ECHO Ranger Year End Picnic

Saturday was the end of the year celebration for the girls ECHO Ranger program.  They arrived with their passport notebooks and all the stamps collected from the places around the county we have visited over this past year.  They were checked to see that they met the required number for their T- Shirts and goody bags, then we waited for the awards ceremony to begin.

Each child who completed the program received a certificate and then 1st and 2cd place awards were given to the kids who had made it to the most event locations in the program notebooks.  The 2cd place winners had 43 and the 1st place had gone to all 50 places, plus had accrued extra credits with optional projects or documented outings around Volusia County.  Altogether their grand total was 84!!!  They admitted they had fun, but after awhile were getting a bit burnt out on setting a record for the program.  Good job to both Rebecca and Michael for their accomplishment and mom who had to tote them all over to do this.

After the awards we had a pizza lunch, then the kids were free to play in the bounce house, make paper and try archery.  The girls played in  the bounce house a bit and were waiting in line for archery, then just as it was their turn the skies that had been threatening rain opened up and began to pour!!!

Cameron showing Griffin a game top, girls in jump house center and bottom photo is with their ECHO Ranger T shirts

Everyone had to hurry inside as it was really coming down.  Their was an inside table of Lego to play with and the paper making tent was taken down and all the equipment moved inside to allow the kids to keep trying this.  The girls had fun doing their paper pieces.

The gooey paper slush then once the excess water is poured off the drying process begins

Hannah ready to lift screen, and both girls paper pieces

After visiting, enjoying the activities and reviewing some of their favorite ECHO Ranger activities it was time to head home.  This was really a worthwhile program to participate in, so we've already signed up for next year.  Though we have no plans to shoot for a record, we do plan to make better strategic goals for our outings so that we can make it to many of the places and events we didn't participate in this year.         Anyone interested the link for this is here: Echo Ranger Program Info This link still has this last years event schedule as the next one isn't out online yet, however the program costs and contacts are the same and this gives an idea of what's available to do as a program participant.