A short Baby Roundup Video

CDR Baby Round Up 2010

This past Sunday was just too much fun! The first every Camp Deer Run Baby Round Up was a wonderful success, and everyone who attended seemed to have a great time. Over the past several years it seemed that a large number of former Deer Runners were having babies, so it was decided that we needed to get all of the babies and their mommies and daddies together. Hopefully this is only the first in what will become a long-lasting CDR tradition. The intent was to honor all the babies 3 years or younger and their parents. There were a few kids that might have been a little over 3, but we didn't mind letting that slide. All total, there were 28 kids that showed up with their parents for this great day.

The day started with class and then all of the campers and staff worshipping with all of the visitors. The official count had 572 people at worship, although there are many people who said it was the largest crowd they had ever seen and were convinced there were well over 600 people in attendance. Here is a picture of how some of the little ones spent worship. It was much more peaceful this way.

After worship was over, the ones there for the Baby Roundup got to skip to the front of the lunch line and eat first. We all went and ate in the Rec Hall where the kids could run around and everybody could visit without worrying about having to be in the way of the campers and their families.
We had to take a group picture to document this event. Of course, this picture will be very fun to look at in 15 years when all of this kids are working together on staff at Camp.

We had to take a silly picture too!

You cannot go out to Camp this summer and not take a dip in the pool. That's exactly what we did next. Everyone went and changed into their swimsuits and hit the pool. It was a completely different type of swim time from what normally goes on in the pool, but it was easily one of the most fun I've ever been a part of. There were so many little kids in there having the time of their lives, it was just fun to watch that and be a part of it. The time spent in the pool was one of the highlights of the day. (Warning, there was mixed swimming going on.)
You can tell from all of the smiles in the pictures that this was such a fun day. There were many people who hadn't been to Camp in over 5 years, some 10 years, that came out for this special time. It was great to see all of the little ones together, but what made this day so special was seeing all of the old friendships being rekindled. Everyone knows that Camp is a special place where you develop relationships that will be special for a lifetime. Days like this prove that years apart don't do much to hamper those friendships. It will be exciting to watch all of the little kids who were there grow up and develop friendships with each other over the years. In a few years they will be camping together, then will be on staff together, maybe go to college together, and there may even be some weddings some day between two little kids that met each other on this day. You just never know what God has in store for these kids. But you know with parents that put God first, these kids have a terrific life ahead of them. They are the future of Camp Deer Run, and the future looks good.

The Baby Round Up was a day that many people had been eagerly anticipating for several months, but now it is over. Luckily, we are in the works to do many more things to bring Camp Deer Run Alumni together again. The next Baby Round Up will be in 3 years, when there will be another batch of babies running around Camp. Within the next month, I will be posting details of several planned CDR Alumni Events that will be happening during the year. We want to get the dates of these events out as soon as possible so that everyone can get them on their calendars first before other activities. Camp Deer Run means so much to so many people, and its time that we start focusing on bringing as many of these people together as possible. As soon as dates are nailed down, I will make sure to share details with everyone.

Hail, Dear Ol' Deer Run,

Sparky

Alumni Spotlight...Worm

If you were at Camp Deer Run during the 1980's or 1990's then there is a very good chance that you have some good stories from being around Trevon Buchanan, aka Worm. He was a fixture in the Crafts Hall singing some Acappella.

CDR Alumni: What years were you camper or a staff member?

Worm: 1980-1982 I was a day camper, 1983-1992 I was a camper 1988-1992, I was a Stamper (Staff/Camper), and 1993-1996 Staff Deer Runner til the day I die.

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

Worm: My Great-grandmother, Grandmother, Mother, Aunt and several other members of my family have been working @ Deer Run since the late 60's early 70's. My biggest influences in keeping me coming back were MaMa Smith and David Ward.

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

Worm: I have a lot of great memories. Deer Run spans Decades for me, so I have seen a lot of changes. Here are some key phrases that will strike some memories for others: Chubby bunnies, River Rats, Best outcamping chicken ever, TW's, biggest Deer Run pillow fight ever, horse in men's 7, 3 weeks of rain non stop followed by floating Tankawa camp fire and collapsing canteen porch, the real Killi Killi wash wash song,and last but not least the place I truly met Jesus. Sorry so long. I have seen the ups and downs of Deer Run, but the same things happen to me as do most people, if you ask me about CDR I light up with good memories. I can't really pick a favorite moment, but my favorite thing was Hymn Time.

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

Worm: CDR quite literally shaped my whole life. Truth be told, I liked having fun at CDR and never really cared about God until mid the 80's. The unconditional love of PaPaw Smith, MaMaw Smith, Jay and Gay Spencer, Billy Ray Dean, David Allen, Shannon Big Red, Kirk Bradford, and David Ward (the list could go on forever). The rest of my life falls into place like dominoes. I never heard of ACU and never would have attended ACU if not CDR. God knows I am Thankful for ACU and CDR.

CDR Alumni: Tell us everything you would like people to know about your life since camp; What do you do for a living, are you married, do you have kids, etc.

Worm: I have gone through a lot of trials in my life since I left CDR. I was apparently sick since I was young and didn't know. I have high blood pressure since I was 13, congestive heart failure at 20 and 21,heart attack at 26, kidney failure at 27. Did dialysis for a few years and now 3 years into my kidney transplant. Don't you dare feel sorry for me, because in all of this I am truly blessed. I have wonderful wife and four beautiful children. I got to be children's minister, youth minister, church leader in a young growing hispanic church, song leader, sing in acappella singing group, and perform the wedding of my best friend and his wife.

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

Worm: Aneissa LaSha Buchanan 9 yrs old (CDR is calling her name), Trevon DeAnte 6, Truett EliJah 5, Harrison Isaiah 2. My wife Julie and I will be married 10 yrs this summer.

