Supporting Camp Deer Run

I know that everyone who reads this blog has supported Camp in some way throughout the years. It may have been by sending your kids as campers, or spending time in prayer for the success of Camp. I want to encourage to think and pray about supporting Camp financially. One of my favorite things about Camp Deer Run is how affordable it is for one or two week sessions. Other camps around East Texas charge upwards of $1,000, whereas a week at Camp Deer Run costs $225 for one week sessions and $425 for 2 week sessions. Camp can be so affordable because of the people who support Camp with yearly or monthly donations. When I began working on the staff, we were paid $100 dollars a week. Fortunately the staff is paid more now. I never wanted to work at Camp for the money, but it was always nice to be able to get a pay check for working during the summer. I know that there are many other options for college kids to do during the summer, and for Camp to be able to hire the best staff possible, the the salaries have to continue to be competitive. The Board, as well as Ty Ford the Director, are always thinking of ways to improve Camp, and donations are needed for these improvements. 2 years ago the new pool was built, and it has been paid for by your donations. The next big project in mind is a new Mess Hall. The Mess Hall has been outdated for many years, and things have finally reached a point where a new one is looking like a reality in the not too distant future. But it is going to be a big project, and will need lots of support to be able to complete. On top of all of the things I have already mentioned, there are day-to-day expenses that Camp has to take care of. Camp is in good shape financially right now, but it can always be better. This summer Ty mentioned how there were about 25 people/families who contribute to Camp on a monthly basis with many more who contribute throughout the year. If you feel like you would start supporting Camp, I would suggest you do it monthly. It helps to know what amount of money is coming in each month, and allows for easier planning. I encourage you to spend time in prayer and think hard about supporting a place that has obviously had an impact on your life. You can go to www.campdeerrun.com to find out more about supporting Camp.

Hail, Dear Ol' Deer Run,

Sparky

Back to School

Tomorrow is a big day for most of this summer's campers, and I wanted to make everyone aware this. Its back to school for all. It is an exciting time, but also a very hard time for the campers. After spending time at Camp this summer, being reinforced with God's word, they now have to face the temptations of not only being in the "real world", but being at school where it can be so tough to be a follower of Christ. Pray for all the campers tomorrow, and ask God to put a protective shield around them, keeping Satan away. Pray that God can help the campers make smart choices, and that they can remember that examples set for them by the staff this summer. I know that God can do good things through the campers, and that our prayers for their help will be answered. The campers aren't the only ones going back to school. The staff will be heading back to their college campuses soon, and will face many of the same struggles and temptations, and will need God's protection to fight through. The staff of Camp Deer Run is looked upon to be leaders in all they do, and that includes their lives away from Camp. Pray that they can continue to grow their relationship with God. Finally, there are many former Deer Runners who are going back to school tomorrow as teachers and educators. I'm one of them. I know that teachers in schools have a huge responsibility in how the students' lives are shaped, and that there are many great Deer Run teachers who will work so hard to be a positive influence in the lives of the campers. Make sure to spend time during the day that God will be in the schools, and that He will work through the Deer Runners.

Hail, Dear Ol' Deer Run,

Sparky

Old Pictures

A couple of weeks ago my father-in-law, Billy Ray Dean, gave me some pictures that he found that were of Camp Deer Run from the very early days. He thinks that these pictures were from the first couple of years that Camp existed. Its amazing to look at them and realize that Camp was around over 50 years ago. Billy Ray asked me to post these to the blog and see if any of you could identify the people in the pictures. He knows who some of them are, but was curious to find out who everyone else was. If you know who these people are, please tell me who and which picture. You can either leave a comment at the end of this post, or you can email me at cdralumni@gmail.com .

Enjoy the pictures.

