Dark Mountain Challenge a success

WYN is proud to announce the success of The Dark Mountain Challenge Endurance Festival, one of many annual fundraisers that serves to benefit the Western Youth Network (WYN).

In addition to raising funds for WYN, the Dark Mountain Challenge provides the local community with healthy activities and promotes physical fitness and outdoor recreation.

This year, the Dark Mountain Challenge took place on October 3^rd and 4^th at the W. Kerr Scott Dam and Reservoir in Wilkesboro, NC.

This two-day event included a biking, running, and paddling triathlon, a biking and running duathlon, and individual running and paddling races. The event drew participants from all across North Carolina, and as far as New Jersey, Georgia and Virginia.

On behalf of the Western Youth Network Board of Directors, staff, and participants, we would like to thank our sponsors of the 3^rd Annual Dark Mountain Challenge Endurance Festival. This year's sponsors include: Appalachian Regional Health Care, Hampton Inn- Wilkesboro, Wilderness Lodge, Brushy Mountain Cycling Club, Creative Printing, the Sanctuary, Mast General Store, Specialized, REI, Magic Cycles, Zap Fitness, Wal-Mart- Wilkesboro, Save-A-lot-Wilkesboro, Lowes Food- Wilkesboro, Earth Fare, Redwood Creek Wines, Boone Barr, Chik-Fil-A, Black Cat, Mountain Bagels, and Conrad's Coffee.

For more information about the Dark Mountain Challenge visit, www.darkmountainchallenge.com

Annual Punkin Fest Coming to Valle Crucis

WYN is gearing up for its next fall fundraiser. It is the Valle Crucis Punkin' Fest sponsored by the Mast General Store.

The 4^th Annual Punkin Festival will take place form 11am-4pm on Saturday, October 24^th at the Mast General Store Annex in Valle Crucis, NC.

The Punkin Fest boasts a kid-friendly atmosphere which includes something for everyone such as: pumpkin carving, old-fashioned games, crafts, face painting, live music, and home- cooked food, to name a few.

Kids are invited to participate in all kinds of old-fashioned games like Apple Bob, Hoop-La , Punkin Sack Races, Dog Bowl In, and others.

Everyone can get their face painted and enjoy food, of course. In addition, kids and their parents have an artistic outlet to carve their Jack 'o Lanterns with no muss and no fuss. Festival volunteers "cut and gut" the pumpkins for you.

All proceeds from the Punkin Fest go to benefit the after school, mentoring, and prevention programs at WYN. It is an especially important year for fundraising, since WYN lost two state grants this year when North Carolina had to trim their budget.

For more information about the Punkin Fest visit, www.maststoreonline.com/punkin/ or call the Western Youth Network directly.

Thank You Outersanctum Salon!

The Western Youth Network would like to extend its appreciation to the Outersanctum Salon for their inclusion of WYN in their first ever Salon Share.

The Salon Share program is designed to benefit area non-profit organizations by offering a percentage of service sales as a donation. During the entire month of September customers could present a voucher for any service and 10% of the service cost was donated to WYN.

The Outersanctum Salon is a full-service salon offering: hair design, color, corrective color, facials, skin care, and hair removal. The salon staff is professionally trained in Aveda services and offer globally-sourced, botanically-based hair care and skincare products.

For more information about the Outersanctum Salon and its Salon Share program visit, www.outersanctumsalon.com or call (828) 264- 8181

Join Us

Donate
Being a young person is something that each and every one of us understands. To help WYN help this generation of young people, we need your assistance. To make a tax-deductible donation to WYN, visit our website at www.westernyouthnetwork.org and use PayPal, or mail your check to: 155 WYN Way, Boone, NC 28607.

Goodsearch
If you frequently conduct internet searches (most of us do), please consider using GoodSearch. This search engine works just like Google, and it pays WYN 1 penny for each search you conduct. Visit www.goodsearch.com and type in "Western Youth Network" in the "Who do you search for" box. These pennies add up quickly!

Mentor
Help shape the life of a young person and enhance your own at the same time by becoming a mentor. The commitment is only 2 hours a week and it literally makes a lifetime of difference. Contact Angela McMann at mcmanna@westernyouthnetwork.org to find our more.