If you came to Miracle Camp in 2004, see if you can find yourself in one of these videos:
Posts Tagged ‘summer camp’
28 Dec
Theme Night Then and Now
Every week Miracle Camp campers look forward to theme night. A night where we dress up and celebrate a theme. Past theme nights have included:
-Pirate night
-80′s night
-Willy Wonka
-Army Night
and of course…
… Cowboys and potato sack night?
Needless to say, every theme night at Miracle Camp is a blast. Check out this picture from Fiesta Night:
Frank Colarusso-Assistant Program Director
30 Nov
Wednesday Rewind Remake- IFOs
Todays Wednesday Rewind Remake features IFOs (identified falling objects). Camp is home to many strange things- and as this post will show- it is not uncommon to see identified falling objects in the skies of MC. For example- this falling giant ball:
“Ahhh! Everyone get down! Save me from the Giant falling Ball!”
” Don’t worry, I will bounce it off the faded side of my acid washed jeans.”
Pictured above is a group of staff in 1983 playing a game with a giant ball. Below is a remake using The Great Equalizer- a giant die that can dramatically change your place in cabin competition. The die is being thrown by two 2011 summer staff members- Greg Coffman and Sarah Bellis.
What else can be seen falling through the skies at MC? Post your ideas to our facebook wall (hint think ambush games). And next time you visit, keep your eyes on the skies, who knows what may be falling…
Frank Colarusso-Assistant Program Director
23 Nov
Wednesday Rewind Remake- Pancakes
Remember those good o’ days when you would wake up and smell the pancakes cooking on coffee cans…
WHAT?
Oh yeah, thats what we did way back in the day at Miracle Camp. Not a bad way to have a camp-out breakfast (don’t forget the maple syrup).
Need proof? Here is a pic.
From the look on her face, I’d say the girl cooking (Nancy (Graber) Roth) has no idea what she is doing. And the girl in pink is wishing SOMEONE would have remembered the syrup (or perhaps a few more hours of sleep).
All in all, it looks like a fun morning.
We thought about remaking this delightful morning, but them realized that a modern-plastic coffee can would not serve as an adequate stove (I’ll have my helping light on the carcinogens please). So we cooked our pancakes inside-on a real-person stove and brought them out for the pic.
As Abby shows, it was a bit warmer in the first picture. I think this Aspinall clan captured the photo quite well. Bravo! Now can I have my breakfast?
Believe it or not there is at least one thing in the first picture that we still have at MC. Can you find it?
Frank Colarusso-Assistant Program Director
20 Nov
Quiz Off
This past weekend Miracle Camp was busy with the annual Quiz Off. It was a fight to the finish- each team put forth their best effort to become the champions of the weekend. Any quizzer, coach or parent will tell you that what was most important was the fact that each student was motivated to gain Biblical knowledge.
It is not uncommon to feel that you need to read your Bible more as a Christian- but this weekend could make even the most dedicated biblical scholar feel guilty. These kids knew the stuff inside and out!
I hope that this week you can find the motivation to REALLY learn from your devotions.
To give credit where credit is due,
Brookside won the jr. high division of the event while Eureka took first for high school. Everyone did an awesome job and enjoyed their time here at MC.
16 Nov
Wednesday Rewind Remake- Chapel
Welcome to the first Wednesday Rewind Remake- Say that three times fast. This WRR will focus on the Oakwood Chapel- constructed in 1987 (hey that is the year I was born). Below is a picture of a 1989 chapel session. See if you can find the old-fashioned overhead projector. And who remembers those hanging chapel lights?
Above is a picture of a 1989 Sr. High Retreat. Kathy Link is speaking.
Below is a photo of a 2011 Jr. High Summer Camp. Tyler Quillet is speaking.
There are at least three things in the first picture that are still at Miracle Camp today. If you think you know what they are, post them to our facebook wall.
Frank Colarusso-Assistant Program Director
13 Nov
How did a Miracle Camp Counselor End Up on the Amazing Race?
Listen to this,
In 1998 Miracle Camp had a counselor that was used to impact many of his campers to rededicate their lives to Christ- as several of our counselors do year after year. This counselor inspired one particular camper t0 completely change. This camper went through the rest of his life growing in his walk with the Lord.
In 2005 this former camper returned to MC to give back as a camp aide. The camp aide program only strengthened his walk. It made him want to give back even more. During his time as a camp aide, he also made a camp classic- tye-dye shirt.
In 2008 this former camper and previous camp aide took his desire to serve from Miracle Camp, Michigan to Malawi, Africa on a missions trip. He brought along some old, ratty cloths from high school- including the tye-dye shirt from 2005. During his experience, he was impacted by the poverty and piety of the Malawian people. He was inspired to leave many of the belongings he had brought with him.
In 2011 This well-traveled, former camper and previous camp aide was watching television. The Amazing Race was showing an episode in Malawi, Africa. His eyes widened as he saw memories of his trip flash across the screen. His mouth dropped to the floor when in the background of one scene he saw the same tye-dye shirt he had left back in 2008.
In this way, the influence of one summer camp counselor in 1998 made its way onto the Amazing Race.
Think back over your life, how far does your impact stretch? Who have you been investing in? Who can you serve today?
