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Youth flock to summer camp despite weather woes  

Austin Radney joined in an exuberant song during worship time at Intermediate church camp. photo by Melodie Woerman

By Melodie Woerman

Editor, The Harvest

The three weeks of church camp were hit with floods,
lightening and major rainstorms, but even those weather woes couldn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the 214 campers who participated in the diocesan camping program at Camp Wood,
a YMCA facility near Emporia.

More than 80 students attended senior and junior high camp, with another four dozen at intermediate camp for grade schoolers.

Each week of camp included a program provided by the diocese, with an emphasis on worship and growth in one’s faith. Time also was provided each day for activities provided by the Camp Wood staff, including canoeing, horseback riding and swimming.

Diocesan Youth Coordinator Chad Senuta said the camp program was enhanced this year by the presence of youth intern Katie Knoll, St. Margaret’s, Lawrence. Knoll served as program director for the junior high and intermediate camps and assisted at senior high. “Having Katie there really helped this year’s camps,” Senuta said. “It was fun to watch her skills grow, and she said this was the best summer of her life.”

High water troubles

Senior and junior high campers had to contend with flooding that closed camp for a portion of each week. Senior high campers were delayed only a day, as heavy rains left the road into camp flooded, preventing cars  from entering the facility. Junior high campers took a harder hit, missing three full days of camp. The road remained impassible, in part because water from a local reservoir had been released to prevent flooding in that area. “There was just nowhere for all that water to go,” Senuta said.

Once the county sheriff had determined it was safe for cars to enter Camp Wood, patrol cars escorted parents in, to make certain no one became stuck on the dirt and gravel access road.

Senuta said his staff spent hours on the phone calling students at the affected camps to tell them not to arrive as planned. Only one person showed up and had to be turned away.

Senuta said parents of junior high campers were most concerned because their students were growing restless at home and wanted to be at church camp instead. Partial refunds were issued to those families to make up for their shortened camp.

Senuta said the Camp Wood director, who has been in his position for 10 years, said this was the first time in his tenure that any camping days were lost because of bad weather.