Merry Christmas from Shepherds Camp!

Special Ops: Sunup to Sundown

Yesterday we had some great Special Ops volunteers join us for another blitz trip to Arrowhead.  One of our SO Guys from southern PA arrived early in the morning just as the sun was coming up.  First, he completed several outside projects that have been looming on our to do list.  Then he moved inside and joined up with a few more skilled guys.  In just a few hours we rerouted electric, built three walls, sound proofed, hung drywall and had the first coat of mud complete!

A big thanks to our local skilled guys and to our SO Guy from southern PA.  Just as the sun went down, he and I shook hands and he set off on a four hour drive back home.  What a huge blessing to have Special Ops volunteers who bring their excitement, skill and desire to serve... especially on time sensitive projects like this one.

Special Ops: Blitz Trip

What a day.  Literally, it was just shy of 24 hours!  Yesterday, we had a Special Ops crew in to build a deck.  Even with the three hour drive to camp they arrived before the sun came up and left well after the sun had gone down. 

What an impact to have their skills, energy, commitment and time.  Their investment in this Special Ops project is a huge blessing, keeps us moving forward and allows us to continue to honor our full time staff.

Shepherds Fall (Summer) Retreat 2017

It felt like summer this past weekend for our Shepherds Fall Retreat.  We had a great time reconnecting with campers, staff and volunteers from the summer. 

The In Between

After a week of Staff Training our summer 2017 camp family is ready for the first day of camp... which is tomorrow.  We've got 10 weeks of Shepherds Camp ahead.  It's going to be a great summer!

Springing Ahead (again)

It is that time of year again.  Yes, it is that time when the grass is getting green, the tress are budding and the weather is seasonably all over the place; but that is not what I mean.  It is that time of year again... when we have been tremendously busy transitioning out of our winter retreat season, tackle major projects and working with a big list of work groups and hosting retreats as we prepare for summer.  It is also that time of year when the camp blog is starving for posts.

We certainly have been busy and that is my excuse.  We refinished walls, built decks, landscaping, grounds clean up, building cleaning & organization, replaced roofs, worked on projects for the neighbors, more roofing, built new bench for the new fire ring area at the lake, served at a local church, even more roofing, annual weeding and edging, split firewood and a host of other projects

Check it out:

 

Christmas Magic - Seek Peek

Here's a few photos from behind the camera (of the camera).  It's always surreal (and a little sweaty) when we get together in the fall to create our Black-Top-Drawn Staff Christmas Photo.

I think we should add a remote control and viewing screen for our camera to the Camp Wish List.  That would make life a lot easier!

Merry Christmas from Shepherds Camp!

Campiversaries all around

It is a season of campiversaries.  For those of you who don't speak Camp-ese... it is the anniversary of being hired full time at camp.  

Back in October Tony, our head cook celebrated his 1st campiversary.  Today marks 15 years for me (Ben) and in just a few weeks Tyler, our program manager celebrates 3 years!

To say that we are blessed to live and work the camp life is a tremendous understatement.

Missing Summer

It is cold and more than a foot of snow is on the ground.  But that is not why we are missing summer.  As we are busy preparing for our winter retreat season we are also getting ready to send out Shepherds Camp registration forms for Summer 2017. 

All the paperwork, photos and graphic design has us excited for this upcoming summer and missing our campers, staff and volunteers.

Turbine Time

It's that time of the year again.  Actually, we may be a few weeks behind.  The leaves are 95% off the trees, soaking wet and this is our first round of eradicating leaves.  Good thing we have a Turbine Blower!

The Fall Connection

This past weekend was our highly anticipated Shepherds Camp Fall Retreat.  We had a wonderful time reconnecting with campers and staff from the summer, welcoming back some alumni and introducing Shepherds Camp to a large group of new volunteers.

Who do you Know?

What a great visit.  A trio of friends who served at Arrowhead alongside their parents back in the 50's and 60's recently stopped by to visit.

They were full of stories and historical information that connected many of the puzzle pieces from the early days of Arrowhead to the present.  I won't tell you any of the pranks and practical joke stories.  I don't want to give my current staff any ideas.  It was fun to see what names, labels and ideas have spanned the decades and are part of the heart and soul of the camp to this day.  My favorite part of the visit was sitting down to look at photos from their time at camp, watching them point, chuckle and rattle off dozens of names (even the names of the horses) like they were teenagers again.

What a blessing to be apart of a legacy that makes alumni want to visit.  Camp sure has changed over the years.  But as we stood out at the camp sign and agreed, the mission is the same.

Where Did the Time Go?

"Lights Out and Good Night" to quote one of our campers who loves praying to close out evening chapel.

We started with Staff Training back in May and tomorrow is the last day... 12 weeks summer!  This photo encapsulates that "Week 12" feeling...

ITS BUSY. We certainly weren't sitting on our hands the whole time.  Camp is hard work.  Shepherds Camp is very hard work.  And we like hard work.

ITS FUN.  Who else gets to have over 100 people staying at their place for 3 months.  To us, the 24/7 camp lifestyle is fun.  (Note the counselor dead center in the photo who looks like he's letting out a big yell)

IT'S BLURRY.  After three months of ministry and pushing hard to finish strong, the whole thing feels a little blurry.

IT'S COLORFUL.  Camp is one of the most dynamic ministries I have ever experienced (Yes, I am biased).  There is never a dull moment.

IT'S CRAZY.  It's crazy how fast 3 months flies by.  It's crazy how a group of 40 college students, high schoolers and twenty-somethings (I'll just lump myself in that group) can become a family.  It's crazy that God would be pleased to use a guy like me and people like us for His kingdom work.

Water Games are Rigged

Well... I submitted to the chanting and joined my guys on the dock for water games.  I really thought the counselors and campers would be okay with one of us coming out of this dry.  In hopes that it would be me... I kept my socks, shoes and hat on.

And, I was the first to get it.  But, Tony and Tyler weren't far behind.

CCK'16

Camper Counselor Kickball 2016

Having fun is a must.

It can get a little scary out there.

 See what I mean.

Safety is our top priority.

Rule #1 - Dress for success!