December 20, 2017

Our Mission Statement

"To equip and support camp ministry professionals as they advance the kingdom of God"

Our Core Values

1. Bible-based
2. Community
3. Excellence
4. Christ-likeness
5. Diversity
6. Experiencing God in Nature

A BIG THANKS TO PINE SPRINGS RANCH!!

We want to extend a big hearty thank you to all of you who attended the 2017 AACP convention. And we want to give a huge thank you to Pine Springs Ranch for hosting us and treating us like family. We believe that AACP is a vital part in equipping and supporting present and future camp ministry and evangelism professionals.

One of the things we rely on in planning for the future is feedback from you! If you would please take a moment to fill out our quick survey, it will help us in the planning for the 2018 convention that will be located at Camp Kulaqua in Florida from Wednesday, November 28 – Sunday morning breakfast on December 2, 2018. 

TAKE THE CONVENTION SURVEY

For those in attendance, we’d appreciate hearing an evaluation of your experience…thanks so much! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/8NQLJGF

DIRECTOR’S CLIPBOARD for ALL STAFF

PINE SPRINGS RANCH WELCOMES MEMBERS

Carman Ibanez and her staff welcomed over 200 guests to this year’s AACP Convention. It was the third time that the convention was held in this beautiful Southern California location. The ‘official’ count was 193 registered, but that did not count the PSR staff or guests who came on Sabbath.

 
HOLIDAY DECORATIONS THROUGHOUT

Many thanks for the Christmas decorations! They added to the spirit and setting of the convention!

 
GOOD MORNING AACP!

Each morning, Ray Queen and Theresa Stride hosted the extremely lively and interesting talk show featuring camp staff including a daily weather forecast! Members enjoyed hearing about ministry taking place throughout the North American Division and becoming better acquainted with staff from other camps and organizations.

 
FOOD AND FELLOWSHIP

Of course, during meal time the cafeteria was a popular location! Delicious food was provided throughout the convention. Many thanks to the food service staff and their creativity!

MUSIC BY THE CAMP DIRECTOR BAND

On opening night we had a special camp director's band. One camp staff member said, "This is the best song service I have had in years!" The songs were 'oldies', but 'goldies'!

ACTIVITIES DURING FREE TIME

During scheduled free time, several activities were open for convention attendees to enjoy!

 
GUEST SPEAKERS

Sandi Roberts, President of the Southeastern California Conference, spoke Friday evening. Here are some of her quotes:

“We have dreams.”
“Pray for approval of Pine Springs Ranch’s master plan by Riverside County.”
From Ephesians: “that Christ may dwell in you…exceeding abundantly”.
“We all have days filled with daily activities lived out in ordinary days.”
“Sometimes God lets me see a spectacular event in an ordinary activity.”
Referring to feeding the 5000: “From an ordinary act of faithfulness (mom making a lunch), God makes a miracle.”
“The same is true…out of those ordinary acts that happen in camp God can make miracles happen.”
“Carry on!”
 
Sam Leonor, pastor for LaSierra University, spoke several times. His past experience as a summer camp staff member at Nosoca Pines connected well with the membership. Here are some of his quotes:

On calling the disciples: “Is this one of your big jokes? You want me?”
“I would never trade those few seconds for anything.”
“Can I be one of those pastors who never has to speak?”
“What would have happened if you had not walked out of your house to talk to me?”
“Follow Me…today.”
 
On Revelation 22: “Camp is so powerful because you show a revelation of what life can be.”
“A new earth IS possible”
Quoting a camper: “I found a counselor who was actually happy to be a Christian.”
Speaking of camp: “You get to live in a place that gives a glimpse of the future (new earth)”
“No more sea…it doesn’t separate us”.
 
On Psalm 22: “If we can sing together, imagine the things we can do together.”
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?...It is finished”

CAMP RESOURCE ROUND UP

The end of a year often brings the opportunity to review lessons learned and to plan for the future. Here are three key risk management situations to review and remember in 2018. Require Adequate Supervision: Determine how many staff members you need based on the activity, age, and abilities of the campers. These counselors should be clearly identifiable to differentiate between who should be onsite and who does not belong.

