"It was amazing! I learned so much there. I can't wait to go back."—Mandy, 13; "It was the highlight of my summer... I want to come back next year! Amazing!"—Elizabeth, 14; "It was awesome!"—Joshua, 16
These were just a few of the enthusiastic comments recorded on the Camper Survey at LYC Michigan 2007. Before I relate the details of this two-week experience, take a look at a few more comments from those who participated in what was clearly one of our best camps ever:
- "It was a lot of fun. I made new friends and was inspired."— Adrian, 15
- "Camp has helped in my social life."—Jason, 13
- "At LYC you learn many things, make lots of friends, and learn about God."—Erica, 15
- "One of the most memorable times of my life"—Christopher, 13
- "It was a lot of fun and I met a lot of friends. I learned that I must work with others and to pray for everything."— Daria, 14
- "It was fun and I learned a lot. Rules and laws are very important."— Sara, 16
- "Order was kept with love. Everyone was kind to one another. I almost thought I was at the Feast."— Emily, 15
This is what campers said they wanted to tell their friends and parents. Space does not permit me to relay all the positive comments made by all the campers, but suffice it to say that this was truly a wonderful summer for the teens who traveled to the north woods of Michigan this year. As 15-year-old Alyshia put it, "There is too much to say! It was one of the best experiences of my life and it's undescribable. You have to see and be here for yourself." Nevertheless, we will try.
Physical activities are important for the LYC program. Most teens love sports, dancing, and new challenges. This year we had plenty of activities and challenges. Jerry Ruddlesden and Christie McNair taught the traditional standbys of soccer and volleyball, and Ultimate Frisbee was enjoyed as part of the less formal evening activities. Less active, but just as challenging, was the archery class taught by Derek Forrestier. Over the years we have found that some teens, who may not be as skilled in more physical activities, really shine at this ancient sport—it is a real confidence booster for many.
Dance class is always popular and this year Mr. and Mrs. Elertson and staff taught the swing, Crocodile Rock, fox trot, and Texas tradition—Cotton-Eyed Joe. One of the points emphasized in Dance Class is proper etiquette. Those of us in camp administration are pleased when we hear comments from adult members who notice the proper behavior of our young people during Festival dances. Not surprisingly, we also hear questions from outsiders at weddings: "Who are these young people? How do they know each other? Where did they learn to dance this way?"
Each dorm also had the opportunity to share an evening with another dorm for "Topics and Dance." This gave everyone an opportunity to put into practice speaking skills Mr. Mario Hernandez was teaching them in Speech Class, as well as to practice their dance steps and proper dance etiquette. Mr. Hernandez hosted these occasions, always encouraging campers to "use your voice" and to "speak up!" This was his third year teaching speech and each day at the department heads luncheon meeting, he would become emotional telling us about all the progress he had seen in veteran campers from previous years.
Earlier this year, Northwoods Christian Camp hired a company to come in and harvest the more mature trees in the camp. This left behind many dying branches, and the woods looked pretty rough when we arrived. What a difference when we left! Floyd Spencer and his Campus Improvement (CI) crew motivated campers to stack brush for later chipping or burning. By the time camp was over, most of the main campus had an entirely new and refreshing look. The CI staff also repaired three-foot bridges, stained the Lodge deck, and did a few other painting jobs.
The overnight canoe trip was a highlight for many campers. The trip began with a bus ride to the quaint little village of Hessel on the north shore of Lake Huron. From there, campers travelled to "Survivor Island," where Mr. Sheldon Monson and his staff had a number of challenges set up and waiting for them. Mr. and Mrs. Meredith arrived for the last few days of camp, and evening activities and retire to their tents.
Purpose and Meaning
One reason why young people live such reckless and careless lives is that they do not know why they are here, so they have no goals beyond the here and now. To aid our teens and young adult staff in the decisions they are making, this year's Christian Living classes focused on purpose and meaning. All campers and staff met in one of five groups each morning to learn about the purposes for laws, why we have physical life and how we can maximize our time and make it meaningful, what is the purpose for marriage, why the church, why we need a Savior, why Christ must return, and what is our ultimate destiny. Kellie, age 14, summed up what we were trying to accomplish in these classes: "Seeing God's truth through my own eyes." Here is a sample of other responses given by campers to the question, "What point in the Christian Living Classes is the most memorable to you?"
