Volunteer Story - Stephanie
Volunteer Story - Stephanie
Camp can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. To me, camp has always been a place of adventure and fun. A place where I could be challenged in my faith. I grew up in a small Northwestern Ontario town 3 hours south of Camp of the Woods, which up until a few years ago I had never heard of. I was very involved with the camp in my area. We rented a facility for two weeks every year: 1 week of junior camp and 1 week of teen camp. As soon as my friends and I were old enough to go to teen camp we’d spend the first week volunteering at junior camp and then stay for teen camp. Eventually I was too old for both and volunteered both weeks. Unfortunately, due to many different factors, the facilities we rented were no longer an option and we no longer had a place to host overnight camp. Thankfully we have found creative ways to still reach the children of our area but I felt very sad to not have a camp I could still help at. God saw my sadness though, and provided an opportunity for me to hear about Camp of the Woods!
As I reflect on my many years of camp ministry, many different people come to mind. Speakers, cabin leaders, cooks, lifeguards, nurses, and campers to name a few. What seems true for many camps is the community and family that is built in and around them. Relationships are built, memories are made, mistakes are learned from, and challenges are overcome, all while living in community with others who have a heart for camp ministry. I often get asked “why do you spend all year teaching 4 and 5 year olds and then spend your summer serving at camp? The answer is simple –Jesus, community, and opportunity. As a follower of Jesus, I am called to share his love with others. This can be done in so many ways, but I love getting to be a part of this larger community that has an amazing opportunity to reach so many children in fun and special ways. We may hold to different views or opinions, but one thing connects us all – to make Jesus known to these precious children and teens.
So then how did I end up at Camp of the Woods? Well, the years of COVID are not something that most of us like to look back on, or even talk about, but it was because of the restrictions we were all facing that Nathan reached out to me that first year. Because of the border being closed, COTW needed volunteers for camp. Nathan, being from the same area as me, knew that I had helped for many years at my camp and that it wasn’t running anymore so he asked if I would consider coming to help at COTW. So the summer of 2021 I came for the first time to Camp of the Woods, and I am so glad I did!
I always get super nervous the first time I do something or go somewhere and going to Camp of the Woods for the first time was no different! It didn’t take long, though, to feel that sense of community in this new place. One thing that has been very clear to me from the beginning is how the leadership team at COTW truly cares for not only the physical needs of those who serve with them, but their faith and heart as well. You can tell when someone is truly listening to you and these people do!
I could go on and on about how amazing COTW is, but I think it’s better for you to find out for yourself! If you are considering camp for your child or teen – know that when you send them to COTW they are seen. They are heard. They are welcomed into the COTW family with open arms. And if you are an older person who has a desire or passion to share the love of Jesus with children and teens, it’s the same for you. You are seen, heard, and can become part of this wonderful family too.
