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N-Sid-Sen camps led to summer of smiles, ties

Randy and Linda Crowe, who began in June serving as the volunteer acting managing directors, spent the summer smiling starting with Work Camp at N-Sid-Sen drawing more than 30 people coming for one to nine days and a few for several weeks.

Junior high campers join in tie dying, top. Kids campers help “give back” by piling branches and sticks into a pickup, middle. Kids campers learn Bible stories by improv drama, bottom Photos courtesy of N-Sid-Sen

“We had a lengthy list of tasks for cleaning, maintenance, repair and planting flowers,” said Linda, praising the bravery of Carrie Kissinger climbing on scaffolding to clean the ceiling fans in the Forrester hall.

“They had not been cleaned in years and are now white again,” Randy noted.

Campers cleaned brush, split firewood, washed and vacuumed.

Then Regis Bernard of Plymouth in Seattle proposed that each of the weeks of summer camps there be a “Giving Back Time” for campers to continue helping with tasks. All the UCC age group, intergenerational and family camps, which drew about the same number as in 2024, joined in.

As projects were completed, more were added to the list, so there is still a long list of projects for the next Work Camp, which will be Oct. 5 to 12.

“Now some of the tasks are for beautification of the site,” said Randy.

N-Sid-Sen provided a box of work glovers in assorted sizes for campers.

When Kids Campers helped pick up sticks and branches and load them on a pickup, one girl commented, “Oh, that was fun!”

Even the Latter-day Saints camp and Montessori group in June and the Unitarian Universalist group in August help do more work.

“We had an overwhelming To Do List for work camp, but enthusiastic, energetic workers, showed up and shared their gifts to get much of it done, and Work Camp was just the beginning,” said Linda.

The theme for the UCC camps, “Another Way,” was written by the UCC, United Methodist, Disciples of Christ, Presbyterian USA and Church of the Brethren outdoor ministries leaders.

Emily Hanson, who co-directed Family Camp, found at the last minute that the other co-directors tested positive for COVID and could not come. Her husband, Brent, enjoyed driving the camp’s old tractor to haul chunks of wood around the grounds to a place where they could be split for firewood.

Through the summer, N-Sid-Sen had four on staff as the cleaning crew, including college students from Plymouth UCC in Seattle, Bellevue First and Chewelah UCC. Cooking was done by the same caterer as last summer.

N-Sid-Sen is looking for a full-time maintenance person and someone to clean as needed for the coming year, said Randy.

The camp is full into October and then will be quiet, so Randy is working at recruiting groups.

Linda summed up some anecdotes from camp.

Kids campers learned Bible stories, not by reading the texts but by borrowing the Christmas pageant costumes of Westminster UCC in Spokane and doing improvisational drama.

One Kids camper said every day, “Best day ever!”

One Camp Together camper, a 21-year-old woman, was baptized on the front beach by the campfire.

At a Family Camp campfire, a three-year-old especially enjoyed singing along and making motions as John Eisenhauer led a song, “Put your finger on your nose, on your nose.”

Linda did eight tie dye sessions in three-and-a half weeks – tie dying t-shirts, scarves and even a dress.

“Through the summer, Linda and I laughed and smiled a lot,” said Randy. “We love what we are doing and know people are affected in a positive way.”

“Randy and I talked a lot before we agreed to be full-time volunteers at N-Sid-Sen, but this feels like what God expects us to be doing now, with cleaning, maintenance and interactions with people,” Linda added.

They will stay through the season but are open and have offered to stay a year to help rebuild the camping at N-Sid-Sen.

“Continuity is good for a time of rebuilding,” Linda said. “The summer has been rich with blessings, and so many are coming to the 90th anniversary celebration.”

Phil Hodson, conference minister, reported that Annual Meeting exceeded its goal of raising $6,000 for camper health and safety equipment at N-Sid-Sen, raising $7,000, along with the gifts of time and talent led to many volunteer workers improving the facilities for the camping season there.

For information, call 208-689-3489 or visit n-sid-sen.org.

 

Pacific Northwest Conference United Church of Christ News © Summer 2025

 

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