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CAMP @ HOME | WEEK 1: SHARE

6/7/2020

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​Before the pandemic hit, our original Summer 2020 theme was “Share” so it seems only fitting that this is where we pick up for our Camp @ Home online content. Here at Alta Mons, we structure our camp on the model of small group Christian camping. Based upon a book written in the late 1950s, the basic concept is this: the more time, challenges, conversations, and experiences that small groups share together, the closer they grow in relationship with each other, with nature, and with Christ. To us, this is the core of what camp is all about and is the reason that camp is so impactful, meaningful, and special. As we strive to create Camp @ Home experiences for you this summer, keep this idea in the back of your mind and know that it all starts with sharing. Now, on to the content! Each week we plan to structure our theme with a narrative about the camper experience, an explanation of why that specific part of camp is important, and then a challenge for you and your family. Let’s get started!
 
Imagine it’s a hot and humid Sunday evening in July. You have just survived the long check-in process, made your wood cookie name tag (more on that next week!), played SO MANY name games with the kids in your unit, and finally your counselors say it’s time to head towards dinner. You walk towards the hogans and find that someone has driven the tractor with the wagon full of your luggage to the bottom of a hill. The hill looks enormous as you glance up at it. As you pick up your luggage and start carrying it up the Unit 8 hill, you realize this could be a bigger endeavor than you originally planned for. How will you make it to the top carrying ALL of the things you brought—your suitcase with wheels, your pillow, your sleeping bag, AND that extra bag with the 5 towels and 1 gallon of sunscreen that mom insisted you bring. Just as you are huffing and puffing and your energy is running out, your camp counselor shows up and shares the load with you. They offer to carry that suitcase straight to your bunk!
 
Once you make it to the top, your counselor mentions that the group needs your help carrying the cookout supplies to the large picnic table that’s under the shelter between the two hogans. What? Go back down the hill? We just got here! You follow along and end up helping another camper carry the world’s heaviest water cooler up to the top of the hill. Then a loud car horn blares down by the wooden table and the porta potties. What does that mean? Dinner’s here? And we have to go get it? Up and down the hill yet another time, this time carrying the salad and garlic bread that’s part of dinner. Gosh, eating sounds so good right now!
 
As you sit down to dinner, your counselors explain that you’ll be eating family style all week. If you need something, please ask someone in the group to help you out by passing the item your way. “And please share the bug juice! We want to make sure there’s enough to go around.”
 
By the time you’re in line to make your Sunday night pie iron, you know you’re going to have a great week. Even though the kids in your unit are still strangers to you at this point (they say there’s this thing called “low ropes” in the morning) you have a good feeling about the group. There are a couple kids you’ve already started warming up to and your counselors seem great. Maybe these people will be real friends. Real friends who can know that you really hate green beans and that your dad died last year. The week seems to have unlimited potential and as you walk back to the hogans and look up at the stars, you know that God’s here too. Sharing this week with you and this group of strangers.
 
 
At Camp Alta Mons sharing is more than just letting your brother choose the next TV show or taking turns doing dishes. It means putting the group first. It means waiting for someone to pass you the mashed potatoes and making sure there’s enough bug juice to go around. It means hiking at the pace of the slowest person in your group and responding to the question “How are you today?” with an honest answer. The more we share with each other, the more we grow as a group and create community. In community, we learn to open ourselves to the people around us and to share our experiences, thoughts, and questions as we grow together and become connected in Christ. We tackle the hard questions and the difficult topics. We see new perspectives and we become more aware of ourselves. We share our lives with each other.
 
This week, we challenge you to share a family style meal. It can be whatever meal you want and you can eat it wherever you want—the in the backyard, at the dining room table, in the living room, whatever works best for you. Have someone set the table (reference the place setting chart below), ask someone to say grace, and enjoy your time together. Take a picture and email it to program@altamons.org to officially enter this week’s challenge. We also encourage you to share about your Camp @ Home experience on social media by using the hashtag #AltaMonsCampatHome on Facebook and Instagram. We hope that this week your family unit will share some things—conversations, meals, thoughts, and feelings. And that it will help you grow in your relationship with each other and Christ.

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WELCOME TO CAMP @ HOME

6/7/2020

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Dear Campers,
 
Welcome to Camp @ Home! We are so excited to be sharing this experience with you. We are also a bit nervous—this is our first time creating online content in this way and we plan to grow and change as time progresses and we receive feedback from you. We want you to be involved and feel connected! This idea originally came from a desire to share more about our camp culture with our camper parents, campers, and staff. Once we determined that we would need to suspend in-person camp, this seemed like a great way to create fun, at home experiences that would deepen the understanding of the why. Why do we do what we do at camp? Why is it important? What does it matter? These are some of the questions we are hoping to expand upon this summer with Camp @ Home.
 
