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Camp managers announce summer camp plans
Mark Boyd, managing director at Pilgrim Firs Camp and Conference Center, is overseeing registration for the PNC camps at N-Sid-Sen. He reported June 21 that there were about 10 to 12 each at the Kids and Intermediate camps, and about 20 each at Junior High and Senior High camps.
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N-Sid-Sen’s summer staff are left front to back, Malia Silver, Karma Fredericksen, Bengi Kaska and Haseeb Khurram, the latter two both of Camp America, and right front to back, Kaiden Schmillen, Ann Ogle, Freddie Tanner and Tevita Fakasiieiki. |
Pam Peterson, managing director at N-Sid-Sen, has recruited summer staff to cook, clean, lifeguard and serve the campers who come to N-Sid-Sen. Two hired through the Camp America program include a young man of Pakistani background who is studying in Hungary and a young woman from Turkey.
Registration numbers are lower than pre-Covid but growing.
The new You and Me camp for an adult and child the first part of the week of Kids camp is a new draw, said Pam.
Family camps are nearly on par with past years.
Registrations are continuing to be received for summer camps at n-sid-sen.org/summer-camp-2.
Volunteer camp directors plan the programs for each camp.
July 2 to 8, Intermediate and Junior High Camps share N-Sid-Sen with Shirley Asmussen of Seattle and Laura Lee Sorenson of Richland leading the Intermediate Camp for those entering fifth and sixth grades.
Leah Atkinson Bilinski of Fauntleroy and Amara Oden of Suquamish share leadership of Junior High Camp which is also that week.
July 9 to 15 N-Sid-Sen will be shared by You and Me Camp for children entering grades one to five and an adult, and the July 9 to 12 and Kids Camp July 12 to 15 for those entering grades two to four, both directed by Kaila Russell.
Senior High Camp will also use N-Sid-Sen from July 9 to 15 and be led by Elliott Jensen at Shoreline and Mark Cuilla of Salem Lutheran Church in Spokane.
Family Camp 1 is July 23 to 29, led by Ryan Lambert and Amy Johnson, and Family Camp 2—Camp Together—led by Janet Malley, is July 30 to Aug. 5.
“FruitFULL Faith” is the 2023 theme for camp curriculum as campers of all ages take time to “unplug and jump into a week of awesome, low-tech fun” that includes canoeing, crafts, nine-square, basketball, beach fun, crazy skits, nature discoveries, goofy songs, team building, campfires, camp worship, paddle boarding, swimming, picnics, faith chats, water games, field games, river floats and hiking.
“Church camp is about building relationships with other campers in a setting where they can connect to God and nature,” Pam said. “We will share stories of fear, pain and new ideas for this transition time within the conference.”
N-Sid-Sen’s 2023 T-Shirt design represents “Transforming Faith” depicted as a monarch butterfly with milkweed.
“With interest in bringing back monarch butterflies we will plant patches of milkweed,” Pam said.
Information on tiered pricing and financial assistance is available online. Campers who bring a friend will receive $100 off for both the returning camper and new camper for a full week and $50 off for part of a week.
“My focus is to get churches and church kids back to camp,” said Pam at Annual Meeting when she and Mark shared about the various partner groups that use both camps. “I believe we can build on those who come and have them invite at least two others.
“The small camps are wonderful in terms of campers building deep connections with each other,” continued Pam, who has focused time on contacting pastors to introduce herself and offer the camp for them to come on personal retreats.
She also is inviting the Samoan and Marshallese churches, in particular, to use the camps.
On June 11, Pilgrim Firs hosted a Pride Picnic for 120 people, gathering at the Pride Garden, a gift from a gay couple in the Southworth area. One of the men had grown up coming to the camp.
“It was a wonderful way for people in the area to know that Pilgrim Firs is a safe space for them in Kitsap County,” said Mark of the one-day annual event.
For information, visit n-sid-sen.org or pilgrim-firs.org.
Pacific Northwest Conference Summer United Church News copyright © June 2023
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