springsummer summer 2015 Help Us Make a Difference in Your Community I magine if you had an eager team of faithful, hard-working young adults for a few days. What could you accomplish in your community in Christ’s name? Could you complete a work project for a family who has gone through some difficult times? Could you work with the local food pantry and get the shelves stocked? Could you arrange for a Bible study and concert at a nursing home or assisted living center? The possibilities are many, and the opportunity is real! Last summer, Badlands Ministries’ summer staff did service and outreach projects in some of the communities where we provided day camp. We also sent staff to Dickinson on Mondays through Thursdays during the month of July to administer a USDA Summer Food Program and a free community day camp. We would like to expand our service this summer, and we would appreciate any ideas you have regarding how we could best serve your community. Feel free to call the camp office at 701-623-4332 or e-mail us at [email protected] with your ideas. Help us bring faith to life and make a difference! Above: Camp staff take a break after building an accessible patio and sandbox for a family in Bowman. Below: Camp staff singing songs for residents at St. Luke's Nursing Home in Dickinson, ND. Intro to Summer 2015 A New Face at Badlands Ministries! My name is Tina Vaughan, and I am the new Director of Guest Relations and High Ropes. Originally from Waverly, Iowa, I am a lifelong member of the Lutheran Church and have been active in outdoor ministry since my teen years. After completing my degree in religion from Augsburg College in 2011, I left the Twin Cities for North Dakota. I am excited to be exploring a new part of God's creation here in the Badlands, and to be part of the thriving ministry found at our camp! Program Highlights C ampers at Badlands Ministries this summer will be learning about God's never ending love—studying the Old Testament stories of God's promises to Abraham, Israel, Ruth, Jonah and Jeremiah. Through Bible studies, games, songs, and crafts, together we will learn how to live an active faith life as Christ's disciples today, knowing that God's loving promises are with us until the end of time. F or our junior high and high school aged campers, we have added a Confirmation Camp, which will be a partial week of camp offering confirmation lessons to coincide with all the best aspects of being at camp: games, high ropes, and campfire worship! This year’s Badlands Ministries High Adventure Camp will be traveling to Yellowstone National Park. Joyful Noise Music Camp will again be offered for 6th-8th grade musically inclined campers. This camp allows for instrumental practice time and the opportunity to see the Medora Musical! Also NEW for the summer will be AT&C or “Adventurous Teens and O ur ministry strives to bring our Christian faith to the reality of today's children and youth, and our summer programs emphasize faith growth, relationship building, love for God's creation, and developing young leaders. We are excited for yet another amazing summer, filled with both old and new programs, and to see some new and familiar camper faces of all ages! badlandsministries.org Christ” Camp. This camp is open to all high school aged students and will also be a partial week full of adventures, a service project, late nights, and age appropriate Bible studies and devotions. For our Pioneer Camp, we are continuing to partner with the Medora Pool to offer swim lessons during Week 7. All levels are welcome, and we will provide transportation to and from the pool.(Don’t worry, campers will not miss out on any important camp experiences while they are swimming.) 2 Intro to Summer 2015 Photo courtesy of LWR.org FREE Community Day Camp I n July, we will be partnering with Peace Lutheran Church and St. John Episcopal Church in Dickinson to offer a FREE day camp program to youth in the community. The program will be held Mondays through Thursdays the last three weeks of July at St. John Episcopal Church (across from the band shell.) We are excited for this incredible partnership and outreach opportunity to sing songs, play games, and lead daily Bible studies. All children in the Dickinson area are welcome to attend, free of charge. Look for more details in upcoming publications! “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'” - Luke 10:27 Servant Project E ach year, Badlands Ministries partners with an organization to live out our Christian faith through service. Last summer, we collected many non-perishable food items for organizations in Southwestern North Dakota. This year we will be collecting fleece to make tie-blankets that will be delivered around the world through Lutheran World Relief. If you are able, please bring fleece fabric or donate