Each Sunday we plan to release a blog post that outlines a specific part of our camp culture and then will challenge you to create that piece of camp at your home. Throughout the week, we will continue to post devotions, recipes, and camp history that all tie in to that week’s theme. Some of these will be posted on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram, but all of the content will be posted on our Camp @ Home webpage, www.altamons.org/camp--home. We plan to do this for 9 weeks, starting today and ending the week of August 2-7. Families can participate in as little or as much of the content as they want—it’s all about what works best for you. Each week will have a specific challenge that we are asking families to record—either by photo or video—and submit to us. You can do this by e-mailing your submissions to program@altamons.org. While we are asking for submissions to be turned in by Saturday at midnight for a given week, as long as you have your submissions in by Monday August 10th at 10 AM you will be entered into the drawing to win 2 free nights of RV camping at Alta Mons. Furthermore, we know that families are busy, so we are only requiring that you submit for 7 of the 9 weeks to be entered into the drawing. So, if you need to skip a week or 2, no big deal. As we receive submissions, we would love to share your photos and videos with our followers on social media, but we will always ask for your permission before posting.
 
So, go check out the first blog post on “share” and see what you think! More content will be posted throughout this week, so be checking our website. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to reach out. We here to help support you as Camp @ Home happens!
 
Sending you lots of love and hope,
 
Meredith Simmons
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DOMINIK FIRLEJ | ROPES COORDINATOR

5/27/2020

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Hello! My name is Dominik and I am a Junior at Christopher Newport University and Ropes Coordinator for Alta Mons for the second year in a row. I live in Vienna, Virginia and camp is my favorite way to reconnect with nature, God, and the parts of myself that sometimes hide after a stressful year. This is why my favorite thing about summer camp is the beautiful nature that surrounds me there. The field that holds the high ropes course is beautiful and I get to see it at every hour of the day. No matter if I am up early from spending Home in the Woods at the front of camp or in the blazing noon sun setting up the swing shot, the view of the valleys surrounding Alta Mons always gets my heart racing. I love the back 400 and the way Christmas tree mountain lights up at night when the kids are in the tractor getting ready to hear a Willie Jack story.

The mountainous terrain coming down from Stiles Falls towards the zipline and the front of camp always reminds me of the time a group of day campers made it all the way to the real falls. I can’t help but smile when thinking about the beauty of the valley that Alta Mons lies in. This is why my favorite thing about summer camp is being surrounded by nature. It reminds me what is important and helps me find my way. The way that nature brings people together at camp is especially memorable. My first year as a counselor the backpacking trip got rained on every day that we were there and we came back laughing and bonded because of the experience. I can’t wait to be surrounded by nature again and to feel close to nature, people, and God. This feeling is my favorite thing about summer camp.

Yours in mountainous love,
​
Dominik Firlej

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CARTER SMITH | COOKOUT COORDINATOR 2020

5/13/2020

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Hi, my name is Carter and I am from Meredith, New Hampshire! This will be my second summer at Camp Alta Mons and I am so excited to go back to camp as the Cookout Coordinator! Because c’mon who wouldn't want to deliver preacher cookies. I just recently graduated from Roanoke College with a degree in Psychology and after camp I am going to be serving in the Peace Corps as an English teacher and teacher trainer in Indonesia! 

My favorite thing about summer camp? Wow that’s a hard one to pin down - there are so many! I love singing songs in the dining hall and shouting at the top of our lungs to wake one another up in the morning. I love it when a unit finally stabilizes the four way whale watch and sings row row row your boat as fast as they possibly can. I love watching the funny skits units come up with, and laughing when people get shaving cream shoved in their faces. I love it when Christmas Tree Mountain is lit up with lightning bugs and you can see every star in the sky on the back 400. I love all camp swim and signing tie-dye shirts, but most of all I love the connections I make at camp. Alta Mons has this special quality about it that allows everyone on their different walks of life to connect in nature. This is where I have made some of my lifelong friends and memories that I will never forget. So I guess it’s safe to say that my favorite thing about camp is that it became a second home. 

Yours in love of 3 bears (cha cha cha),

Carter Smith

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BILLY FERGUSON | MEDIA COORDINATOR 2020

5/12/2020

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​Hey Y’all! My name is Billy Ferguson, and I am from Roanoke, Virginia. This is my fourth summer working at Alta Mons. Two summers as a counselor and this summer will be my second as the Media Coordinator. I graduated from George Mason University this spring majoring in Film and Video Studies. I am so excited to return to camp! There are so many opportunities for great stories at camp, and as Media Coordinator I get to document them in photos and video.
 
