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!!!

For more details and/or to register for this event click on this link

*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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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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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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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 RSVP FOR THIS EVENT 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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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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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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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!

TURN UP THE PRESSURE!

A few weeks ago Carson pressure washed all of the GTD backpacks as well as cleaned out & dried out any remaining damp tents from the summer trips... and maybe a dog or two ;) . This guy is such a hard worker and blessing to me & GTD!

Getting ready for all types of adventures in 2021!

GTD = Getting Tasks Done ;)

(I'm getting caught up on several updates that I ran out of time to post over the past 2 months)

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ANOTHER DAY ANOTHER GOD-AWESOME ADVENTURE!!! .....PREPARING TO CELEBRATE 25 YEARS OF MINISTRY (Lord willing)!

Our January 2021 public adventure is swamp hiking in the Everglades ("Swamp Thing"). I'm excited to announce that our February 2021 public adventure is kayaking & island camping near the Caladesi Island area just outside of Clearwater Beach, Florida. We call this event Paddle Prowl.

 

And just like Swamp Thing we are offering this adventure for a special 25th Anniversary price of only $25 per person!! That includes the kayaks, all the gear, planning, & guides! All you have to supply is your food & transportation =)

 

To learn more about and/or register for Paddle Prowl 2021 click on THIS LINK

 

Event: PADDLE PROWL Kayaking & Island Camping Trip

Date: Feb 6-7, 2021 (Sat-Sun)

Location: Dunedin, FL (near Clearwater Beach, FL)

Cost: $25/person

Max # of Participants: 10

 

Going The Distance Adventure Ministry

God-Awesome Adventures Since 1996!

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WE ARE 3 MONTHS AWAY FROM KICKING OFF GTD's 25th YEAR OF MINISTRY!!!

 

As we enter the last quarter of the worldwide pandemic year of 2020 we are excited to share with you that we have proactively used the open time on this year's calendar to plan out GTD's 25th year of ministry in 2021 =)

To kick off our year of celebration this January 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 HERE

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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