Camp days full of fun, friends

Children and adults with disabilities will have the chance next month to make new friends and great memories at a summer camp right here in Northern Kentucky.

Individuals from middle-school age on up are invited to Capernaum Day Camp, which runs July 25-29 on the grounds of the beautiful Newman family farm in Union. In its fourth year, the camp boasts a schedule of activities as full as a summer day is long: field games, water games, fishing and horseback riding, tractor rides, crafts, speakers, a dance party at least once a day, and more. Much of the activity is set to music, lots and lots of music.

My daughter, Anna, has joined in the fun the past two years. So when I scheduled an interview with camp organizer Brian Kremer to find out what’s planned for this year, I took Anna along. We met last week in the lounge area of a local church, where Kremer’s face lit up as he talked about the event.

Camp allows Capernaum leaders to build a community that brings together people with and without disabilities “and really lavish God’s love on our friends in a big way,” Kremer said. “We try to go pull out all the stops and make it so much fun that [a camper] remembers everything about the camp a year later.”

Kremer is the area director of Northern Kentucky Capernaum, a nondenominational Christian ministry serving teens and young adults with disabilities. The group consists of college and high school students who gather with individuals with disabilities to create relationships and help them know Jesus’s love. They have a lot of fun along the way. Besides its summer day camp, Capernaum offers Bible studies; “club” nights with talks, skits, games and dancing; community outings; a summer overnight camp out of state; and a prom.

A camper’s questions

On the day of our interview with Kremer, Anna asked the first questions.  Each day at camp a speaker talks, and Anna wanted to know how long that talk would be. She also asked about the food and had lots of questions about activities.

Kremer told her someone will speak daily for 15 minutes about Jesus’s love and, this summer, the story of Lazarus. As for the food, Kremer said two women will cook a delicious lunch every day, serving meals such as tacos and chicken sandwiches. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches also will be available daily.

Fishing – one of Anna’s favorite activities – will take place at the farm’s lake. Horses from Sunrise Ranch will be brought in for riding. In place of a scavenger hunt this year, campers will join in team-building exercises as part of the new Newman Farm Challenge. Inflatables will be set up as will equipment for basketball and cornhole.

Friday activities start at 6 p.m. with a banquet in the barn followed by a talent show.

The fun will begin at 9 a.m. on the first four days of camp. Families are welcome on the last day, Friday, when activities will start at 6 p.m. with a banquet in the barn. After dinner, campers will entertain the crowd with a talent show.

The entire activity list for the week is a bit long for this blog, but camper families can be assured: Capernaum knows how to play.

A parent’s questions

Next came my turn to ask questions. Kremer told me campers are welcome regardless of their faith. Each camper will have a one-on-one volunteer buddy to accompany him or her during all activities, he said, adding that each day follows a similar structure because many campers like routine.

To support the medical needs of the campers, Kremer has been trained to administer daily medications. Camp organizers also plan to have a certified health care worker on site every day in case of medical emergencies.

Kremer encourages campers to come even if they can’t attend every day of camp, even if 9 a.m. is a little too early. If someone wants to check camp out for an hour to see what it’s like before committing to the week, he said, that’s fine too.

Offering a day camp is a way for Capernaum to be a blessing to Northern Kentucky, Kremer said. It also enhances the group’s ministry. “We want to create a bigger community around our friends,” he said.

Things to know

Dates and times: July 25 to 28, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with registration starting at 8:30 a.m., and July 29, 6 p.m. banquet followed by a talent show

Ages: middle school to adult

Place: 2231 Clarkston Lane, Union, Ky.

Cost: $125

Register: Campers and volunteers can register at nkycapernaum.younglife.org, or the Northern Kentucky Capernaum Facebook page. You can also contact Brian Kremer at 859-394-2744 to register by phone or with questions.

Schedule for Monday through Thursday (give or take 15 minutes here and there):

• 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. – Check-in.
• 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. – Free time with activities around the barn and farmhouse.
• 10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. – Faith talk, songs and games.
• 11:15 a.m. to 12 p.m. – Crafts related to the day’s theme.
• 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. – Lunch.
• 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. – Group activities around the farm such as horseback riding and fishing.
• 2:30 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. – All-camp activity.
• 3:45 p.m. – Reminder of the theme for the day.
• 4 p.m. – Check-out and pick up.