My favorite thing about summer camp is that you are able to fully embrace nature. When I am on camp property, I feel as if I am receiving a big leafy hug from the outdoors itself. It’s just great being able to get back to the basics and enjoy living in the moment. Alta Mons is a place where life moves a little slower. I recall being on a wagon ride and looking up into the night sky. The night sky was crystal clear when suddenly a shooting star zapped into the air. Its white streak was extremely visible. Everyone in the wagon caught a glimpse of the star’s tail. Even though it only lasted for a second, I remember feeling like it happened in slow motion. Moments like this are the reason I love Alta Mons. It happened in the Back 400 where camp is the darkest. Anywhere else the star would have been too dim to see due to street lights and other distractions. When living in the moment, you get to appreciate the little things that God gives us.
 
Yours in Home in the Woods Wagon Rides,
 
Billy Ferguson

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DANIEL MOORE | WORSHIP COORDINATOR 2020

5/6/2020

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​Hello, it’s me – Daniel Moore (aka Danimals, Daniel Tiger, Dan the Man).
I had so much fun as a counselor last year and I’m excited to come back this summer as Worship Coordinator!
 
My family is from Chesapeake, VA, but we’ve also lived in Tennessee and Japan – in fact, I was born in Japan. Currently, I’m at Virginia Tech (Let’s Go!) studying Math Education, as well as Asian Studies. I’m involved with Chi Alpha Campus Ministry, helping out with worship and media for them. I’m also involved with the Asian American Coalition as Director of Marketing and the We Suck at Art Club as Vice President. I hope to someday teach internationally.
 
My favorite thing about summer camp is the songs – and I’m not just saying that because I’m the Worship Coordinator. I really really really really really really like camp songs. For me, music has always been a way for me to have fun, find comfort, and express my love for God. So, it’s an honor to share that experience with the campers this summer. There’s something amazing about singing a song together (whether it be a silly song or a worship song) that makes the Alta Mons family feel like… well, a family. I love singing along with the campers and doing crazy hand motions. It’s super fun and is a great way to share the joy of the Lord.
 
I can’t wait to see you all and sing some oldies, some goodies, and maybe make up some new songs.
 
Yours in love of swimming, swimming, in the swimming pool,
 
Daniel Moore

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SAM REAM | TRIPS COORDINATOR 2020

5/6/2020

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Jambo (hi)!
 
My name is Sam Ream and I am from Virginia Beach, VA.  I may have grown up just 10 minutes away from the beach, but I am a mountain man all the way.  With that being said, I have found home these lase three years to be tucked away in the valley of the Blue Ridge Mountains, for I am going into my senior year at Roanoke College. I am majoring in Sociology and concentrating in crime and deviance with hopes to go into nonprofit and/or search and rescue.
 
Anyhow, this will be my first year at Alta Mons and I am SUPER ecstatic! As the Trips Coordinator this year, I think it is important to know that there is nothing more I love than exploring this beautiful planet. From kayaking with the dolphins to stargazing on top of mountains, there is nothing more freeing and spiritual to me. The wilderness is my favorite place to not only be with God, but to find a connection closer than ever before. In my most recent expedition of section hiking the Appalachian Trail, there was something about being alone and vulnerable that made my trust in God just that much stronger. I am very passionate about nature and I love to share it with others!
 
I have heard many of the magical places here at Alta Mons, such as the Back 400 and Christmas Tree Mountain. I am excited to learn, grow, and share my Alta Mons experience with all of you!
 
Yours in love of tie-dye shirts and bandannas,
​
Sam Ream

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EMILY DURALIA | POOL COORDINATOR 2020

5/6/2020

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Hello Everyone! My name is Emily Duralia, and this is my second year working at Camp Alta Mons. I loved being a camp counselor last year and I am extremely excited to come back to camp as the Pool Coordinator this year!

I am a student at Radford University studying business. I work for the Radford University Outdoor Program and I am a member of a professional business fraternity, Delta Sigma Pi. I love being outdoors and camp is one of my all-time favorite places!

My favorite thing about summer camp is the community and memories I have made. Either as a camper or as staff. I was a camper for around seven years at Camp Alta Mons. Each week I was at camp I felt my unit being built into a little family. I felt this as a camper and as a counselor. The feeling of family flows from Stiles Falls down to the intersection and throughout camp. This camp has been my home away from home and has helped me grow into the person I am today.

My whole family loves Camp Alta Mons. My family heard about Camp Alta Mons through my cousins who were working at camp as counselors and coordinators. Both of my brothers have been campers as well. The oldest of the two will be working as a CIT this year and my mom is going to be the camp nurse one week. Camp Alta Mons is always the highlight of our summers! My goal is to make it the highlight of every camper’s summer.

Yours in Love of the Back 400,

Emily Duralia

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EMILY BUSH | RESOURCE COORDINATOR 2020

5/6/2020

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Hey Everyone! My name is Emily Bush and I’m so excited to be the Resource Coordinator again this summer!

