Hi there! My name is Makenzi Gallagher and I am so excited to be a part of the Alta Mons Summer Staff this year! I discovered Alta Mons through my great friend Karly, our trips coordinator, when she thought we’d be a great duo on the Coordinator Team. I couldn’t agree more now, just a few months later, that we have truly succeeded in that.

 Though this is my first year here, I already feel so much love for this beautiful camp and all that it has to offer. I’ll be serving as the Ropes Coordinator, providing campers with an incredible adventure to add to the many memories they’ll make here at Alta Mons. Alta Mons has two high ropes courses, one in the trees with a zipline, and another that is hard to miss as its 50 feet tall and at the very front of camp!

Both of our ropes courses have already given me so many amazing experiences, but the Back 400 has taken the prize for my favorite place on camp. On my first day here, I was in awe when we rounded the corner to reach this back half of camp. The mountainous views are in surplus at camp, but this exact spot holds the best view in my opinion. Another special part about this location is that it is also where we store all our gear in the gear barn! Right before we prepare for great ropes adventures, I am blessed by this view.
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I’m so excited to be your ropes coordinator and provide some adventure to our campers this summer!
 
Yours in wonder,
 
Makenzi Gallagher

Hi everyone! My name is Karly Korbe and I am the Trips Coordinator for the 2017 summer camp session at camp Alta Mons! It is my first summer here at camp, but the nearby area and its surrounding mountains are my home, as I am a senior at Virginia Tech. I cannot wait for all the exciting adventures that await! As the trips coordinator, it is my job to lead the Tri-Challenge Trip during the week to take kids rock climbing, caving and canoeing on a two-day excursion. I cannot wait for the kiddos to experience these exciting, yet challenging opportunities! You can also catch me at the high ropes courses helping the Ropes Coordinator! I can’t wait to have so much fun with these great adventures!

Even though I haven’t been at camp for very long, there is a place that I hold dear. My first day at camp is when I discovered this sanctuary. It is a selection of boulders along the creek that runs by the Adventure Site. The adventure site is a site for “Home in the Woods Night” where campers can experience a night under the stars among the trees. This spot is so cozy and secluded. You can hear the creek running and it offers a perfect view for the surrounding area. It truly is a place to behold.
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I can’t wait to experience this amazing summer with so many awesome and excited kids to see what adventures await!
 
Yours in the camp van,
 
Karly Korbe

                  Hey there, blog readers! My name is Cullen Cash and I will be the Pool Coordinator at Camp Alta Mons this year. I attended Camp Alta Mons as a kid and was offered the opportunity to work at camp last year and immediately took the position. Camp Alta Mons made such an impact on me when I was a camper and I really just want to be part of that for current and future campers alike. Since I was 15 years old, I worked as a lifeguard, and later as a manager at a pool in my hometown of Salem, VA. While I was there, I learned just about everything about taking care of a pool and how to ensure safety both in and around the pool, while not sacrificing any fun. I am now 21 years old and I am going into my senior year as a sports management major at Roanoke College.

                  While the staff make up the main part of the impact that camp can have on people, the location of camp and places around camp are also very influential. There is just something about being at Alta Mons that is so freeing. Maybe it’s the fact that we don’t have direct access to cell service and internet, or maybe it is the camp community, but I think it is a little bit of everything at camp. When asked to write about my favorite place at camp, I struggled a lot. How could I decide between Stiles Falls and the Back 400, or the Intersection or the Pool, or even the Dining Hall and Purgatory Creek? Then it hit me: the entrance to camp is my favorite place at camp because it holds the rest of camp behind it. The truth is that everything at camp comes together to form my favorite place not just at Alta Mons, but in general. There is something about passing the Camp Alta Mons sign, turning onto Crockett Springs Road, and heading towards the front of camp with the cedar trees to my left and right that lets me know that I’m home.

                  I am so excited to start another amazing summer at Alta Mons. I love seeing the excitement on the kids’ faces when they come to the pool ready to cool off and play in the water and know that I am here to help make their time at camp as great as it can be. My excitement goes past my job as the Pool Coordinator, and it continues by knowing that I will be able to be there for the campers on a religious level as well. I love having the opportunity to help campers along in their faith journey with God and seeing them grow in just one week here at camp.

Yours in aquatics venture,
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Cullen Cash
 
 
 

​Hello everyone! My name is Jeff, and I’m the worship coordinator at Camp Alta Mons this summer.  I’m from Virginia Beach and I’m currently a senior at the College of William and Mary with a major in Economics.  I love music and have been playing it since I was in the first grade.  I’ve played piano and the French horn, and I am currently learning to play the guitar. My best instrument is the drum set.  I have a lot of experience leading musical worship at my church, leading at my InterVarsity chapter at school, and playing in my band Pilot Speaking.  I have a passion for music of all kinds, and I am still amazed that God would allow me to worship Him with an area of life that I love so much.