fabric scissors to the project. Fabric pieces must measure 58" - 59" wide x 80"long. We will also be collecting monetary donations for supplies and shipping costs. Caring for all of God's people is central to our faith—the Spirit equips us for this important task! We encourage you to demonstrate this in your own life as you consider the needs in our congregations, communities, and world. Let's respond in faith to these needs. Thank you! 2015 Summer Camp Wish List: a 500 lbs. of Hamburger a Rolls of Forever Stamps a 80” x 59” Fleece Material for Servant Project a Minivan, less than 7 years old a Colorful Sharpie Markers a Shop Air Compressor a S'more ingredients a AAA and 9 Volt Batteries a Travel Sized Soaps and Shampoos a Camperships for summer camp a 4-Wheeler/Gator Retired? Looking for something to do? We would love to have a retired couple living at camp and volunteering this summer. We have RV hookups available! 3 badlandsministries.org Summer Staff Sneak Peek T his time of year is an exciting time at Badlands Ministries! So much planning and preparation is underway to make Summer 2k15 a wonderful camping season! This is the time of year when we are out and about recruiting young adults to fill the roles of camp counselors, support staff, maintenance help, kitchen assistant, and camp medic. While our staff roster is starting to take shape, we are still looking for a few more applicants to round out our team. In the meantime, I would like to introduce to you a few of the young ladies who will be returning this summer: staff member!” Chelsea also has a lot of favorite memories from last summer: “A few of my favorite camp memories include the first time I witnessed the buttes glowing, getting pied in the face by Christina, co-creating [the new game] Jesus Road, Nightlife counseling, star gazing, and meeting the people who have become some of my best friends in the entire world!” Well Chelsea, I can't promise I will be able to pie you in the face again, but I think I can promise you glowing buttes, Jesus Road, stars, and awesome people! Kaitlyn Paige Chelsea Chelsea Gilbert, a junior at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN will be returning for her second summer. This year she will be one of our three Summer Program Directors, along with Kaitlyn Olson and Mackenzie Hicks. When I asked Chelsea what she was most excited for this summer, she couldn't pick just one thing. She is excited for ALL the new experiences waiting for her at camp, including: “new staff, new activities, new friends, and making camp a great experience for every camper and every badlandsministries.org Kaitlyn Olson is a student at Bismarck State College, and will be on our staff for the second year in a row. She will also be filling the role of Summer Program Director alongside Chelsea Gilbert and Mackenzie Hicks. I first met Kaitlyn at Scranton Day Camp in 2008, where she was an SIT (Staff in Training) for the week. It has been oh so fun to see how she has grown over the years and how her faith is as strong as ever! Kaitlyn is most excited to “see all the campers and to 4 teach them, as well as learn from them, this summer.” Her favorite camp memory was being a counselor during Nightlife camp and having a sunrise food fight one morning! Unfortunately, no one had slept for over 24 hours, and the clean-up wasn't very enjoyable…but birds like cold week-old spaghetti noodles, right? We should do that again! In case you didn't know, this is my favorite time of year. I get to meet our new staff and reconnect with returning staff. I am thrilled that I get to spend three months out of the year with these amazing individuals who dedicate their summers to our camp and the youth we encounter. These young adults put their faith into action and provide an incredible Valentine’s Day Dinner and Giving Hearts Day Recap service to our campers and supporters. I love that I get to watch them grow in faith and as individuals week in and week out, and that I am able to witness them sharing God's love with every person they meet. The best part of my job is simply this: watching ministry happen. Our staff gives of their time and energy, through the good and the bad, the hot and the cold, the mud and the grime, each and every day throughout the summer. And this reminds me of the incredible things God is doing in our midst. So thanks to the ladies introduced here and the other 20 or so people who will join them in the coming months as they embark on a journey of faith and a summer of craziness. And thank YOU for your prayers as together we minister to the youth we see each and every day! Blessings, Christina Jorgensen Program Director Enjoying some sparkling cider between courses at the Valentine’s Day Dinner. Valentine's Day Dinner W e were blessed with new chefs for our 7th Annual Valentine's Day Dinner Fundraiser at the camp on Sunday February 15th. Ruth Hudson and her sisters did a wonderful job putting together a delicious 7 course Italian meal! I am still full a month later. 