Reflections

Martin/Garber wedding takes place at Spruce Lake

Outdoor School hosts group from Florida

Spruce Lake stocked with trout for opening day, spring derby

Parent/Child camps gaining popularity

CREATION Homeschool Family Week can jump-start your homeschool year!

Developments to new Nature Center and driveways moving right along!

Spruce Lake Gift Shop offers new items and sports new entrance door.

Mennonite Camping Association holds binational conference at Spruce Lake.

"Dr Bubble" leads Outdoor School staff in March training session.

Several Spruce Lake staff move into new roles.

Two staff join Club honoring long-term employees.

Teachers earn CEUs at SLOS 20th Year Teacher Appreciation Event

 

 

Martin/Garber wedding takes place at Spruce Lake

Gentle rains all day Friday let up in time for morning sunshine (and wet lawns) to greet the wedding party and guests of Karena Martin and Jason Garber at Spruce Lake Saturday, May 10.

The cermony took place in Lakeview Program Center with the reception outside on the north lawn. Cool clouds had moved in by then, bringing a quiet peacefulness for the rest of the day.

Karena is the daughter of Joy and Tom Martin of Harrisonburg, VA. Tom is a former Program Director at Spruce Lake, serving here from June, 1997, through the fall of 2000. Karena enjoyed her family's several years at Spruce Lake so much that having the wedding here seemed the natural thing to do.

Jason and Karena met as students at Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, VA.

Outdoor School hosts group from Florida

Most schools that attend Spruce Lake Outdoor School arrive from within a three-hour drive. A small group from Forest City Seventh Day Adventist School, however, traveled the whole way from Altamonte Springs, Florida, last week to take part in outdoor classes at Spruce Lake!

The six students and three adults came to the Poconos for their senior trip.

How did they discover us? Forest City's principal formerly served at Waldwick Seventh Day Adventist School in New Jersey, which brought classes each year to Spruce Lake Outdoor School.

Back at Forest City, the principal was helping the senior class find a suitable option for their senior class trip. The rest "is history!"

Spruce Lake stocked with trout for opening day, spring derby

Outdoor School students from Immanual Lutheran School near Philadelphia helped stock Spruce Lake with trout Tuesday, April 8. The delivery of medium-sized rainbow, brook and brown trout was in time for the opening day of trout season, Saturday, April 12.

Spruce Lake board member John Landes and his family were seen heading for the lake early on the 12th and rediscovered several hours later cleaning a string of fish to take home for dinner the following night. The kids were having a blast helping and watching!

A second delivery of larger trout will be made in the next couple of weeks, just in time for our annual Trout Fishing Derby to take place during Spring Family Weekend, May 2-4. Included in the contest that day will be to see who can catch the largest trout! (If you haven't already made reservations for Spring Family Weekend, it's not too late -- just give our front office staff a call.)

In the photo below, Immanuel Lutheran students ferried the fish from the delivery truck to the lake in buckets, then dumped them into the water - a new experience for many of the students.

 

 

 

Parent/Child camps gaining popularity

The Parent/Child camps and expeditions offered by Spruce Lake Wilderness Camp are "scratching an itch" as these events fuse bonds between children and parents in profound ways.

"The canoe program was one of the best times my daughter and I had together," said Bill Curtis following last summer's Parent/Child Canoe Trip.

Stephen Knudsen said the experience with his son at the Parent/Child Mini-Week was "a three-day stretch I wouldn't trade for the world!"

We encourage you not to miss out on getting to know son or daughter in this way. You'll eat together, work together, enjoy the day's activities together, and share daily devotionals together. What an opportunity for discovery and growth for both your child and you as a parent.

To make your reservations for Parent/Child Camps or Trips, go to the Wilderness Camp section of our website, or call us at 800-822-7505.

CREATION Homeschool Family Week can jump-start homeschool year

Homeschool parents have a unique opportunity for getting a sound start for their Fall, 2008/09 school year -- by coming as a whole family to Spruce Lake's CREATION Homeschool Family Week September 2-5, 2008!

