As a former camp director, I can attest to the quality and value of our youth and family camp programs.
There are at least five reasons why this “big business” of camp operation deserves the support and trust we place in it.
· At a time when the world has strong appeal for youth, our camping programs offer wholesome alternatives. A motto I’ve personally used in the past to promote our camps, which is still valid today, is, “Christianity in its truest form can be fun and exciting.”
· Each year hundreds (1,488 last year) of our Northwest kids make decisions at camp to accept Christ or to be baptized. The camping program serves as the reaping part of our year-round programs offered by our church schools, Pathfinder clubs, and youth groups. How well I remember one day as a camp director praying individually for my staff. I was impressed to ask one of them why she had never been baptized. She replied, “Because no one ever asked me before.” A few weeks later we baptized Donna in the camp lake.
· Approximately 312 of our senior youth find employment at camp, which in turn provides $547,586 in scholarships for them to go to Adventist academies or colleges.
· Life-long relationships are developed at camp. Any camp director can, with happy satisfaction, tell you of the weddings that have resulted from the staff members that first got acquainted while working in a wholesome environment of sharing and caring.
· Finally, the leadership qualities learned at camp lead to success in the work place and often into denominational leadership. A significant percentage of church leaders can trace their early training and modeling to camp experiences.
Yes, our youth and family camps train our young people for success in this world and for life in the world to come.
On behalf of our church, I want to express appreciation to our camp directors and their staff members whose hard work and dedication make our camping program an eternal success.
