Next spring we’ll be hosting a pavi party. You know, to celebrate the last summer in the original BBC pavilion. Who’d you go to camp with? Do you have any pictures? Favorite memories? One thing we’ll plan to do at the party is make a time capsule to stuff in the wall of the new building. If you have any contributions to make to the time capsule, please send them in! You could email to camp at bethanybirches.org or call the office or send a carrier pigeon!
Archive for the ‘For Parents’ Category
Summer 2013: #WithGod All Things Are Possible
Mission Possible All Around: #WithGod all things are possible…
…#WithGod BBC used Mission Possible as the summer-long theme based on Matthew 19:26. Campers were challenged to be #WithGod both at camp and at home. The Mission Possible theme also explored how we can be #WithGod and why it matters. Shepherds invited campers to be #WithGod in all aspects of life.
…#WithGod BBC created a new week of camp this summer: Mission Possible week. Campers were invited on a week-long mission to prove BBC is achieving its mission. Campers participated in the traditional version of their favorite game multiple times and were surprised with MI versions adapted especially for this first time BBC program…
…#WithGod BBC created a new program this summer dedicated to teen campers who want to be at camp more than one week of the summer. Mission Possible Crew week allowed 14-18 yr old campers to come to camp to help with clean up and program while continuing to enjoying the perks of camper life. BBC Crew campers enjoyed setting up and guarding for Mission Impossible games. One crew member enjoyed it because “we got to help make the campers time at camp better while having fun at the same time!” (Erianna, ’13 Crew Member)
…#WithGod BBC is working towards a new pavilion. Each Friday night campers shared with their parents various reasons why camp needs a new pavilion. Mission Possible: The Pavilion Project is building momentum with 1.2 million of the 1.8 million dollar goal committed.
New Association Member
Introducing the newest BBC Association Member: Bailey “Giggles” Bontrager:
My name is Bailey Bontrager and I grew up in Bridgewater, VT. I majored in Mathematics and Secondary Education at Goshen College in Goshen, IN. I was first involved at Bethany Birches Camp when I was younger as a camper and then I was a camp counselor for three summers during my college years. I love playing and working with children of all ages, and I especially love encouraging them to see the joy in life and to figure out what they are passionate about. Bethany Birches Camp has helped me discover the ways in which I want to work with children and I want to be a member of the Camp Association so that I can continue to support this place that has brought me so much joy and hope.
Anyone can join the association. Read more about it on the website or call the office (802-672-5220)
Board Report
It is hard to believe that the holiday season is already fast approaching. It feels like it was just a few weeks ago that my husband and I were bringing our girls to camp for teen week; now we are planning for their return for the first Teen Connect weekend. Time moves quickly and with our Pavilion Project slated to break ground next August, the board has been busy overseeing preparations for this to happen on time. We are currently in the process of selecting a construction manager to coordinator the day-to-day activities of the project. As Bethany Birches moves forward on this major undertaking, the board is mindful of the need to do this with minimal impact on our ability to continue the main mission of the camp – providing all children with a place to find God. We are also well aware of the importance of the old pavilion in so many people’s lives. Plans are being considered for an event next summer to pay tribute to the building that has been an important part of BBC for so many years.
Having not been a camper at Bethany Birches as a child, I enjoy any chance I have to be a small part of summer activities. This past summer, I had the opportunity for a second year to assist with medication drop off during registration. It is amazing to see what a well-oiled machine BBC is when it comes to welcoming campers. It was fun to be there to watch the staff interacting with campers and each other. I understand why my daughters love to come to camp. It is also wonderful to see how my girls bring camp home with them. This summer, in fact, they took BBC abroad. My daughters, Katie and Annie, and their friend (and fellow BBC camper) Flossie traveled with me to Ethiopia. Bethany Birches traveled with us in many ways – music, stories, Dutch Blitz and, literally, the clothes on their backs. In each of their suitcases, there must have been at least 2-3 articles of clothing that came from BBC. All of these pieces of camp are literal reminders of the knowledge that God surrounds them and stays with them wherever they go.
Sandy Soho
Board Member
The Vibe of the Auction
Apple cider, maple syrup and donuts, oh my! Have you ever experienced the BBC auction? Let me give you a glimpse into the things that touched me this past weekend:
Campers come and help sell the items on the live auction by presenting the items to the audience – little do they know what an impact that has on the sale of the item!