67 folks joined us for dinner and together we raised $3,360 (before expenses) for Badlands Ministries. Not to mention the $567.80 raised in tips for the Belfield Youth Group who did an excellent job serving our meal. A special thanks to Mary Abrahamson and Becca Kasian for all their work setting up, decorating, and cleaning up after this event. Thanks also to Cheryl Hewson for the live, romantic piano music, and to all who supported Badlands Ministries by attending. Executive Director Brent Seaks getting ready for Giving Hearts Day 2015. Giving Hearts Day Recap T his one day on-line giving event took place on February 12th this year, and Badlands Ministries was blessed to be one of 300 participating charities across North Dakota and Minnesota. In only our second year of participating in this event, we had a 55% increase in new donor participation thanks to generous matching funds challenge gifts of $5,000 from Mike Parke and $2,000 from the Impact Foundation. Thank you to all those who took part; we raised $21,798.30 for Badlands Ministries! 5 badlandsministries.org 35th Annual Fall Event and Cabin Conversion Plan Camper Cabin Conversion Plan – Congregations Needed! S 35 Years and Counting A ccording to one study, the average person believes youth ends at 35 and old age begins at 58. That means our Fall Event is now officially middle aged! If someone wants to donate a red sports car to auction off for the camp in honor of this milestone, we will gladly accept it. Thank you to our Fall Event Chair, Belinda Ballweber Urlacher, and all the volunteers and supporters for making this important milestone possible. Our 35th Annual Fall Event will be held at the Medora Community Center on September 20, 2015, with our worship service beginning at 11:00am. This is our biggest fund raising event of the year. We look forward to another fun-filled day of worship, great food, fellowship, and financial support for the Bible camp. 25 high quality quilts will be available this year, in addition to those sold at local congregations. (Thank you to all those who work so hard to make these beautiful, original quilts!) We successfully shortened our auction time last year, and will keep this a priority in the future. We will have a silent auction and a pie auction during this time, and we badlandsministries.org hope participating congregations will bring two pies each this year as well. We are also encouraging individuals and businesses to donate unique or specialty items to be sold as those items are always in high demand. We also hope professionals might consider allowing us to auction off their skills for a set period of time as many people would bid on services from an attorney, CPA, plumber, electrician, etc. In these busy times, those kinds of services are as good as gold! Finally, helpers are needed (and greatly appreciated) in the kitchen, to display the quilts and other items during the auctions, and to cleaning up afterwards. Please let us know if you can be of assistance. Thrivent encourages individual Thrivent members to form a "Community Action Team" and request funding of up to $250 for an event. If you are a Thrivent Member, and interested in helping us get additional funds for the many areas of our Fall Event, please contact the camp office at 701-623-4332. Thank you again for helping make this such a fun and successful event each year! 6 everal volunteers from area churches from as far away as Baker, MT worked hard in the fall of 2007 to build 8 composite deck platforms in order to have them ready in time for our first summer at our new site in 2008. We knew the time would come when we would need to replace the canvas tents (pictured to the right on page 7), and that time is here. However, instead of simply replacing the tents, we have another idea in mind. Per the recommendation from our Facilities Ministry Team and with the approval of our Board of Directors, we would like to build year-round cabins on top of our existing platforms. Each converted cabin, complete with heat and air conditioning, will cost $10,000 in materials. This project will allow us to provide our campers with upgraded sleeping facilities while also doubling our capacity to host year-round groups. The plans are in place, but we need help from our congregations. This spring, a letter will go out to each of our member congregations. We will be asking for their support by either providing funds for materials and/or volunteers willing to work under the supervision of Site Manager Bernie Kordonowy. We encourage smaller congregations to partner with other congregations if interested. We look forward to reaching out to our supporting congregations regarding this project and look forward to working together to build cabins that will serve our campers well into the future. Site Updates ND that will improve the sound quality while keeping our beautiful aesthetics. Work will begin soon. New Playground This platform tent picture was taken upon completion in 2008. 