Saturday, August 2, 2008

DAY CAMP 2008!!!

Day Camp at Arrowhead was HUGE! We had over 100 kids each day. The schedule was jammed-packed with all sorts of camp activities and crazy fun. We were very excited to have Drama Ministry from Lancaster Pa back for another week of Day Camp. Once again, they made a great IMPACT on the program by providing dramatic presentations of the good news of Jesus Christ. Each morning the gospel came alive right in front of each camper. Then campers got to choose Drama class as an afternoon activity.

Each morning the campers rotated from Drama to Crafts to a special activity. The special activities included large group games, hay rides, and special guests. Our special guests this year were: our friends from the local Christian Motorcyclist Association who came to talk to the campers about motorcycle (bicycle) safety, the Ross Park Zoo Mobile with animals for the campers to see and touch, another friend from just down the road who taught a sign language class, and News Channel 34's meteorologist - Ryan Coyle. Following Ryan was a News Channel 34 camera man and reporter. You can check out the story at - www.newschannel34.com (click on "Summer Fun" - look for the Arrowhead Bible Camp story). We had a fantastic line up of special guests and activities. Then each afternoon campers could choose between the archery range, swimming and boating at the lake, bocce ball, games, and drama class. It proved to be a wild and crazy week of camp.

Our goal through Day Camp is to impact our community. First, we provide kids (and their families) with a safe and exciting program that is FREE! Then we structure the week to encourage, educate, challenge and care for each camper. All week long we invite the campers to experience camp with us (the staff) thus inviting them to experience Jesus Christ. When the week is over - all campers go home with a letter from myself and a boat load of stories to share with their family and friends. Some campers also go home to share something extra special - that while they were at Day Camp they heard about Jesus...and how He came to rescue them. Each and every camper who believes in Jesus Christ and puts their trust in Him to be rescued from their sin and separation from God is followed up by a ministry in their local community that is partnering with Arrowhead. These friends of Day Camp have accepted the call to disciple those campers, invest in their families, and invite each of them to experience God's love and forgiveness. We are excited to partner with like-minded ministries who seek to continue (year round) the loving impact we have started here at Day Camp. What a blessing!

Day Camp craft: canvas banners. The kids put down words on the banner using painters tape. Then they smeared paint all over the banner using their hands and feet. The paint dried. The tape was pulled off...and each group had its own banner. Then at the end of the week each banner was cut into squares - one for each camper to take home with them.



Another great craft: the campers really enjoyed these canvas cloth "bookbags" that they could decorate.

Each day we ate lunch outside, picnic style. On Thursday we had eight fire rings going...and each camper got to cook their own hot dog and s'more over the open flame.

A BIG "Thank You!" to everyone who invested in Day Camp at Arrowhead to make it the "Camp for EVERY Kid." What a blessing. Thank you.