Quiet Time

15 minutes. It is the only time during the day, from about 6:30 in the morning until around 11:00 at night, that Camp is completely quiet and still. It is the most unique time of the day, and yet one of the most powerful. Every day at 4:15(Camp time) all campers and staff members take a few minutes to spend some Quiet Time with God. How amazing it is to see young campers sitting outside their cabins reading their Bible, or bowing their heads and talking to God. I always enjoyed this time of day because of the tranquility that it offered. Often times I would spend my Quiet Time sitting there and listening to God. Hearing the birds sing, and the wind blowing threw the trees let me know that God was right there with me.

At Camp it is easy to spend quiet time with God. It says right on the schedule when that time is supposed to be. Away from Camp it is so much more difficult to spend quiet time with God. This is something that I am terrible about. But lately I have been thinking long and hard about making it an absolute priority to spend time with God on a daily basis. With Camp only 5 weeks away, I want to challenge you to spend time with God daily. Pray every day for this summer, that God will work in wonderful ways to bless the lives of the campers and the staff alike. I know that God listens to our prayers, and will answer those prayers, making sure that this summer will be the best one ever for Camp Deer Run.

Hail, Dear Ol' Deer Run,

Sparky

Group Photos

The past few weeks I have been looking at old Group Photos, and have had a lot of fun seeing if I can find anyone who I recognize. Whoever came up with the thought that each session needed to be commemorated with a group picture was very wise. Its fun to look at how Group Pictures have varied over the years.

This one from the 1970's is was taken on the steps of the Canteen porch, just like they are done today. There are many people in this picture, so I'm wondering if all of Camp were present for this picture.

I have seen several Group Pictures taken around what I believe is close to the gates of Camp.
Of course looking back at these old pictures allows us to scrutinize the wardrobe choices that some people made.
There are also several group pictures that I have seen that were taken in the Mess Hall. Maybe it was raining on these days?
Other years somebody decided that everyone should look the same, so all wore their Camp Deer Run shirts.
At some point during the 1990's signs were printed up that told the year, session, and group. This takes away the whole, "I wonder what year that picture was taken" mystery.
I don't know when it began, but I love that after each Group Photo is taken, everyone gets a little silly.
The Group Photos tell people an awful lot about Camp. The campers and staff are always full of joy, which you can see in their faces. And even though some things about Camp change from time to time, it still is the same place today that it was when the first Group Photo was taken.

Hail, Dear Ol' Deer Run,

Sparky

Pass the Torch 2011

Several years ago a new tradition began at Camp Deer Run. Pass the Torch has become a wonderful way to start off a new summer of Camp each year. This is a day where former Deer Run staff comes out and spends time with the current staff. Its a great chance to tell the current staff the important work they have in front of them for the summer.

Pass the Torch this year is will be on Saturday June 4th, from 4:00-9:00ish. Activities include swimming, softball game, dinner, and a special devotional time. The devotional time includes some amazing singing in the Rec Hall, along with a time for the former staff to share their thoughts with the new staff. Its so important for the summer staff to understand how important their summer is going to be. The campers will be looking at them to be a good Christian role model, showing them what it is like to live a life like Christ. There is no one better at describing this importance than people who have spent summers at Camp doing the same thing.

So if you are a former staff member and would like to pass along some of your wisdom, then mark your calendars for Saturday, June 4th. If you plan on attending, email Ty Ford at ty@campdeerrun.com.

Hail, Dear Ol' Deer Run,

Sparky

Good-Bye Old Swing

If you were at Camp during the early-middle 90's, anytime hear somebody mention the swing, you think of only one thing. You think of jumping off this thing in the pictures below, trying to sit down on this little piece of round wood tied onto a rope, all while swinging down a big hill.

Well, today when I was out at Camp, I had the opportunity, with Ty Ford, to bring the old swing in from the woods, putting an end to its time in a tree. This swing hasn't been "The Swing" for almost 13 years, but it was always "The Swing" for many people. Sometime in the last few weeks, the branch that the rope swing hung from fell down, and with it an era of Camp ended. This swing was the last one that had real danger in it. It didn't have harnesses or clips to hold you in like the swing today has to have. Me and Ty talked today about the times we went off this swing when we were campers, and both of us remember vividly how scary it was to be standing on the platform, reaching out for the rope and then to go whooshing down the hill. Although neither one of us had been on it in many years, we were still reminded of its thrills when we would walk by it during the summer. I had intended to highlight all of the swings of Deer Run's past, but since this was what I considered "The Swing", I felt it deserved its own post. Good-Bye Old Swing.

Hail, Dear Ol' Deer Run,

Sparky

Sitting by a Fire

This past weekend I got to spend a few hours outside sitting by a fire. It sure did make me think of all the time I spent by a fire at Deer Run. There was nothing like it. The smell, the fellowship, the games, the singing, sitting there and looking up at the stars. I loved sitting by the fire at night at Camp. I was surrounded by fellow Christians at the fire this weekend, and it was wonderful to again be singing praises to God while sitting around a fire.

