Young Life WyldLife Group Receives Grant

On May 9, 2024, Michelle Hennessy, Chair of the Missions Committee of the United Church of Marco Island presented a check for $5,000 to Jose Ramirez. He oversees the Young Life WyldLife club, ministry, and leadership development for the after-school program at the Marco Island Charter Middle School (MICMS). 

The grant is to fund the summer camp program for 15 participants from MICMS. They will join middle schoolers along with their leaders from various WyldLife areas from across the Southeast.

The WyldLife Club is for middle school students, and according to Ramirez, there are about 15 students at MICMS. They started in 2022 and meet on campus on Mondays after school. 

Ramirez says that middle school is a time when students make important decisions about who they are and what they believe. At the MICMS, they have three volunteer leaders, two from Marco Island Academy and one from the Community School of Naples, all residents of Marco. An eighth-grade teacher is also part of the leadership group.

The mission and goal of the summer camp is for the middle school students to get away from the pressures of everyday life, have fun with friends and their Young Life leaders, and hear the message from God in terms they understand. According to Ramirez, it is a rare chance for the students to enjoy a meal at a table free of distractions. They will enjoy activities such as swimming in the lake or pool, playing sports, exploring the bike trails, taking the kayak out, or trying paddleboarding.

One of their future goals is to start a Young Life Program at the high school level, according to Ramirez. Young Life also has a program for college students in all 50 of the United States and in more than 100 countries around the world.

The Young Life summer camp is at Southwind, located along the beautiful Long Lakes at the edge of the Ocala National Forest.