Thanks Worm for taking the time to answer this survey so that we can all get caught up with you and your family. If you haven't filled out an Alumni Spotlight Survey, please do so. This has been a great way to catch up with people from Camp Deer Run's past.

Tomorrow is 4th Session Middle Sunday and it is also the very first Camp Deer Run Baby Roundup. It promises to be a fun day, and I will make sure to post a full recap of the day. God has been good to Camp this summer, and I know that the lives of the campers is being changed on a daily basis. Continue to pray for the good work that is being done at Camp.

Hail, Dear Ol' Deer Run,

Sparky

4th

Today starts 4th Session, and it is also the 4th of July. Every year that the 4th of July falls during a Camp session, usually 4th, a big fireworks show takes place at Camp. It is always a fun and festive time to watch the show, and to sing patriotic songs. It is one of the few times during the summer that campers and staff alike realize that they are participating in a unique moment at Camp. When the 4th falls during outcamping, all of the campers and staff will gather together on top of the hill, nasty and stinking from outcamping, and watch the show together. So tonight, while you are watching fireworks, think about campers and staff doing the same thing at Camp Deer Run.

Next Sunday is the Baby Roundup. If you are planning on going, or have been thinking about it, please email Ty Ford to let him know that you would like to be there. It is going to be a very fun and exciting day. We would love to have as many little ones running around, while their parents chase right after them.

Camp has been going great, and is amazingly half way over. Continue to keep everyone involved in your prayers, and we would love to see many of you out there visiting this next Sunday.

Hail, Dear Ol' Deer Run,

Sparky

Cross Devo

Thursday nights at Camp are often the most emotional nights of each session. It is the final night of Camp, and while there are many fun activities, but the night finishes with the most powerful activity of each session, Cross Devo. This is THE most important part of the day and is basically the last part of Camp for the campers to see.

Like most other parts of Camp, Cross Devo has been a very long standing tradition, and a very important part of Camp. But just like other parts of Camp, the way Cross Devo goes down has been changed over the years as Camp changes. There are some parts of Cross Devo that worked well 20 years ago that don't work today, so some things have been changed. But the message of Camp, and of Cross Devo has always remained the same.

For an entire week, or maybe two weeks, campers are taught about what love God has for us, and that His love was shown to us when he sent His son to this earth and He was sacrificed for us. The campers are also told about what this amazing sacrifice means for each of us. Cross Devo is a chance to give the campers a visual of what happened during the days leading up to His death, and then also the hope that He gives with His resurrection.

The skit starts by lining the campers up by cabin in the Rec Hall. They are instructed that the staff members are the actors of the skit, and that they are not professional actors, and that the props used are minimal. Even though it is not perfect, the intent is to give the campers an idea of what that time was like for Jesus Christ. The campers Jesus praying in the garden with his disciples, and they see Judas betraying Jesus with a kiss. They see Pilate asking the crowd if they would rather he release to them Jesus or Barabbas. The last thing they see is Jesus being mocked and beaten by the guards. The time in the Rec Hall is a very quiet time that allows the campers to understand how those days went for Jesus.

After this part, the campers are instructed to walk up the hill with the staff members to see the second part of the skit. Once everyone makes up the hill, Jesus is forced to carry the cross through the crowd while the guards are mocking him and whipping him. When Jesus gets to the crowd he falls down and Simon carries the cross the rest of the way.

Jesus then is hung on the cross while the 4 group leaders stand by with torches so that the crowd can see Jesus on the cross. It is such an amazing sight to actually see someone on a cross. The campers can also hear Jesus and is pain, they can hear him crying out to God. Then they hear Jesus say it is finished, and then hang his head in death. At this point the staff sings a few songs with an emphasis on the cross. It is a very moving moment, and tends to bring out tears from more than just a few campers.

While the singing is going on, Jesus is taken down from the cross, and a large bonfire behind the cross is lit. Then the campers see what makes Jesus death so special...that he rose from it. Jesus then appears to his disciples and shows Thomas the scars on his hands and his side. Then the staff sing more songs, this time focused on the joy and happiness that Jesus' resurrection offers to all of us.

After the singing the Program Director will get up and share a final message for the campers. He will usually tell the campers about how they can use the things they have learned during their session in the lives away from Camp. It is a time of encouragement, and a time of finality, because it signals that another session of Camp is over. Finally the staff gathers together to sing a song that shares the message that they all hope the campers are able to hear.

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.

It is such an emotional night for the campers, but it is the best way to end what is hopefully a great session for each. To be able to send the campers home with the images of the things Jesus went through is a great way to leave a lasting impact. If you have ever seen Cross Devo, then you can probably visualize a little more easily the sacrifice that was made for us. Which after all, that is the message that is most important for the campers to receive during their stay at Camp.

Hail, Dear Ol' Deer Run,

Sparky

2010 Hoche Group Leader

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

Middle Sunday

Today was the first Middle Sunday of the summer, which is the Sunday right in the middle of a two week session. Middle Sundays are always a great day at Camp because so many visitors come out to worship with the campers and staff. Today there were somewhere in the neighborhood of 550 people worshipping God together at a place where God's presence is easily felt. There seems to be an energy that comes with all of the parents and friends that is appreciated by the staff and campers. The singing today was great just as it always is on Middle Sundays because of the large crowd, and Hoche Group Leader Andy Garner did a great job of preaching God's word. After worship, we had a great lunch and enjoyed some of the many activities that go on during the day, including camper vs. staff football and volleyball games.

If you can, I encourage you to try to get to Camp during one of the two upcoming Middle Sundays. 4th and 5th Sessions are both two week sessions.

Hail, Dear Ol' Deer Run,

Sparky