Important Conference Update!

Over the past three weeks, the Y&G staff team has been working tirelessly to adjust our program considering the fact that we will not be able to use Camp Roberts for T&E I.

While the staff and key volunteers felt they had created a conference that included a suitable location for housing, a number of parents and other YMCAs felt uneasy with the housing arrangements. In light of this, Y&G decided the best way to meet the needs of our YMCA partners, is to change the format of T&E I from a two-day event to a fun-filled one day event.

The event will still be at the International Agri Center in Tulare, and will take place on Sunday, November 11th. While this certainly marks (yet another) departure from our traditional program schedule, we're confident it will still be a fun, jam-packed day that will provide a lot of valuable information to delegates.

We will, however, be adjusting our travel schedule significantly to allow us to attend the conference. We will now be departing on SUNDAY morning (not Saturday) and delegates need to be at the YMCA lower parking lot by 3:00am.  The buses will depart exactly at 3:15am. We know this is early. It is closer, however, to our traditional departure times for conferences held at Camp Roberts.  Check-in at the Tulare site starts at 7am - we are aiming to arrive between 7 and 7:30 am. Breakfast will be provided to delegates before our 9am conference start time.

Delegates will still attend a series of role-exposure workshops to give everyone insight into the program areas available in Y&G and mingle with delegates from around the state. It will still be a very, very vital component of the Y&G experience.

The conference will wrap-up at 10pm and a dance will be held between 10 and 11:30pm.

We will depart from Tulare at midnight and return to the YMCA on Monday morning, Nov 12, around 4:30 am. It's a swift, information- and fun-filled 24 hours.  Our transportation will be provided by professional, charter bus drivers who are accustomed to such driving schedules and who will observe the mandated rest period between our journeys. They will be provided with hotel rooms at which to rest and sleep during the day.

We also know this is two, consecutive wee-hour pick-ups by parents. If we could make the times any later, believe us, we would. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Delegates no longer need to worry about bringing tents or sleeping bags but should still dress in layers because temperatures will be cool in the morning and at night. We will be keeping an eye on weather reports between now and then as well. Delegates should bring a backpack with paper, a pen, a highlighter, and a bottle of water. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided. Delegates don't need to bring any extra spending money unless they wish too. Some delegations will still be selling food and other items (including us - we'll still be selling buttons) so if you wish to bring some pocket money for that, please do so.

Thank you for your understanding and flexibility regarding this latest round of changes. The Youth & Government staff and program area volunteers have gone above-and-beyond since they were notified of Camp Roberts's sudden unavailability (a once-in-20+-years occurrence).  January's conference is still expected to go on at Camp Roberts with none of these changes or concerns and will still be a full holiday-weekend event.  These changes have had a bright-side: showing off the amazing can-do spirit of everyone involved in the program and their commitment to fulfilling our motto "Democracy must be learned by each generation," from delegate to advisor to staff to interns.

If you have any questions, please let us know.

We look forward to seeing you all at Monday's Bill Hearing Night practice and at Wednesday's Bill Hearing Night (mandatory for delegates and recommended for parents).  Have a great weekend and don't forget to vote on Tuesday!