Day in the Life of Camp

7/8/2025

"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." - Ephesians 3:17-19. Camp’s Study Verse

This summer St. Luke’s is sending 15 students to Camp Wapo ranging from 1st grade to a junior in college who is on summer staff. The majority are the 8 – 7th grade students. Also over a third are friends invited by St. Luke’s students. I don’t think there is a better way for a child to experience the acceptance, forgiveness, love, and salvation of Jesus. St. Luke’s Campers minus one who didn’t arrive until Tuesday morning (picture 1)

The goal for Wapo’s Summer Camp is for every camper to experience New Dimensions of Fun and Growth
CONNECT WIDER - Meet new friends and deepen relationships with your community.

SEE LONGER– See your camp experience will stretch into weeks and years of growth.

GO HIGHER - Discover activities and experiences that will become highlights for your year.

GROW DEEPER - Find deeper focus and confidence in your faith and identity.
All of those goals are being met, just in the first full day of camp.
After a good nights sleep in well equipped cabins including mattresses, air conditioning, and a bathroom in each.

7:45 AM – First Word
The campers gather outside the dining hall to hear the morning Bible verse and announcements for the day. It closes with a camp table grace.

8:00 AM – Breakfast (picture 2)
Every meal is a picnic, unless it’s raining or on banquet night. Good food. Balanced Meals. Fruit or Vegetables a part of every meal. Bread and Cereal always available as needed.

Kitchen Patrol (picture 3)
Each cabin is responsible for helping clean up one of the meals. Teaching responsibility and what it means to be part of the team

8:45 AM – Cabin Clean Up
A cabin full of kids requires constant organizing and cleaning. There is an incentive with the cleanest cabin receiving the gold painted plunger.

9:35 AM – Morning Chapel (picture 4)
This is a wake up worship with songs with motions. A fun skit to highlight the day’s theme. Closing prayer sends campers to…

10:15 AM – Bible Study (picture 5)
In cabin groups the counselors lead the campers in Bible Study. Camp provides Bibles for campers who forgot to bring one to camp. The best part is the question time, were there are no limits. The counselors do a fabulous job sharing their faith and wondering with the campers. Resource staff from churches which include pastors, youth directors, and children ministers are invited to join.

11:00 AM – Field Games (pictures 6 & 7)
Where else can youth gather with over a hundred others to play a large game in the summer. Fun is had by all who are in the game as well as those who choose to remain on the sidelines.

Hydration Break (picture 8)
Campers are encouraged to carry a water bottle. There are also a number of hydration stations around camp. The number one remedy for a tired, cranky, or feeling a little sick camper is a glass of water. A good life lesson.

Closing Game Prayer Circle (picture 9)
After the end of field games the campers and staff circle up and close with a prayer with the last lines being. Thank you Lord for the sun. Thank you Lord for your Son. We love you.

11:50 AM –Lunch Prep and Grace
Campers are encouraged to wash up before every meal and gather in prayer.

12:00 PM – Lunch

12:45 PM – Quiet Time
A time to rest, read, and get to know your cabinmates a little better.

1:15 PM – Activities
Swim Test on the first Day with Cabin Challenges a game or activity between cabins to ease into the afternoon.

2:15 PM – FREE TIME
Lots of things to do such as…

Art Barn (picture 10)
The opportunity to be creative, generous and caring. The most made piece of art is a friendship bracelet that is shared with a friend and sometimes a stranger.

Beach Front (pictures 11)
A favorite place on a hot summer day. Wapo has a couple of platforms to swim to and dive off - there is a 27’ drop off. Canoes, playaks, and paddleboards are available too.

Games (picture 12)
9 Square, basketball, soccer, or any other game you want to play.

Canteen Time (picture 13)
Canteen is also available with slushies, ice cream sandwiches, candy, chips, and more to enjoy.

4:50 PM – Supper Prep and Grace

5:00 PM – Supper

5:45 PM – Another Cabin Challenge

6:45 PM – Evening Activity
This week has Capture the Flag, A Christ Walk, Staff Game Show, and an All-Star Game

With all this activity there are bound to be some bumps and bruises (picture 14)
Allie Erickson, St. Luke’s College Student is one of the Med Techs. She is studying to become a veterinarian, and in the summer she cares for campers. It’s a good training ground, with the patients not being too different, neither really knows how to describe what they’re feeling.

8:00 PM – Canteen and Free Time

9:00 PM – Cabin Time to get ready…
Time to put on some long pants and shirts along with bug spray

9:15 PM – Campfire Worship (picture 15)
More Songs, another Skit, and a Staff Speaker. Every night one of the summer camp staff shares their faith story. Lakeside Worship around a campfire is a beautiful thing. (pictures 16)

10:00 PM – Cabin Devotions and off to sleep

All of this makes for
Happy Campers (picture 17)
Life long friends (picture 18)
And role models (picture 19)
Great counselors “…sharing not only the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but their very lives.”

Wapo Memory Verse this summer is a reminder that what campers learn during the week is with them always…
God will give you another Advocate, Comforter, Guide, to be with you forever.” - John 14:16