I leave you today with a quote by Steve Kroschel from his documentary “The Gerson Miracle”
“For each of us eventually, whether we are ready or not, someday we will come to an end. There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days. All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten, will pass to someone else. Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance. It will not matter what you owned or owed. Your grudges, resentments, frustrations and jealousies will finally disappear. So, too, your hopes, ambitions plans and “to do” list will expire. The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away. It won’t matter where you came from or on what side of the tracks you lived at the end. It wont matter if you’re beautiful or brilliant. Even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant.
So what will matter? How will the value of your days be measured? What will matter is not what you bought but what you built. Not what you got but what you gave. What will matter is not your success, but your significance. What will matter is not what you learned but what you taught. What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage or sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example. What will matter is not your competence but your character. What will matter is not how many people you knew but how many will feel a lasting loss when you’re gone. What will matter is not your memories but the memories that live in those who loved you. What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what.
A life lived that matters is not one of circumstance but of choice”
Show someone the love of Christ today. Who knows how far the effort may go.
Frank Colarusso-Assistant Program Director
P.S. You only have until 11/15/11 to participate in our free week of camp contest!
UPDATE: Here is a historic Miracle Camp pic. Looks like some Miracle Camp clothing has already made it around the world.
This photo was taken by Jeff and Nancy Johnson on a missions trip to Zaire in 1990.
P.S.S. Check back Wednesday for a Wednesday rewind remake photo!
6 Nov
Win a Free Week of Summer Camp!
You have the chance to win a free week of Summer Camp at Miracle Camp and Retreat Center! Why? Because Camp Craze has declared November 15, 2011 national wear your camp t-shirt day. In honor of this day we are giving away a week of summer camp at Miracle Camp! Get some friends to help you-they can win cool prizes too. And of course, do not forget to support Miracle Camp by wearing your favorite Miracle Camp T-shirt on November 15, 2011.
Frank Colarusso-Assistant Program Director
How To Enter:
- Take a picture of up to four people wearing/holding/eating Miracle Camp merchandise.
- Upload the photo to Miracle Camp’s facebook wall by November 15, 2011.
- Ask all your friends and family members to like your photo.
The person who posts the photo with the most likes on December 1, 2011 will win one free week of summer camp!
Grand Prize:
A free week of summer camp at Miracle Camp.- Miracle Camp hooded sweatshirts for the pictured group.
Second Prize:
- Miracle Camp T-shirts for the pictured group.
Third Prize:
- Miracle Camp coffee mugs for the pictured group.
Terms and Conditions: AKA fine print AKA boring AKA ask your mom to read this
The Gr
and Prize: 1. A coupon for a free week of camp at Miracle Camp estimated value: $330. (The coupon can only be used by one person. Only one coupon will be given regardless of the number of people in the photo. The coupon will be sent to the poster of the winning photo. The prize cannot be split, but can be given to someone else. The coupon must be used in the 2012 summer camping season.) 2. A Miracle Camp hooded sweatshirt coupon for all pictured people. (This prize will be sent to the poster. It is the posters’ responsibility to distribute the prizes to the other pictured winners.) Second prize: A Miracle Camp t-shirt coupon for all pictured people. (This prize will be sent to the poster. It is the posters’ responsibility to distribute the prizes to the other pictured winners.) Third prize: A Miracle Camp coffee cup coupon for all pictured people. (This prize will be sent to the poster. It is the posters’ responsibility to distribute the prizes to the other pictured winners.)
Photos must be uploaded by November 15, 2011 at 11:59pm EST to be considered in the contest. No more than four people may be in each photo. Each facebook account may only submit one photo. Likes given after December 1, 2011 at 11:59pm EST may not be counted. Photos not following the stated rules may be disqualified and not considered for any prizes. Miracle Camp reserves the right to consider unique photos in the contest- even if they do not follow all stated rules. Miracle Camp will contact the winner(s) by December 5, 2011. Only the person who posted the photo will be contacted and they will receive the prize. If Miracle Camp cannot get the proper information by December 15, 2011, an alternative winner may be selected. In the event of a tie in likes, Miracle Camp will decide a winner.
Grand Prize will be awarded to the photo with the most likes, Second Prize will be awarded to he photo with the second most likes, Third Prize will be awarded to the photo with the third most likes.
Miracle Camp merchandise is considered anything purchased from the camp store or online. Camp aide and summer staff shirts also count. Custom-made shirts can be used in the contest as well, but must have Miracle Camp written on them.
Miracle Camp may also award small prizes during the contest to creative photos. The staff at Miracle Camp may choose these photos.
23 Sep
One of the Many Hidden Rewards…
It is an occasional treat to find out that someone has used their experience at Miracle Camp in a school project. It is encouraging to know that someone’s time here may also impact their classmates and teachers. Just the other day, we got one of these rare treats from Sarah Ready, a former camper. Part of what she wrote is written below
“…That next summer as usual I attended church camp. I went to a camp called Miracle Camp in [Lawton,] Michigan. This camp is known to change peoples lives, and that’s exactly what it did. That week of camp, God made me realize that… He’s not a hurtful God and he will always be by my side. I came home from camp happy and rejuvenated…”
Thank you to Sarah and everyone else who has shared about their valuable time here at Miracle Camp. Please continue to send us a copy of any school projects or reports about your time here. Our staff love them!
Frank Colarusso -Assistant Program Director