This event will combine the best of two of Spruce Lake's ministries, calling upon the professional expertise and passion of our own Outdoor School instructors, and with special input sessions and recreation planned by our Adult & Family Ministries team.

This week is sure to be hard to beat! Through learning, playing and worshipping together as a family, with other homeschool families, this event can help set direction and build relationships that maximize the entire term.

Planning for this special event is still in process, so please check our website for details (Adult & Family Ministries or Outdoor School segments of the site).

Developments to new Nature Center and driveways moving right along!

Work is progressing at a steady pace on Spruce Lake’s emerging, newly rerouted driveways and parking areas, and on the new Nature Center being built beneath the deck of Lakeview Program Center. Almost daily one can see changes taking place!

A group of a dozen trained electricians volunteered their time March 20-21 to finish the rough electrical work in the Nature Center.  The construction of this new facility is spear-headed by Merv Zook, employed by Gehman Custom Remodeling of Harleysville, PA. (Company president Dennis Gehman is a former Spruce Lake board member.)

Papillon & Moyer Excavating & Paving, a local company which has provided many hours of work over the years at well below cost, is reshaping the field below the pool for the new driveway and parking areas, and new miniature golf course, tennis and volleyball courts. The required drainage system is being put in place now.
 
All work is projected to be completed in time for our Memorial Day Weekend Retreat.

Plenty of PHOTOS are being taken by our communications staff and many are posted online … click on the tab on the cover page of this website!

Spruce Lake Gift Shop offers new items and sports new entrance door

The Oak Leaf Gift Shop, located at the north end of Lakeview Program Center, is getting a new entrance that will make it much easier to see and more quickly accessible from the front of the building. (The current entrance is around the corner and inside the building.) The work in process now should be completed soon.

 Manager Jackie Swartley has also stocked the store with brand new items – whole bean, fair trade certified coffees under the "One Village" label, attractive new jewelry and a new line of clothing items, to name several. 

Don't forget to stop by Oak Leaf Gift Shop on your next visit to Spruce Lake!

* In the photo below, store clerk Lois Hillegas talks with a recent visitor to Oak Leaf Gift Shop.

Mennonite Camping Association holds binational conference at Spruce Lake.

Mennonite Camping Association (MCA) held its binational, biennial conference at Spruce Lake March 17-20, 2008, with approximately 100 staff, directors and board members attending from member camps.

Elsie Rempel of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, reminded the group Monday night that MCA is a truly binational organization representing over 40 Mennonite camps from across the provinces of Canada and the United States. The binational gatherings occur every other year at a member camp, with Hidden Acres Mennonite Camp & Retreat Centre, Ontario, Canada, hosting the next event in March, 2010.

Elsie serves as Mennonite Church Canada’s representative on the MCA board, while Linford King from Lancaster, PA (also attending) is the representative on the board for Mennonite Church USA.

The gathering of camp “ministers” from camps across the two nations felt like a staff reunion. When one attends the binationals over time, said one participant, a sense of genuine friendship grows. Fellowship with staff of kindred spirit from other camps remains a key draw for attendees. This fraternal spirit naturally fosters the open sharing of ideas, concerns and information.

Conference speaker Bob Kobielush, President of Christian Camp & Conference Association, said he can think of “few things other than the Christian family that so allows the gospel to be rubbed off” on people than the temporary community of the Christian camp or retreat.

Spruce Lake has been a ministry partner with Franconia Conference of Mennonite Church USA since 1963.

* In the photo below, these MCA participants are taking part in the workshop, "Developmet 101" taught by David D. Yoder, currently Development Associate for Quakertown (PA) Christian School.

"Dr Bubble" leads Outdoor School staff in March training session.

The Oakroom in the lower level of Spruce Lodge offered quite a sight one afternoon in early March, 2008! Spruce Lake’s Outdoor School staff were in there blowing bubbles -- some life-sized -- with everyone looking like they were having “too much” fun!

