Work Campers Invade Handy Middleschool
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Handy Middle School is headquarters this week for the River Front Work Camp sponsored by First Presbyterian Church and Group Magazine. Group is a non-denomitional Christian publication for youth.
The "Work Camp" program began in Loveland Colorado after a devastating flood in 1977 washed through the town causing severe damage and killing over 140 people. Group organized church youth groups to help with the rebuilding effort. The project was such a success that another project was done the following year. In the 28 years since, Group has run over 500 service camps doing over 31,000 projects, with more than 185,000 students and youth leaders.
The Bay City camp is a project of First Presbyterian Church. The First Pres youth have been going to work camps for many years and sponsored their first Bay City camp four years ago.
Work Camp Director Pam Jenson talked about this year's camp. "We have 368 youth and leaders in camp. They are divided into 63 crews which are working on 52 sites throughout Bay County."Each Work Camp draws people from all over the country. A church will typically sendfrom 10 to 20 youth and adults in their group. In camp they bunk with their group, but work crews are randomly selected and join people from different backgrounds, religions and hometowns.
A lot of organization goes into a work camp. The local sponsoring church is responsible for much of the planning. Group's staff pulls it all together with their professionally designed program.
Each evening, campers participate in a rousing program of music, skits, devotional messages and, perhaps the favorite... pictures from the day's activities. Joe Kearfott puts it all together during the afternoon. He mixes digital photos, music and text into a computer run slide show. Group provides equipment for a great multi-media experience. The band, on the other hand, comes together on the spot and is composed of youth who bring their instruments ready to jam. This year's group has keyboards, several drummers, guitars and even a "spoon" player.
Wednesday was a "short" day. Crews were out at crack of dawn at their project sites, but everyone came back to Handy around noon. Some kids just hung out, other groups headed for the River Walk and downtown, or the mall or just exploring. One group was excited about going out to see the Saginaw Bay.
Thursday will be another full day. The camp goes through Sunday. When you see kids working onhouses around the area, stop and say hi. MyBayCity.com knows you'll be impressed.
 "Troubleshooter" Jim Edmondson from Christiansburg, Virginia works on site evaluations while grandson Zach, from Carey, North Carolina, plays some cards. |  Whitney Newsome, Laura Martin, Katie Smydra, and Rachel Price check for "Care Cards" where work campers leave messages to each other. |
 The guys from Forest Hills Weslyan Church in Evansville, Indiana are starting a tradition. They drop and do pushups anytime they run into girls from their group. |  Girlsbunked down in classrooms. The boys took over Handy's "Small" gym... The ENTIRE gym! |
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Stephen Kent |
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