Andy Garner is spending his 4th summer as a staff member at Camp Deer Run this summer, and his 2nd as the Hoche Group leader. I thought it might be a neat idea to hear what a current staff member had to say about Camp and give you a chance to see if your thoughts and emotions during your time at Camp matched up. Since the focus and intent of Camp has been the same for the past 52 years, I would say that all former staff members feel the same way about Camp as Andy does.
CDR Alumni: What years have you been at Camp?
Andy: I went as a Pee Wee from 1992-1997, camped from 1998-2006, and have been on Staff since 2007.
CDR Alumni: Why did you come to Camp in the first place?
Andy: My brothers Pete and Jody came before me and I always came when I was a Pee Wee. My mom grew up coming to Camp and she always wanted us to come to Camp.
CDR Alumni: What is your favorite memory as a camper?
Andy: Winning Killi Kapers in 2005 and finally getting the monkey off our backs.
CDR Alumni: Who had the biggest impact on you while you were a camper?
Andy: All of the counselors and group leaders that I had. Honestly, pretty much every staff member that worked out here while I camped had a strong impact on me.
CDR Alumni: Why did you decide you wanted to be a staff member?
Andy: I was baptized out at Camp, and camp had helped me so much on my spiritual journey, and I wanted to have a chance to have the same impact on kids. I had 2 brothers who had worked out at Camp and knew what kind of fun that they had when they were on staff. I also knew that being on staff would help me grow in my spiritual walk.
CDR Alumni: What do you think makes Camp so important for so many people?
Andy: Two things. The unusual setting where you are thrown out of your normal way of life and put into the piney woods of East Texas. The fact that the staff is young college kids that are close to the age of the campers and can connect with the kids and show them how to live a life that is close to God. All of that helps to develop strong bonds that make the campers want to come back year after year with the same people.
CDR Alumni: What is your favorite part of the typical Camp Day?
Andy: Late afternoon, early evening is always my favorite. Quiet time>hymn time>ballgames>dinner.
CDR Alumni: Talk about the responsibility of being a Group Leader.
Andy: You’re leading 40-50 campers, both boys and girls, and you’re expected to provide the games and entertain for all of them. You have to keep the schedule and really create an overall spiritual setting for your whole group. I don’t have to be their favorite group leader, but I hope that their time in my group equals their best time at Camp. I hope that while they are with me that it is a highly spiritual time, as well as a very fun experience. I hope that they feel unified as a group and close to each other. For the staff, I try to keep everyone unified and working together for God and for the sake of Camp. I do everything I can to make sure that we all keep everything going smoothly.
CDR Alumni: What is your least favorite part of Camp?
Andy: Waking up everyday and feeling like I am going to die of exhaustion.
CDR Alumni: What is your proudest accomplishment from your time at Camp?
Andy: Having the honor of baptizing 8 campers into Christ, and the fact that I have been able to come out here for so many summers.
CDR Alumni: Is there anything you would like to say to the Alumni?
Andy: Thank you from former campers for your time and your effort and for the way you impacted many lives just like mine.
I'm really proud of the young man that Andy has become. 6th Session of 1999 Andy was in Men's 1 when I was the counselor of that cabin, and that started a great friendship. Somehow Andy ended up being in my cabin 5 times, and each time he stayed in the bed above mine. We formed a bond that lasts today. He has done a great job during his time at Camp and I know that many campers lives have been changed because of the work that he does at Camp.
2nd Session is winding down, and things have been great at Camp so far. Continue to pray for the staff and campers, and for Camp as there is a still a lot of work to be done this summer. I encourage you to get out there for a worship service, either a Wednesday night or a Middle Sunday. You will leave uplifted and closer to God.
Hail, Dear Ol, Deer Run,
Sparky
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