Friends Shout “I LOVE CAMP!” with $85K Offering
Camp has amazing friends who love, love, love Camp Lebanon. We also have an AWESOME God! These are the two big affirmations coming out of the “I LOVE CAMP!” WEEK celebrated August 24-31. Challenged by the generosity of four families who put up a $26,000 matching gift opportunity, over 200 first time and long-term donors stepped to the plate and knocked it out of the park. Friends added to a surge of early gifts and blessed Camp with $35,000 during the week of “I LOVE CAMP!”, making August one of the biggest donor months in Camp history.
Donations kept coming in September, as donors more than doubled the match with campaign total topping $85,000. Wow! What a tremendous boost to the ministry and team, especially at the end of a summer that saw all youth camps and most rental events canceled. “Camper attendance was a quarter of 2019, but the workload doubled,” observed Bill Abeler, Executive Director. “With fall events at reduced capacities and winter retreats uncertain, this flood of support will go a long way in building a financial bridge to next summer.” Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
Pivot to Family Resort Ministries a Big Blessing
The original schedule called for ten youth camps, three family weekends, and a summer packed with rentals. Though the decision to cancel all youth events was agonizing, the call to switch to twelve weeks (23 sessions) of Family Resort brought instant focus for the team. Housing, dining, cleaning, and hosting routines were reworked and the schedule was streamlined with less structure. Families loved the relaxed pace and abundant opportunities, especially laser tag, archery, and BB guns. A daily highlight was Morning Chapel featuring favorite choruses and an encouraging message from God’s Word. “It’s been a summer of planting seeds,” noted Monte Abeler, Director of Marketing and Guest Ministries. “More people know about Camp than ever before.” It’s also been a summer of great blessing for families and Camp staff. Thanks for praying us through.
Meeting the Creator on Cedar Lake
Every day at Camp the Almighty reminds guests and staff alike of His awesome creative genius. Often that happens while people are sitting on, in, or near the lake. This summer visitors beheld baby loons, bald eagles, osprey, turkey vultures, geese, mallards, wood ducks, a neighbor’s lost goose, and some incredible color displays at sunrise and sunset. Campers have also seen a lot of “sea monsters.” In seven consecutive outings, “Bobber Bill” had the fun of helping thirteen different kids each boat a keeper-sized northern pike. Don’t tell anyone, but the bass started biting, too! Watch out walleyes.
Praise & Pray!
- PRAISE! Brotherhood Mutual settlement: $141,000 from a Loss of Revenue policy.
- PRAISE! CRITTERS COMING: 37 animal & bird mounts donated, coming 9/30.
- PRAISE! FAMILY RESORT: 1300+ summer guests from 350+ families had a blast!
- PRAISE! 12 Hour HR Marathon: 6 All-Stars slug 4104 homers, raise $18,000!
- PRAY! Coronavirus: Wisdom, protection of guests and staff, grace to serve.
- PRAY! Fall Retreats: Planning for a safe, effective ministry; strong attendance.
- PRAY! Safety of guests, staff, and community: Camp plans to do its part.
- PRAY! Future Planning: Winter season questions; financial bridge to next summer.
Inbox Blessings
“THANK YOU for the amazing time my two boys and I had at family camp. We didn’t want to leave! I’m crying as I type this because my heart is just so happy…Camp is one of my favorite places on earth.”
Family Resort Single Mom (scholarship)
“Camp has been a place where our boys are excited to go and learn about God while having the ‘Funnest Fun!’ with friends. We have seen God come alive for both boys in their own personal lives, but also in their desire to bring a new friend to camp each summer. This desire has allowed the gift of Jesus to grow in hearts that may not have otherwise heard the Good News!”
“I LOVE CAMP” Week donor
Read more in the full Camp Lebanon News (September 2020) by Bobber Bill!
