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Archive for the ‘Program News’ Category

Old Pavi Art Sold At Annual Benefit Auction

On September 27, the 12th annual benefit auction will be held at Bethany Birches Camp.

The original pavilion was torn down just a month ago. And we are busily working toward the completion of the new pavilion. And boy is it going to cost some money to build and finish this new pavilion! Many people have given faithfully, sacrificially and exuberantly. And we are thankful. More on that in a future post. This post is about the auction and old pavi art!

Some camp supporters who are skilled craftsmen decided to make some really cool items for the auction out of the old pavilion. Fred Schlabach and Dave Beidler have been hard at work and they’ve created some incredible stuff. Fred made a bunch of mirrors. He will explain why he chose mirrors at the auction. He also made a pendant light. Dave made a table out of the old pavilion posts! Some of these items will be matched so that when you bid on it your dollar is worth two or three! Who wants one?! Can’t make it to the auction? Place a bid online right here using the codes in the descriptions

Bid Now

: Pendant Light made with mixing bowl from the old kitchen. All hardware for install included. BID CODE: PLBBBC

: Old Pavi window transformed into a mirror: original patina with fresh varnish sealer. BID CODE: PAVWIB

: Old Pavi window transformed into a mirror. Deep red paint and varnish sealer. BID CODE: PAVWIC

: Old Pavi window transformed into a mirror. Gray paint and varnish sealer. BID CODE: PAVWIA

: Old Pavi Posts transformed into a hall table finished with multiple coats of danish oil. BID CODE: BBCTAB

: You can even put a doile on it!

: Old Pavi Siding transformed into a mirror: Red wash over black. Varnish sealer. CODE: MIRROR

: Old Pavi Siding transformed into a mirror: Black with gray inside border. Varnish sealer. CODE: MIRROR

: Old Pavi Siding transformed into a mirror: Black borders with gray wash. Varnish sealer. CODE: MIRROR

: Old Pavi Siding transformed into a mirror: Gray paint and varnish sealer. CODE: MIRROR

: Old Pavi Siding transformed into a mirror: Gray wash over black. Varnish sealer. CODE: MIRROR

Annual Sunday Service and BBQ (Church at Camp)

It’s that time of year – time for the camp staff to share about their experiences at camp, including how they’re experiencing God. And a Chicken BBQ!

You’re invited. If you can, come up to camp this coming Sunday, July 13, 2014 a little before 10am. Service starts at 10am. AND, there’s a Chicken BBQ directly following. The BBQ is on us (free of charge – however we will take an offering for the Pavilion Project during the service).

As you probably know, the work of Bethany Birches is to create a camp atmosphere where young people can learn, grow and come to faith in Jesus. This Sunday is about how that work is progressing and how we’ve evidenced God working and moving among us.

This post includes some of the folks who shared last summer.

See you here July 13?

August 9: Pavilion Teardown Hoedown Celebration

It’s a sad day and a glad day. As you probably already know, our plan, in faith (and assuming all the necessary permits are finalized), is to tear the pavilion down starting in August. To commemorate the building and the many memories, experiences, transformations, weddings, meals, (fill in the blank – seriously, which memories do you have from the pavi?) that happened under the original pavi roof, a party is being thrown! And you’re invited.

Come one, come all.

Where: Bethany Birches Camp’s Pavilion

When: August 9, 2014 @ 2pm

What: First, work. We’ll haul a bunch of stuff out of the building. Second, party. BBQ and square dance

See you there?

Tuna

UBuildIt: A special summer camp 2014 week at Bethany Birches

Camp is packed full of so many fun activities. While part of my job is to think of new and exciting activities to bring to camp, we have often looked to campers for inspiration as well. From interviews, to camper’s evaluations, to conversations, we want campers to have a voice. If a camper has a creative vision, we’ll run with it. I imagine this is how the pillow log came to be, and it’s exactly why we installed an archery range. Kids after all have the best imaginations!

This year we are putting on our second consecutive special theme week that looks different from the usual Vermont summer camp program. We chose the title UbuildIt. We are harnessing the imaginations of 50 or so campers to create a very fun and interactive week. Campers will be able to pick their favorite activities when they register. We will plan the week based on these choices. Campers will even have the chance to modify existing activities for each other. Some of the favorites up for modification include Mission Impossible, Pig Trough, Slip N’ Slide, Camp Cinema, Group Games.

So often in this day and age we see young people relying on social media, screens and apps to entertain. This favorites UbuildIt week is going to turn this model upside down and challenge campers to get involved in making the fun! We couldn’t be more excited to see what they come up with.

Are you joining us this summer?

Sparkles

Free Camp and Portable Gaga

Free Camps are finished for the the 2014 spring season. Here is a quick video summary from Woodstock’s. Thanks to all who came out to try out the new portable Gaga Pit!

