Dear Camp Volunteer

Dear Camp Volunteer,

You recently sent your application in, and you're eagerly anticipating the your placement letters that will come out in early May. Never mind that this is over a month away, you're probably already checking your mailboxes with enthusiasm. Thank you so much for your eagerness and joy to volunteer at a summer camp. You are going to be such a fantastic addition to the teams that the director is slowly piecing together right about now. She may even be taking a break to write you this letter. I am so overwhelmed and humbled by how far our camp has come in the last two years, and I just wanted to take a moment and tell you all thank you.

1.) Thank you for volunteering eagerly. I, rather snottily, asked for you turn in applications on time this year, making it very clear I was not going to tolerate tardiness and you rose above and beyond. Whether it was because you were just excited to apply or because you truly listen to me, I am thankful that you did this, making my job a little bit easier.

2.) Thank you for being open to change. Not a week goes by that I don't have some kind of idea to mix things up. You've learned that I fear stagnation, and that I love to mix things up, and you've been open to everything I have tossed in your courts. Not only that, but you have been open with me about how feel about these things. Thank you! I listen to your opinions and truly take them into account each time I consider making some kind of large change. None of these would be successful without your genuine enthusiasm to try these ideas out.

3.) Thank you for your joy! Your applications seem to drip with the joy and excitement for the upcoming summer. Playful notes, sincere offers to do whatever is needed, and dreams about where you may be placed make reading them that much more fun. What could be a tedious office job is no more, because of how happily you filled out those applications. You make me excited to work with you this summer-your camp spirit is infectious.

4.) Thank you for your honesty. You tell me what you really think about the jobs being offered to you. It's okay that you don't want to work kitchen staff again! You did it last year, and we were thankful for you hard work, and besides that, I want you in a job you will love. Thank you for telling me that you cannot work two sessions or that last year was your last. I wish you all the best, and we will keep you in our prayers for years to come.

5.) Thank you for your faith, the faith that you are ready to share with campers this summer. Thank you for being willing to put yourselves out there and discuss the beauty of your faith, your personal relationship with God, and your own unique of getting to know God, the Son, and the Spirit, so that your campers can follow in your faith-on-fire footsteps.

6.) Thank you for trusting me with your most precious place, your home-away-from-home, and your safe place. The place where you can be beautifully and uniquely yourselves. The place where you are unafraid to feel all of the feels, participate in all of the things, and share yourselves with each other and me. Thank you for trusting me, despite my lack of constant warmth, my sarcasm, and the fact that sometimes I scare you.

7.) Thank you for all you give me. I would not be who I am, what I am today if was not for all you have taught me in the last two years as director, and the years before that as a fellow volunteer. You make me feel so brave and strong, so empowered, and so capable. Your faith in me helps me to do what I could never do. You truly bring out the best in me.

I hope you're getting excited for the summer, and I promise, those letters will come sooner than you think.

Tota tua.

Saturday Special: Camp for Campers

Dear Dubious Parent,

Some of my best summer memories are from Camp Re-NEW-All (spoiler: I run it now, so clearly, I loved it). I learned so much from attending Camp, and in my years on staff, I have enjoyed watching kids grow and learn in just those four and a half days! It's an experience every child should try, because the worst thing that can happen is they don't come back next year, and the best is that they never want to leave.

Here are some Camp-Director approved reasons why children should try camp... (note, this is church-camp specific, but could totally apply to other sleep-away summer camps like Girl Scout camp or others)

Down by Roaring River

1.) All the new stuff they'll get to try! Living for a few days away from home exposes kids to all kinds of new environments and ideas! Is your child an only child? They'll learn how to share living space with people. Has your child ever swam in a river? They'll to do that too! Have they ever had lemon bars or our special camp-style s'mores? They're going to absolutely love them. New games, new faces, new information-it's an awesome opportunity for your children to try all kinds of new things in a safe, supportive environment!