1. Support Your Safety Officer: At the core of your risk management committee, the Safety Officer identifies, evaluates, and mitigates risks. Encourage your staff to follow procedures and uphold a tone of safety at camp.
2. Get Rid of 15-Passenger Vans: These unstable vehicles have been prohibited by NAD Working Policy. When using an alternative vehicle, be sure all passengers wear seat belts, choose safe drivers, and conduct regular maintenance checks.

 Adventist Risk Management, Inc. can help you keep your campers, staff, visitors, and property secure. Find practical resources in multiple languages on the NEW Adventistrisk.org website under the Camp Safety section created just for you.
 
Have a safe and happy holiday! Frenita B. Fullwood; Manager, Communications & Resources
Adventist Risk Management, Inc. ffullwood@adventistrisk.org | AdventistRisk.org

NORM MIDDAG AWARDS

The following camps received the Norm Middag Award of Excellence: Lake Whitney Ranch, Lone Star Camp, Wewoka Woods, Camp Yorktown Bay, Big Lake Youth Camp, Sunset Lake Camp, Camp MiVoden, and Camp Ida-haven. The top outstanding award went to Camp Kulaqua pictured below. 

SPECIAL NAD AWARD PRESENTED TO BRUCE CHRISTENSEN

Bruce Christensen (Camp Mivoden) announced his retirement. This month (December) marks his 40th year in camp ministry. Tracy Wood, David Yeagley and Bill Wood presented him with a special NAD service award.

Bruce, on a personal note, thanks for your wisdom and friendship through the many years beginning on that December's winter-like day at Big Lake and for the numerous times you and Sandi welcomed me into your home! (Terry)

Bill Wood gives Bruce a BIG HUG pictured below.

HELP MAKE BLIND CAMP A REALITY IN YOUR AREA

Christian Record Services for the Blind desires to partner with Seventh-day Adventist youth camps in 2018 to provide people who are blind with exciting camp experiences to help them learn more about their abilities, meet new friends, and continue their journey with their best friend, Jesus. Blind camps are a wonderful opportunity for camp staff to expand their experiences with compassionate service, and many report that meeting and empowering people who are blind is the highlight of their summer camp experience. An online portal has been set up for camp directors to learn more about a partnership with Christian Record and to complete the online agreement. Please revise the last two sentences as follows: Contact Diane Thurber, president, at 402-802-6036 or Diane.Thurber@christianrecord.org if you have questions about partnering with Christian Record.
Diane Thurber, President; Christian Record Services, Inc.; PO Box 6097, Lincoln, NE 68506; 402-488-0981 x212; www.christianrecord.org;www.facebook.com/ChristianRecord; www.twitter.com/CRSBfriends

CAMP SHIRT EXIBITOR – THANKS YOU!!

Hi Everyone! It was so good to see you at PSR earlier this month! I really appreciate the opportunity to offer continued services to our existing AACP clients and new camp leaders! We look forward to working with each camp providing individualized service to meet their decorated apparel needs! ...From latest creative art development, to the latest fashion camp apparel we are here to serve the Members of AACP with apparel for all their camp needs! As always we have special discounts for all AACP camps!  ...Thank you!!  Brent Binnall Owner 'ShirtQuest.net' 909-331-1777 brent.binnall@gmail.com

FINANCE REPORT

At the business session, Tracy Wood presented the finance report and proposed budget for 2018. Both reports were approved.

CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS

Jeff Wines, chair of the Constitution and Bylaws committee shared the proposed revisions with the members. Several items were referred back to the committee with some recommended changes. These suggestions will be considered for the members next year. 

PAST PRESIDENT

The board received word that since he is serving only as his conference’s Education Director, Richard Williams has indicated that he is no longer able to serve as the AACP Past President. The board voted to invite Dan Whitlow, the previous past president, to fill that position through the end of the term (through 2018).

MEET YOUR NEW UNION REPRESENTATIVES

Several unions needed to select a union representative to serve for the next two years on the board:

Atlantic                              Barbara Henderson
Mid-America                      Loren Nelson
North Pacific Union          Ross VonPohle
SDA Church in Canada    Jerry Clark
Southern                            Rick Faber

NEW AACP WEBSITE COMING YOUR WAY

Yes, it is finally about to become a reality. Theresa Stride, our VP for Communications has been working with Brad Forbes at AdventSource and his design team to make our new site a reality. It will be functional for phones, tablets, and computers. You won’t miss a thing! We hope to have this up and running in January!  

