Leaving Camp and Cupcakes

          This summer was the best summer of my life.  Even Ron gets that and is not offended by that assessment on my part.  I wish I could adequately describe the atmosphere at CampHOPEforkids.
           It is not just the magical beauty of the wooded 90 acres with a broad creek running through it. It is not just the energy and the laughter of the children who spend a week of their summer as campers there.  It is not even the assemblies, the singing, the zip line, the gaga courts, the petting zoo, the sweet relationships, the creative Bible study....  
          Part of it is watching the young staff, the twenty-somethings, shoulder levels of responsibility that would be daunting even to experienced professionals.  It has to do with a spirit that permeates the whole camp.
          Every staffer and every volunteer exudes joyful, spiritual sacrifice.  You can almost breathe the encouragement.  Everywhere you turn you hear young people saying: "Is there anything else I can do to help?"  Anything else....after they have already gone the second mile to serve--it's amazing!
          It is rare to see anyone without a smile on their face, even though they are hot, sticky, sleep-deprived and bug-bitten.  Those smiles aren't just about personal joy, they are proffered gifts to anyone in their path.  Encouragement is purposeful and generous.
          Everyday at the end of the morning assembly, Logan Krieder, poured all his abundant energy into leading the campers in a rousing, exuberant dance to Reel Big Fish's song, "Good Thing."  I bounced along with the crowd happily feeling the appropriateness of the lyrics until my last day at camp.  Previously, the words that had impacted me were: "You know we've got a good thing goin'...."
          Oh, it was such a good thing goin' there!  It was just one good thing after another!  But on that last day, the words that resonated deeply were: "I don't wanna see it end!"  It was hard to stop the tears.
          I didn't want my time there this summer to end and I don't want to see the camp itself end.  The lease is up in December with an option to buy and we have until then to raise 1 million dollars so that we won't have to see CampHOPEforkids end.  Our campaign to raise all that money is the sales of Cupcakes for Camp.  This is an unapologetic plea for donations.   If you find someone at your church selling cupcakes for camp, please dig deep.  Buy a cupcake, write a check, dream big and give generously.  We don't wanna see it end!