What’s Better Than A Week of Camp?

^{Read to the end to find out}

(2024 Heartland Ep 10)

(We’ve been taking a break from blogging to return home and recover from our travels. Rested and nearly caught up on everything, we return to our 2024 Heartland journey…)

As July came to an end, we arrived at Madison, Ohio for a week on staff at Cedarbrook Camp of Ohio.

This was our second week at a Cedarbrook camp this summer.  There are a dozen Cedarbrook camps across the US that seek to provide a Christ-centered, safe and fun camping experience.  

We served at the Land o’ Sunshine (Florida) Camp Cedarbrook for more than 25 years and began serving at other Cedarbrook camps after the Florida camp was discontinued in 2016.

Cedarbrook Camps

Like many other summer camps, Cedarbrook camps offer various activities like archery, riflery, camping skills, nature, crafts, swimming, canoeing and lots more.   What attracts us to Cedarbrook camps is their emphasis on Christian principles in all aspects of camp and the development of practical life skills for campers.  The camps are staffed by adult volunteers who view camp as personal ministry.

Scenes from CCO – waterfront area used for swimming, canoeing, kayaking and fishing, archery targets, and getting a watermelon ready for a fun game of greased watermelon football at the lake!

Similar…

Cedarbrook camps have many similarities.   All have individual morning devotions and counselor-led Bible studies.  Evening programs include fun age-specific and all-camp activities followed by singing and an evening campfire/talk.  Singing ranges from traditional fun camp songs to worship and praise songs.  One evening each week cabin groups cook their evening meal over a campfire. 

And many Cedarbrook camps offer intense multi-year counselor leadership training for older campers.

…And Different

There are some interesting differences in the camps as well.

Heat and humidity are a challenge at camp in Texas, so the cabins and other camp buildings are air conditioned. Evening programs don’t always include a campfire.

At Ohio camp, days are mostly pleasant and nighttime temps can even get chilly (at least by Florida/Texas standards). There is no air conditioning and floor fans are sufficient.

Like Texas camp, Ohio has a morning flag raising ceremony with traditional bugle calls (played on a trumpet and saxophone), the Pledge of Allegiance and the national anthem.

The Ohio camp uses facilities at Stony Glen Camp located 35 miles east of Cleveland.  The large site is situated along the Grand River.  There is a nice pond for swimming and fishing, and several ravines offering challenging hikes to scenic waterfalls.

Cabin groups eat their meals family-style (Texas meals are served cafeteria-style), and, in addition to the dinner cookout each week, Ohio campers cook their breakfast over a campfire.  Canned-biscuit donuts cooked in hot oil and rolled in sugar are a favorite!

Fresh-cooked donuts are a favorite at the morning cookout

Ohio camp is held for four weeks, with three weeks for girls and one week for boys.

How We Served

Pat and I taught fire-building and outdoor cooking to third/fourth grade boys, assisted with other activities and helped close camp for the summer.

We were blessed to serve at Texas and Ohio camps this summer, and hope to return in the future.

Next Week

We head east from Ohio, with stops in Pennsylvania and New York, and hunker down for a couple days to allow Hurricane Debby to pass.

So, what’s better than a week at camp?

TWO WEEKS of camp!