7 years later, a new plan will convert these to year-round cabins. New Summer Games W hen you think of Bible camp, you tend to picture camp fires, Bible studies, singing, hiking, and kids having fun. While there are certain traditions that stand the test of time, we also like to keep things fresh… especially when it comes to camp games! This summer, thanks to an Eagle Scout project by Jaiden Stradling, we will have a new 20' x 40' custom made Human Foosball Table. (Jaiden is not the only scout to bless the camp with a project. Katie Veverka, Girl Scout 2011 and Shiloh Lujan, Eagle Scout 2014 both put in flag poles at the camp.) We will also have a new life-sized Hungry Hungry Hippo game, as well as a new game (similar to Foursquare) called 9 Square in the Air. Right: Jaiden Stradling, who helped his father build our retreat center as an 8th grader, will be building a Human Foosball game (similar to the one pictured below) for the camp this summer as his Eagle Scout project. I n November last year, Ellen Haugrud of Sioux Falls, SD called to see Work has resumed on our new maintenance what it would take to raise the building that will be completed by May. funds to finally build a fun and safe playground at the camp. We New Maintenance worked with BC6 Builders in Dickinson, Building ND to design and get official cost estimates for this project. Thanks to Ellen s soon as we dry out a bit, work and her husband Marlin, the Mosser will continue on our new 3,456 Family, Gary and Julie Newton, and a few sq. ft. building that includes a other generous donors, we had the fund to divided shell with a concrete floor, piping purchase our playground. for floor heat, four bay doors, and The equipment will be delivered electricity. As funds are available, future in May and we are looking for any phases of this building include a heated volunteers or groups who would be able shop, office, and an eventual apartment. to help install it this summer. We will have a building in place to store all of our equipment and start the summer Future Projects: out right! A Acoustical Improvements to Bethlehem Dining Hall A s beautiful and multifunctional as our Bethlehem Dining Hall is, background noise has made hearing difficult for some. Les and Caroline Buckman made a special gift to help us address the problem at the end of 2013, and we have found a solution through Tricorne Audio 7 A t this time, we have plans for other needed projects as well, but we are waiting for funding. These include converting our tent platforms to year-round cabins (complete with new bunk beds), new chairs for our dining hall, a new roof for our church, adding a heated shop and office to our new maintenance building, and relocating our high ropes course next to the lodge, just to name a few. Work on these projects cannot begin until we have the money for them in advance, so fund raising efforts are underway. If you are able to help fund any of these projects, please call Director Brent Seaks at 701-290-6973. badlandsministries.org Upcoming Events at Badlands Ministries Artistic Women's Retreat - April 9th-12th It is the perfect time of year for the creative juices to flow! Come experience springtime in the badlands and join a community of artistic ladies. We offer four days of crafting time in our lovely retreat house, and will pamper you with delectable meals and rejuvenating massages, as well as time for prayer and spiritual renewal. Crafters of all sorts are encouraged to attend! Cost is $175 (2 nights) or $225 (3 nights) per person, please register by April 3rd. Artistic Women’s Retreat Public Christ Hike Spring Work Day – May 24th Join hands with fellow camp supporters and the 2015 summer staff as we prepare our facility for the summer season. Lunch will be at noon with work projects to follow. There are many projects at every skill level, your help will be greatly appreciated! Public Christ Hike - August 5th We invite you to witness the Passion of Jesus Christ as portrayed by our 2015 summer staff. This moving event is an annual tradition you won't want to miss! We will begin at the dining hall, “Bethlehem,” at 8:00 PM. This event is free for all ages to attend. Family Day & Rachel Kurtz Concert - August 8th Bring your family out to camp for a picnic lunch at noon and stay for an afternoon full of fun! Spend some meaningful family time in the beautiful badlands enjoying crafts, hiking, games, and even take a “Leap of Faith” on our High Ropes course. Then