1125 lbs of bacon - we're ready for camp now!

John Vandervelde - Program Director

Here at HoneyRock we've almost switched gears completely into "preparing for summer" mode.  The snow is gone, the ice has melted, the buds are out on the trees - Spring has sprung here at camp.  As every department prepares for camp we turn our attention to the kitchen for today's blog post. 

There are 20 people that serve on the kitchen staff team in the summer and they will serve nearly 150,000 meals.  The kitchen and dinning hall is a very important place and key to our ministry of service to young people.  Every participate spends time in there 3 times a day, or on their wilderness trip eats food packed by the kitchen crew.  Dell Ledbetter, our Food Service Manager, runs an excellent food service operation.

Just this week Dell went to a food show in Duluth, MN.  Beyond learning about new products and ideas, it is also the place where Dell negotiates pricing and does a lot of ordering of summer food.

Here is a list of some of the things Dell ordered this week for our summer meals.  He told me, "this won't get us through the whole summer, but it's a good start."

1000 lbs of breakfast sausage (links & patties)
1125 lbs of bacon
1600 lbs of ground beef
4800 burger patties
2000 lbs of chicken
600 lbs of mozzarella cheese
800 lbs of cheddar cheese
400 lbs of butter

2700 lbs of eggs
300 lbs of sour cream

500 gallons of milk

In case this list worries you - next week Dell orders all the fresh fruit and vegetables! 

1952 - The Year of Proof

John Vandervelde - Program Director

I enjoy flipping through the pages of "A Place Apart" when I get a chance.  If you haven't seen it or read it the book was written by Coach Harv Chrouser and his wife Dorothy, the founders of HoneyRock.  It chronicles the early days of the ministry, from before we camp started in 1951 - to the early 1980's.  When I read "A Place Apart" I find some great, classic HoneyRock stories that make me smile.  Its amazing how similar things were here now in 2010 as they were in the 1950's.  I also get inspired and encouraged when I read our history.  Not only to press on with our mission, and carry the HoneyRock legacy to the next generation, but also to live a life dedicated to the Lord.  The early leaders of HoneyRock were men a women whose lives were deeply committed to the Lord and to sharing his love with young people.  It is mighty humbling following in their footsteps. 

I thought I'd share one of the entries from "A Place Apart" today, its entitled "1952 - The Year of Proof" found on page 27:

"For all those involved with the HoneyRock program in 1952 it was the "year of proof."  It was imperative to successfully demonstrate that the camp should survive and become an integral part of Wheaton College.  The Trustees had leased the property for two-years with the option to purchase if the project proved to be both financially self-sufficient and educationally worthy.

Just as the '51 staff felt the were part of the destiny in the first summer so also did the '52 staff feel a part of that continuing destiny - we must not fail the God-given vision for the camp.  Continually we sought the Lord's wisdom in setting the summer goals for staffing and recruiting students and campers.  Safety became a daily concern in our prayers.  The transportation to and from camp, the Engineer program, the tripping and the in-camp activities - all had elements of risk.  I remember many times asking God to surround us with guardian angels, and He did!

Budget-wise, we targeted for a 20% increase of campers, and a total of 20 students, with guest cabin and Beehive income remaining the same, and $500 in gifts.  With this income we could reach our modest budget of $17,000, barring any costly emergencies, and always with frugal spending.

With the photographs taken the previous summer Bill Geidt made a splashy new fold which told the HoneyRock Camp adventure story in an impressive way.  We enlarged the mailing list considerably and set up a full schedule of Camp Round-up meetings.  The was at Milwaukee 12th Street Methodist Church, thanks to Tom Loberg, a parent and Advisory Board member.

We "went for broke" on all fronts of our preparation and at the end of May were very encouraged by camper and student registrations.  The guest cabins were booked solid by families who wanted to see the camp their children were, or would be, attending.

Local carpenters were hired to build a small addition to the kitchen, including second-floor living quarters for Jack Estep and his new bride, Dottie, the assistant cook-to-be.  For the second year on Memorial Day weekend we made a camp-opening expedition with a crew of students.  This became a tradition which endured for 20 years until the quarter calendar was adopted by the college, bringing the close of school in late May.

We were discovering all the college attics and assembled a load of "select" furniture of every vintage.  It was far better than what was already at camp since most of the white birch furniture in the guest cabins had already suffered through 30 years of heavy use.  Behind the Buis truck we towed, "Frankie" Yuen's "Airflow" canoe trailer loaded with 12 eighteen-foot wood trusses, six feet high.  They had been salvaged from G.I. housing in Oak Park and were discovered and procured by Dr. Hemwall.  With these rafters in hand the envisioned recreation and assembly shelter would be simple to build.