A little bit about me, I’m a Junior at William and Mary doubling majoring in Gender Sexuality and Women’s Studies and Psychology. I’m a member of the community service fraternity APO, I’m the Volunteer Coordinator at Wesley’s Campus Food Pantry and I’m a data management intern at Housing Partnerships. Serving others is what fulfills me and what I believe is my purpose and makes me my best self. That is why I am so excited to have the opportunity to serve at camp!


Choosing my favorite camp memory is no easy task. How do you pick a favorite out of all the  campfire sing-a-longs, s’mores, creek hikes, games, and shenanigans of camp? It’s a tough call, so I’ll just tell you a good one. 

On Wednesday nights at camp, every unit does what we like to call Home In the Woods. This is where all the kids and counselors get tarps to set up in the woods, and cook their dinner over a fire, and spend the night under the stars. It’s a truly wonderful experience, but it can be a little daunting for campers who aren’t as comfortable in the outdoors at night. We offer an opt-out of HIW, and two girls in a Junior High Bridge Unit, although they had done HIW before, were considering opting out. This was something that I wanted to help with, as someone who had been their counselor before and knew how special and bonding HIW can be for a unit. They were afraid to spend the night in the woods again, getting up close and personal with the bugs and the dirt. Luckily, the only real requirement for a HIW site is that there must be a fire pit. Great news! Our beloved Pirate Ship playground is close enough to a fire pit that we were able to transform the playground into a tarp fort structure. Watching those girls conquer their fears again, and be enabled to participate comfortably in one of our most beloved camp traditions just warmed my heart. Watching kids grow more comfortable in themselves and the outdoors is one of the many reasons I keep finding myself drawn to camp.
 
On behalf of myself, Meredith, and all the coordinators and counselors at camp, see you soon!

Yours in love of nights under the stars,

Emily Bush

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JENNIE BATTAGLIA | PROGRAM COORDINATOR 2020

5/6/2020

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Hello! My name is Jennie, and this is my second summer as Program Coordinator and fourth summer working at Alta Mons. I’m getting ready for my senior of college as an Elementary Education Major and have been blessed with my many summers spent at camp over the past few years.
Sometimes people ask me,
“Why do you work at camp every summer?”,
“Aren’t the late nights and crazy days exhausting?”,
“Why would you want to work so hard during your time off while being a college student?”
I think the only way to answer these questions is with honesty and explaining my favorite thing about camp. Yes, working at camp is exhausting, but it is worth the late nights creating weekly schedules and plunging the elementary bath house with Emily and Meredith and making sure everything about night ropes goes perfectly because all of that work creates my favorite thing about camp. Which, it may not be a physical thing, but it is the most important thing—memories.

The memories made at camp (any camp) are my favorite thing. My fond memories of laughing around a campfire, backpacking through the woods, canoeing down the New River, and rappelling for the first time are what led me to become a camp counselor. Even though Alta Mons isn’t the camp I grew up going to, the same type of camp memories can be made anywhere the camp spirit lives. And the camp spirit thrives at Alta Mons.

Singing songs in the Dining Hall, Home in the Woods, all-camp-swim, Night Owl and Tri-Challenge units, big games, worship, skit night, and so many other activities are full of energy, fun, and love that allows camp to grow and thrive. Just as a plant needs sun, water, and support, the camp spirit needs the energy, fun, and love that Alta Mons so graciously provides.

The camp spirit allows for memories to be formed, so to further explain how the memories created (no matter where) are the best thing about camp, I think I should share my favorite memory from the past three years of my time at Alta Mons.

It is hard to pick a favorite because I love everything about camp, but my second summer at Alta Mons created some of my most prized memories. In a funny way, my favorite memory doesn’t actually take place on camp property.

It’s Week Two of Summer Camp 2018 and I am co-counselors with Drew for the Tri-Challenge Unit. It’s a small unit, so we were able to grow close during our week of camp. What some people may not know, is that I had just spent the previous week helping lead the camp I grew up going to—Trec Camp. This is a week of camp that my youth pastor created for our youth group, and this is where my love of camp began.

Anyways, one of the “challenges” for the Tri-Challenge unit is camping out and then canoeing down the New River. Ironically, I had just spent the previous week canoeing and white-water rafting on another section of the New River. So, as we pull up to our camp site in Jolene, I recognize where we are. We are literally camping out where I, for the past six years, had started my canoeing journeys with my youth group. It may not seem that important, but my two camps, that hold such special places in my heart, have now come together.

To add to the importance of this memory at the camp site, it just so happened to be the 4th of July, and I was surrounded by an amazing unit of campers and staff members. To this day, that unit photo hangs on the walls of my college dorm room because it reminds me of the memories made at camp.

In adventurous Summer Camp Love,

Jennie Battaglia

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