The 2017 camping season is just around the corner.  Dakotas Camp and Retreat Ministry has new staff and resources in place to assist your campers, parents and church in getting registered for camp this summer.  Storm Mountain Center is also looking for a director.

Dakotas Camp and Retreat Ministry is seeking a new director for Storm Mountain Center. Scott Jensen, director at Storm Mountain Center will retire after 17 years, at the end of this camping season.  Click here to for a full job description and other details. To apply, send a letter of interest along with a resume and salary requirements to: Keith Shew, Dakotas-Minnesota Director of Camp and Retreat Ministries, 122 W Franklin Ave, #400, Minneapolis, MN 55404.  If you have questions contact Shew via e-mail or at 612.230.6130.  Applications will be accepted through April 14, 2017.

Have you registered for summer camp?  Mary Wright and Stacey Edwards are available to assist you in their new roles as Dakotas-Minnesota Area camping coordinator and camping assistant. Photo: Mary Wright

Mary Wright, Dakotas-Minnesota Area camping coordinator, has 11 years of experience working with camp and retreat ministry.  “I love to help get kids to camp,” said Wright. “Registration is often the hardest part.  I hope that people will call us. We are more than happy to help.”

Wright is married and lives in Fridley, Minnesota.  She has three adult children who work and live in the Minneapolis area: a son who has a job testing video games, a daughter who is a first grade teacher in the Minneapolis school system and a daughter who is a barista at Starbucks. She has an Australian terrier dog who likes to eat Cheerios and recently adopted a cat from her daughter to keep the dog company.

Stacey Edwards, Dakotas-Minnesota camping assistant has been working in her position for two years.  “I am a real people person,” said Edwards. “I really like helping.  It is great to get people through the registration process and answer questions. I really do like to help people. It is a lot a fun. It is all about getting people to camp.”

Edwards is a transplant to Minnesota, from the warm climates of California and Arizona, who has grown to love Midwest. She is married to Forrest, has an eleven-year-old daughter, Delaney, and a cat, Tally.  She has sent her daughter and her friends to church camp and will do so again this summer.  She enjoys photography, capturing those special moments to share with others. Photo: Stacey Edwards

One of the goals of the Dakotas Camp and Retreat ministry is to become “apportionment neutral “—in the area of camping operations by 2021, funding will come from outside of conference apportionments in the next five years.  Keith Shew, Dakotas-Minnesota Area director of camp and retreat ministry reports that things are on track to move away from apportionment funding.

“We have increased rates slightly for camping and also are working on ways to increase participation at each of the camps,” said Shew. “Things are really looking positive in terms of finances and participation at this point.”

Camp registration for the summer of 2017 is up.  There is a 12% percentage increase of registration at this time compared to 2016. 

The camp ambassador program has encouraged increased registrations. Each church is asked to select a camp ambassador to serve as an advocate for the camp and retreat ministry at a local level. Rachael Deveraux,  Dakotas-Minnesota Area camping ambassador assistant, has been assisting over 50 camp ambassadors throughout Dakotas Conference with resources.  There is still time for your church to connect to the camp ambassador program, contact Deveraux via e-mail or 951-764-8069.

If you would like more information about the upcoming camping season go to www.dakcamps.org.  Early Bird registration discount ends May 1, 2017.