Pocono Plateau Day Camp gets sisters choosing kindness
by Rev. Carmen O’Shea

A parent reached out with the quote below. She tried a different camp closer to their home last year and came back to Pocono Plateau this summer because of the program’s positive impact on her child. Our overall theme for Pocono Plateau’s Day Camp is Choose Kindness, so it is wonderful to hear that these sisters are showing kindness to each other at home!

“My oldest went to the Pocono Plateau day camp 2 years ago. She absolutely loved it and begged me to go again. This year my oldest (9) and my youngest (5) are in Pocono Plateau’s day camp together. It has been just one week and they are already bonding and being nicer to one another. They love to come home and sing the camp songs they learn together. They wake up in the morning excited and want to get ready quickly to make sure they make it on time.

If it was not for the scholarship program, my daughters would not be able to have this beautiful experience. My family is very grateful to have this opportunity, and this experience will be in my girl’s core memories forever. Thank you so much for everything you do!”

From camper to staff at Camp Innabah
by Dylan Z.

I first started coming to Camp Innabah seven years ago as an archery camper, and honestly, I was hooked pretty quickly! Jordan was my first counselor, and he made camp feel so fun and welcoming that I knew I wanted to come back. After archery camp, I started attending Night Camp, where I met some of my closest camp friends. Before long, camp became so much more than just somewhere I went for a week in the summer. It became one of my favorite places.

One person who had a big impact on me was Diana. She was such a sweetheart and helped me grow more in my faith. Camp gave me people who encouraged me, made me laugh, helped me feel comfortable being myself, and showed me what it looks like to care for others.

In 2023, I CILT’d (attended Camper in Leadership Training) for the first time with a bunch of my camp friends! That summer was also my first experience working with Challenge campers, and I immediately fell in love with it. The joy, the friendships, and the energy of Challenge Camp made such a lasting impact on me. The next summer, I joined the summer staff, and I have been coming back ever since!

Camp Innabah is special to me because it truly feels like a second home. It is a place where I can be completely myself without worrying about being judged. Some of my favorite memories are the simple ones, laughing with friends, serving campers, singing camp songs, and spending time with people who have become like family.

When life feels overwhelming, stressful, or distracting, I think about how lucky I am to work at camp. Being surrounded by nature helps me slow down and reconnect with God. Listening to the birds and the creek, watching the wind move through the trees, and just taking in everything around me is one of my favorite parts of being here.