We were delighted with the kitchen addition and the Estep apartment now completed.  There was much anticipation for the day when Jack would carry his "Dottie" across the threshold.  We hurried operation after the carpenters left, and moved some furniture and carpet into the "Estep Penthouse."  We worked early and late moving and hooking up the kitchen equipment.  What rejoicing there was!  Now we had increased the dining capacity 50% to 125, enough to seat the growing camp, staff, and students."

In this season as we set budget goals, build camper cabins, install new equipment and pray for a safe and meaningful summer it's fun to look back and see the similarities how things were nearly 60 years ago.  What growth we've seen and what blessing the Lord has given to this ministry!

Resurrection

John Vandervelde - Program Director   

The word "resurrection" has been on my mind a lot lately.  Probably because we just celebrated Easter and the resurrection of Jesus.  What's been especially powerful to me lately, as I think about Christ rising from the dead, is what resurrection means for me today, as I live and walk and talk and think and work here on earth.  For many, Jesus' life and death is simply about us getting to go to heaven some day.  Our faith is centered around the phrase, "Jesus Christ died for my sins so I can go to heaven when I die."  Okay, yes, no doubt that is so true and so powerful.  What an amazing gift of grace that Christ died for us, wretched sinners, so that we can live eternally in paradise.  I think that Christ's death and resurrection is so much more than that though.  What if your faith was centered on the idea, "Jesus Christ died for my sins so I can go to heaven when I die; but his life, death and resurrection also gives me hope, meaning and purpose here on earth.  I am an agent of the Kingdom of God." 

Christ's death and resurrection means everything for us, for our eternity, but also for our earthly existence.  The Kingdom of God is here and we, as Christians, are agents of his kingdom.  Wherever we go, whatever we say, what we think, and what we do should be about the Kingdom.  If we spend too much time just thinking and believing that Christ's life, death and resurrection was all about us going to heaven we're missing the point.  Christ came to usher in a Kingdom that's about reconciliation, renewal, regeneration, hope, healing, truth, and love.  I think that we need to not be so focused on heaven that we are no earthly good.  Don't you agree?   

Something that has helped me and encouraged me is a recent video from Rob Bell.  This video came out on Easter Sunday, so yeah, I know, it is a little "old" but I still wanted to share it with you.  I don't know what you think of Rob or his ministry, whether you love it or hate it, that is beside the point.  I think you'll see that this message is powerful and inspiring as we struggle to live as agents of the Kingdom of God here on earth.

See the video here: RESURRECTION VIDEO (or just click the picture below)

Here is the text from the video:

Jesus is standing in front of the temple in Jerusalem

the massive gleaming brick and stone and gold house of God

and he says destroy this temple

and I’ll rebuild it in three days

the people listening to him said how are you going to do that?

it took 46 years to build this temple!

but he wasn’t talking about that temple

he’s talking about himself

he essentially says, listen

I’m going to be killed

that’s where this is headed

because you don’t confront corrupt systems of power

without paying for it

sometimes with your own blood

and so he’s headed to his execution

if you had witnessed this divine life extinguished on a cross

how would you not be overwhelmed with despair?

is the world ultimately a cold, hard, dead place?

does death have the last word?

is it truly, honestly, actually dark

and so whatever light we do see

whatever good we do stumble upon

are those just blips on the radar?

momentary interruptions in an otherwise meaningless existence?

because if that’s the case then despair is the

only reasonable response

it’s easy to be cynical

but Jesus says destroy this temple and I’ll rebuild it

he insists that his execution would not be the end

he’s talking about something new and unexpected

happening after his death

he’s talking about resurrection

resurrection announces that God has not given up on the world

because this world matters

this world that we call home

dirt and blood and sweat and skin and light and water

this world that God is redeeming and restoring and renewing

greed and violence and abuse they are not right

and they cannot last

they belong to death and death does not belong

resurrection says that what we do with our lives matters

in this body

the one that we inhabit right now

every act of compassion matters

every work of art that celebrates the good and the true matters

every fair and honest act of business and trade

every kind word

they all belong and they will all go on in God’s good world

nothing will be forgotten

nothing will be wasted

it all has it’s place

everybody believes something

everybody believes somebody

Jesus invites us to trust resurrection

that every glimmer of good

every hint of hope

every impulse that elevates the soul

is a sign, a taste, a glimpse

of how things actually are

and how things will ultimately be

resurrection affirms this life and the next

as a seamless reality

embraced

graced

and saved by God

there is an unexpected mysterious presence

who meets each of us in our lowest moments

when we have no strength when we have nothing left

and we can’t go on we hear the voice that speaks those

words

destroy this temple and I’ll rebuild it

do you believe this?

that’s the question Jesus asked then

and that’s the question he asks now

Jesus’ friends arrive at his tomb and they’re told

he isn’t here

you didn’t see that coming, did you?

he’s isn’t here

there is nothing to fear

and nothing can ever be the same again

we are living in a world in the midst of rescue

with endless unexpected possibilities

they will take my life and I will die Jesus says

but that will not be the end

and when you find yourself assuming that it’s over

when it’s lost, gone, broken and it could never be

put back together again,

when it’s been destroyed and you swear that it could never

be rebuilt

hold on a minute

because in that moment

things will in fact have just begun

Time for an update...

