Presbytery of Coastal Carolina – Summer Program at Camp Monroe

Fifth Week with Campers

Well summer camp is almost over and I must say that I’ve learned a lot about this part of the Presbytery’s ministry. Actually right now I’m visiting family in Pennsylvania for a few days before I go back to camp this Friday. Robert is spending this week at Monroe – he wanted to see a full week, beginning to end. This is the only week Mary and I have to see mother and brothers before her school year starts to get cranked up – summer for teachers is far too short any more. She did get a chance to spend last Thursday night with me at camp and really did enjoy meeting all the program directors, counselors, kitchen staff and campers. I think that she is now a convert!!

As I said, I spent last week at camp, sort of! Again the check-in process on Sunday went smoothly and everybody seemed to have a good Monday. Tuesday I was off early to Elizabethtown to work in the office and to attend an Outdoor Ministries Committee meeting. Actually it was a very productive meeting where we established the process for hiring a replacement for me – my last day with the Presbytery is Friday, August 15^th. I spent some time going over what I expect to have done before the 15^th and the schedule of activities that needs to be completed during the next five months. This is actually a long list which the Committee must focus on if it expects to have a viable summer program in place by January 2009.

My Program Directors are so committed to the success of next year’s program that they created a list of new programs and a draft schedule for summer 2009. Among their suggestions are a third horse camp with each camp being more age specific, a survival camp (Jon’s suggestion) where campers are trained in skills that they might need to survive in the woods and a two week arts and music camp where campers would be working on skills that will be used in a production on the last day of their camp. A number of other programs are also being considered so stay tuned.

I can’t say it enough, Lyndsey, Kate and Michael have done a fantastic job this year and if it wasn’t for them our program would not have gotten off the ground. Their dedication and hard work have made it all come together. One of our Committee members who has considerable experience at church camps told his congregation several weeks ago that he has never seen a better team of camp counselors than the one we have assembled this year. My feelings exactly!! When I said that I would take on this responsibility this year I’m sure that God just chuckled but said something about fools rushing in where angels fear to tread. The Lord didn’t leave me to my own devices but sent me a group of individuals who are both good leaders and good followers. I hope that the next Camp Director (aka: Associate for Outdoor Ministries) will be able to say the same thing.

Well back to camp! Wednesday was another good day and then I was off to Camp Kirkwood for at Presbytery staff meeting – see the Kirkwood Blog for a report.

Finally here is some information about our campers this week. This was the week for Night Owl camp. For those not familiar with this, campers get to sleep in the back of McKnight Lodge – that means air conditioning – stay up late at night (about 2 AM) and don’t get up until 9:30 each morning. Believe me, they were up until 2 AM running around my side of the camp. Oh to be young again!! This was also a day camper week and I got to meet our youngest camper (4 years old) who actually won a free week at camp when we had our drawing during the Open House program in June. As you can see from his picture, this is a kid that you have a hard time not falling in love with. He attached himself to Bridget, our horse wrangler, and literally wouldn’t let go.

We did a few other things at camp this week. Beth Martin from the Shallotte church was a volunteer this week and led an arts and crafts session on sun painting. Don’t ask me, I only took pictures. Speaking of Pictures, I had to take a picture of our camp mascot, who shared our dining hall throughout the summer. Robert captured him before camp started and Jon helped him build a cage for him. This is not a great picture but as good as it gets considering there are two pieces of plexiglass between the cottonmouth and me. Just about the right distance!

We took our traditional camp picture on Friday morning but it was later than usual. It seems that was the morning the Night Owl campers decided to ignore their alarm clocks. Instead of getting up at 9:30, Kate had to go down and get them out of bed at 10. Needless to say, pictures didn’t get taken until almost 10:30 and Mary didn’t get to Wal-Mart to print the pictures until almost 11. Well when things don’t go right to start with you can almost bet that things won’t go right anywhere else. I walked up to the counter at Wal-Mart and the sign said that the one hour processing was not working. We quickly drove over to Rite-Aid and the machine that does 8 x 10 prints wouldn’t read my SD card. In desperation I ask if there was any other place in Laurinburg where I could get 25 prints made quickly. Well there is this one hour photo shop just north of McDonalds on Business 15/501 that might be able to help. And help they did!! This is where God intended me to go in the first place!! The couple that run this place not only printed up the photos we needed in about 25 minutes but also told us that we could get a significant discount if we brought all our business to them next year. This offer is being duly noted in the manual I am writing for the next Program Director. By the way, the Committee decided to raise next year’s camp fee so that everyone will get a nightly snack/drink and a group picture. This will reduce the amount of money that will need to be collected at the registration table next year and give everybody the same services while at camp.

My next Blog entry will be the last for this year. Hopefully I’ll be able to include a picture of all the staff and who knows, I may throw in a picture of me struggling on the high ropes. See you in the next few days back in North Carolina.

Bob

PS: Did I mention that we have an array of flying animals at camp every summer? Thought you’d like to get a few pictures of these animals!

We also have a few four legged animals that walk around and carry some campers on their back.