Campers looking forward to Camp Kanuga’s summer sessions may not be able to contain their excitement this year. Due to the generous donor funding and a continual increase in enrollment, the camp is adding five new elements.
Fresh Experiences Create Priceless Memories
Open to all residential campers, these offerings promise hours of fun. New activities include:
- Gem mining: Creativity and months of careful work have resulted in the replica of an old-fashioned mine shaft on camp grounds. Railroad tracks and a mining sluice create an authentic experience akin to the gold rush. Campers will shift through the silt to discover gems that have been ordered especially for the summer session.
- Low Elements Obstacle Course: Team building becomes fun on this new course filled with creative challenges that exercise both the body and mind. “The only way for campers to get through it is to work together,” says David Schnitzer, Camp Kanuga Director. “It’s a great team building and communications exercise.”
- Pottery: Arts and crafts are a quintessential camp activity, but campers will leave with a piece of art that’s both beautiful and functional thanks to a new pottery studio. Five pottery wheels, a kiln, and a glazing station are part of this new addition.
- Camp Garden: Local food takes on a whole new meaning for campers this year. Raised beds planted and tended by campers provide a hands-on approach to food. Carrots, onions, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, and flowers will fill the beds. “The hope is campers will be able to harvest the produce and fix that as part of their meal during camp-out,” says David.
- Expanded Target Sports: Hand-eye coordination, form, and diligence converge in the newly expanded target offerings. Camp will now offer slingshots and air rifle lessons.
Working with Eternal Goals in Mind
While Camp Kanuga Director David Schnitzer is thrilled to showcase these new offerings to parents and campers, he reveals every activity was carefully chosen with a common element in mind. “We use all these activities to build and grow relationships and eventually connect them to Christ in a greater way,” he says. “Everything we do is to point kids toward Christ.”
Leaving Camp with More than Memories
The hope is that campers will get exposure to new skills, build relationships, and leave with a new sense of confidence after their time at Kanuga. But most importantly, David hopes camp impacts their life in a positive way. “We hope kids leave here with ten new best friends from their cabin, and that they truly had a ball. But, we also hope they having a greater understanding of how much God loves them.”