that God used Laurie to save our Dad's life. Traci & are doing a lot, but Laurie tracked down and implemented the right nutritional plan as well as grocery shopped and kept Dad on track, especially on the hard days. She anguished over all of it not knowing if it was helping or not. She was our MVP this round!

Thank you all for your prayers, love, & support!! Keep it up! You are making a difference in our Dad and our family's life! God bless you all =)



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Friday, October 16, 2020

GTD's $25 DEALS ARE "IN-TENTS"! ....AND THEY CONTINUE ON WITH ONE OF OUR MOST POPULAR EVENTS >>> IGNITE!!

Join us on the weekend of March 5-7, 2021 at Word of Life in Hudson, Florida for one of our most popular events - GTD's IGNITE Camping Retreat.


Let God incinerate your fears & burn up your burdens on IGNITE as GTD guides you through 2 days of adventure, recreation, big camp fires, delicious meals, and a pinch of relaxation in God's amazing playground. And that's not all! We will also explore the consuming fire of God's presence through daily devotions, worship, nightly Impact Points, aw well as devour plenty of s'mores around the camp fire. 


In our time together you will grow closer to God, make new friends, and build new memories! 


Don't get burned out! Instead, get fired up by joining us on IGNITE and watch God do something "ablazing" in your life!


SPECIAL NOTE: This rate is only possible because of our amazing donors and supporters! Thank you so much GTD Ministry Partners!!


Event: IGNITE Camping Retreat

Date: March 5-7, 2021 (Fri night - Sun afternoon) (2 Days / 2 Nights)

Location: Word of Life in Hudson, FL

Cost: $25/person

NOTE: INDIVIUAL GROUP SIZES ARE LIMITED TO 10 PEOPLE PER GROUP


To learn more about and/or register for IGNITE 2021 click on this link.


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<> ACCOMMODATIONS:  

   - Tent Camping (or upgrade to Bunkhouse Cabins)

   - Nice Restrooms

   - Warm Showers

<> INCLUDED ACTIVITIES:  

   - Camping

   - 2 Morning Devotions

   - High Ropes Course

   - Climbing Wall

   - Zipline

   - Low Ropes Course / Team Building

   - Team Sports (such as volleyball, ultimate, basketball)

   - Camp Games

   - Swimming Pool

   - Nightly Campfires, Bible-Based Messages, Smores... a perfect combination!

   - Outdoor Movie (with family friendly editing)

<> ADD-ON OPTIONS (EXTRA COSTS):  

   - Paintball (Optional Add-On).... Add $30/person

   - Bunkhouse Cabins (Optional Add-On).... Add $30/person ($15/night per person)

  

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Going The Distance Adventure Ministry

God-Awesome Adventures Since 1996!


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Saturday, October 10, 2020

TIMBER!

About 6 weeks ago (just before a series of bad storms) we cut down a tree that had major termite damage in my front yard. I hate losing a tree, but it had to be done. My Dad, Carson, and I formed a good team and my Dad loved cutting a few limbs like the good old days =).


Believe it or not I cut down the entire tree with a Ryobi 40v rechargeable battery operated chainsaw. 20 years ago I had a lawn service for a few years and used to do some basic tree trimming with a gas powered chainsaw. I never imagined the power that would one day exist in a battery powered chainsaw. Very impressed! I love how quiet it is, the lack of breathing gas fumes, and not having to listen to it run constantly in-between cuts.


I'm going to turn the main section of the tree into a landscaping feature that you can sit on near a small trickling stream from a small waterfall with flowers & vegetation growing out of some of the deep grooves in the main trunk which was caused by old termite damage. It will sort of look like something you would come across on a backpacking trip in the wilderness. Well, at least I can picture it in my mind that way haha =). 


The rest of the tree has already been cut up into firewood, and I'm looking forward to lots of campfires, cookouts, and outdoor movie nights this fall & winter =). Hopefully you guys can join us for one of those outdoor movie nights!