Today's blog entry is all about updating you on where we are with camper registrations for the 2010 summer.  This update serves to: 1)  Encourage all of our prayer partners, donors, alumni, parents, and friends who have been praying for camp to fill this summer and are wondering how registration is looking for 2010.  2)  Let people know that space is becoming very limited and that it is time to register.  Don't forget we have financial assistance available - click here for more info!  

Click Here to Register

REGISTRATION UPDATE AS OF APRIL 12, 2010

6-Day Camp (June 21-26) - 130/160 - Girls: FULL   Boys: 30 spots

12-Day Camp Session 1 (June 28 - July 9) - 142/160 - Girls: FULL  Boys: 18 spots

12-Day Camp Session 2 (July 12 - July 23) - 149/160 - Girls: 3 spots  Boys: 8 spots

12-Day Camp Session 3 (July 26 - August 6) - 134/160 - Girls: FULL  Boys: 26 spots

Advance Camp Session 1 (June 21 - July 9) - 51/64 - Girls: 13 spots  Boys: FULL

Advance Camp Session 2 (July 19 - August 6) - 54/64 - Girls: FULL  Boys: 10 spots 

Adventure Camp Session 1 (June 28 - July 9) - 21/40 - Girls: 7 spots  Boys: 12 spots

Adventure Camp Session 2 (July 26 - August 6) - 13/40 - Girls: 11 spots  Boys: 16 spots

DTP (June 28 - August 6) - 23/32 - Girls: Full  Boys: 9 spots

Sawtooth Mountains Trip (June 28 - July 9) - Limited space available for both boys and girls.

Boundary Waters (June 21 - July 9)  - 4 spots open. 

Pictured Rocks (July 12 - July 23) - FULL

Service Team Session 1 (June 14 - July 9) - Girls: FULL  Boys:  FULL

Service Team Session 2 (July 12 - August 9) - Girls: 1 spot  Boys: 2 spots

Service Team Session 3 (June 14 - August 9, all summer) - Girls: FULL  Boys: FULL

AC's -  Invitation Only

He's back! ... Well sort of...

This past Saturday we welcomed Rob Ribbe back to HoneyRock!  After being in South Carolina for the past 6-months, on "research leave" to work on his dissertation at the University of South Carolina, Rob is back home in the Northwoods for a couple of weeks.  This week he is teaching a graduate course, CFM 662: Theology and Practice of Outdoor Ministry, and next week he'll be getting back up to speed on all things HoneyRock.  For the next six weeks Rob will be transitioning from South Carolina to HoneyRock, doing 2 weeks here and 2 weeks there while his kids finish the school year, and will be back up here permanently the first week of June.

This week Rob is leading our staff devotional time and is sharing about 5 major things (one each day) he's learned over the past 6-months being away from HoneyRock.  It's great to hear about God's work in his life and the exciting things he and his family have been a part of.  It's really great to have him back!

NCAA Basketball Bracket--HoneyRock

This year at HoneyRock sixteen people entered the NCAA
pool.  We, of course, put no money on the
outcome of any of the games, but the winner of the pool would receive the
highly prized privilege of choosing their favorite HoneyRock dessert for
everyone to eat at lunch one day.

The competition was fierce, especially at first when Bill
Long had dramatically more points than anyone else.  But once Kansas
and Kentucky
were out, it looked like someone else might win the pool.  Someone who doesn’t know anything about NCAA
basketball.  Someone who picked “Butler” because it was a
college she’d never heard of and she thought it would be fun if they came in
second place.

And so, Becki Henderson, by some astonishing stroke of luck,
chose Duke to win and Butler
to come in second place.  She came from
fourteenth place to win it all with a whopping seventeen point lead over the
next person.  As her favorite dessert she
chose the Giant Ice Cream Cookie which was served to everyone at Friday
lunch.  She offered to stand on the bench
and let everyone sing “Happy NCAA Bracket Day to You!” but no one seemed
interested in doing that, as it was too many syllables to comfortably sing. 

 

Final Standings (Top Five):

Becki Henderson—91

Angela Sailhamer—74

John Vandervelde—67

Elizabeth Baltus—66

Bill Long—63