Staff members at Adoration

2.) Role models. Most summer camps are ran by adults but primarily staffed by high school and college aged young adults. They're comparable to pro-babysitters who are going to help your children have more fun than they've ever had in their lives. The staff is from all over the area, with all kinds of talents. We have team-building the day before your child arrives, and are so prepared to help your child have a blast all week! The staff is there for your children! Camp isn't about the staff, it's about the campers and all they want to is hang out with, bond, teach, help, and get to know your children. This means that your child is going to be surrounded by attentive, Jesus-loving, fun, energetic teens who want to share their love of Christ with all of the campers.

Mass

3.) Jesus will be there. Well, not literally, but sort of! We have religious formation (reform) classes every day, giving campers a chance to learn about an area of their faith in depth. How many forms of prayer are there? What is a saint? How do I find my vocation? These are all questions that have been answered in years past, and this year we are answering questions about the Mass. When your camper comes home telling you all about transubstantiation and when it happens in the Mass, you're going to be blown away. Not only that, but your camper will get a chance to read at Mass, serve, lead praise and worship, participate in the sacrament of Penance and spend time with Christ during Adoration. And the staff will be there every step of the way to help them know how and what to do during all of this, so there's no need to worry if your camper hasn't been to confession in a while or never been to Adoration. We're here to help bring them closer to Christ every day!

All dressed up for the Main Event

4.) Did I mention fun? Does your son or daughter like sports? Or maybe learning about nature? Do they enjoy crafts, such as making tie-dye shirts or mosaic crosses? Can they play an instrument or do they enjoy singing? Or do they just enjoy being a part of a group of kids and having a good day? Camp is so much fun, and so busy! Nightly activities like the Main Event or Skit Night will have your camper excited all day long to participate! They'll lose their voice on Camp Fire Night, singing along to all of the camp songs their peers are leading, and you bet they'll want to know what exactly the Dutch Auction is from the moment it's announced.

5.) Life-Long Friends. Two of my best friends attended camp with me as staff and campers. One of my best friends met her husband at camp in the 8th grade. My younger sister has attended camp with her best friends, and developed mature, faith-focused friendships through her time at camp. There are campers who only attend a particular session so that they can see their camp family every year, which includes campers from West Plains to New Madrid to Joplin. Not to mention Springfield, Pierce City, Cassville, and all of the parishes in between. Your camper is going to make friends with people from all over the area, who all have approximately the same faith experience as they do! Catholicism!

Dancing at Music

6.) Traditions. The summer camp tradition is a strong one. Camp Re-NEW-All has been around for forty-two years! My parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins attended camp. There are staffers who watch over their younger siblings, like the Saikos. The oldest, Allison, is all about what her siblings and her campers need; she's the big sister that all the campers need. There are also staffers who are siblings and love to attend the same sessions, and even work the same positions, like the Denney sisters! Sophia and Alexa lead music and work with campers not only at Camp Re-NEW-All but also at a local day camp too. Their experiences, joy, and passion for working with kids are just one example of the kind of love and tradition the staff and campers bring each year. Camp wouldn't be what it is without families who make it a priority each summer.

Camper group picture

7.) Camp isn't camp without campers. The camp's entire purpose is to provide a getaway, a spiritual retreat, and fun, safe environment for campers. All of the campers. And we need all kinds of campers. Athletic campers. Crafty campers. Funny campers. Brave campers. Campers who are shy. Campers who like to help others. Campers with all kinds of life experiences, like being an only child or the youngest, or the oldest. We have campers allergic to nuts, we have campers allergic to grass. We've had campers with different developmental struggles. My dad went to camp on crutches one year! Camp is a safe place. And all of our campers, with all of their differences are loved and wanted for the days that they are here.

Camp holds a special place in my heart, and will even after I am no longer director or able to attend. I truly believe it is one of the most valuable experiences my parents gave me as a child.

Tota tua,

LeAnn