Logging and Outdoor Camps:
After developing Sherwood Forest, with the help of other pastors, Christian
Educators and young adults, in 1967, I coordinated the development of a Logging
Camp and an Outdoor Camp for Junior Highers. I researched history books about the
development of logging camps as people moved westward. We applied some logging terms to what we were
doing and had many logging activities like log rolling; hammer and nail
tournaments; and other such activities that lent itself to the theme.
Another activity we
installed was the “Zip Line.” This was
a cable wire attached to a tree on one side of a long meadow and the other end
attached to another tree. It was about two football fields long. Campers would get on a “T” bar. They
would stand on a cross bar with their feet and hold on to the horizontal bar
with their hands. It would swoop them
down and across the meadow in less than a minute. The screams and clapping and noises of joy
would echo throughout the camp.
We had only one serious
accident on this “joy ride” at least through the 13 years I was there. One of the Pastors, who was large and heavy
got on, and the cable broke at the middle of the ride. We thanked God that he was not seriously
injured and recovered from that experience in a reasonable length of time.
Senior High
Conferences: In 1968 we designed a Coffee House type
Conference for Senior Highers. We used the Acts Alive curriculum by Lyman
Coleman which was strong in small group discussions. The senior highers would listen to a Bible
Study speaker in the mornings. After lunch we would have a variety of
workshops including music, art, audio, video, writing and
dance. After the evening campfires including a message from a
Pastor, the senior highers would put on their own “Celebrations.” It was
amazing to see what they would interpret through the different creative forms
of the happenings that week. It was wonderful, inspirational and fun.
Assistants in Mission:
We also designed a discipleship program called Assistants In Mission (AIM) for
ten to fifteen high schoolers who would stay for three weeks at a
time. At Westminster Woods we called this program, Service Training
Educational Program (STEP).
We had Caravan weeks when we would send a
group of senior highers with an adult to the inner city or to help another
Presbytery with their camping programs.
Out of the Caravan weeks we recruited many people to work on our
staff. Dallas and Ginny Wassink
were recruited this way. Kathy Logan had gone on a Caravan to Lodi
and introduced the Wassinks to the ministry of camping. They were with us
for eighteen years and were instrumental
in developing Westminster Woods together with us.
Adult Conferences for College Age, Young Adults, and Parents:
In the course of the years we also developed college and family
conferences. This program included a Bible teacher in the mornings with
sharing in small groups, afternoon crafts and games as well as speakers using
topical issues in the evenings.
Adventure Camp for
Pre-Schoolers: It
was fun when we created this camp for first through third graders. The
campers were so cute while they were at camp. It was a three-day
camp. They had fun walking alongside the creek, eating outdoors and
sleeping in tents. The campers did great
but it was hard to get mothers to say goodbye. We knew once the mothers
were out of site most of the campers would be fine.
Trail Camps for Senior Highers:
We also led Trail Hikes; Bike Rides; Canoe Trips and Rock Climbing Periodically. We had
someone on the Board as well as a couple of staff people who were able to give
leadership to these events. To be
honest, these were scarry for me but the campers and families appreciated our
sponsoring these programs. Brave Lady of the Forest I was!?!
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