TO: tSB ’12PROPHETS AND MENTORS
PARENTS AND GUARDIANS
PARTNERS AND SUPPORT TEAM
FROM: KHALIL EQUIANO,
ASHLEY MILLER,
DATE:5/1/12
RE:tSB’s ANNUALMT. HOOD TRIP 2011
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)
tSB 2012 is off to an amazing start. Why are things going so well, you ask? Three reasons: phenomenal new mentor energy mixed with seasoned senior mentors and an increased level of community support. Additionally, all of you reading this have played a significant part in raising the bar.
It seems like only yesterday we were running around Sound View, playing name games,organizing food at the White Center Food Bank, and loading up the buses and vans for our first trip to the Summit, yet somehow our annual Mt. Hood trip is onlya few weeks away! This is our guide to making our Hood adventure a seamless weekend. Please read it over and call tSB office(206.324.7771) or email us if you have any questions.
When exactly is the Mt.Hood trip?
We meet at 8am, Saturday, June 2ndand return between 7-8 pm on Sunday, June 3rd. Please make all the necessary arrangements to be dropped off at our meeting location. We’ll be leaving promptly at 8:30am, so don’t be late! There are also options for people taking SAT’s that morning please contact us to coordinate with you.
From where are we leaving?
Everyone will meet at Youngstown. You can leave a car parked in the Youngstown parking lotover night but we encourage you to carpool, have someone drop you off, or take the bus.
How much does the trip cost?
The cost for the Mt.Hood trip is $75.
Now is the right time for you to say, “Wow! That’s a bargain!” No price increase for 2012! $75 gets you transportation, lodging for the night, a lift ticket for Sunday, and a fun filled weekend!
PAGE 2 / Frequently Asked Questions — Mt. Hood Trip / June 2012
When are the trip fee and the Timberline Ski Area Release form due?
We request a deposit of $35 due May 22nd.Your entire trip fee ($75) and the enclosed Timberline Ski Area Ski Group Release & Indemnity Agreement are due no later than Tuesday, May 29th.You can give your payment (checks payable to tSB) and the completed form to us any time over the next 5 weeks or mail it to tSB at the following address:4408 Delridge Way SW, Ste 100, Seattle, WA 98106.
How do we feed 70 people? Once again,the tSB family will pull off the Mt Hood Miracle by overseeing the production of the most amazing food on the planet. We’ll have highly nutritious (no cheetos) snacks for the road trips and will eat like VIP’s for the entire weekend. Parents/guardians, this is one areayou would be extremely helpful – we need prepared snacks (lots and lots of them), marinated goodies that can go from a cooler to the grill and, to be honest, contributions that ensure we can provide a memorable feast. Want to sign up now? GREAT – you can contact us at 206.324.7771.
How much spending money should I bring?
tSB will cover all your meals exceptSaturday lunch in Portland, and Sunday dinner or snacks as we head home. You’ll want to bring a little pocket cash - $20.00-$25.00 should cover your needs from restaurant tips to postcards. Bring a little more if you’d like to purchase a T-shirt or other memento from Mt.Hood.
Where are we staying?
We are staying at the Huckleberry Inn,, home of the famous Huckleberry pie and the most ginormous donuts in the world. In order to accommodate our whole group you may be asked to share a double bed.
What will we be doing?
Saturday at 8:30 am we’ll leave Seattle for the three hour drive to Portland. At your request we’ll stop by theHawthorne Street neighborhoodfor lunch and a little thrift store browsing.After lunch we continue the drive to Mt.Hood. We are based in the small town of Government Camp, six miles below the historic Timberline Lodge and summer base area.
We’ll spend Saturday afternoon and evening relaxing, cooking and eating an amazing dinner, and getting a chance to really appreciate one another for the year. Sunday we’ll be up early (7:30am) so we can snowboard from 9am – 2pm on some ridiculous glacier runs.The lifts close at 2pm.
We’ll have a brief closing circle after snowboarding, make sure everything is packed up, and hit the road by 3pm to return to Seattle.
What should I wear?
Bring your regular snowboarding outerwear and all your gear. You’ll also want to bring shorts. Basically, you need to prepare for winter and hope for a little summer. Also, bring some athletic-type shoes as you might want to play basketball or go for a walk.
PAGE 3 / Frequently Asked Questions — Mt. Hood Trip / May 2011
What’s all this I keep hearing about eye protection?
You must bring and wear eye protection. We’ll be snowboarding on a glacier at 7,000+ feet! A few years ago FranklinEvergreen (not his real name) spent the day snowboarding without eye protection and spent the night in the Gresham Hospital Emergency room (his eyes got sunburned). That’s why we strictly enforce the no goggles / no sunglasses, no snowboarding policy. Likewise, sunscreen is an essential.
How hard are the runs at Hood? What’s this place like?
Well, there’s basically one amazing long run, so long that it takes two high-speed chairs to get up to the top. The terrain is moderate; anyone in tSB who has ridden four or more times will be capable of handling it. Timberline has a gorgeous hotel and an informal lodge with a gift shop, restaurant and restrooms. The base area has lots of climbers who summit this 11,000 foot mountain in preparation for higher peaks (tSB!).
What if I hate snowboarding?
Jeeze, snowboarding is our last name. Hood in the early summer can be a challenge for very beginners but if you can ride Queen’s Run at CrystalMountain or Skyline at StevensPass, you can ride Hood! There are other things to do at Mt. Hood besides riding. Of course once you see the mountainyou’ll want to ride.
What if the weather is horrible? Do you postpone the Hood trip?
Given the number of people we’re transporting, level of advanced planning and increased costs, we will go regardless of weather conditions. Heavy rain could keep us from snowboarding but not having fun.We’ve had really good luck with weather over the years. In 16 years of tSB, we’ve only had one year that weather prevented us from boarding at Hood.
How can I reach my son or daughter in case of an emergency?
In case of an emergency please call Program Coordinator Khalil Equiano at 206.841.2065, or Executive Director Ashley Miller at 206.218.8075, anytime day or night. You can also leave messages with the front desk at The Huckleberry Inn, 503.272.3325.
Why is the Hood trip so important?
The Mt.Hood trip, like our all-good Sound View retreat in January, is an unusual opportunity for a large group of people who care about each other to come together, have an incredible amount of fun and create a meaningful and truly memorable weekend. Here’s what some prophets in the past have said about Hood: “That kickball game was hecka phun.” “I am the luckiest person alive – thanks tSB.” “Saturday night at Mt.Hood stands out as one of the best memories in my life.” Plus, snowboarding in June – that’s gravy.
For your peace of mind the following is a recap of -The Rules and Guidelines of the Service Board:
tSB has 3 non-negotiable, basic rules: No Hokey, No Pokey, No Smokey or…
No Sex: This includes no dating and no googly-eyes among tSB participants.
No Violence or Intimidation: Soft, lightly tossed, all-natural, (ice-free) snowballs are OK
No Drugs or Alcohol: None may be used at tSB events, and prophets are not to arrive to sessions with hangovers or under the influence. We believe strongly in this last rule: violate it on the Hood trip and we will send you home and notify your parents.You have to sign a simple contract agreeing to these terms.
Speed limits must be obeyed and seatbelts must be worn at all times in tSB vans, mini-vans and cars. Drivers, mentors, and peer leaders are responsible for strictly enforcing this policy.In addition we operate much like a family: Clean up after yourself, do your homework, read a book, open your mind, wash your hands, be nice, be nice to your parents, tsbschoolio™ never stops, pull your weight and say “please” and “thank you.”