- "That we only have so little time in life and we should spend it wisely"— Britni, 13
- "God wants order"—Katie, 15
- "The fact that we are training to be actual kings and priests" —Tyler, 15
- "The meaning of physical life"— Blake, 13
- "Every decision I make will impact my life in some way"—Joey, 16
- "Cause/Effect"—Michelle, 13
- "To not waste your life and live it to the fullest"—Laura, 13
- "Don't date outside the Church"— Madeline, 16
- "The laws and postmodernism"— Matthew, 16
- "Mr. Monson's point about keeping a steady pace"—Joe, 16
- "When Mr. Elertson explained about the troubles of this world" —Eric, 15
- "When we talked about the Ten Commandments"—Asa, 16
- "When Mr. McNair taught us about how laws were important"— Tegan, 14
Other instructional opportunities included the Principles of Living Class where discussions were held concerning the physical and social challenges facing teens following high school graduation. Bible Studies and Sabbath services provided more opportunities to impart wisdom. A highlight toward the end of camp was Mr. Meredith giving a Bible Study on the history of the Church. The following afternoon, he spoke on the need for heartfelt prayer in a teen's life. Numerous comments were made on the camper survey indicating many of the teens understood the importance of this subject and appreciated Mr. Meredith bringing it to them.
The Media Department constructed a video recording studio in the classroom building and worked with each dorm to produce a news broadcast to be shown during Morning Motivation. For any who are interested, you can view one of these newscasts at: www.youth-web.org.
One goal we had this year was to have cleaner dorms. Daily inspections and focusing on the task made this beyond any doubt our cleanest camp ever! It was a pleasure taking Mr. and Mrs. Meredith through the dorms to see how the teens of the church can keep a clean living area!
The final day of camp was busy. Organization is all important and so the day began with the counselor and staff meetings. Group photos had to be taken. Equipment and personal belongings had to be packed up. Dorms and classrooms had to be cleaned. Then there was final rehearsal for the Talent Show in the morning and the Show itself in the afternoon. Kresge Lodge had to be transformed into a beautiful banquet facility. Steaks had to be barbecued, flowers and boutonnieres had to be distributed, and everyone had to get dressed. When the time arrived, elegantly dressed young ladies were met by their dapper escorts and proceeded to the banquet. After dinner there was time for fellowship, a short address by the camp director, viewing of the "End of Camp" video, and, of course, the dance. At midnight the dance ended, and it was time for 57 campers and staff to board the bus for MBS airport to meet their rides or take flights home.
LYC 2007 seemed to stand out from previous years. Dustin Christal summed it up well: "The spirit this year was incredible; happiness everywhere."
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The Living Church of God Pre-Teen camp returned to Cuivre River State Park in northeastern Missouri this year with 44 eager campers, 40 supporting staff members, and four little "minicampers" as well.
Our schedule of activities kept everyone busy! Riflery and archery classes improved our campers' aim. A nature walk helped teach appreciation for God's creation. Agility and swiftness were put to the test in our obstacle course, and teamwork skills were practiced through Ultimate Frisbee. In arts and crafts, boys built wooden chests to hold any goodies their hearts desired, and saw the full process from assembly and sanding to applying a coat of finish. Meanwhile, girls created "accordion"-style memory books, complete with photos taken during their stay at camp. Our canoeing class seemed particularly outstanding this year; many staff members commented that it was one of the most instructive and helpful canoeing classes they had ever attended.
The daily Christian Living classes, taught by Camp Director Mr. Wallace Smith and Assistant Director Mr. Darrell Lovelady, focused on the camp theme of "Who is God?" to teach that God is friend, Father, and Creator, and is wise and trustworthy. Ultimately, campers learned that God is love.
Evening activities included a Fun Show that highlighted our campers' many talents. On Friday, in a camp-wide treasure hunt, members of each dorm ran all over campus to locations hidden in Scriptural clues, each containing a portion of a mystery Bible verse they ultimately had to assemble.
During Sabbath services, campers and guests heard Mr. Bill Oswald (an elder from Columbia, Missouri) and Mr. Lovelady stress the biblical wisdom behind the lessons learned at camp, and the need to make godly choices in life. After the "Camp Quiz" that night, awards were given in such categories as Most Polite Dorm and Most Courageous Camper.
Many of our twelve-year-old campers lamented that they would be too old for Pre-Teen Camp next year, and I can see why! Our heartfelt thanks go out to our Heavenly Father for the many blessings He mercifully rained down on our Pre-Teen Camp this year. It was a fantastic camp, and we are looking forward to making next year even better!
—Wallace G. Smith