Indianola Camp and Retreat Center 2007

Greetings from the Director,

I’d like to encourage you to share with others your personal “hands on” knowledge of Camp and Retreat experiences.  What is it for you that make those experiences so special?   Through summer camp sessions or weekend retreats – as camper / participant or volunteer in leadership service:

1. Being closer to the “outdoors” sensing the wonder of God’s creation?
2. The relaxed comfortable atmosphere?
3. Relationship building, sharing in activities with others?
4. Having fun?
5. Serving in Christian Education leadership?
6. time for renewal , sabbatical
7. Being challenged to grow spiritually, socially, physically?

For Camp and Retreat Ministries to really fulfill the potential as a resource in the life of our Church, we must continue to share our stories.  Our most effective and meaningful promotion will come from those whom have been campers and guests here.

We are now actively developing/planning and recruiting in efforts to prepare 2007 Summer Camp sessions.  Some creative dedicated folks have made a commitment to serve in Volunteer program leadership. Christian education outdoors curriculum has been selected with an interesting theme of “On The Way" exploring God's call to go on a Journey.  We will design communities with the intent of living out God’s message of love.  Even if only for a few summer days, we can still provide HOPE through an example of what Christian life can be.

The catalog of Pacific Northwest Conference United Methodist Church 2007 Summer Camping Ministry opportunities will soon be mailed out to past participants and all local UM churches.

We hope to fill each summer session to capacity and we need your help in spreading the word.

Sincerely, Pete Simpson - Director Camp Indianola

WANTED ALIVE!
CAMP INDIANOLA STAFF

Camp Indianola is now accepting applications for paid summer Staff positions.  If you would like an application please contact the Camp; we’ll need your postal address to send you our basic application form.
Email office@campindianola.org
Phone 360- 297-2223

We are looking for positive energized folks willing to work and play together in our Christian summer Camping ministry.  Must be 18 years old, flexible, creative, fun, honest, team oriented but able to function independently, not to mention a mature and all around good person.

Summer Staff Season;     ( nine  to ten weeks)
June 25 the – 30th              Staff orientation
July 2nd - Aug. 25th          United Methodist Summer Camp Sessions

Salary range; approx.   $225 – 275 per week (plus room and board) depending upon position and experience etc..

Positions;  all  positions will have a primary  job focus but  all are  subject to overlap and assist with various aspects of Camp Program Operation as needed.

Waterfront- (2- 3 people)
 Boating, kayaking, swimming etc. must hold current Lifeguard certificate

Cabin Leader / Program Assistant – 2 people needed (1 male / 1 female)

Crafts Leader /Program Assistant   (1- 2 positions)

Kitchen Support / Housekeeping     

Who Uses It?
The Camp and Retreat facilities of Indianola have served United Methodists of the Pacific Northwest in a variety of ways. As a PNW Conference managed operation since 1978, thousands of United Methodist children, youth and adults have attended events here each year.
Local churches hold family retreats, youth group events and men's/women's retreats. Some local church staff and committee groups have held planning and training events at Camp Indianola. Many pastors have spent time alone on this beautiful site in mini-sabbatical.
Conference-planned meetings, church leader training events, and Camping Ministries events are purposely scheduled at Camp Indianola to make full use of the facilities and wonderful property. The Conference Board of Ordained Ministry has conducted "candidate for the ministry" interviews and evaluations at Indianola.
In addition, conference and district UM youth retreats and college campus ministry events have taken place here. District clergy events, the PNW Cabinet and the Executive Staff have used this site. The Camp has also hosted some UM jurisdictional events and some participants with national UM events through the years.
Camp Indianola has continued to serve as a popular site for Camping Ministries Summer Camp Age Level Sessions, with over 100 volunteers and approx. 600 campers participating each year.
As a local outreach Mission, Camp Indianola is engaged in a Ministry of Hospitality. The facilities and grounds are available for rent to faith-based and secular non-profit educational, recreational and spiritual organizations.
For example this last year the Camp hosted religious groups ranging from Episcopalians to Quakers to Zen Meditation groups.
A variety of cultural and ethnic groups, including Korean, Chinese, Filipino, and Hispanic groups have organized events at Camp Indianola. With several of the events, English is a second language used by leaders and participants.
Other non-profit groups scheduling and renting facilities include Alcoholics Anonymous, Americorps, EPA, Marine Environmental Educators, 4-H, Scouts, local county agencies, Youth Soccer Organization, US Navy affiliated groups, and Washington State Ferries committees. Camp Indianola has also served as a popular site for many Puget Sound area public and private school groups.
Extending Camp Indianola's hospitality to groups and organizations beyond The United Methodist Church has created a positive connection with the community. We extend nurturing hospitality to these groups because we understand them to be partners in healing, justice, and personal, spiritual growth. By supporting these groups, The Pacific Northwest Conference extends its love to people and places far beyond what we will ever know. This type of outreach has also enabled an increase in income to help maintain and improve the camp for all to enjoy.
The Feb. 4th Storm of the Year 2006 may be the storm of   many decades

Saturday  morning  Feb. 4th  the  Tide  calendar predicted a 9:00 am high  tide of 12.4 feet and  the  winds out of the  South were  reported  to  be  30 -40 mph  with  gusts above  60 miles per hour…  The  sustained  winds  coming  from the  South  created  a  huge  storm  surge of  water which  washed  pounding  waves directly upon  Camp Indianola’s  waterfront.  The  rare  combination of  High  wind  and  High tide  completely rearranged  many years build up  of driftwood , beach sand / gravel  and  garbage.

At the peak  of the  storm  the  water  was  flowing  across  our  playfield three feet deep  on the  basketball court.  None of the Camp buildings were seriously damaged,  however  some  of our  waterfront  Camp  signs  and the Lifeguard equipment  station area  was  washed  away.

After  the water receded  and  the winds  slowed  down,  a  huge  mess of garbage and driftwood was  left on  much of our  lawns and playfield  areas.

With the  help of  some  super  volunteers ,Camp  Guests  and  Staff  we  have already done much to   clean  up.    On  Sunday Feb. 12th  volunteers  filled  175  garbage bags  raked  up  from  waterfront  lawns. Staff took three full truck loads to the Dump/landfill.  Staff also  rented  a  Bob Cat  machine  to  move  larger  driftwood  logs  back  along  the  normal  high  tide  mark.  We  still have  much  more  clean up  to  do  but  things  are  generally  functional. 

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