Counselors and staff return with donated items- or they are like “mystery shoppers”, proxy bidding for those online bids that have been submitted.
People travel from places far & wide to come spend a day in the beautiful countryside and support camp.
A fabulous auctioneer from PA (Sandy Alderfer of Alderfer Auction Company) comes with his entourage to most definitely get more money per item with his perfect blend of humor, compassion and philanthropic encouragement.
Items are baked, chopped, squeezed, pressed, fried, ground, and cooked with loving hands to provide nourishment for the crowds and yummy additions to the sale!
Oh yes, and then the money…. People pay crazy amounts for everyday items. 15 people chose to simply donate $200-$400 each to send a camper to camp. And a wonderful “matching donor” (Glenn and Diane Moyer) agreed to double what was raised per dollar for any amount raised between $20,000 and $40,000.
Maybe it is because I didn’t grow up going to auctions that I am just awed by it all. Maybe because I truly love BBC – the place that it is, the kids, staff and counselors, and all that it represents. Maybe it’s because I know that there is something bigger than me out there, and He always shows himself to me when I’m there. Whatever the reason, I left the 2013 BBC Auction with a thankful heart and a happy soul. And the icing on the cake is that through all of this we keep making progress towards this wonderful goal of keeping the camp alive and thriving for generations to come. With the additional money raised, we have now raised well over $1 million towards the goal of $1.8 million for a new pavilion at camp.
For more information on that project (Mission Possible: The Pavilion Project) see the website or sign up for emails or text updates.
Flo
(aka Beth Goshow)
Mission Possible Communications Manager
Summer 2014 Dates
Summer 2014 Dates are here!
As usual, there will be all sorts of good things to follow. Updates on special features, blog posts from counselors, videos and more.
But for now, here are the dates (https://bethanybirches.org/summer-camps/):
2014 Summer Camp Schedule
Program(pages with specifics not yet updated) |
Length |
Age |
Date |
| Friendship | 1/2 week | 6-8 | 7/13 – 7/15 |
| Pioneer | short week | 7-9 | 7/13 – 7/17 |
| Pilgrim | 1 week | 9-11 | 6/22 – 6/27 |
| Voyager | 1 week | 10-12 | 6/29 – 7/4 |
| Voyager Extended | 2 weeks | 11-12 | 6/29 – 7/11 |
| Discoverer | 1 week | 11-13 | 7/6 – 7/11 |
| Favorites | short week | 11-14 | 8/3 – 8/7 |
| Explorer | 1 week | 12-14 | 7/20 – 7/25 |
| Sojourner | 1 week | 14-18 | 7/27 – 8/1 |
| Favorites Crew | short week | 15-18 | 8/3 – 8/7 |
| Internship | 2 weeks | 16-18 | 6/29 – 7/11 |
Goals
Flo here again… have you ever set a goal? Camp has a goal… to raise $1.8 million for a new pavi so that campers can keep coming to camp for many years. When I was first asked to help that seemed like such a big number… and it is! But we’ve already raised $1.2 million!
What kind of goal would you like to achieve? Is there something you’d like to challenge yourself with? Last weekend, I had the pleasure of running with Sparkles and Benjamine in their first ever race. It was awesome! They both set a goal and reached it. Make a decision today to challenge yourself and set a goal… YOU CAN DO IT!!
– Flo
Christmas Shopping: Give Camp
If you’re at all like me, you enjoy both receiving and giving presents at Christmas time. And you also feel like you have way more than you need.
This Christmas, consider giving the experience of camp to a young boy or girl who desperately needs it.
By making a donation (or buying something) through the Give Camp program, you can give and receive. If you’d prefer to buy a fleece, mug or water bottle for someone else, you can do that while at the same time helping a young person get to camp (because you’ll buy the item at twice the normal price).
See this page for all the details and to make a gift or purchase: Give Camp!
BBC Teen Campers to Ethiopia
Campers will teach you just as much as (if not more than) you teach them. I share this mantra with staff often throughout orientation. Staff and campers prove the saying true for 8 weeks every summer at Bethany Birches Camp (BBC). A few weeks ago I experienced the mantra to be true for myself as well. Three BBC teen campers reminded me of what it looks like to love God and love people.