PICTURES NEEDED FOR UPDATED AACP WEBSITE

Theresa Stride is looking for a half-dozen or so pictures from all of the camps in the NAD. If you could email her pictures from summer camp and the year-round ministry before the end of the year, they could be included in our new AACP Website.  summercamp@campkulaqua.com.

TREATS FROM LITTLE DEBBIE 

Little Debbie (McKee Foods) sent several cases of their new product called “Animal Tracks Brownies” for sharing with the attendees at the AACP Convention. The brownies have a variety for footprints ranging from Deer to ‘Bigfoot’ himself. What a surprise treat!! Many thanks for the kind gift for our members!

BUSINESS VENDORS/EXHIBITORS/PRESENTERS

We want to thank the following businesses/organizations for sharing their benefits and services with us at the AACP convention. Please feel free to connect with them as your needs arise. 

1. American Bedding Manufacturers (mattresses, beds, furniture, towels, etc.)
   Cliff Boggs  |  800–203.2507  |  cliff@americanbeddingmfg.com
2. American Camp Association (Accreditation, training, resources)
   800.428.2267 www.acacamps.org/membership
   Bookstore: www.ACAbookstore.org  |  800.229.5745 
3. Heritage Health Food (Worthington, Cedar Lake, and Heritage foods)
   Jay Jones (VP of Sales)  jjones@heritagehealthfood.com  |  423.238.4211
4. Maranatha Volunteers International (camp projects in the NAD)
   David Woods  NAD Projects Director  dwoods@maranatha.org  |  916.774.7750
5. Trinity HPSI Purchasing Services (Help you save $$$. Food, vendors, etc.)
   Mike Moulton mike.moulton@trinity-usa.net  |  615.672.0229
6. UltraCamp (online registrations, reporting tools, data form collection, etc.)888.791.2080  |  www.ultracamp.com

NOT ABLE TO ATTEND THE CONVENTION?

The seminars were all recorded and will be available on the AACP website. We’ll let you know when they are up and running!

WILL YOU HAVE A WHITE CHRISTMAS?

Check out the probability of your having a white Christmas here: https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/news/historical-probability-of-white-christmas

QUOTES FOR CONTEMPLATION

• Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.—William Arthur Ward
• Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows.—Helen Keller 
• Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.—Eleanor Roosevelt 
• Accept what is. Let go of what was. Have faith in what will be.—Unknown  
• All negative emotions, especially anger, depend on your ability to blame someone or something else for something in your life that you are unhappy about.—Brian Tracy

TRADING POST

This is a section dedicated to those camps either looking for equipment or wanting to donate or sell one or more items. Send your list of needs or items you’d like to get to another camp (donating or selling) to terry@leonimeadows.org.

RESUME’ – SEEKING JOB POSITIONS

If you know of someone looking for a position at camp, please have terry@leonimeadows.org contacted. Thanks!

SEEKING EMPLOYMENT IN MINISTRY - Emmanuel Vedoya

evedoya@burmanu.ca  
584 Castle Avenue, R2L 1C3, Winnipeg, MB| | 204-294-1218
Contact him for references and Philosophy of Ministry & Personal Plan

CAREER OBJECTIVE: Adventure-based Youth Leadership student with 18 years of camp and youth ministry experience. Seeking to apply experience and training in church ministry, or other religious settings such as dean, chaplain, or youth/camp director.

EDUCATION: Burman University, Lacombe, AB; adventure-based youth leadership. Courses include all necessary pre-professional minor classes alongside technical and interpersonal courses from the Outward Pursuits department. Technical classes include Navigation & Backpacking, Survival & Tracking, and as well as interpersonal classes such as Foundations of Youth Ministry, Seminar in Leadership, and Conflict Resolution. Resident’s Assistant Maple Hall DormitoryEXPERIENCE: August – May 2016/17, August – January 2017/18
Responsible for dorm worships, chores, & check-ins. Aid deans in organizing events, responding to emergencies, and general student safety.