The staff were actually engaged in a serious workshop on bubble-blowing, led by “Dr. Bubble,” otherwise known as Dick Close of Schwenksville, PA. Mr. Close is a Science Education Trainer who, among other things, promotes the use of bubble-blowing as a science teaching tool.

“We learned to perform different bubble skills,” said Outdoor School Director Lisa Ferrer. The class blew basic bubbles, disappearing bubbles, twin and double bubbles, concentric bubbles and trampoline bubbles.

All this bubbling was a dramatic way of learning various principles of math and science. “We also reviewed some learning and teaching techniques coming from brain research studies,” said Lisa. This class of teachers was encouraged to see that they already use many of these effective strategoes in Spruce Lake Outdoor School’s hands-on classes and activities.

At the end of the session, each of the Outdoor School staff received a certificate noting their earned degree of Bubbiologist.

* In the photo below, Outdoor School instructor Jana Atwell (left) and Director Lisa Ferrer have just enclosed themselves inside a life-sized bubble.

 

Several Spruce Lake staff move into new roles.

In late February and early March, 2008, several staff were named to either a new role or one which expanded existing responsibilities at Spruce Lake. 

• Donna Carrion, who was previously a Housekeeping Assistant since March, 2005, has become our Housekeeping Manager. She will oversee all housekeeping and laundry staff and manage the daily routines of the department.
• Kathy Bergey, who’d left a sister camp, Lakewood Retreat in Florida, after approximately 20 years there, had been a bookkeeper in our Accounting Office. She is now our Finance Department Manager, assuming many of the responsibilities formerly held by the Business Manager.
• Tim Hillegas, who came to us in March, 2006, as Business Manager, has moved into the new role of Retreat Center Director. He will oversee all Retreat Center operations, including Programming, Guest Services, Housekeeping and Food Service.

Two staff join Club honoring long-term employees.

Spruce Lake’s Ten-Year Club received Andy Trout and Lisa Ferrer as new members in January, 2008, with an honorary dinner for the entire Club at The Forks at Buck Hill Restaurant in nearby Mountainhome. Lisa is the Director of Spruce Lake Outdoor School and Andy is a Maintenance Technician.

The Ten-Year Club recognizes staff who have served at Spruce Lake 10 years or more. That total number, including current and former staff, is now close to 20. Such a legacy speaks of commitment, quality and the desire for involvement in life-giving ministry!

Six current staff are in the Ten Year Club besides Lisa and Andy: Jana Atwell (Outdoor School instructor, naturalist and raptor handler), Dawn Flatt (in charge of Laundry), Kent Kauffman (Wilderness Camp Director), Celine Krummell (front office staff), Doug Musselman (Outdoor School instructor, naturalist and environmentalist), and Grace Nolt (Public Communications Coordinator).

Teachers earn CEUs at SLOS 20th Year Teacher Appreciation Event

Twelve participants took part in Spruce Lake Outdoor School's 20th Year Teacher Appreciation Event at Spruce Lake March 25-26.

The event, designed especially for teachers of Christian schools which have brought their classes to Spruce Lake Outdoor School, gave them the opportunity to engage in the very same activities and lessons their students experience at Spruce Lake -- but can't because they are, well, teachers!

The event also granted teachers the option of counting the experience for one CEU (Continuing Education Unit). Spruce Lake Instructor Travis Wilt established the CEU point program here at our Outdoor School.

Teachers spent the two days learning together through the Challenge Course, "Probing the Night Realm" class, the bouldering wall and climbing wall, and hands-on activities such as "Exploring through the Senses" that are part of Spruce Lake's outdoor curriculum. Robin Zecca of Delaware Cou8nty Christian School also led the seminar, "Preparing for Your Outdoor Education Trip."

The teachers participating in this first-time event represented the following schools: Grace Christian School (MD), Cape Christian School (NJ), Cedar Grove Christian Academy (PA), Plumstead Christian School (PA), Hinkletown Mennonite School (PA) and Northern Duchess Christian School (NY).

* In the photo below, the teachers are trying to determine which route they'll be taking to get inside "The Cube," a Challenge Initiative that builds planning and processing skills.