More than 700 Pathfinders from all parts of the Upper Columbia Conference attended the annual Pathfinder Camporee Sept. 17–19. During the event, hundreds of young people made commitments to follow Jesus and 91 Pathfinders requested Bible studies to prepare for baptism.
This year's camporee was held at Camp Fife, a Boy Scout camp in the Cascade Mountains just west of Yakima, Wash. Though the rain forced scheduled meetings into the camp lodge rather than outdoors, it didn't stop the Pathfinder clubs from pitching their tents and enjoying the weekend activities.
In addition to worships, music and flag ceremonies, Pathfinders also participated in outdoor activities such as hiking, building debris shelters, doing community service projects, playing stalking and concealment games, and exploring the largest eroded-basalt cave in the Northwest.
"We had a great weekend and it seemed to be extra-special this year," says LeAnn Paredes of the Goldendale (Wash.) Pathfinder club. "Maybe it was the rain, I don't know, but the music was wonderful. Bob Folkenberg did an awesome job keeping our attention. And the relaxed free-time on Sabbath afternoon made Sabbath special."
Bob Folkenberg Jr., Upper Columbia Conference president, was the keynote speaker for this year's camporee. Folkenberg told stories from his many adventures overseas as a missionary to address the camporee's theme, "Jesus, what can I do this day for you?"
Bridget Anderson, a parent and staff member of the Wheatland Coyotes Pathfinder Club, who attended the camporee for the first time this year, says, "I was ready to cancel this trip when I found out it would be raining all weekend, but we survived and not only did the kids have a lot of fun, it was a very spiritual weekend as well. I can see, now, why you do this every year."
As a way to say thank you to Camp Fife and the Boy Scouts for the use of their camp, the Pathfinders spent Sunday morning chopping firewood, adding wood chips to trails and cleaning up debris around the grounds of the 60-acre camp.
"I didn't expect them to get half this much work done," says Clint House, Camp Fife camp ranger. "A lot of kids that come here seem to work harder at trying to get out of work than actually working, but these Pathfinders work like ants."
Nearly 700 Pathfinders attend the annual Upper Columbia Conference Pathfinder Camporee at Camp Fife in Goose Prairie, Wash., from Sept. 17–19.
Pathfinders enjoy the many stories told by Bob Folkenberg Jr. around the theme for the weekend, "Jesus, what can I do this day for you?"
Bob Folkenberg Jr., Upper Columbia Conference president, was the keynote speaker for this year's camporee.
As a thank you to Camp Fife, the Pathfinders spent Sunday morning chopping firewood, adding wood chips to trails and cleaning up debris around the grounds of the 60-acre camp.
John Wenger (far right), coordinator for the North Lakes District Pathfinder clubs, inspects the work being done on some of the camp's trails. "Most of the kids have very little experience or training," says Wenger, "yet the Lord uses their eager hands and the job gets done."
Pathfinders pose for a victory photo after finishing their improvements to the path leading to the original homestead cabin built by Tom Fife. Fife donated the land to the Boy Scouts in 1923.