We didn't cook any hot dogs, which was always one of my favorite meals at Camp, but that was ok with me. The memories were there.
I thought about telling some Camp stories, like the Hatchet Man, or the White Lady, but I had a feeling that since I was surrounded by non Deer Runners, the stories wouldn't make a whole lot of sense.
But it didn't matter that I wasn't at Camp, like these pictures. I was with fellow believers, and the experience was still great. Because of my time at Camp, I have learned to treasure the special times that I have with fellow Christians, and when those times remind me of a Camp Deer Run experience, they are even better!

Hail, Dear Ol' Deer Run,

Sparky

CDR Alumni Women's Retreat-Guest Blogger

2 weekends ago I was blessed to attend a women's retreat at one of my favorite places in the world, Camp Deer Run! I can't even begin to tell you what a refreshing weekend this was. I was flooded with memories of how God used my experiences at Deer Run to help shape the wife, mother and christian woman I am today. I would not be the same person had it not been for those experiences and the people that God put in my life.

We did all the things you are supposed to do at camp...

Played silly games and looked ridiculous doing it.

We laughed...

and laughed!

We had group bible.

Canteen.

Arts and Crafts. We made some sweet tie dyed shirts.

Hung out, made new memories

and ate meals together.

The theme was Reconnect and that's exactly what we did. We reconnected with friends, memories, ourselves, and most importantly God. Some of the things I missed pictures of were cabin bible, hymn time, flagpole devo, night devo under the stars, and group activity. It was the real camp experience packed into a weekend. I guess as an adult that is the closest I'll ever get to experiencing real camp again. The next retreat can't come soon enough.

Hail Deer Ol' Deer Run,

Sarah (Sparky's wife)

Alumni Spotlight...Alex Wooten

Let's take some time to get to know some of our fellow CDR Alumni. This Alumni Spotlight is all about former camper Alex Wooten. Alex was at Camp from 1996-2005.

CDR Alumni: What brought you to Camp Deer Run as a camper or staff member? How did you find out about camp?

Alex: My cousins Chris and Geoff Banks Camped out there and my parents decided to ship me off, and i never wanted to leave...

CDR Alumni: Share a favorite memory from your time at CDR.

Alex: Two things stand out most in my memory, When myself and Andy Garner led hymn time for the rest of the Cheuks while the rest of camp was still outcamping, and Being Baptized by Lane Brown that same year....greatest memory ever.

CDR Alumni: How did your time at CDR impact your life?

Alex: It gave me purpose. in my adult life i have had good and bad times, but i promise that if it wasnt for Camp...i might not have had the skills needed to find my own faith.

CDR Alumni: Tell us everything you would like people to know about your life since camp.

Alex: I recieved a degree in Culinary Arts but for now i am working in the parts dept @ Elliott Dodge, Ihave been married since 2007 and i have 2 wonderful kids.

CDR Alumni: Please tell us more about your family, names, ages, anything you would like to share.

Alex: I married Crystal on March 16,2007, our daughter Draven was born on Oct. 1st of that year and we were blessed a wonderful son Ellion on Sept. 23 2010. they are my reason for living.

Thanks Alex for taking the time to fill out our Alumni Spotlight survey and for being willing to share a little bit about your life. Its great to hear from former Deer Runners.

If you are a former Deer Runner and would like to be spotlighted, take some time to fill out this survey. And if you send some pictures to cdralumni@gmail.com, then you will be moved to the front of the line.

Hail, Dear Ol' Deer Run,

Sparky

Eager Anticipation

I camped at Deer Run from 1992-1998, which meant that I didn't have email or Facebook to help me keep in contact with all of my Deer Run friends like campers do today. I didn't live in a town with any other Deer Runners, so for most of the year I felt pretty alone in my love for Deer Run. Two of my best friends, Caleb Miller and Jason Bragg, were guys that I camped with, and they lived in the same town as my grandparents, so I was able to see them a few times a year, but most of the time I was left by myself to dream about being at Camp. All year long I would count down to how many days I had until 2nd Session, when I would finally be back at Camp. I don't know why, but once the calendar turned to April, my excitement for Deer Run really ramped up. I knew that Camp was right around the corner, and I couldn't wait to be there. Well, today is April 3rd, and according to how I think, Camp Deer Run 2011 is right around the corner. I know that there are hundreds of kids who right now are feeling the same way that I did 15 years ago. There are still so much to be done to prepare for this summer, but things are starting to shape up for a great summer. I know that the campers are going to have the same experience that I had camping, because the focus is still the same, and God works the same on the campers today as He did then.

I found some old pictures recently from when I camped. Most of the guys in these pictures worked at Camp for at least a summer. Can you figure out who everyone is? The pictures are only 13 years old. We have all changed a little since then.

Hail, Dear Ol' Deer Run,

Sparky