CAMP SUNRISE, PART UN

Draik and Regan have had the best time this summer...and mostly because they have found Camp Sunrise. Most of us from Gordon County remember it as "the Planetarium in Fairmount", but it is really so much more! The kids went to the 1st session of youth camp this summer, and loved it so much, they went to the 2nd session, too. This camp is more than just a planetarium and museum...it is a Christian camp that aims to serve the youth of our community with love and to help them understand our wonderful world that God has created. For $245 per child, the kids spent a whole week (overnight) at camp with 3 meals and 2 deserts per day, tons of fun activities that also had great lessons tied to them, Bible studies and chapel. This hidden gem in Gordon County is quite possibly the best thing that has happened to the kids...they both accepted Jesus as their Savior during this first session and they have been ministering to the children here in our neighborhood every since! Here are a few of their happenings from their first adventure:

Even though Draik was given the nickname "Turkey", she should have probably been called "Clutz". It's not just everything that happened during 1st session, but 2nd session ended up being adventurous for her, too. To start things off, she got a massive splinter in her heal from the wet dock on the 1st full day of camp. The camp nurse said "it is the biggest splinter we have ever had at camp...I think we'll frame it" and they probably did. Then, later in the week when she had a galumping class in the canoe, she fell and busted her elbow open. Luckily, we have the pictures (below) to prove that Draik really is as clutzy as we say.
Regan absolutely loved his week. It was funny, because on the day of drop off...he got very emotional and teary eyed and said "I don't want to go"...after he begged us to go- camp was orginally intended for just him but leave it to Draik to invite herself along:). I said to him "I'll tell you what Reggie...we've already paid for you to go, and I think you're going to have a wonderful time. My deal with you is, if you are still this miserable on Tuesday, call me and I'll come pick you up"...and he agreed. I was so worried I was going to get a call but didn't....and on Wednesday, I received a postcard from Draik that said "Don't worry about Regan...he never wants to come home!" One of his favorite classes this week was his photography class...and I am very, very impressed with some of the pictures he took. Check these out:
Besides photography, Regan also had classes in archery, fishing, self defense and rifelry. Below is a picture of him during archery class: Miss Draik had classes in archery, self defense, canoeing, snorkeling and obstacle course. She made many new friends including Bailey and Hope (Hope ended up repeating and going to 2nd session, too). Her class was a great group of girls that she is still facebooking with and emailing:)
By far, Draik's favorite non-class activities were the green snake and the rip line. Here's a pic of her at the beginning of the rip line (when she finishes, I believe she said she'll be hanging 50 feet {or 5 stories} off the ground) and I'm including a video of her ride down the Green Snake and her rip line ride (which was shot at the wrong angle!).

Regan made lots of friends, too...here he is goofing around in the game room with Nathan (NahNah) and Chase (Nathan was a repeater for 2nd session, too).
Here are a couple of pictures from the Rocket Launch...each session, the kids build rockets and launch them on the final night of camp. A praying mantis landed on Draik's hand during the launch, which was cool...and Miss Taylor ended up being Regan's launch partner. Draik's rocket was painted black and yellow, but it was lost in the field which was later mowed. RIP Draik's rocket.