Venture Crew, a local student ministry group, recently received an award marking it as one of the top seven college ministries nationwide. The group’s adviser attributed the win to one quality: uniqueness.
The group is one of few Venture Crews across the country to mix spirituality with adventure activities, which probably led the National Catholic Campus Ministries Association to give it the 2001 Bishop’s Award, said Jeffrey Pellegrino, its adviser.
“It’s sort of a niche that other churches don’t use,” Pellegrino said.
Pellegrino brought the idea of starting a Venture Crew at the University in October of 2000, after moving to Bowling Green and becoming a campus minister at St. Thomas More University Parish. The group spent much of last year planning and training for 10 days of canoeing, hiking and other activities in the spring.
Such outdoor activities can help students connect with nature and allow them to better explore their lives and their faith, Pellegrino said.
“When they’re out on top of a mountain, they think, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m a small person in the grand scheme of things,'” he said. “People start asking the big questions and making connections.”
Christy Humbel, the group’s former president, said nature helps her explore her faith. “When you’re right there with nature and the group, it really helps me connect.”
Humbel, a junior, agreed that the rare combination of religion and adventure set the group apart. “I think (we won the award) because I can’t think of anyone else who has tried to combine a youth ministry and a Venture Crew,” Humbel said.
Two students in the group will travel to Washington D.C. to accept the official award on Nov. 14. When the Venture Crew learned in September that they were to receive the award, it caught many of them off guard.
“We weren’t really shooting for it,” Humbel said. “It was so unexpected.”
The idea that the group won was hard to grasp at first, said Kristen “Cricket” Anderson, a sophomore group member. “It didn’t really hit us until later.”
Anderson added that Pellegrino’s guidance has helped make the group worthy of the award. “He’s led us on so many adventures we didn?t think we could do,”she said. “It’s good to have such good role models involved in students personal lives.”
Though Pellegrino advises them, students plan everything, from adventure training and the end-of-the-year trip to less physical events like service projects and fundraisers, often working alongside St. Thomas More and the Boy Scouts, who are affiliated with Venture Crews nationwide.
Giving students control is the best way to let them learn, Pellegrino said.
“It’s common sense to … let them explore and grow,” he said. “As soon as they graduate, they’re the ones in the leadership roles.”
Seeing that growth is the best part of leading the group, he said. “For me, it’s great to see the (students) struggle – and the success that comes out of it.”
Growing is one of the greatest rewards of being in the group, Anderson said. “It’s nice to know you can push yourself beyond the limits you set.”