            In addition to music, I feel that I am called to be a spiritual leader, as God has put me in positions of leadership in small groups and other relationships that I have.  Being the worship coordinator means that I will be working with the chaplains to plan the messages and songs each day.  I look forward to contributing to the spiritual enrichment of campers each week at summer camp.  Sharing the message of the gospel is my top priority, and I really want the kids at camp to come away from the summer not only having had the most fun summer they’ve ever had, but also the most spiritually impactful. 

            My favorite location at camp is the creek, which runs through the entire site.  I love running water, as it brings life to all of the land around it.  The constant motion provides a relaxing environment to pray.  Sitting at the creek’s edge allows me to mindlessly watch the water trickle through the stones as I reflect.  Overall, I love the creek because it’s a beautiful feature that blesses Camp Alta Mons with life and energy.

            I’m excited to be the worship coordinator at camp this summer and share God’s love with the campers!
 
Yours in love,
 
Jeff Brauch

Check out what ​Cynthia Rumburg, grandmother to Landon Owens, has to say about her experience with Alta Mons! Her grandson was a first time camper in 2016 and is already looking forward to returning for 2017!

I used to live in Orlando, Florida and would come up every holiday and summer to my cousins’ home in Shawsville, Virginia. We would go to Camp Alta Mons to go hiking and swimming. Also, we had many family reunions there. Now I live close to camp in Christiansburg, VA. 
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When Landon, my grandson, was asked if he would like to attend the all night summer camp at Alta Mons he said he would like to go to the day camp and come home at nights. But before the registration was filled out he expressed the desire to attend camp and stay all night in the cabins. He never regretted his decision.

He was dropped off registration day and mixed right in with the other campers and counselors.
He enjoyed the worship services around the campfire and the challenges that the counselors had planned for them each day. He told stories of his pet granddaddy long leg spider and of singing songs in the Dining Hall during meals. He said that Camp Alta Mons has first class food! He loved sleeping under the stars at Home in the Woods!

When he was picked up from camp he was so excited and right then said he would love to come back again, actually he didn’t want to leave! On President's Day this year, I even got to hike to the falls with Landon so he could show me around camp!

Check out what ​Amy Frary, mother to two Camp Alta Mons campers and a former camper and staff member herself, has to say about her experience with Alta Mons!

​Throughout my life, Camp Alta Mons has been a blessing.  As an elementary and junior-high camper, it was a place of fun and mystery.  I made new friends, fell in love with Stiles Falls, and counted falling stars from my sleeping bag.  I found out that my best friend was the fastest, most courageous crawdad catcher this side of Alligator Mountain.  Most importantly, I found that for me, it is easiest to find God in the quietest places.  That is a lesson I have carried with me always. 

Years later, as a camp counselor, Alta Mons showed me that I could be stronger, both physically and spiritually, than I thought possible.  And when I watched campers discover God’s creation and love, the Alta Mons mystery became much deeper and amazing.  

Alta Mons had more lessons for me as a parent.  Even though I was a past camp counselor, it was still hard to send my own young ones to camp the first time - harder for me than for them.  We all grew from the experience.  I learned that I could let go and survive.  My kids came home with a new sense of independence, hours of stories, lots of crazy songs, and some very smelly socks.   For weeks we heard about baby frogs, the creek, the falls, the night sounds, the pool…and the mystery of Willie Jack. 

I believe that in today’s world, summer camp experiences like Alta Mons are more important than ever.  With the non-stop noise and instant gratification (or pain) of online and electronic devices, children (and adults) need the opportunity to stop, listen, and let their mind and souls wander.  John Muir’s quote sums up the Alta Mons blessing and mystery:  “In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.”  At Alta Mons, you can walk with God, learn about life, and ultimately, learn something about yourself.   

Check out some cute photos of Amy's kids at camp below! Then check out www.altamons.org/summer-camp for more information about registering your child for camp this summer!

​Welcome to Alta Mons! I’m Sarah Grace and I’ll be your Program Coordinator for the summer!
 
I am so excited for the summer of 2017! This will be the eleventh summer that I’ve spent at Alta Mons, and my first year as a coordinator. I’ve been coming to Alta Mons in the summer since I was a mini-camper, and to have the opportunity now to serve camp in this position is such a blessing!
 
