We are constantly making efforts to improve what we do. In response to our end-of-summer comprehensive survey, we  have tweaked our opening day structure in an effort to better serve you and your children. This year our check-in will begin at 2:00 p.m. and end at 4:00 p.m. for the following reasons:

1) A significant number of parents have communicated the stresses of traveling long distances as they have tried to meet our traditional 11:30 start time. Our hope is that this will better serve those who have an extended drive to camp.

2) Moving our start time tightens our opening day schedule. The long, unstructured afternoon heightened homesickness. The later start time is designed to alleviate this issue, particularly for our younger, first-time campers.

3) Our normal bus arrival time is 3:30 p.m. In previous summers, our registration ended at 2:00 p.m. The disparity in these times caused numerous logistical issues. Coordinating the bus arrival time with the registration time allows the bus riders to enjoy the full experience of opening day as well as allows our staff a smooth transition from registration directly into the beginning of the
session.

Here are some additional opening day tips, especially for new parents:

Get ready for the coolest drive ever into camp.  Yes, you will drive in the river!  If you are going to Singing Hills, take a left in the river.  If you are going to Echo Valley, take a right in the river.  The water is only three inches deep, but we do ask you to drive slowly.

Our staff will direct you to parking areas and will assist you with trunks and luggage.  We will have plenty of can drinks, bottled water, and mini chicken sandwiches and hamburgers ready for you.

We encourage you to get to know your child’s counselors and directors.  If there is anything we should know about your camper, please let us know so we can make this experience the “best two weeks of their life.”

And of course, we know parents miss their kids too, so we will be posting photos daily just so you can catch a glimpse of your child having fun!

If you have any questions, please call the Sugar Shack at 830-258-5627 and ask for a Director. See you Sunday!

Of course there was also time for some fun and games, hikes and swimming. At the end of each day all the staff came together for dinner and then worship time at Roundup.  Monday night we all headed to the arena for the first rodeo of the season.  It was a hootin’ hollering crazy fun night. Now it’s the campers turn to dress those cows next!

The rest of the week was packed with lots of other fun and important stuff to get ready for campers.  Not much of a break though for first half staff who return tomorrow.

Yep, camp is ready.  Echo Valley and Singing Hills have been cleaned, docks set up at the waterfront, and Goliath (our high ropes challenge) awaits the more brave souls.  Even more importantly, our staff are ready to welcome kids with open hearts and open arms.  It’s going to be a great summer.

Check out this video from their trip!

Post a comment about this video on our Facebook Page

I often have counselors come and tell me about what his or her camper is going through. Most of the time I just offer some advice and encourage the counselor, but one time it was different. One time I needed to meet with this young camper myself. As we sat down I realized that I had played Concentration with this camper during free time the day before.

It’s a strange word game, that I can barely remember now. But the campers in her session was particularly obsessed with it. We sat in a circle on the grass near the volleyball courts. One person would shout out a bunch of different words and everyone would guess what they were thinking about). Honestly, I played the game twice and the first time totally confused me. The second time I played the game, this camper was there sitting next to me.

Later when the camper needed me, she quickly opened up, and we talked about what she was going through and what the next steps would be.

I was struck that she trusted me. I was struck that a simple word game we had played on the day before had such significance. Camp is full of fun and games, but why? The course of that young camper’s life was changed in the grass that day. At camp God uses the simplest actions for His complex plan. Two weeks, uninterrupted is an unmatched opportunity that God has given us and I am so thankful to be a small part of it.

Angela Aadahl,
Associate Director, Singing Hills

He decided that a 7 book and 8 movie series was not enough.  He just had to conquer Middle Earth as well.

In this video you’ll see just how far Harry has gone off the deep end. Okay, we’re all a little creeped out by Smeagol.  But then he uses his special powers to silence an innocent talking tree!  Poor Frodo didn’t stand a chance.

]]> http://dev.llyc.org/2011/05/10/ccamp-theme-harry-potter-vs-everybody/feed/ 0 http://dev.llyc.org/2011/05/02/llyc-in-just-one-word-wordle/ http://dev.llyc.org/2011/05/02/llyc-in-just-one-word-wordle/#comments Mon, 02 May 2011 18:06:16 +0000 Sandra Sims http://www.llyc.org/?p=3273 If you could describe LLYC in one word, what would it be?  Here’s a wordle with the answers so far.  Add your word on our Facebook page here.

I am continually amazed at what can happen in just two weeks. A camper may come to camp feeling broken, confused, alienated, and in various stages of hurt or pain, and they can truly go home renewed and transformed through the power of an encounter with Christ.

Previously to this position, I worked for nine years in a church setting and I continue to have a great love for the church. I remember as a youth director I would try and pack so much into a weekend retreat, and often would leave the retreat feeling like we didn’t have sufficient time to get beyond the surface with matters of faith and life. It’s simple, but with the extended time at camp, and through relationships of trust and integrity, walls often come tumbling down.

Throughout our 45 years of history, we have chosen to continue the two-week session format because we have seen how well it works for campers. It takes campers several days to develop a real, honest trust with their counselors, and when it happens, that’s when growing, healing, sharing, and faith development can happen. Once campers know their counselors love them and accept them unconditionally, they become more open to conversation about God.

Our deepest desire is that campers, through our amazing backdrop of God’s creation, would want to either start or renew a relationship with God. We want to see campers leave our camp with a new sense of purpose for how they live life, to know first-hand God’s abundant love for them, and to feel strong enough to walk back into a world that is so polar opposite to the camp environment.

The great thing about a two week session is that campers have a safe place to literally practice their faith in a protected environment so that they can be more prepared to live it out when they return to their home, church, and community.

Kevin Mayne,
Executive Director, LLYC

~ Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NIV)

This passage is about the great plans that the Lord has for all of us; plans that will bring us joy no matter how difficult or impossible the situation seems. My mom was unable to have children naturally due to a heart condition. Since both of my parents wanted children, they decided to adopt. They had an adoption all planned.

Everything was going smoothly, and it seemed that they would soon have a new baby. However, at the last moment the mother decided to keep her child, and my parents were devastated.

Keeping faith in God, my parents trusted in his plan. Before they knew it, they found out about another baby in need of adoption, me. This time the adoption went through. My parents had their baby, and I had my family. I grew up in an amazing Christian home that was a blessing beyond anything I could have ever imagined.

You see, my brothers and sisters, God’s plans are always going to bless you if you just continue to have faith and praise him, even during the most difficult times. No problem is too big for our God, as long as we are willing to let go of it.

1.  What are some things in your life now that you need to let go of and give to God?
2.  What stops us from letting God take our problems?

By Matt Eadie, LLYC Counselor

You can see how much fun our campers have swimming in these pics:

More pictures are posted on our Facebook page!