Bonclarken
CHIP SHERER President
Two Camps, One Great Week T
he third July week is always one of my favorite weeks of the summer at Bonclarken. Our
grounds are home during this week to two very different camps at the same time—Camp Joy for adults with spe- cial needs and Camp Bonclarken for rising third through rising ninth grad-
more different. But if you were to spend a few days watching both camps, you would discover they have far more in common than you might expect. -
swimming, zipping down our New Heights Zip Line, singing camp songs, and making new friends. Their days are packed and yet somehow they still have energy left when the day is done. Camp Joy campers are adults, many of whom have attended this wonder- ful camp for years. Their pace is much slower, but their excitement is every bit as real. They look forward to seeing familiar friends, enjoying camp activities, - comed and loved.
One of the things that strikes me every year is how joy shows up in both
- during worship, the smiles are genuine. Neither group worries much about im- pressing anyone—they simply enjoy where they are and what they are doing. The duties of the counselors are different yet similar as well. Camp Bonclarken counselors spend their week keeping up with nonstop energy while encourag- ing campers to try new things and leading them as they grow in their faith.
Camp Joy counselors serve with in- credible patience and compassion, helping campers with daily needs while building friendships that often last for years. In both camps, counsel- ors quickly discover that they receive just as much as they give. And all the counselors realize that as their share the love of Jesus with their campers, their own faith grows as well. Watching these two camps share our Bonclarken grounds is a beauti- ful reminder of how blessed we are to have this wonderful place. The campers may be different ages and have different abilities, but they all are having memorable—and some- times life-changing—experiences. As I walk around Bonclarken this
is creating a place where our guests are inspired and renewed in their faith in Jesus Christ. During Camp Joy and Camp Bonclarken, our mis- sion is on full display. What a privi- lege it is for Bonclarken to be the place where both of these wonderful camps can call home.
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The Associate Reformed Presbyterian
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