The Structure has been inspected and found to be excellent and ready for the front and top to be applied. The building is beautiful and fits well, nestled in the forest surrounded by Douglas Firs. It will be an absolute thrill to use it for camp in the future shading from the sun and shielding from the rain! Special thanks to the women of the Christ Child Society and Champions of Faith supporters!
Christ Child Basketball Courts Cover Under Construction Summer 2015
I detest the political season and I can’t stand political advertisements. It is a shame where we have come to in this country politically. We are all losers because of it.
Taking the life of a child prior to being born (abortion) is a very sad situation and I know we all have our perspectives on it. I am obviously against it but at the same time I realize there are a lot of people who have had abortions and most of them suffer the rest of their lives because of it. I feel for and love those people for the struggles they have been through.
I can’t sit and be quiet about what I understand is going on with Planned Parenthood and the careful killing of babies to harvest and sell body parts. I called Senator Ron Wyden’s office this afternoon to ask him to help defund Planned Parenthood when they vote at 5:00 Eastern time. It took about 10 minutes for the whole process and I actually got someone with skin on the other line.
Here’s the number: 1-202-224-3121 (US Capitol)
CAPTURE THE FLAG…we could not operate the camp without it…there would be mutiny!!! Capture the Flag is an all camp event that takes place at the end of the week and all of the camp participates. Kids LOVE it! Khaki Anderson shows a map she drew of the camp to assist in explaining the rules of the game to the kids. Khaki is the Program Director for Camp Howard this summer and has done a first class job in the role.
Khaki Anderson explains the rules to Capture the Flag at Camp Howard
Family campers were treated to a fantastic “family themed” Mass last night as Fr. John Amsberry offered Mass Saturday night during the weekend of fun. Fr. John shared many wonderful thoughts on family but my favorite was his acronym:
F – Forget
A – About
M – Me
I – I
L – Love
Y – You
The idea of being other centered, communicating and working toward healthy, vibrant families was the message Father John imparted to the Camp Howard Family campers with his wonderfully faith inspiring and motivational delivery.
Mass with Fr. John Amsberry at Camp Howard Family Camp 2015
Family Camp Mass 2015 at Camp Howard
Thank you, Margie Haener Barnett for the thoughtful gift of corn for all of the campers last week and family campers this weekend! It was so greatly appreciated by everyone who was present! The corn was prepared in the Camp Howard propane-heated wok and served up with hamburgers last night at family camp. It was a major hit!
Karen von Borstel and Sr. Krista von Borstel open the lid to the wok to show the corn being cooked for Family Campers!
I started my day with our regular Wednesday morning Core Staff Leadership team meeting at Camp Howard. Five Unit Directors, CIT Director, Summer Programs Camp Director, Assistant Camp Director, Property Director, Program Director and Health and Safety Director. It is the core leaders of the camp and the ones who really make things happen. I really enjoy working with this group because they inspire me and give me faith in the future. They are tremendous leaders who understand their role, mission and the importance of making sure the campers who come to Camp Howard are to be taken care of in the best possible way.
Candi Trap, Assistant Camp Director
Khaki Andersen, Program Director
Kirstin
Morgan
Alli
Bill – Camp Howard Summer Program Director
Leila Blakely, Karen von Borstel
We are off to the races with the first week of our 63rd camping season in the books. One hundred eighty campers made their way to Camp Howard via bus transportation and parent cars to engage in a weeks worth of fun, outdoor adventure, and a variety of camp experiences.
It’s not too late to sigh up for summer camp at Camp Howard. We will be running through the third week in August. www.cyocamphoward.org
Nurse Cindy and Camp Registrar, Nora, chat at the bus stop
Nurse Cindy talks to parents at Bus Check in
Checking in the meds for each of five units of cabins.
Counselors wait for the busses to arrive
Luggage Crew unloads the luggage before the busses arrive with campers
Unloading Luggage
Unloading Luggage
Waiting for luggage trailer to return for a new load to a different unit of cabins.
I have really enjoyed studying the Civil War History these past 10 years as a personal hobby. I have watched every film on President Lincoln that I can find. One of my favorite films is called “Saving Lincoln” which is about his relationship with his body guard who was a friend of his prior to his election to president.
It was a very fragile time in the history of the country when Lincoln was elected. The Civil War began on April 12, 1861, when South Carolinians fired on federals stationed in Fort Sumter. The Confederates had removed the American Flag from the Fort and replaced it with the Confederate flag. One of Lincoln’s Union soldiers went to retrieve the flag and replace the American Flag and was shot in the heart.
This sparked a movement and thousands of people began to join forces with both sides. Interesting side note: Senator Ned Baker from Oregon joined the Union. He was a very good friend of President Lincoln prior to his election and Lincoln named one of his sons after Baker.
Shortly after the war began, Ned Baker was killed. He was the only sitting Senator to be killed in any war. Baker City was named for Ned Baker. This death moved Lincoln to sob.
I personally do not think the Confederate flag should fly at any state capitol. I think it is inappropriate for any flag other than the state flag and American flag to fly at government buildings.
I will go on to say that the freedom loving part of me believes that people have the right to fly the flag independent of state or federal entities. A news reporter said it well this morning as the flag was removed. He said that people will continue to fly the flag. Some will do it with love, some will do it with hate, some will do it well some will do it poorly and that is American.
If you need a dose of patriotism and Christian values, there is nothing like a rodeo on the Fourth of July. I attended the Mollalla Buckeroo for the evening show on the Fourth of July and had a fantastic time. The announcer and his team along with the local community did a lot to focus on our servicemen and women and their contribution to our freedom. A local home town hero was chosen to present the American Flag during the opening ceremonies and it sent chills through me and my friends. The flags of the various armed services were presented by horseback as the riders rode around the arena with the flags whipping in the air.
We were all reminded of the fact that our country was built on Christian values and challenged us all to get on our knees and pray! Awesome!
Of course I love a good rodeo and would like to make it to the Pendleton Roundup in the next few years. I have attended the Sisters Rodeo several times and the St. Paul Rodeo once.
The Mollalla community did a super job with their rodeo and I really enjoyed it all from the bull riding, steer wrestling, barrel racing and the fireworks were fantastic!
I will be back to the Mollalla Buckaroo and making plans to visit Pendleton! Maybe a trip back to St. Paul too!
Karen, Claire and Judy enjoy the Mollalla Buckaroo on the Fourth of July.
Waiting for the Saddle Bronc Riding!
Presentation of the colors and the divisions of the armed forces at the Mollalla Buckaroo
It has been very exciting to watch the installation of the cover for the Christ Child Basketball Courts this summer. The cover will shade and shield three full size high school basketball courts at Camp Howard. The covered courts will enable the camp to have a place to play on rainy days in the summer and add new programs.
Cover being installed over the Christ Child Basketball Courts June/July 2015
Christ Child Courts added to Camp Howard in 2010
Camp Howard campers enjoying the basketball courts.
CYO/Camp Howard 