There are so many ways to help out the awesome camp effort. Here are some ideas for what to do…
PRAY: Donate your prayers for prisoners, their children, our camp counselors and our staff.
SCHOLARSHIPS: It costs $600 to provide a child a week at camp, $100 for a day. Please consider donating money to fund a scholarship for a child.
GIFTS: Campers receive free backpacks, camping necessities, t-shirts, sweatshirts, hand-made quilts, books and back-to-school supplies. Church groups, service clubs, and individuals can provide these items. If you’d like to organize a group to gather some of these gifts, please contact Beth Ann Maier at 802-793-4234.
SKILLS: Over the years, many people have shared their gifts and talents with our campers. Are you a magician, weaver, craft instructor, fisherman, musician, storyteller or karaoke leader? What is your gift or skill? Share it for a day or an evening with our children!
YOUR PRESENCE: Donating your time and effort as a cabin counselor or staff person is an enormous help. Regardless of age, you can serve as wonderful role models and mentors. Free room and board, the joy of helping transform lives, the experience of living the Kingdom!
The soul is healed by being with children.
– Fyodor Dostoyevsky
We Sure Do Have a Place for YOU
As a Cabin Counselor: Live in the cabin as a volunteer with five campers and a summer-long Bethany Birches counselor. We double the staff:camper ratio for the week of Camp Agape by using volunteer counselors from college-age to senior adults. You will help prepare meals at the campfire, participate in camp activities, and develop lasting relationships with your campers. You must be physically able to traverse hilly and uneven terrain, and emotionally and spiritually able to share God’s love with children whose behavior may challenge you at times. We can offer a small stipend if needed to cover some of your travel expenses and lost wages. We perform background checks and request references on all volunteers.
Camp Photographer: Come one or two days each week and take lots of pictures of campers and their activities which we can use in our brochures and when we make presentations at churches and service clubs. Pictures help us tell the Camp Agape story.
I Matter, You Matter
Salley Gibney, founder of the You Are Never Alone Foundation, has been present at Camp Agape for many years, and is a big favorite with campers and staff alike. She shares her “caring coins” with the campers and encourages them to share coins with others in their lives. She tells them stories about the many places and people she has met through the coins. One camper, upon receiving her coin, said: “I’m never going to take this off.”
This year, Salley shared the “I Matter…You Matter Movement” at camp. She led the children in a discussion about the effects of bullying on themselves and their friends. They made a circle and tossed a ball to each other. As they received the ball, they would step into the circle and say: “I am special because…” One child who initially refused to participate, was able to enter the circle and say: “I am special because I am me.” You can learn more about Salley’s work at www.youareneveralonefoundation.org.
from the Spring 2012 Newsletter