In Thanksgiving for Summer 2018
There’s always a welcomed stillness in the air the week after camp ends. In contrast to the busyness of the summer season, the days following always feel triumphantly quiet as we begin reflecting on the past 9 weeks. Part of this reflection is giving thanks; camp is reliant on so many people and we are so thankful for each and every one of them!
Today we’d like to start by thanking everyone who prayed for us this summer. Whether you prayed for our staff, campers, safety, or that God’s presence be felt here at camp – your prayers were certainly heard and appreciated. Thank you!
We’d like to thank everyone who made camp a reality for the children we serve. The camp experience is not possible without campers, and campers are not possible without the support of those who value and support our camp ministry.
Whether you contributed to our summer scholarship campaign, sent kids to camp (whether or not they were your own), or simply told someone about camp, thank you. Thank you for supporting us and enabling us to serve a total of 1,587 kids this summer — a joyful new record!
We’d like to give a special thanks to our amazing volunteer chaplains. They come from all over the state, both near and far, to join us in fellowship for a week at camp. They set the foundation for faith development here, whether it be at morning celebration, vespers, summer staff bible study, or during an impromptu chat on the dining hall porch. Thank you for shining your light with us so that it can be shared with others!
We’d like to give thanks (and a big thumbs up) to our incredible group of volunteer nurses! They can treat everything from a skinned knee to homesickness, and we so greatly appreciate their time and energy to keep everyone going throughout the week. They play such an integral role in our summer programs and we are so thankful to have them in our circle! Know a volunteer nurse at Ferncliff? Tell them thanks!
Last but not least we’d like to give a special thanks to this incredible group of young adults — our 2018 summer staff. They came from eight different countries to compose this community and serve our campers. They were appliers of sunscreen and masters of games, but more importantly they were listening ears, role models, and friends to each and every camper. We so greatly appreciate their hard work and enthusiasm, and the many ways they helped open eyes, minds, and hearts to God’s transforming love.