Here is an article from the STANDARD-JOURNAL about our Sports Camp this year.
Youngsters flock to teen-led camp
By Jeff Shaffer, Staff writer
Friday, July 28, 2006
This past week, through today at Christ Wesleyan Church located off of Route 254 outside of Milton, has been the church’s sports camp. The camp, which has been running for almost a decade, is an alternative to traditional vacation Bible school and utilizes its teens for its outreach.
An estimated 50 teens in all worked directly with the children who attended the camp, between ages 4 and 11. The number of children attending has reached well past 200.
“We have fun with them during the day, helping them to get better at sports,” said Shane Diener, a teen counselor. “And we try to teach them good Biblical values.”
Sports held this week included soccer, basketball, a water day involving messy foods, dodgeball and a variety of fitness training drills and large inflatables to bounce around on. Rallies were held at the beginning and end of each day.
Diener said there is an advantage to being a teen when it comes to ministering to the children.
“We’re close enough in age to relate to them; and we get really close over the years,” he said. “They even begin to look for you, and it sets a good example that maybe they’ll want to work with the kids.”
“It’s a unique thing that the teens do the counseling. There are side benefits,” said David Wilcox, children’s pastor. “It builds their self-esteem, opens up opportunity and gives them responsibility.”
Scott Kendall, the youth pastor, said it’s great that the teens can do something for someone else, especially at their age.
“We work with them (the teens) and focus on ministry, this gives them a chance to act on it,” he said. “We meet everyday to go over things.”
Kendall said prior to camp, the teens participated in training sessions for the sports camp, including first-aid.
“They’re volunteers, some are forgoing other events to be here,” Wilcox said. “They love doing it.”
“I like to be around the kids, and seeing the ones from prior years,” said teen counselor Avery Burrows, who’s little sister, Madison, attends the camp.
When it’s all said and done, the counselors are awarded with a trip to the beach, in which a number of them even then have to graciously decline because of other involvement, Wilcox said.
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