by Anna Sorenson | Oct 25, 2022 | Generalities, Parenting
When I was a camper – a long time ago – I forgot to pack my toothbrush. I wrote a letter to my mother and posted it on the first morning of camp. The next evening, I had a toothbrush and a note from my mom. The mail reached her in 24 hours and she was able to...
by Jake Sorenson | Feb 2, 2022 | Camp and Culture, Parenting
We all have COVID-fatigue. Two years into the pandemic, activities continue to be canceled, and we wonder how long it will last. Tradition has it that the groundhog can predict the coming of an early spring. It comes at a time when most people are getting tired of...
by Jake Sorenson | Aug 18, 2021 | Camp Visits
We made it up the mountain at midday. It was the day after camp ended. Most of the summer staff had already departed, and the rest were packing up. Exhaustion was in the air, almost palpably. I distinctly remember the feeling. After weeks of expending tremendous...
by Jake Sorenson | Apr 13, 2021 | Camp and Church Leadership, Camp Research
Not all pastors value camp. Some are benignly dismissive, while others are almost hostile. We collectively call this group the camp skeptics. In our recent survey of ELCA pastors and deacons, just under one in five (18%) were categorized as skeptics. These folks do...
by Jake Sorenson | Feb 1, 2021 | Camp and Culture, Camp Research, Parenting
2020 was a disastrous year for summer camp. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of schools, day care centers, and numerous small businesses. Parents were not only at their wit’s end trying to find childcare and facilitate at-home learning, they also desperately...
