Friday, February 01, 2013

Along the Paths of Camp Emmaus

It may be snowing outside, but your hearts are warm in Northern Illinois! We are pleased to report that our matching funds campaign for donations towards the operating fund account of Camp Emmaus is completed and was successful. Three churches in the district and multiple individuals donated enough money to that camp funding campaign so that the Mt. Morris congregation was able to write a $10,000 check to match that amount, and all was finalized within two months.

*The retirement of the debt on the repair and renovation of the camp pool has also gone well, thanks to continued giving of local churches and individuals. The Polo congregation very generously donated $10,000 towards that fund this winter. The process of the pool repair project has taken a long time, from the beginning of planning in 2008, to the first use of the renovated pool last season, to now. The original debt of $250,000 has been reduced to $34,000, and we have hopes the remaining debt will be refinanced and then finished in a timely manner.

*Diana Roemer, the Director of Advancement and Marketing for Pinecrest Manor, has been hired as an outside consultant to help Camp Emmaus with an expanded marketing plan and to help find outside funding sources. We are looking forward to seeing the results of her efforts for us in the months ahead.

*The Camp Emmaus board recently reorganized, with the new officers being: Mike Schnierla as president, Ellis Boughton as vice president, Heidi Gerdes as treasurer, and Dianne Swingel as corresponding secretary. Sylvia Saunders continues on as recording secretary, and Heidi Gerdes is in charge of programming. Other board members are Gary Baisden, Tom Cline, Steve Dietrich, Mark Flory-Steury, and Don Hart.

*Camp Emmaus has a new email address for those who wish to make contacts: campemmaus@live.com.

Those pictured: Bill Hare, Camp Mgr; Diane Swingel
and Steve Dietrich of Mt. Morris Church; Mike Schnierla, Board Chair;
and Sylvia Saunders, of Mt. Morris Church.