stay for a 7PM concert with Rachel Kurtz, a Minneapolis-based songwriter, performer, and recording artist with a beautiful voice and an amazing story! This event is open to the public, and a freewill donation will be received. Rachel Kurtz Concert Mother-Daughter Retreat Horticulture Days – August 14th- 15th Spend two days at Badlands Ministries to learn from some of North Dakota's best gardeners! Attend dynamic sessions on all aspects of gardening, including growing succulents, container gardening, using native plants and grasses, growing fruits and vegetables, and other tricks of the trade. There will also be fun tours available to see and learn more about horticulture in our area. Call Roger Dieterle in Medora at 701290-0080 for more information. Lumberjack Day – September 26th An event geared toward men who want to be involved in the camp community. Come on over for a meal, a Bible study, and help with work projects around our site. Bring your chainsaws and drills; there will be some trees to chop and benches to fix! Mother - Daughter Retreat - September 26th - 27th Mothers and daughters spend a weekend at Badlands Ministries as sisters in Christ! We will provide Bible studies and a fun environment where both your relationship and faith can grow. This event is geared to daughters between the age of 7 and 12. Cost is $150 per pair, please register by September 18th. badlandsministries.org 8 More Upcoming Events and Recent Events Family Fall Festival - October 3rd This event is a wonderful way to spend the afternoon with family and friends in the badlands! Arrive at noon for lunch, and then enjoy great activities for people of all ages and abilities. Activities include pumpkin carving, hayrack rides, family crafts, hiking, and worshipping together. This event is free to attend. A freewill donation will be received. Nashville, TN Adult Retreat - October 17th - 25th Join Badlands Ministries as we travel to Music City! Travel by motor coach to visit the legendary Country Music Hall of Fame, Grand Ole Opry, Belle Meade Plantation and more! All transportation, accommodations, 14 meals, and ticket fees are included in the registration cost. A $75 deposit is due upon registration. The cost is only $789 for this amazing trip! Seats are filling up fast so register early! Family Fall Festival Nashville, TN Adult Retreat Recent Events at Badlands Ministries Christmas Choir and Hymn Sing Christmas Choir and Hymn Sing December 13th We hosted our 4th annual Christmas Choir and Hymn sing, which featured choirs from Belfield Lutheran Church, American Lutheran in Baker, MT, and a saxophone trio from Dickinson. The afternoon was full of Christmas cheer and photo taking at our festive photo booth! We look forward to another fun holiday celebration next December. It's never too early to start deciding if your choir would like to participate this year! Winter Crafting Retreat - February 19th-22nd The Winter Crafting Retreat was another creative success! We enjoyed four wonderful days of crafting, and each day was filled with the sounds of laughter and sewing machines! Together we shared devotions, fellowship, and excellent food. It isn't too late to register for our next crafting retreat, April 9th-12th. Winter Crafting Retreat 9 badlandsministries.org 16th Annual Golf Tournament YOU! Golfers and generous supporters of our ministry!!! An afternoon of golfing followed by supper at the camp. Sunday, June 14th, 2015 Registration begins at noon. Shotgun start at 1PM. Bully Pulpit Golf Course in Medora, ND To have fun golfing while supporting a ministry God uses to touch the lives of youth and their families. $100.00 per golfer. Complete and mail the form below by June 5th. Who? What? When? Where? Why? Cost? How? Your entry fee will provide you a cart, green fees, and supper at the conclusion of the tournament. You are invited to participate in Badlands Ministries’ 16th Annual Benefit Golf Tournament! This will be an opportunity for you to have fun golfing with family and friends, while supporting the ministry of Badlands Ministries. We appreciate your involvement! You will have many opportunities along the way to win prizes provided by sponsors. At the end of the tournament, the first, second, and last placed teams will also be awarded additional prizes. Your support through this tournament will help us continue to serve the youth and their families of this area as they come to the badlands to discover and grow their faith. All monies collected through this fundraiser will go to Badlands Ministries and will help us continue our quality summer camps and year round programs. Here’s how it works...We will be playing a four person team scramble. For a fee of $100.00 per Golfer, you will play 18 holes at the Bully Pulpit Golf Course in Medora - adjacent to the camp. We will begin checking in teams at 12PMon Sunday, June 14th . You may choose your team when you register ahead of time, or we will select teammates for you. All level golfers are welcome! Yes, I want to PARTICIPATE! 