Connections

Kevin Feyen is still fairly new as a diocesan director, but he used a time-honored practice to make his NCYC experience go more smoothly.

“I’ve gotta admit I stole most of these ideas from Michael Theisen, just things he’s done with the Rochester Diocese,” Feyen says. Aside from bending the Seventh Commandment, Feyen did some good things in Columbus for his Dubuque contingent of around six hundred.

“One thing they really like is our evening newsletter,” Feyen says. Each night of NCYC, Feyen produces a one-sheet newsletter that includes reminders for chaperones, information on keynoters, and practical information such as bus departure times, hotel check-out procedures and arena entrance details. He even includes the day’s weather forecast so participants know how to dress. Copies are slid under the doors of adults as Feyen or his helpers make late-night rounds through the hotel.

Feyen enlists the help of adults who are not responsible for parish groups to serve as hall walkers, roaming the hotel halls until 2:00 a.m. to enforce curfew and curb noise issues. He is considering paying someone to roam the halls from 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. at the 2009 NCYC.

Feyen strongly recommends taking a trip to the NCYC city after your hotel selection is firmed up. He checked out his hotel and all of the logistics with getting to and around Columbus. Feyen’s 2007 pre-NCYC trip yielded a detailed map of restaurants within walking distance, which he shared on the iNet. He also hopes to take some video footage in 2009 and post it on YouTube.

Renting two vehicles at NCYC was a worthwhile investment, Feyen says. It gives more flexibility for hotel runs with participants who become ill, and also is handy if you have youth animators or ambassadors who have special schedules, he says.

Lastly, Feyen is a big fan of using www.surveymonkey.com to get a thorough evaluation of NCYC and the services his archdiocese provides. His parish leaders gave him high marks . . . although Michael Thiesen probably deserves a lot of the credit!