open

Gratitude Those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

-- Isaiah 40:31

If you haven’t figured it out yet, this Newsletter is all about GRATITUDE. We have been supported by so many in so many different ways. I’m proud to be serving this organization and consider it a humbling honor to be a small part of some very special children’s lives.

Changing Lives, One Camper at a Time!

It’s so easy to focus on the Summer months that we often lose track of the other 10 months of the year. While Camp Attitude quiets down, our monthly expenses do not. It costs $6,000 (see Thermometer below) to keep the lights on (utilities, insurance, property payment, etc.) and each month we are running a deficit. That’s not fun. We have some Camp Heroes that are already helping out, but we need more. Will you PLEASE consider becoming a Camp Hero and join us in our pledge drive? Your monthly pledge (no matter how insignificant you might think it is) makes all the difference in the world. Dan Whitney President

Help us Fill Our Monthly Budget Needs

$6000.00

To keep Camp Attitude bills covered we rely on monthly donations from individuals like you. Since all our operating funds come from donations, we need your help to continue Camp Attitude’s growth and ensure our ability to provide for the many families we serve each summer.

$5000.00 $4000.00 $3000.00 $2000.00 $1000.00 Monthly Budget Need $6000.00



OCT 2013

Another Great Summer At Camp! As I sit in my office and ponder the events of the summer I can’t help but smile and know that, despite all the hard work and long hours, lives were changed! And the best part of it is the fact that it took an entire team of people, young and old, to pull it off! Whether you served all summer or made a $10 donation you were part of that team. Thank you! Thanks to our financial supporters for your gifts that made it possible for us to serve families with special needs kids. Thanks to those that came and served as staff, servants, buddies, and CORE; you showed the love of Christ through your efforts. And a huge “thank you” to our campers for coming and letting us love on you and your family. This year Camp Attitude Oregon was able to serve 252 disabled campers and 906 individual family members. Our ministry to these kids and their families was a “God Wink” in itself. Our theme this summer was “God Winks.” We talked about the little things in life that happen to us that the world calls “coincidences”. They are events in our lives that God uses to show us that he loves us and wants what is best for us….even when we don’t think He cares. Let me share with you how God winked at us this summer. God’s help is evident to us all. One cannot read the statistics below and say that we could humanly pull off a summer project that big! Our entire summer was one HUGE God Wink!! •We served 216 families; 97 families were first time campers (39%) •God blessed us with about 60 people who were “staff” that stayed at Camp for 4-8 weeks! These folks are truly an answer to pray..a God Wink! Look what these folks accomplished this summer!

Monthly Budget: $6000.00 Current Pledges: $1335.00 Still Needed: $4665.00 Would you consider being part of our Monthly Budget Support team. Donations can be made easily each month on-line at campattitude.com.

All donations are tax deductible under 501(c)3. For more information, please contact our office at 541-367-3420 or email: [email protected]

Thank You!





- We had 29 youth that served from four to eight weeks on our “CORE” Team. - Our Media Team captured great memories with 50,621 pictures, 86 movies, and 212 photo-streams. - Our Kitchen Team served 30,465 meals and 12,186 snacks! (that number blows my mind!) - Our Activities Team, (consisting of 2 college students and our CORE team,) planned and orchestrated 8 Carnivals, 8 Crazy ‘70’s Parent Dinners, 7 Lake Day events (3 boats pulling tubes, 4 jet skis, 1 sea doo boat, 2 pontoon boats, and 4 kayaks) including a hamburger BBQ dinner at the park (we had one rainy and cold week), and lots of other fun-in-the-sun activities. - Our Horse Ministry Team safely gave hundreds of rides on 2 horses this summer. - Our Crafts Team helped the campers make hundreds of 70’s flowers, over 300 scrapbooks, and added drawing classes led by Tim Malm. - We also had a “farm” with chickens, bunnies, sheep, goats, and many reptiles.