I started preparing for summer camp in January. From my dorm, I’ve been working with Meredith on everything from recruiting and interviewing some outdoorsy, fun-loving counselors and counselors-in-training, to structuring schedules for staff training and our four awesome weeks of summer camp. Working on staff training is so exciting; these ten days provide our counselors with the foundation they’ll need to be the best counselors they can be. We’re still looking for counselors for this summer, so if you know any enthusiastic and adventurous college students who’d like to get paid to play with some kids, point them in our direction! Once camp starts, I’ll be making sure that every counselor is supported and that each week of camp goes smoothly. When I’m not doing camp-related work, you can probably find me in class at William and Mary, where I plan to major in psychology with a concentration in premedical sciences, and to minor in music.
 
It’s great thinking about camp so much while I’m at school, but it certainly doesn’t compare to really being there. This is a picture of me at the Intersection, my favorite place on camp property! The Intersection is a great place for campers to admire the wonder of creation, while also getting a little messy: this area where Purgatory Creek meets the Roanoke River is deep and warm during the summertime, making it a great place for campers to swim, wade, skip rocks, make rock paint, or search for some cool wildlife. There’s also a Home-in-the-Woods campsite here. Imagine the campfire reflected on the river, and the sound of the fire, the river, and the summertime cicadas mixing with the laughter of campers making s’mores. You can hear the Lord at work at Alta Mons, and in these little moments He is clearer than any hymn.
 
I’ve been on summer staff at Alta Mons for five years now, and it’s hard to describe how powerful camp can be. There are moments in each week of camp that allow campers to grow, make new friends, challenge themselves, and learn to love themselves and understand Christ. None of these things could happen without supportive and loving counselors who are willing to grow with their campers. Please keep our counselors for 2017 in your prayers; some are hired, some are in the application process, and some will apply soon, but all of them will make an impact on a child’s life. Please pray for our coordinators, nurses, chaplains, and full-time staff as we aim to make camp a safe and loving environment. And, of course, pray for the children who will ride up that gravel road this summer, and that they will learn what it means to be Driven by Love! Hope to see you this summer!
 
Yours in that messy and unrelenting love,
 
Sarah Grace Frary

Dear Faithful Blog Readers,
 
Greetings from Alta Mons! I hope that you are doing well and having a great March. We seem to have missed winter this year, but Winter Camp still happened and was a HUGE success back in December! We had 64 campers register and a very full Dining Hall at meals. Campers, first time and returning, came and saw a frozen Stiles Falls, made Christmas ornaments, roasted s’mores by the fire, and learned about Our Great Joy—Jesus. Winter Camp has truly been a blessing these past couple years as it has grown and progressed into a weekend that is full of the spirit of advent. We used all of our heated facilities and saw lots of smiles! We are already excited for Winter Camp 2017—mark your calendars for December 20th to 22nd!

This year has been off to a busy start for Alta Mons! We are busy working on replacing the conference room floor in the Pearman House, installing several new dishwashers, putting metal roofing on the cabins, and much more! 2017 marks 60 years of Alta Mons and we are focusing on upgrading our facilities so that we can better serve you. We will post photo updates on Facebook, but feel free to call us and schedule a tour to see all of the changes that we are making! Our buildings also have a new pricing structure that takes into consideration members of the Roanoke District. Check out http://www.altamons.org/accomodations.html for details (click on detailed pricing).
 
Summer Camp registration is also up and running! We already have 18 campers registered for camp and are receiving more each week. Our theme is “Driven by Love” and we’re busy planning a wonderful summer. Online registration is available at http://www.altamons.org/summer-camp.html or please call 540-268-2409 to request to have a brochure mailed to you. Our brochures are 4 pages longer this year and feature more detailed information about who we are and what we do.

Alta Mons is also looking for summer staff! We hire 7 male counselors, 7 female counselors, and 7 summer coordinators each summer as well as a Business Intern and Kitchen Staff. Information on all of these positions is available at http://www.altamons.org/summer-staff.html. Please point college students and other interested people in this direction—we are always looking for good help and good people! Let us know if you have any questions.
 
Next week our summer coordinators will begin blogging, so be on the lookout for posts from them. We are excited to begin another year of ministry here at Alta Mons and we are so thankful for your support! Check out the pictures below and make sure to mark these dates on your calendar:
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March 18: Paul Bunyan Day
April 1: Alta Mons Supporters Luncheon
June 25 – July 21: Summer Camp
August 26: 60th Anniversary Celebration & District Cookout
December 20 – 22: Winter Camp
 
Yours in Alta Mons Love,
 
Meredith Simmons

Hey everyone! It’s me, Meredith! It’s hard to believe that summer is over and that winter is almost here…and that I’m so late in writing you all a blog to update you on Alta Mons! This past summer at Alta Mons was definitely one for the record books. We started off the summer with Taylor Petty and Will Farlessyost moving into the Staff House and working many hours with me to get camp ready for campers. This was the first year since 2012 that we had three “key” people on summer leadership instead of just two. It was such a blessing! We were able to be a much more efficient and present leadership team and, in turn, things were much less stressful!

