History of Calimesa Pathfinders

In the early years of the Calimesa Church, Pathfinders waxed and waned, sometimes combining with other Pathfinder clubs in the area, sometimes on its own.

The shape of our current Pathfinder Ministry, after a short period of time being combined with that of another area church, took root firmly in Calimesa in 1986.  Under the direction of Lael Curtis (director), Alfred Riddle (Deputy Director), Arlys Fillman (Secretary Treasurer), supporting staff (Kathy Schmunk, Earl Mack and others) and a group of less than a dozen eager new young people, Calimesa Pathfinders was re-launched, and has remained vibrant and growing ever since.

More than simply a church club, the ministry of Pathfinders has continued to touch and help shape the lives of scores of young people over the years.  From the founding director, Lael Curtis, several other directors have stepped up to lead this group including Roy Hogle, Alfred Riddle, and more recently Kristel Zuppan who began her Pathfinder journey as a part of the Calimesa Club and now, with the assistance of key support staff who also have moved from “Friend” to “Adult Stuff” (Lynn Delinger, Teen Coordinator and Lyle Holder, supporting staff) continue to lead the ministry.

Significantly, many of the original staff continue to work with and support the current leaders, which reflects the kind of investment that is made in the lives of young people in this ministry.  We also continue to benefit and be enriched by the contributions of other staff who have joined us along the way and invested in the lives of young people.  We welcome interested participants, but be forewarned – once to get started, you might just decide to stay!