•381 “Buddy” positions filled, from 12 churches and 2 high schools; many students served multiple weeks. •We had 237 individuals come and serve as part of our “Servant” Teams, serving wherever we needed help. “I would like to thank everyone from the campers to the CORE kids and volunteers for helping me raise $420.00 through cans and bottles towards my computer fund. Also, thank you to Ross and Shelli for donating $50.00 towards it.” Lynn Tackett

w w w . c a m p a t t i t u d e . c o m CAMP ATTITUDE OREGON 4 5 8 2 9 S A N T I A M H W Y | P . O . B O X 2 0 7, F O S T E R , O R E G O N 9 7 3 4 5 PHONE 541-367-3420 | EMAIL [email protected]

As the director of Camp Attitude, I am humbled by all the help and service that folks are willing to give! Thanks for working on our team! Whether you served all summer or gave a few bucks…thank you!! Louie Kazemier, Camp Director.

Godwinks…God’s way of showing His love. “Godwink [gawdwwingk] (n) An event or experience, often identified as coincidence, so astonishing it could have come only from a divine source. A word that fills the vacancy in the English language for answered prayer.” (Rushnell, Squire. Divine Alignment: How Godwink Moments Guide Your Journey. New York: Howard, 2012, page 152. Print.)

“I cannot express enough how thankful I am for the opportunity to have attended Camp Attitude with my daughter, Alexis August 4th through the 9th. Alexis has never attended a camp before and to say I was nervous is putting it mildly. Firstly, being greeted by friendly faces was shocking, and then having teenagers (Buddy’s) rush to my car to unload and take our belongings to the cabin was amazing. I have never seen so many teenagers willing to work and with great attitudes and smiles on their faces. I was further shocked and amazed to find out the “Buddies” and “Servants” pay to work at camp to make it possible for special needs people to attend camp. I was so touched and moved by the kindness and compassion; it brought me to tears on many occasions during our time at camp. I have to say that I had lost faith in today’s youth and in God, but after being at Camp Attitude my faith has been renewed and my heart has been opened up again. You spoke of God Winks during general session and I had so many and my head was just whirling that I couldn’t think of just one and so I didn’t speak up. I think the most important God Wink was that a friend called me to tell me about this camp on Saturday and told me to call you. I didn’t think it was possible at such late notice, but you said “Yes”, if I hadn’t been sitting down, I probably would have fallen over. God Wink 2, being in a cabin with a Mother and Daughter so much like me and my daughter, we hit it off immediately. Godwink 3, Becca, who was Alexis’s buddy. For the slide show Becca described Alexis as “Gentleness”. Becca came to me to explain why she chose that word for Alexis and all I could do was hug her because the tears were flowing and I couldn’t express myself with words. In five days Becca was able to describe my daughter with the best word that fits her to a “T”. I don’t know how you find or found so many “Buddies”, but they are truly beautiful souls and I appreciated their kindness, compassion, friendliness, energy, attention, and most of all, their love of God and how they are selfless. To put others first before themselves is beautiful. I haven’t stopped talking about Camp attitude since we have been home and I will continue to speak of the wonderful things Camp Attitude does for our most precious gifts, our children. Again, thank you for all you do. Sincerely, Theresa J. Kirsch” ````` “2013--I started my day thinking it would be one of those special family memories. My husband and I would take our daughters to Clear Lake for the day. It was soon apparent that it wasn’t going to be one of those days. The girls were fighting, it was too hot outside and our lunch on the way was disappointing. Our drive was a long one and we were just about to Clear Lake when we were stopped by a woman in an orange jacket and a stop sign. My first thought was “Are you kidding me?” We were so close to being there and we are being stopped. In a forest … What? As I sat impatiently I noticed smoke coming out of the engine. Smoke that I hadn’t noticed while we were driving. (Godwink #1) Since the lady stopped us and we were no longer moving it was now easy to see we had serious car trouble. My husband checked and found we had no oil in the car. Not a drop. We decided that since we had no cell phone service we would turn around and drive to the nearest town. As I drove, I prayed. I prayed for a lot of things. To find a service station. That we don’t burn up the engine. That we have a better day… on and on. Then it occurred to me to “let go and let God”. I prayed that we would all be safe and whatever God had in store for us (and our car) would be the new plan. I prayed that I would follow his lead. We drove and I continued to pray (Godwink #2). My mood started to change and I felt uplifted even though the car was smoking and we were far from any town. Then I saw Camp Attitude. I pulled over and walked around the gate. I found a lady that radioed around to see if anyone had oil. No one did. She told me she would drive me to town and my family could wait in the car parked in the shade. (Godwink #3) The woman drove and I asked about Camp Attitude She told me about the camp and how it has been a God send for her family and all of the others that stay. She was so thankful and had such a positive attitude that she made me realize I am blessed and need to be aware of how blessed I am.

