Everything that’s old is new again! Aka Paul’s Place Camp year #25.
For kids, summer is about fun. Dancing, climbing, playing – and maybe, just maybe, a little learning. As our Paul’s Place campers consume volumes of lemonade to replenish their tired selves, they are actively engaged here at Redeemer doing both familiar (such as being greeted by Betsy) and brand new (climbing a rock wall) activities.
We are fortunate to have embarked on a partnership with River Valley Ranch and teamed up to provide a first-rate experience for the children of Paul’s Place. This renewal experience is due to incredibly generous contributions from the Redeemer community in all different shapes and sizes. Many parishioners have made generous monetary donations, and others have donated their time to work in the kitchen, hosted our partner staff as overnight guests at their homes, or volunteered their time to work directly with our campers.
As we’ve made our way through the week, there is also evidence that, along with the climbing and fun, there is a degree of learning going on as tradition would have it. For example, a young man named Deonte, who is in 4th grade, said, “That was really empowering. I feel like I can do anything now!” after watching a clip about a day in the life of a Navy Seal.
As a whole, our campers, counselors, and volunteers have had a wholesome and adventurous week. Much of this has to do with our new camp partners and embarking on the journey of putting on a camp experience together. Thankfully, the leadership at Redeemer was willing to go out on a limb and offer a slightly different camp experience this year.
As Derrick exclaimed yesterday, “I can’t wait ‘til tomorrow!” This was inspiring to me, and I believe that’s an invitation for all of us to follow!
Love,