Hail, Dear Ol' Deer Run,

Sparky

Footsteps

When I was camping at Camp Deer Run, I remember being at Cross Devo and being emotionally moved watching the reenactment that the staff put on of Jesus' crucifixion, then seeing the delight of Thomas and the other apostle's at when Jesus appeared to them. I remember that after this reenactment someone would come out and give a short little talk about what we just saw, and reenforced the message that we were taught throughout the session. After this, the staff would walk up as a whole, in front of the campers, and form a line so that they could give all of the campers one last message. This message was a song that was supposed to be the final word of encouragement, and for me I know that it was. It was always very powerful to hear the staff sing "The Lord Bless You and Keep You". When I was done camping, I was blessed to be able to be on staff for 5 years. We would do the same thing at the end of each session. It was always a great message to send to the campers, but as time went on, it became obvious that "The Lord Bless You and Keep You" was a very difficult song for worn out college kids to sing late at night, and that the song might be hard for campers to hear and understand. So during my third year on staff, someone came up with the idea of changing the final song of Cross Devo. I know that some people were not in favor of changing this tradition, but everyone agreed that "Footsteps" would be a great addition. The song ties in perfectly to what the staff wants to campers to take away from them and their time at Camp. Here are the lyrics.

Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful.

May the fire of our devotion light their way.

May the footprints that we leave,

lead them to believe,

and the lives we live inspire them to obey.

Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful.

What a great message for the campers to hear from the staff. I hope the campers are thinking about the example that the staff gave them, and are spending each day living for the Lord.

Hail, Dear Ol' Deer Run,

Sparky

The Last Night of the Summer

I know that many of who read this blog are former staff members, so you understand what I am about to say. Those of who didn't have the chance to work at Camp, understand that working at Camp Deer Run is a completely exhausting experience physically, emotionally, and mentally. It can be a grind getting through each session. This may come as a surprise, but there have been campers in the past who have been able to wear on his or her counselor's patience. But all of the exhaustion, all of the sleep depravation, all of the blood, sweat, and tears is worth doing God's work. I know that at the end of each summer on staff I felt a big sense of accomplishment for making it through the summer, having touched the lives of many young people. I also would look back at the memories that I made with my fellow staff members, and think about the good times we had.

When I was still on staff, and as far as I know this still happens, on the final night of each summer, the staff has a night of celebration and reflection. It is a night that wraps up the summer that was, and gives the staff one last chance to be together before everyone heads off in their separate ways. It was always such an emotional night, because everyone was completely worn out, excited, yet sad that Camp was over. We would eat dinner together, then watch the staff slideshow made up of pictures taken throughout the summer. It was a great way to look back on all of the craziness that is Camp Deer Run. To cap the night off, the staff would sit in a big circle, and have one final Goodbye Devo. Every Thursday night during the summer, each group has a Goodbye Devo just before Cross Devo, when the staff would give advice for the campers to take home with them. The Staff Goodbye Devo was basically the same along with the staff talking about their experience at Camp that summer. It was always such a wonderful time to hear each staff member talk about how God impacted them that summer. I really enjoyed hearing that even though we all experienced the same summer, God touched us all in different ways. But to me, the best part was the singing. I always loved singing as a staff, and when we would all be circled up, facing each other in the Rec Hall, there was nothing like it. In my mind, it was always the perfect way to end a perfect summer.

Last night, this summer's staff spent their last night of the summer at Camp. I know that this was a very trying summer for them, the hottest summer in over 30 years. But I know that all staff members were all blessed, and that God worked through them. Only 43 weeks until Camp Deer Run 2012.

Hail, Dear Ol' Deer Run,

Sparky

Super Stealth Mode

Wednesday at Camp is Capture the Flag Day. In name, it doesn't carry the same mystique and intrigue that Indian Day, or Sadie Hawkins Day, but if you were to ask every 9-13 year old, especially boys, which day was their favorite day of the year, most would say Capture the Flag Day. I have heard 11 year old boys talk about how they planned all year a certain strategy for Capture the Flag. The amount of camouflage being worn around Camp on Capture the Flag day is amazing. Personally, I have never spent a day hunting, but I had a camo shirt, pants, shorts, and probably even a camo bandana, all because of Capture the flag. It was always fun to see how seriously the campers took the game of Capture the Flag, and was enjoyable to watch the campers play so intensely. As you can, the campers and staff go all out to blend into the the Piney Woods of East Texas to win a game of Capture the Flag.

Hail, Dear Ol' Deer Run,

Sparky