2015 REGISTRATION FORM Name __________________________________ Email __________________________________ Name __________________________________ Email __________________________________ (Player 1) Name __________________________________ Email __________________________________ (Player 2 ) Name _________________ Email __________________________________ (Player 3) (Player 4 ) Please send registration form along with $100 for each golfer to: Badlands Ministries Golf Tournament Box 305, Medora, ND 58645 badlandsministries.org 10 Badlands Ministries Heritage Society T he Badlands Ministries Heritage Society was established this past September to recognize and honor generous supporters who include Badlands Ministries in their estate plans or who make a cumulative gift of $25,000 or more to the Badlands Ministries Trust or Qualified Endowment Fund. It was also established to encourage and invite others to participate in providing a legacy of support through their estate plan to sustain Badlands Ministries for generations to come. To learn more about the Heritage Society and its benefits, please call Brent Seaks at 701-290-6973. As a ministry to our area, we also have a Regional Gift Planner that can meet with you in person to assist you in formulating an estate plan that reflects your wishes. We welcome the opportunity to furnish you with information on how you can protect and provide for the future of Badlands Ministries. Summer Staff performing at the 2014 Donor Appreciation Luncheon. Giving Clubs - 2015 Badlands Ministries is blessed to have two giving clubs: the Pathfinder's Giving Club and the Little Missouri Society Giving Club. The Pathfinder Club starts at $250 per year annually and has different giving levels up to $2,500. The Little Missouri Society begins at $2,500 and goes up from there. We hope you will consider joining one of these clubs as they are critical in providing consistent financial support for our ministry. Donor Appreciation Luncheon Our 3rd Annual Donor Club Appreciation Luncheon and Program will be on Sunday, August 9th at the camp. We will share a meal together, and will have a brief program including special music from our summer staff and acclaimed performer/recording artist Rachel Kurtz. Following the meal, we will also have guided tours available for those who are interested. Look for you invitation this summer! 11 Thrivent Choice® Last year we were blessed to receive over $20,000 through the Thrivent Choice Program. Thank you, Thrivent Financial members who participated in the Thrivent Choice Program and designated their Choice Dollars to us this year. We appreciate you taking the time and effort to bless our ministry in this way! Thrivent Community Action Team $250 Impact Card If you are a member of Thrivent, you can apply twice a year on-line for a $250 Community Impact Card you can use as seed money to purchase project supplies and create promotional materials for a f u n d r a i s e r, s e r v i c e a c t i v i t y, o r educational event. Applications must be submitted at least 3 weeks prior to the event. For Badlands Ministries, an Impact Card could be used for our work days, fund raising events, or even our community service projects. Only one card can be used for each event. Please go to www.thrivent.com or call the camp office for more information. badlandsministries.org badlandsministries.org 12 (*denotes giving in 2015 through 2-28-15) 13 badlandsministries.org badlandsministries.org 14 (*denotes giving in 2015 through 2-28-15) 15 badlandsministries.org DICKINSON, ND PERMIT NO. 94 Centered in the peaceful North Dakota badlands, we welcome all generations to be renewed in Christ. 2015 Year Round Staff Brent Seaks, Executive Director 701-290-6973 [email protected] Christina Jorgensen, Program Director 701-290-3685 [email protected] Donna Sandvik, Office Manager 701-623-4332 [email protected] Bernie Kordonowy, Site Manager 701-527-9227 [email protected] Tina Vaughan, Director of Guest Relations and High Ropes 701-290-8482 [email protected] Carter Blend, Technology Director (Part-time) 701-567-3145 [email protected] Cindi Gordon, Custodian (Part-time) 2015 Board of Directors John Simonson, Killdeer (New) Diaconal Minister Anna Dykeman, Dickinson (New) Pastor Kathi Nygaard, Dickinson (New) Jeanine Clendenen, Bowman Angie Shilman, Dickinson Roger Gartner, Dickinson Marty Opdahl, New England (Board President) Pastor Bruce Peterson, New England Duane Wamre, Dickinson Glendice Hansen, Dickinson Pastor Jerry Erickson, Amidon Visit us 24 hours a day at www.badlandsministries.org
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