Tuna

Winter Camp: Cure for the Common Winter

At camp, we tend not to do commercials. We aren’t a commercial place and we try hard to remain rustic. We cook meals over the fire, use wood to heat buildings, use cast iron to cook food, light our way at night with gas lanterns and all sorts of other old-time stuff. This lack of technology at camp helps keep distractions at bay (although, let’s be honest, cast iron and gas lanterns are awesome technologies!).

As we learn how to communicate with the outside world, we try to demonstrate camp as best we can so those who haven’t yet been to camp, can gain a sense for how fun it really is. Each winter camp session, campers just can’t seem to get enough tubing!

We used video to demonstrate how much campers LOVE to tube in this 30 second commercial.

See you at winter camp?

Tuna

Mission Possible: Giving Presence

BBC has chosen a theme for summer 2014! There has been a pattern developing the past few years. A theme for the upcoming summer is chosen and at the same time the prior summer’s theme is STUCK in my mind. For the past 6 weeks we’ve contemplated the summer theme for 2014 and I’ve had Mission Possible (summer 2013) on the brain!

Over the next few weeks perhaps I’ll share some of the ways I’ve seen Mission Possible come alive outside the realm of summer camp. I could share how Mission Possible has morphed into a relevant way to experience God everyday. For now, here’s one example:

I love presents! Some people know this about me. Some people may not. I love to OPEN presents and I love to GIVE presents. The look on someone’s face when they first view the present they didn’t even know they wanted but are so glad to have is priceless! Giving someone joy makes me near giddy. The anticipation of uncovering what is underneath the wrapping paper is the best suspense I’m aware of! I love presents.

This year is different. I can’t decide what to wrap for the people I love most. What do they want? What do they need?

This year is different. Both sides of my family have decided to exchange names which means less giving/receiving of presents.

This year giving presents has felt nearly impossible. And then I received the following in an email:

“This time of year, I’m particularly aware of the importance of presence. Not presents, but presence… The gift of their (family) presence has been truly the most rewarding gift I have ever received. Just knowing that they are there for me gives me confidence to do whatever my heart desires. And that is a great gift.
In this season of presents, it’s easy to get bogged down in the commercialism and gift buying. I would like to encourage you to give someone your presence this holiday season. It will mean a great deal to the giver and the receiver. ” (Michelle Cummings, Training Wheels CEO)

Suddenly both giving and receiving seems possible. And exciting. I will give my presence. I will enjoy the presence of others. Together we will experience God’s presence.

#WithGod.

Celebrating Christmas at Camp with Presents – Summer 2013

Mission Possible Campaign: Progress! and Help!

Mission Possible: The Pavilion Project

People often ask how the fundraising for the pavilion project is going. I say really well! It’s been an encouraging so far with many people giving however they can. Many generous donors have given and pledged over $1,225,000. Below is an outline of the gifts we’ve received to date in graphic form. We are elated and grateful for the generosity shown to date and also aware we still have $600,000 to go till we reach the $1,800,000 goal. $1.8M will not only build the new pavilion, it will pay for camp program for four years (2012-2015). The logic takes a little explaining but the short story is that we built the campaign this way so that we could raise the program-subsidy money we raise each year while we’re raising money for the pavilion all with one message. That message is that VT young people need a place for faith-development and that place needs to include programming beyond summer. Our secondary message is very simple: the current pavilion is broken!

Will you help? There are two ways you can help:

We’re still searching for commitments of money. Would you consider a monthly gift of $10 or more?

[button-medium color=”green” link=”bethanybirches.org/donate/”]Give Money[/button-medium]

We’re now seeking commitments of time. We’ll value time commitments at $20/hour. So if you said you could give us a week of time (40 hours), say to do a bunch of painting, we’d count that as a gift of $800 toward the remaining money to be raised. You can fill out the form on this page to let us know of your gift

[button-medium color=”green” link=”bethanybirches.org/give-time-pavi/”]Give Time[/button-medium]

In other news, I’d like to highlight the biggest gift given to date. It was in the amount of $200,000 and was given by the Clemens Family Corporation (CFC)! CFC (http://www.clemensfamilycorp.com) owns Hatfield Quality Meats, Country View Family Farms, Clemens Development, CFC Logistics, PV Transport and Nick’s Sausage Company. Their vision is quite simply to “steward diversified, profitable and growing enterprises controlled by the Clemens family.” Among their stated values are:

Honor God in all we do
Earn a reputation of high ethics and integrity
Take a long-term view
Share success with team members, community and shareholders
Seek to set commercial standards
Some of the camp’s supporters work for CFC businesses and that is, in part, the connection between CFC and Bethany Birches.

Thanks John, Merrill, Doug and other CFC members for giving The Pavilion Project a huge boost!

Campers say thanks to Pavi Donors!

Campers talk about the old and new pavilions:

And here is a visual image of the giving to date. Pretty amazing to have so many gifts of so many different sizes. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Click on the image to see it larger or download the pdf

Pyramid - giving mission possible - December 2013

Stuff Campers Say: “It’s, like, not that prepared for, like, every weather situation.”