Riverview Bible Camp

Riverview Bible Camp Cusick, Washighton

November 26, 2012

http://www.riverviewbiblecamp.com/

We were welcomed into the Pacific North West by Rory at Riverview Bible Camp. Surrounded by mountains in the distance and with a river running though camp Riverview offers a peaceful place for families, youth groups and church groups. The camp functions mostly as a retreat center in the summer as well as during the rest of the year although they do run a more traditional resident camp for three weeks of the summer. Riverview has so many unique activities to offer, try a giant slide from a worlds fair, a vertical obstical course, a giant waterfront complete with blob, slide, trampoline, iceburg, Saturn ring among other things, a water balloon launching field, and a giant 4 lane zip line course. The attitude at Riverview seems to be , Why not?! To further prove this point they recently completed a tunnel underneath the road that connects the 2 halves of camp. The tunnel is not only sweet and a safe alternative, but the programing possibilities are endless. Rory described one of the programs this summer where they outfitted the tunnel  with a fog machine, strobe lights and techno music for an alien invasion! 
-Laura

Highlands Presbyterian Camp

Highlands Presbyterian Camp and Retreat Center  Allens Park, Colorado 

November 20, 2012

http://www.highlandscamp.org/

Highlands Presbyterian was on the list of must see camps with Betsy thamert the Rocky Mountain ACA Field Executive. This camp has awesome cabins and summer camp facilities, but their newest development is is the retreat center a facility that helps to broaden their mission to adults as well as children. Another way in which this camp is branching out is through an exciting program they plan to implement this summer. They are going to open up their door to mission trip groups that want a beautiful place in the mountains to do some services work. These groups of teenagers will come from all over the country and give back to the community by volunteering at this summer camp.

-Laura

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Cheley Colorado Camps

Cheley Colorado Camps
Estes Park, Colorado
November 20, 2012
We were lucky enough to have Betsy Thamert, the Rocky Mountain ACA Field Executive, give us a tour of her home camp. One where she was both a camper, long time counselor and then a year round staff member. We pulled up in Betsy's Subaru with a plate of cookies and got a chance to be part of a winter Cheley tradition, coffee break. As we sat around  with some of the year round staff we heard stories of bears and elk that frequent the camp grounds as well as some of the silly pranks and traditions that were unique to Cheley Camps. Afterwards we walked around and could not take enough pictures to capture the beautiful scenery and historic buildings. Although boys and girls camp are mostly separate they still share the same traditions and anchoring ceremonies that make their camp experience unique. Betsy's eyes welled up as she told us about the key ceremony that takes place during every session. At the beginning of a cabins time at camp the group sits down and come up with a code or a set of rules that is based on what the campers think would allow for the best week at camp. Then at the end of every session each camper in the cabin votes on who they think best held up the code, this camper is awarded a key. We know this key is a big honor and a big deal because at the Rocky Mountain conference a year round staff member was still proudly wearing his key that he covered as a camper. As we walked around Cheley we saw where generations of key campers names were inscribed into the walls and wood workings of the beautiful old buildings. Cheley is a camp passed down through the Cheley family for generations and has has so much value as well as adventure to offer.
-Laura

Sky High Ranch Girl Scout Camp

Sky High Ranch Girl Scout Camp
Woodland Park, Colorado
November 16, 2012
www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org/sky-high-ranch
 

Jack and I were lucky enough to get 2 tours from Kreg Hamberger and the Girl Scouts of Colorado. After the Rocky Mountain Conference we followed Kreg to Sky High Ranch a beautiful and rustic camp that is undergoing some shifts in purpose. They are in the process of transitioning from a traditional resident camp to a Girl Scout troop based facility for next summer. This camp will have lots to offer to troops, they have horse back riding facilities, a petting zoo, many different campsites surrounded by the mountains and a Digler park. A Digler park we learned is a course designed for mountain scooters! This park was made by a local Eagle Scout and looks like loads of fun. -Laura

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ACA Rocky Mountain Conference

The Nature Place, Sanborn Wester Camps 
Florissant, Colorado
November 13, 2012
www.thenatureplace.net
 

The nature place, Sanborn’s conference center, was a perfect location for the Rocky Mountain Conference, its warm and cozy atmosphere lead to some great conversations and hopefully some life long friends. We could not have felt more at home between the wonderful Betsy Thamert (the Rocky Mountain ACA Executive), all of the camp directors of camps we had already visited, and the instant embrace of the rest of the Rocky Mountain community. We were fortunate to hear Bob Ditter speak as the keynote and were once again inspired and reinforced in the mission and passion of camping as well as impressed by his warmth and total lack of ego. We also learned so much from the variety of talks and workshops available over the three days, but I think that our favorite part was hands down the open space portion of the conference. We had no idea what to expect but were astounded by the camaraderie, focus that came about when we all sat down for about an hour and talked about what we all needed and what we all had to give. Tom Leheay facilitated open space and was so skilled at moderating the atmosphere and finding solutions. We all left feeling refreshed and confident that all the questions and needs we came to the conference with would be answered. Throughout the conference were scattered talks lead by anyone who felt comfortable in the topic, most of the sessions were round table discussions where everyone was able to add their two cents. Most importantly the open space structure gave each participant permission to continue in depth conversations during down times and through out meals.  -Laura

Sanborn Western Camps

Sanborn Western Camps
Florissant, Colorado
November 13, 2012
www.sanbornwesterncamps.com
 
It's hard to know where to start with Sanborn. It is easy to see why they are a leader of camping in Colorado. We were lucky enough to stay at Sanborn for three days while they hosted the Rocky Mountain ACA Conference. Will, the Equestrian director, took us on a tour of the Sanborn boy’s and Girl’s camp on the first day we were there. The girls camp, called High Trails Ranch, has awesome cabin facilities and what looked like some great programs. The boys camp, called Big Spring Ranch, was built first and when years later they were offered cabins the boys vigorously turned them down preferring the night sky from their tents. The real magic at Sanborn happens during the programs when their incredible staff is playing, leading and creating along side the kids. Deputy All Day is just one program that Will described to us. Imagine the bad guys capture the camp nurse and it is the boys and their valant steeds job to rescue her. The program culminates at Sunburns 4 story tree house where the boys demand the nurse be released to the tune of hundreds of cap guns booming. Also I can’t leave out some of the programs that Sanborn runs during the school year for school groups. Based out of the Inner Barn they have a life size cell, a time line of history that raps around the room a few times, and a freezer filled with recently deceased animals, I was so excited to hold a real pack rat, rattle snakes, birds, and other small mammals. How cool and what a cool learning tool. Don’t worry there were about 4 or 5 gallons of hand sanitizer next to the fridge.
-Laura