First Day of Camp

Today is the first full day of camp and the first day Activity Staff have campers in their area! Intro Camp takes a different approach to activities than Res Camp - instead of signing up for individual activities, the cabins visit the areas as a large group, making it to nearly all of the activities at camp. We love this change because it gives first time campers a chance to see all of the activities that HoneyRock has to offer. 

Olivia, Swim Instructor, invites a cabin into the Swim Area

Catching frogs in the Lagoon at Wilderness Skills! 

Yesterday we also welcomed incoming high school freshmen to Advance Camp, our three week program specifically designed to meet those entering 9th grade - answering the questions "Who am I? What is true? What is my purpose?" Advance Camp still shares similarities with Res Camp, including their time spent at activities. This morning, the guys packed up and headed out on their wilderness trips while the girls were able to choose an activity. 

Advance Camp men packing out.

Ali instructs an Advance camper on the wheel.

Tomorrow all of Res Camp has their big Olympic Fest, kicking off with a parade and moving into field games. We're pumped to start off the Northwoods Olympics!

Meet Regan, Wilderness Skills Instructor

Let us introduce you to our Wilderness Instructor, Regan Jamieson. Originally from Kansas, Regan just graduated from Central College in Pella, Iowa. After hearing about camp from a friend, Regan decided to check it out for herself.

Why did you decide to serve at HoneyRock this summer?

 I have found myself at HoneyRock for several reasons but above all, I am in this place because God wants me to be here. The more time I spend at HoneyRock, the more apparent it becomes that the Lord knows me better than I do. I need a place to transition, a place where Christ is the center and the focus, a place where I can be supported, loved, cared, prayed for and challenged by those whose lives are devoted to Jesus. Based on those needs…I would say that HoneyRock is just the place I need to be.

What do you love most about your activity area, Wilderness Skills?

 I experience and come to know more of God through His creation, both nature and people. Graduating with a Biology and Secondary Education degree, Wilderness Skills is a great way for me to continue my love for learning, educating, and being outdoors. I am most looking forward to guiding campers and all students towards their goals and helping them to see our Creator through His Creation. In my past experiences as a teacher, I most enjoy walking alongside a student in their growth as a person. It is my joy to be a part of the lives of those around me. This is the beauty of being an Activity Staff instructor at HoneyRock. We are given the opportunity to invest, support, serve, and love others every day. 

What are you passionate about?

 I love people and the outdoors because through these things, I experience God. His beauty, renewal, perseverance, the complexity and sometimes arduousness of living the Christian life, the growth we experience through Christ – in all these elements and more I see through nature and biological processes. In people I experience grace, love, forgiveness, wisdom, beautifully broken lives, humility, culture, language, laughter, and fun. I am passionate about my faith. I am passionate about my family and friends. They love and know me just as I am, regardless of my faults and sin. They each bring a different aspect of who I am to the table.

A major part of who I am besides being a daughter of God, is challenging outdoor adventures. I owe most of this to my parents who have continued to trudge my brother and me across the world to remote and wonderfully places to hike, camp, snowboard, and observe wildlife, places such as Yellowstone, Yosemite, the Rockies, Scotland, Zion, and so on. I love this earth and all that inhabits it.

As a follower of Christ, the Lord our God, the creator of all things, I find it my responsibility to preserve such beautiful things that He has made. The mountains, trees, streams, and fields are here for us to enjoy. I pray that I can be a steward and advocate for this planet until my time comes to go home and be with Christ. 

taken by Regan Jameison 

HRC Loves Activities!

What do campers spend the most time doing in a day, besides sleeping?

Activities. From archery to mountain biking to ceramics and more, most  spend about 4 hours a day learning various skills in their time dedicated to activities.  

Campers are ready to ride! (2012)

The challenge of exploring a new activity and learning through the Basic, Intermediate, and Masters process provides an opportunity for a unique integration of faith and learning. We believe that the time dedicated to activities not only enables campers to learn a new skill, but that it also gives a sense of accomplishment and builds confidence – developing body, mind, and spirit.

Chentell, Ceramics Instructor ’12, teaches a cabin of boys about throwing technique

Our Activity Staff arrived just over a week ago. After team-building initiatives and introductory training, the staff has been handed keys and given full access to their areas. In this time, instructors learn the finer elements of their activity, from climbing difficult routes to perfecting barefooting technique to making a wet wood fire and more.

SLS Counselors shave down sticks to make a wet wood fire

This morning, while SLS and AMP are in class at HoneyRock, Activity Staff will finish up Lifeguard Training. Then, all SLS and Service Team counselors will join Activity Staff in the pool for Water Safety!