Thursday, July 11, 2024 through Saturday, July 13, 2024 we conducted our first faith excursion and it was a huge success by every measure. We were in awe of how God provided for our campers, this event, and our leaders.
We were blessed by four outstanding team leads: Brayden Mirjavadi, Hayden Beckholt, Shelby Hunter, and Curt Rienas. These men provided a safe, fun, Spirit-filled camping and team experience for each of our eight campers. They made this excursion what it was through their hard work, dedication, excellent example of Godly manhood and genuine desire to spread the gospel.
Alongside our volunteer assistant, Justin Hedges, I worked to set up events and activities, prepare food, and keep the camp clean and organized so our team leads and campers could focus on having fun and growing in faith. Thankfully, camping at Addison Oaks is close to home because my family proved to be an integral part of this camp’s success as they helped set up, clean up and tear down camp along with several return trips for more ice and firewood!
We ended up with three campers from New Haven, two from Imlay City, and three from Flint. Thanks to Curt Rienas’s team-building activities which started our camping experience, these eight young men from different backgrounds, circumstances, and geographic locations ended up building strong and potentially long-lasting relationships. Our campers enjoyed fishing, tenting, cooking over an open fire, cold plunge, corn hole, volleyball, fowling, disc golf, prayer, music, and testimonies.
Rick and Rickey Hussey from the Rustic Bluebird provided a gourmet campfire dinner, which was our highest-rated activity of the entire camp based on our post-camp survey. Kenny Spear provided campfire entertainment as he played his guitar, sang, shared his testimony, and helped ensure our campers grew in faith.
Thanks to our donors—the Romeo Lions Club, Roger & Mary Bennett, Knights of Columbus Council #7018, Chuck Pedrotte, Ed Theut Sr., and Chris & Greg Fadeneli — whose financial support made this excursion a reality. Our campers received Bibles, journals, pens, flashlights, cinch sacks, starter disc golf sets, sleeping bags, Faith Excursions shirts, and Faith Excursions blankets. Additionally, each camper was able to select a prize from the prize table at the conclusion of the team competitions. Prizes included Faith Excursions clothing and Ugly Stick rod, reel, and tackle packages.
As we begin our plans for the future, we are looking to learn and grow from our experience. Adult staff surveys and camper surveys were conducted to solicit valuable feedback to ensure we are executing our mission to spread the gospel of Jesus through outdoor excursions and leave campers wanting to participate in future excursions.