Thank you to all of our day camp sponsors who have supported ARM’s Sonshine Kids Day Camp this summer! Through your partnership, every week at day camp we have been able to teach the day campers more and more about what it means to be peacemakers by studying God’s character and other key biblical characters who teach us about peace. We’ve been so blessed to have such awesome day camp staff and youth teams serve with us and our day camp kids and their families this summer. From arts and crafts and praise and worship to educational activities and recreational games, our day camp kids have been able to experience the depths of Christ’s love on a deeper level because of your support, so thank you!
This summer, we had 117 day camp sponsors – individuals, families, Sunday school classes, and churches – for our 65 day camp kids! Monday through Wednesday, our kids enjoyed learning and growing with the 6 Day Camp Coordinators (3 in Livingston and 3 in Tuskegee), 5 CITs (2 in Livingston and 3 in Tuskegee), and countless youth teams and other volunteers. However, I think it’s safe to say that our kids’ favorite day of the week was always Thursday because they got to spend a day playing water games and swimming in the pool!
As the summer came to a close, both of our day camps took their kids on a field trip! Tuskegee’s Sonshine Kids Day Camp visited Montgomery to watch a Biscuits baseball game ( you guessed it–on water day)! Livingston’s Sonshine Kids Day Camp visited the McWane Science Center in Birmingham, which was an absolute blast! For a more in depth look at the field trips, click here!
After our field trips, both sites also hosted their closing celebrations where our day camp kids and their families were invited to a share in a potluck dinner and a night of fellowship with our home repair families, summer staff, full-time staff, and board members. The day camp kids played an integral part in these celebrations as they recited bible verses, performed songs and dances, and even read original poems. These celebrations gave the kids the chance to showcase the many things they learned over the summer! Click here for more details about our end of the summer closing celebrations!
To each and every one of our sponsors, thank you. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all of the things you did, prayed for, and gave so that each camper at Sonshine Kids Day Camp could know the love of Christ and also understand that education can be used as the foundation to achieve dreams of any kind. Thank you for helping us equip our Day Camp Coordinators and CITs with the knowledge and skills to identify, encourage, and challenge the potential God has given each of our day campers so that they know and believe they can make a positive difference in their communities and in the world.
One last thing, as we transition from the summer into this next school year, we would like to make you all aware of another awesome organization that works in Lee and Macon counties–I Am My Brother’s Keeper (IAMBK). “The mission of IAMBK is to provide family and youth services that enable disadvantaged youth and at-risk families to become self-supportive and thrive in their homes, schools, and communities. The organization is designed to help participants develop morals and character, skills for the workforce, increase their education levels, promote physical health, and discover and nurture their talents.” From physical fitness classes to performing arts classes, to one-on-one tutoring and social services, IAMBK partners with families in these communities in order to equip individuals to be “successful in school and productive in their homes and communities.” IAMBK will be starting up next week in both Auburn (Boykin Community Center) and Tuskegee (Tuskegee United Methodist Church), and there are programs and activities available for children ages pre-K through grade 12. We would love it if you would continue partnering with us by partnering with IAMBK during this school year! For more information, click here or call (334)728-0309.
Grace and peace,
Lisa Pierce
Gerry Sill, youth from Cokesbury UMC, with Day Camp kids in Livingston
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