Director’s Message
Greetings from Hardtner Camp & Conference Center!
It is not too late to register a child for summer camp, but now is the time to act before the sessions fill up! Online Registration is hosted by Campwise this year and not Bunk1. Please go to Online Summer Camp Registration. We have been able to upgrade registration systems this year that puts nearly the whole process online eliminating a good deal of paper and postage. Our goal for the summer is to have all applications, med forms, and payments complete at least one week prior to each camp session. This will allow a much quicker and smoother registration process so our campers can jump right in to camp. Also look for round trip transportation offered from New Orleans and Baton Rouge for an additional $60.
A new feature for this summer is online application for volunteer positions. We are looking for camp staff members, CIT’s, and nurses. Although we welcome our returning staff, we are trying to make summer camp more available for our alums and even first time staffers to get involved. After applications are complete, our Camp Deans will choose their staff members. Don’t miss your chance to share your talents and resources with our summer campers!
As we prepare for our first Camp Able, I am amazed at the response from people that want to volunteer and participate in this camp session. Now is the time to go online and apply for camp staff. Now is also the time I would like to ask for assistance in finding campers for Camp Able. If you know of anyone that has a physical or mental disability ages 18 and up, please help them register for camp. This is a great time to look around our communities, take action, and help to serve others.
The evening of May 24 will officially kick off our first ever Taste of Hardtner. This is sure to be a great time of celebration, food, fun, fellowship, and worship. Help us start the summer off right by joining the party. There are several options for family, parish, and individual involvement. Weekend packages are available in limited quantities that include lodging for 2 nights, 3 meals on Saturday, and breakfast on Sunday. The cost is $60 per person for lodging in cabins, and $90 per person for lodging in the Holy Day Inn. You can make your reservation and payment by contacting Mandy in the office at 318.765.3794 or email the office. You may also purchase just the meals you wish to eat. Breakfast on Saturday and Sunday is $7 per plate and lunch and supper on Saturday are each $10 per plate. Please let us know if you will be attending so we may prepare for everyone’s lodging and meal needs.
Our Taste of Hardtner will begin with a 6:30am trail run along our newly marked trails. The overall winner will be awarded a free weekend at Hardtner to participate in any of our retreats or conferences during 2013. As part of the Taste of Hardtner event, we are also looking for teams of 4 members each to compete in the Jambalaya Cook off. Each team must provide everything they need for the competition. The teams will be set up on the tennis courts and electricity and water can be provided. Bishop Jake will be our judge to decide who has the best jambalaya. After the judging, everyone will then enjoy jambalaya as the main dish for lunch. While the jambalaya is cooking the 2013 Permanent Staff will have many activity areas open all around camp. Our guests are free to roam to and from any activities they wish to experience. We will have fun jumps, hikes, arts and crafts, music, games, canoeing, swimming, and plenty of time to relax and enjoy fellowship. Following lunch we will begin the Parish Field Games. Each church parish or mission is invited to assemble teams of 6 individuals to compete in the afternoon field games. Each member of each team will compete in one event. The team with the highest composite score will then hold the trophy until the following year when they will return to defend their title. We will finish up the afternoon with some live music! If you or anyone you know would like some stage time to share your musical talents, let us know in the office.
Following our evening meal together at 6:00pm on Saturday, we will offer a child appropriate movie with supervision in Hargrove House while the adults can gather and form teams in MacPherson Hall for Team Trivia Throw down! Sunday morning will greet us with breakfast followed by a closing Eucharist before we depart. We hope you will attend to make this weekend a success!
And finally, I would like to remind everyone that we now accept donations online through our website. By creating a username and password and logging in, we can begin to build a database of our generous supporters and friends. There are options for giving to several different programs and projects so you decide where your gift will be best used. However, I am asking for everyone to support our Scholarship and Camp Able Scholarship funds. It is our goal that no child will be unable to attend summer camp for the inability to pay. Please prayerfully consider giving to this fund.
Again, feel free to contact us in the office at 318.765.3794 if you have any questions or if we can be of any assistance. We are looking forward to a great summer and hope to see you here!
Peace,
Jason
