Top 50 List - D1

It's the last day of the 50th Anniversary of Shepherds Camp and our 50 days of celebration!  To sum it all up, here is a Top 50 List of new and exciting updates, additions, upgrades and enhancements from the past decade.

50. Shepherds Camp expanded from 4 weeks to 8 weeks
49. The beginning of our Day Camp program
48. Portable regulation size Gau-Gau court
47. Carpet ball
46. Renovated Craftroom
45. New hot water & heating system
44. The party grill - making picnics even better
43. An 1800 sq. ft. wheel chair accessible garden
42. Nine hole mini golf course
41. Two Shepherds Camp 1:1 sessions
40. New Radio Communications System
39. A camp mini van
38. The James Project
37. A brand new Steiner tractor
36. Jump Tower at the lake
35. Night watch gazebo - from the S.T. Homebuilders & Remodelers Assoc.
34. Interior Renovations to 8 staff cabins
33. New roof on the main building
32. New dock at the lake
31. Special Olympics Bocce Ball tournaments
30. A new maintenance golf cart
29. Carpeting in the bays
28. New paddle boats at the lake (soon to be replaced)
27. Resurfaced basketball court and cabin walkways
26. New Gazebo for small groups
25. Olympic size wheel chair accessible bocce ball courts
24. New roofs on 19 summer buildings
23. Two sets of brand new grand stands
22. New camp signs
21. The addition of a second full time staff member
20. A super-sized industrial laundry room - ready for anything
19. Upgraded pavilion seating and conversation spaces
18. Camper & staff bathhouse renovations
17. College courses offered here at Arrowhead
16. Professional broomball equipment for the winter ice rink
15. Renovated apartment and program offices
14. Renovated staff room
13. New coffee machine - everyone calls the "magic box"
12. Home Run Fence - arrayed with investor banners
11. Renovations to the mobile home trailer
10. New maintenance building roof and exterior paint
  9. Resurfaced hardwood floors in the main building
  8. Renovations to two private guest rooms
  7. Adirondack shelter at the lake
  6. New camp logo - unveiled at the beginning of 2012
  5. New plow truck - that still runs
  4. Creation of an accessible archery range
  3. Relocated, renovated and expanded nurse's station
  2. Brand new EZ-GO Shuttle
  1. Tomorrow Arrowhead Bible Camp turns 68 years old!

Merry Christmas - D7

Merry Christmas!  May Jesus be first today and every day.

Now & Then - D16

Or then and now depending on how you look at it... and depending on which decade you came to Arrowhead as a camper or staff member.

Living & Leaving - D18

Today is my anniversary!  My camp anniversary to be more specific.  It has been my privilege to serve full-time at Arrowhead for the past 11 years.  To some of you that may sound like an eternity, while compared to others I am just a youngster.  But hey, this is the oldest I have ever been and it is also the first full time job I have ever had.

Our camp staff and Alumni take pride (in a good way) in the number of summers or years they have served here at camp.  They become formative, life-changing notches in their belts; notches that take serious time, effort, sacrifice and dedication to accumulate.  But it is not just about notches in one's belt.  It is about legacy.  Camp is bigger than just those of us who are presently serving full time or part time.  Camp is farther reaching then any of our lifetimes.  Camp is also NOT about us and what we can accomplish while we are here.  That is why our mission is kingdom focused not camp focused.  I often remind our staff that Scripture says, "Behold, the kingdom of God is at hand", not "Behold, the camp of God is at hand".  Of course, that is also true of our workplaces, our churches, our families and our ministries.  Whether we purpose to or not, you and I will live & leave a legacy.

I am thrilled to be a part of a legacy that is kingdom focused.  Since 1945 when Arrowhead was founded we have had 3 key executive leaders.  The first was the founder, Dr. Paul Griffis who served for 34 years.  The second was Dave Martin, who served as Executive Director for 32 years.  Richie Robb has been serving with Arrowhead for 10 years; the last 2 years as our current Executive Director.

Photo: Dr. Paul Griffis and his family

In The Beginning - D25

Well, almost the beginning.  This photo was taken circa 1947, just two years after Lake Arrowhead Bible Conference began.

Can anyone identify the make, model or year of the cars parked in front of the dining hall?

Back in the Day - D32

Photo: Shepherds Camp back in late 60's just a few years after the program began.  On the left hand side is the old dining hall.  The bathhouse in the middle of the picture has changed a lot... especially this past year.  Notice, the camper cabins in the background used to face the lake.

Ahhh, Isn't He Cute - D37

This little guy came to Arrowhead with a work group from Reading, Pennsylvania.  We served together for a weekend - cleaning cabins, landscaping, pulling weeds, picking up sticks, pulling up sod, reconditioning the ball field and creating a 1,800 square foot wheel chair accessible garden.  In just a few days they had clocked a combined total of 200 hours!  That is the equivalent of a five full time weeks!  Or, over a month's worth of work in just a few short days.

Camp certainly does not run because a few full time employees show up to work everyday.  The success, growth and forward progress of Arrowhead is a direct result of what God is doing through hundreds of people who come to camp each year for a serve day, as a work group and through the James Project.

In 2012, work groups and James Project groups served for more than 9,000 hours!

That's equal to:
225 weeks! or
56 months! or
4.7 years!

The Dog House - D46

What was it?  Where was it located?  What was it used for?

Give us your best guess... or tell us, if you know.