Members of the Oasis Church, in Boise, Idaho, this year sponsored 16 children and youths to Camp Ida-Haven, on Payette Lake in McCall, Idaho.
It is the second year in a row the congregation has helped the summer campers raise all their expenses; this year, those helped ranged in age from 8 to 16 years.
Planning for summer camp started in February, when prospective campers signed on to begin raising funds by participating in church-related community services activities.
To qualify for a scholarship, the young people participated in four different service activities, including greeting at church on Sabbath morning and helping church deacons during prayer-request time.
The young people also helped with Sabbath potlucks and served at the Oasis Church’s monthly community soup kitchen. In yet another activity, 16 young people and 10 adults picked up 17 bags of trash in Military Reserve Park. During the Trash-a-thon, they also hiked, sang, and enjoyed their time together. The City of Boise expressed appreciation for the effort; sponsors donated $1,700 in sponsorships.
The young people also held a car-wash and garage sale, raising a total of $3,000 for their camping expenses.
“The Oasis Church is proud of our children, and we are glad that we were able to help them spend a week at Camp Ida-Haven,” reports Beth Grinstead, GLEANER correspondent. “Sponsoring our youth to camp brought our children closer together and closer to God.”
Oasis youth and adults gather at Military Reserve Park at the conclusion of a Trash-a-thon, held earlier this year.