Camp Staff Foothills Camp, AB
summers: 2015-2017
As Assistant Director, supporting the camp program involved staff management, adaptively responding to changes in programming, and administrative decision making. As maintenance staff, was responsible for basic upkeep of grounds and proper operation of camp utilities.

Camp Staff Camp Whitesand, MB/SK
summers: 2000-2014
As Worship & Music Director, responsibilities included smooth execution of morning and evening programming, as well as training and proper use of instruments and audio/visual equipment. Focused on leadership training as the Staff-in-training Director. Various occupations held from Kitchen Staff, Cabin Leader, Waterfront Director, and Ranger.

JOB OPENINGS

If you have a job opening for year-round staff, let us know and we can post it here. Or if you are having trouble finding someone to fill a particular position in summer camp, that can be posted here, too. Contact terry@leonimeadows.org to get it published.

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER

AACP OFFICERS & UNION REPS

The dates for the AACP board meetings via conference calls are posted here once they are finalized. You will also be notified by email and/or phone call prior to the meeting, along with agendas when possible. Meetings begin at 2:00 Eastern Time, unless otherwise specified.

2018 Dates

• January 9
• February 13
• March 13
• April 3
• May 8
• September 11
• October 9
• November 13
• November 27-28 — Tuesday and Wednesday at Camp Kulaqua
• December 2 — Sunday, 8:00 to 10:00 at Camp Kulaqua

COOK’S NOOK

BAKED APPLE DONUTS

INGREDIENTS
4 cups                         all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons                baking powder
1 ½ teaspoon              salt
½ teaspoon                 baking soda
1 ½ tablespoon           ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon                 ground nutmeg
¼ cup                          unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2                                  eggs
1 cup                           sugar
½ cup                          buttermilk
1 cup                           unsweetened applesauce, from jar
1 ½ cup                       fresh apple, peeled and grated
 
For the Coating:
unsweetened applesauce OR melted butter
1 cup                           sugar
1 tablespoon               ground cinnamon
dash                            ground nutmeg, optional
 
INSTRUCTIONS 
1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg.
3. In another large bowl, stir together melted butter, eggs, sugar, buttermilk and applesauce.
4. Stir in fresh apple.
5. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the egg mixture.  Stir with wooden spoon. 
6. Add another 1/3 of flour mixture and stir. 
7. Add remaining flour and stir just until combined.
8. Spoon batter into a large ziplock bag. 
9. Seal and snip the corner off one end. 
10. Squeeze batter into the cavities of a donut pan sprayed with non-stick baking spray.
11. Fill each cavity 2/3 to 3/4 of the way full. To help donuts keep their pretty shape when baking, use a clean finger to gently even out the batter in each cavity and clean off the center knob of the pan.
12. Bake at 375 for 12 to 14 minutes, until the tops of donuts spring back slightly when touched.  13. Let cool 5 minutes before removing from pan.
 
COATING: For the outside coating, combine sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl.  Using a pastry brush, cover each donut with a light coating of applesauce, or alternatively, dip quickly into melted butter.  Then dip into cinnamon sugar and toss to coat.  Let cool completely before eating, if possible.

INSPIRATION, ENCOURAGEMENT & COUNSEL

“Our little world is the lesson book of the universe. God's wonderful purpose of grace, the mystery of redeeming love, is the theme into which "angels desire to look," and it will be their study throughout endless ages. Both the redeemed and the unfallen beings will find in the cross of Christ their science and their song. It will be seen that the glory shining in the face of Jesus is the glory of self-sacrificing love.”  Desire of Ages pg 19  Ellen White

AACP E-NEWS is the regular communication to all of our AACP members. This message is sent to you because you or your camp is a member of AACP. Its purpose is to provide news, announcements, reminders, and ideas on a regular basis. If you have any items you would like to include in E-NEWS, please email them to terry@leonimeadows.org and list the subject as ‘AACP’. Please include your name and camp name in the email and any contact information as appropriate. For email address corrections or additions, or to unsubscribe, please contact Norm Middag at bnmiddag@gmail.com. We do not hold any responsibility/liability for the excerpts/announcements/articles.