We got the oil and returned to camp. I said Thank You and we were on our way. The family had been waiting and were hot, tired and wanted to go home. I said ‘We are blessed beyond belief. We are healthy, happy and love each other. We are going to the lake and are turning our attitudes around.’ They thought I was crazy because I left as negative as them and came back recharged. As I drove to the lake I went through the day’s events and it dawned on me, I prayed for God to lead me where I needed to go and he did--Directly to the gates of Camp Attitude. I started crying and told my husband about my prayer and the results. We agreed that I needed to return to camp, this time to serve. (Godwink #4) 2013--The second day of Camp (Sunday) I sat and thought about the woman that helped me and shared her story. I wished I knew who she was so I could let her know how much she impacted me. She was the reason I was here. As I sat thinking, I saw a woman sit down in front of me. I had no memory of what she looked like at all. I didn’t know her name. I got up and asked if she had been at camp the year before. Yes. Did she help a family get oil for their car? Yes. Her name was Mandy. It was all God’s plan and I am so happy I listened. Thank you for this amazing camp. I look forward to seeing you next year. Janel Bennett, Servant Team week 5”

Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice, you earth; burst into song, you mountains! For the LORD comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones. Isaiah 49:13

A Harvest of Thankful Hearts “Dear Camp Attitude~ This was our second year at camp and once again we were so touched by all of the kindness and generosity ~ not only from staff but camper families, too! It is beyond wonderful to come to camp where Alison can be herself, be part of the gang, be part of everything and loved by ALL!! We are so grateful we were able to come and spend another summer with you! Camp Attitude is very special to us! Thank you again for such an amazing blessed week! The Niegaus Family, week 4” “Amazing, Outstanding, Awesome! Our first time here. It’s hard to put into words how this whole experience has effected me. TEARS OF JOY! Overwelmed with gladness to experience the equality, free from on lookers, whispers and jeers. To be able to come with my daughter and see her blossom. To have peace and to know that she is safe and [accepted]. No limits here! … Praise God! … Anything is possible! I have so much gratitude in my heart. Thank you so much for letting us come. I’ve not had so much joy; I can’t keep the tears back. I love this place. I sure hope we can come next year. I’m hopeful that we can. It’s pretty amazing that our children can be themselves and not be judged or asked to leave because they’re being a distraction. Hannah’s buddy, Mary, was so perfect. So amazing. God Bless her! I’d like to add that Philippians 2:1-5 totally expresses this place and all who serve. I know without a doubt that……. `MY LORD’S JOY HAS BEEN MADE COMPLETE!!!” Hannah & Cindy Myers, week 7 “Dear Camp Attitude “Family”, This was a week of returning the “joy” of the Lord for me. My camper, Annie, did things I haven’t seen her do in awhile—she went days without watching movies! She hesitated at trying many things, but when encouraged—did it! She loves being independent from me, & the time alone for me was much needed. We also have a foster son at home with many issues, Chad to work and being apart from him, gave me a chance to be “filled up” by the Spirit & to gain the JOY of the Lord. Thank you for your creativity, servants, hearts, thoughtfulness, great food, excellent organization of activities and the sincere care of the wonderful campers that were here. What a blessing to experience. May God simply bless all of you. Sincerely, Kerri Hanke”

w w w . c a m p a t t i t u d e . c o m