Riverfront Workcamp 2002
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Roof Crew Rebecca Meier (MI), Whitney Bostic (WV), Alex Riddle (OH), Sarah Hoffman (MN)
Crew 9's ladder: Brad (IL), Tiffany (WI), Tamara (OH), Ben (WV), Steve (VA), Erin (OH)
Hard work, sweat, bugs, blisters, dirt... great fun, fellowship, inspiration, personal growth, best memory of the summer! That's Workcamp.
Summer camp experiences are a staple for today's teenagers. Tennis camp, Space camp, Computer camp, Music camp... you name it and there's a camp available.
Workcamp is a bit different. Each summer Group Magazine, a Christian Youth magazine, organizes and runs over 60 summer "Workcamps" where teens congregate in a town and spend a week painting houses, fixing roofs, building porches and doing other projects for people in need of help.
In the words of the Workcamp web site "Workcamps are the premier summer missions experience for church youth groups. Since their inception in 1977, Workcamps have brought more than 100,000 teenagers and their adult sponsors to hundreds of communities across North America to help needy families rebuild their homes—and lives."
Bay City's First Presbyterian Church has sent kids to Workcamp for over 10 years. Last summer the church decided it was time to run a camp at home. The camp was such a success that it was repeated this year (after which the Church will send kids to Workcamps in Illinois and to Wyoming).
Like any summer camp, Workcamp cost money. Students pay for the camp as well as their travel. Some churches send busses, others caravan in cars. However they travel, 300 to 400 kids and adults arrive at Workcamp on Sunday and stay for the week.
In Bay City, Workcamp headquarters is Central High. Campers bed down in classrooms and shower in the locker rooms. Evening programs are presented in the gym.
On arrival, campers are ramdomly assigned to crews of about six teens plus an adult. A big part of workcamp is forging a team from people you don't know who come from all over the country. Crews are assigned projects based on need, not experience. Kids who never picked up a hammer may find themselves building a porch or repairing a roof.
Workcamp days start early and end late. Breakfast at the school, then get to the site to work. Eat there. Return to the school, clean up and have supper. Then gather for a high energy evening program of music, slide shows, inspirations talks, and general fellowship.Workcamp is fun, but it's also a great service to the community. Bay City thanks all the campers and First Presbyterian.
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