Camp Discovery

I’m not much of a camper. 

I’ve tried it a few times, but ticks and mosquitos scare me. Waking up with clothing covered in dew irritates me. And I like my bathroom to be attached to the master bedroom, or at least “down the hall to the right,” not “do you see that bush over there?” Or maybe worse, “do you see that trail down yonder? Take it about a half mile, head into the third grove of Douglas Firs you see on the left, walk toward the log structure, and then after you brush through the thick tangle of sticky cobwebs - voilá! - the outhouse.”

Nope. Not for me.

Now, Camp Discovery on the other hand…

Camp Discovery is the new program Shepherds started this summer after evaluating our current program

and the needs we saw in our community. We already offered year-round adult respite, but what about something for people between the ages of 13 and 21? Shouldn’t there be someplace for young people with intellectual disabilities to enjoy fun summer activities, experience spiritual enrichment, and take part in training that will help them become more independent?

Andrea Humphrey thought so.

Andrea, Coordinator of Camp Discovery, brought up the idea with one main goal in mind – to reach more people through an engaging program so each person involved could learn that they were designed on purpose and for purpose.  She proposed three one-week camps filled with team activities, tours, prayers, crafts, cooking and more - all designed to foster confidence, friendships and personal growth.

The vision caught on, and soon Andrea was enlisting Shepherds Ministries and Shepherds College staff to help out with the camp.

The first week we started with two campers – a slow start, but a blessing. We needed to dip our big toe in the water to test it out. 

The second week we had seven campers enjoying a rainy, but activity-packed time away from home.

This week we have three enthusiastic young ladies ready to take on anything that we have planned for them.

Our campers experience a camping style that’s right up my alley.

Here are their tents:

Shepherds College Housing...

...with bathrooms right off the bedrooms!

The activities don’t include mosquito swatting, bear wrestling or snake stomping:

Boating on Browns Lake

Baseball Games

Jelly Belly Factory Tours

Bowling & Pizza

Nature walks

A visit to the Urban Ecology Center

The zoo

Mitchell Park Domes

And the food isn’t rustled up from under the bushes or plopped on your plate from a tin can.

Looks like burgers on the grill!

And birthday cake!

On Friday, we’ll say goodbye to our last campers of 2013, but we plan to hold Camp Discovery again next year! Call Andrea at 262-878-5620 ext. 1423 to reserve a spot for Camp Discovery 2014!