Full days of fun return to Holy Family Camp
Brad Johnson demonstrated his strength during his Rafterman show.
The two “placeholder” years of the annual Holy Family Camp are now out of the way.
Myra Jacobs, the director of the Ministry With Persons With Disabilities, said because of Covid last year’s camp was minimized with no swimming and no meals served during two half-days of camp. This year’s event featured full days, two meals, many activities, but no overnight stays.
God-willing, Jacobs says, the full camp experience will be back next year.
One more jab from Covid
Covid did get one more jab at the camp, though.
Kris Decker, the camp coordinator, mentioned to Jacobs in the days leading up to the camp that she had been testing for Covid and had tested negative every day. The day before the camp – right on cue, of course – Decker tested positive.
Panic ensued for a few minutes but camp veterans and volunteers changed plans and adjusted schedules to come to the campers rescue, Jacobs said.
‘We pulled it off!’
“So many people covered, we pulled it off!” she said Friday, June 10, the day after the last day of the camp.
The initial alarm and the resulting success of the camp helped Jacobs realize how important the camp participants are.
“We need those friends,” she said. “We need to hear what they say so freely, that ‘I’m having a good time. Thank you! I love you!’”
Jacobs said those phrases are repeated over and over by the campers. “I’m guessing everybody needs that. We need those friends to help us and to keep us going.”
Held at Camp Hiawatha
The camp was held Monday through Thursday, June 6-9, at the Hiawatha Camp and Retreat Center in north Wichita. It featured carnival booths, a photo booth, a Mystery Door, wildlife from Tanganyika Wildlife Park, singing, trivia, strength demonstrations by Brad Johnson, Scott Carter as Fr. Emil Kapaun, swimming, and other activities.
Kris Decker recovered from her bout of Covid as did her husband.