The pre-camp season was also marked by several new additions to Alta Mons. Thanks to generous donors, we were able to purchase a new commercial range for our kitchen as well as get new roofs on the Dining Hall and Carter Cottage. I was so busy during this time that I can hardly remember it happening (those roofers worked fast!) but check out the photos below. We are so happy to have these new things here at Alta Mons!

Once camp began, all the hard work paid off. We were able to serve 187 campers this summer, which is an increase from last year! I am hoping that 2017 will be the year we reach 200 campers. Our theme (Mysteries of Faith) was a success and helped spread the Good News to all of our campers. We brought back traditional archery this summer, continued to enjoy our new high ropes pole course, and successfully avoided rain on every single Home-in-the-Woods night! It was a glorious summer full of fun, friendship, and Christian community.

After camp, we also had a new sign installed! It was quite the project. Again, this was thanks to a generous donor! It is so nice to have our updated logo on our entrance sign now. The sign is two sided and so people coming from Floyd can see it as well.

With only 51 days until Winter Camp, I’m getting excited! Registration is open and you can check it out online at www.altamons.org/winter-camp. It’s December 16 to 18 and is open to all children in grades 2 through 12. We decorate the Christmas Tree, hike to the falls (they might be frozen!), and have worship in the Dining Hall with a campfire. It’s the best way to spend the weekend before Christmas. Please encourage everyone you know to register! You don’t want to miss out.

Preparations are already underway for Summer Camp 2017! The staff application is available online at www.altamons.org/summer-staff and we have already hired our 2017 Summer Camp Program Coordinator—Sarah Grace Frary. This will be Sarah Grace’s fifth year on staff at Alta Mons. There are two things I would like for you all to be praying about. The first is that we are still searching for a Resource Coordinator. If you know a college student who has a heart for camp ministry, please encourage them to apply! The second is that, for the first time ever, I will be writing our 2017 spiritual curriculum. I’ve written the past three Winter Camp themes, but this will be my first summer camp one!
 
As always, thank you to everyone for their amazing support! Keep spreading the word about Alta Mons and encouraging people to visit—whether it’s for a day hike to the falls, a family reunion, or as a camper!
 
Yours in Alta Mons Love,
 
Meredith Simmons
 

Hey brothers and sisters in Christ! My name is Michael Bingham, and I'm back at Alta Mons this year for my second year as the Cookout Coordinator. As a long time camper and a one time counselor, I love Alta Mons and the atmosphere of God's nature. To the left here, you can see me planning ahead and preparing to go on a hike to Stiles Falls just as Leave No Trace lists as its first principle. "Plan Ahead and Prepare" helps you discover when to go and gives you ideas about what you need to bring. Remember, should bring only a few people with you to reduce impact on the trail!
 
I am truly blessed to be working at camp with such wonderful people. I first came to camp as a camper and have kept coming back throughout the years. This has been because I have always enjoyed the outdoors, the fun things to do at camp, and the magnificent people who taught and counseled me. As a counselor, I had the pleasure of giving back to the campers what I had received during my stay. I loved it so much that I wanted to give back even more the next year, so I came back as the Cookout Coordinator where I not only could mentor and befriend campers, but counselors too. I also deliver the food for breakfast and dinner to junior high campers, so they know who's the real boss. Jokes aside, I am excited to be coming back to my home away from home for another summer.

Officially, I'm majoring in Engineering at Virginia Western, although I am still figuring out where God wants me to go in life. For the longest time, people have told me that I would be great in ministry, but, as a young person, I brushed off the idea quickly. Now, that I am more mature, I realize that over all the years of people saying this to me, maybe God wants me to really try and be the servant of all in His house. I still don't know if this is what I want to be, but I greatly appreciate the love and support I have received from my Christian family over the course of my life. I will be praying about it and looking into what I need to do for that walk of life. I certainly know that Camp Alta Mons is a huge part of my life, and that it has impacted me as a disciple of Christ, the person through Christ that I am to everyone else. I think as a minister I would be able to show the love that camp has imparted to me.

Anyways, thank you for showing support to this beautiful place, and please continue to pray for those of us working at camp as well as the ones who we all work for, the campers.

Yours in and through Christ,

Michael Bingham