About 6 months ago at BBC’s 2013 April Connect for Teens, Annie and Katie Soho told me I should join them on a service trip to an orphanage in Ethiopia in August*. The offer was tempting. I perseverated for about 6 weeks until I finally declined. Recently I was browsing pictures from their trip and reading about their stories (I’m still waiting to hear in person) through an article in the Valley News** and I’m wondering why I didn’t join them. The pictures and comments struck me as love in action. Specifically loving the least – children and widows. The campers were carrying out the beliefs I claim and share each summer.
For the past 10 summers I’ve shared God’s 2 most important commandments: Love God and Love People. As each summer concludes the post summer blues inevitably sink in. I miss the excitement and energy of young people at camp. I miss the staff. I feel like the beauty of camp is wasted on the emptiness. I wonder if any campers heard anything this summer that will change their lives. Over the course of their summers at BBC – Annie, Katie and Flossie heard something. These 3 girls have been hearing this message for a long time from camp, from their churches and from their families. These BBC campers not only heard a message to love others but put the message into practice. They sacrificed 2 weeks of their summer to serve in Ethiopia. Campers continue to teach me.
Annie, Katie (and their mom Sandy) and Flossie inspired me. Following their journey to Ethiopia and back again has inspired me to not just stay on the hill of a lonely camp but to move into the world (or invite the world to me) to love God and love people. I don’t know that I’ll be heading to Ethiopia anytime soon but right now I’m inspired by these 3 BBC campers to consider how I can live out now what I share all summer. How do I love the love and serve the people around me now? I’m learning more from these campers than they are from me.
*Selamta Family Project is an organization that seeks to place orphans in forever families. Find out more here.
**I waited too long after the article to post this. You can’t seem to get to the article anymore online. If you’d like to read it in full let me know, I think I can get my hands on a copy.
Experience The Auction
Apple cider, maple syrup and donuts, oh my! Have you ever experienced the BBC auction? Let me give you a glimpse into the things that touched me this past weekend:
Campers come and help sell the items on the live auction by presenting the items to the audience – little do they know what an impact that has on the sale of the item!
Counselors and staff return with donated items- or they are like “mystery shoppers”, proxy bidding for those online bids that have been submitted.
People travel from places far & wide to come spend a day in the beautiful countryside and support camp.
A fabulous auctioneer from PA comes with his entourage to most definitely get more money per item with his perfect blend of humor, compassion and philanthropic encouragement.
Items are baked, chopped, squeezed, pressed, fried, ground, and cooked with loving hands to provide nourishment for the crowds and yummy additions to the sale!
Oh yes, and then the money…. People pay crazy amounts for everyday items. 15 people chose to simply donate $200-$400 each to send a camper to camp. And a wonderful “matching donor” (Glenn and Diane Moyer) agreed to double what was raised per dollar for any amount raised between $20,000 and $40,000.
Maybe it is because I didn’t grow up going to auctions that I am just awed by it all. Maybe because I truly love BBC – the place that it is, the kids, staff and counselors, and all that it represents. Maybe it’s because I know that there is something bigger than me out there, and He always shows himself to me when I’m there. Whatever the reason, I left the 2013 BBC Auction with a thankful heart and a happy soul. And the icing on the cake is that through all of this we keep making progress towards this wonderful goal of keeping the camp alive and thriving for generations to come. With the additional money raised, we have now raised well over $1 million towards the goal of $1.8 million for a new pavilion at camp.
For more information on that project (Mission Possible: The Pavilion Project) go here. To read about the auction totals go here. Photos of the auction day go here.
If you like what you see here, share it with others! “Like” us on Facebook! Repost a blog! Tweet about it (@BethanyBirches)! You can use #MissionPossible, #WithGod, #ThePaviProject Tuna loves to use the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child”. This was so evident this gorgeous, amazing weekend in VT. Praise be to God, thanks be to all of you and blessings to all the kids who continue to develop their relationship with God.
Flo
(aka Beth Goshow)
Mission Possible Communications Manager
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THE $1100 GOLDEN SHOVEL