SPRING 2015 |
Vol. 39, No. 1
DEERFOOT TRACKS
Published occasionally by Christian Camps, Inc.
Dear Men of the Master,
This past year our Board read Mission Drift 1 together. As
we read of so many organizations that lost their original
focus, we are grateful that Deerfoot’s mission to raise godly
young men remains steadfast after nearly a century of
ministry. I was struck by the many stories of excellent
organizations that slowly drifted from their mission
moorings over time to the point of completely losing their
original purpose. How does this happen? There are many
answers to that question of course, but one theme is
constant in all the stories: It happens gradually, over time.
Rarely did I read of an organization that suddenly and
deliberately decided to change its whole mission. Rather,
most made small decisions along the way that slowly
eroded the heart of the mission. Eventually, the original
purpose had no relevance to the present reality.
What a timely book for our Board to read together during
these days of praying and discussing the future of
Deerfoot Lodge. As we enter our 86th season of ministry,
we believe that the Lord is calling Deerfoot to a future that
reaches more boys with our mission to build godly men.
This issue of DL Tracks announces some major
organizational changes coming to Deerfoot. Change can
be risky. And no matter what the gains, change almost
always brings some level of loss. But I can assure you of
this: the vision for Deerfoot’s future is not drifting away
from our mission to build godly men in a Christ-centered
community through wilderness camping. Rather, it is
because of our mission to build godly men that we dream
bold visions for His glory.
Mission drift is not merely an
organizational danger, it is a personal
danger. We’re all vulnerable to small
daily decisions that may erode our
mission to be and build godly men.
Slowly, over time, we may drift farther
from Him. In fact, I would guarantee
that this will happen in life unless one
makes devotion to Jesus Christ the
main thing.
... it is
because of
our mission
to build godly
men that we
dream bold
visions for
His glory.
Jesus told His disciples, “Remain in me, and I will remain in
you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from
the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in
me.” 2 Without the Vine, the branch doesn’t have a chance.
Are you staying close to the Vine?
In DL Bonds,
1
Mission Drift, by Peter Greer & Chris Horst, Bethany House Publishers, 2014.
2
John 15:4, New Living Translation
Deerfoot ‘Mom Summit’ DL Moms, As a partner in your mission of guiding your son to become a
godly man, we want to know how we’re doing and how you see the needs of your son. Also, there are things we have learned
about boys and the challenges they face that we want to share with you. You’re invited to a Mom Summit, which will be
held at Deerfoot Lodge, September 18-20, 2015. Due to space constraints, this gathering is limited to moms of current
campers & staff. Living conditions will be Deerfoot-rustic (flush toilets/showers/possibility of mice=yes. Electricity/promise of
warm air=no). Registration information is available at the Deerfoot web site.
Announcing Registration Changes
for the 2016 Season
Every camper parent knows that
the first day of Early Registration is one of the most stressful
days on the Deerfoot calendar.
We feel the same way! Of great
concern is the number of returning campers who end up on the
Wait List. As of mid-March, 60%
of the campers on the Wait List
are returning campers. We’ve
recognized that our current section age breaks are exacerbating
the problem by creating a ‘pinch
point’ at the transition from the
Pioneer Section to the Indian
Section. Each year there are
more Pioneers who ‘graduate’
to the Island than Indians who
‘age-out’ of the Island.
To help alleviate this problem,
the following adjustments will
apply for the 2016 season.
Early Registration will include
two phases:
hase One will be for campers
P
who have been to Deerfoot as
a camper before. Additionally,
Woodsman aged brothers of
returning campers will be
allowed to register even if they
are new campers.
Phase Two of early registration
will include new campers who
were on the Wait List during the
last season.
Camper section age breaks
will change as listed below
This will open up the camper
progression so that there will be
space for returning campers to
return especially as they progress
to the Pioneer and Indian sections. We also believe these will
be better social/developmental
age groupings.
Woodsmen Section: 9-12 years old
Pioneer Section: 13-14 years old
Indian Section: 15-16 years old
We believe that Deerfoot has its
greatest impact when campers
can return year after year. The
purpose of these changes is
to ensure that returning campers can return, and continue to
grow as godly men through their
Deerfoot experience. Analysis of
the camper progression indicates that these adjustments will
provide for enough openings at
each section to accommodate
returning campers in the future.
Thank you for
•Volunteers at Work
Weekend and
beyond.
•Hosts for slideshows,
Chief Nick, and other
camp gatherings.
•Contributions toward
capital projects,
scholarship funds,
and operational
expenses.
•.22 ammo & rifles
•17’ Wenonah canoe
•4 sets of Micro-spikes
We Have Need Of…
Contributions toward any of the following
are welcome. Contact us for information
about specific brands that we use.
Contributions to...
General Fund (operations)
Camper Scholarship Fund
Capital Projects
• Two new camper vans
• Improvements to the Waldorf
• Replace Otter Cabin
• Commercial-grade gas grill (outdoor)
•Dug Mt. Lean-to replacement materials
Equipment & Other:
• 20 Trip canoe paddles
• 20 Trip life jackets
• 10 Garcia bear canisters
•20 corona brand 14” pruning saws r57395
• 10 dragonfly camp stoves
• 5 platypus filters
• 24 rhino balls 8”
• 2 footballs
• 2 tetherballs
2015 Summer Staff:
Yr. at DL
Name
Position Hired
Cole Haas
Counselor/Support
1
Matt Galiano-William Counselor/Support
1
Zach Martin
Counselor/Support
1
Joseph Girard
Counselor/Support
1
Ian Quinn
Counselor/Support
1
John Cassidy
Counselor/Support
1
Jacob VanDyke
Counselor/Support
1
Tyler Rothfus
Support Staff
2
Debra Morrison
Office Asst
2
Andrew Krug
Counselor/Support
3
Andrew Eaton
Support Staff
4
Joshua John
Counselor/Support
5
Peter O’Connor
Counselor/Support
5
James Shank
Counselor/Support
5
Micah Caldwell
Counselor/Support
5
Nicholas Isder
Waterfront Operations
6
Jason Hastings
Kitchen
6
Nate McReynolds
Counselor/Support
6
Seth Obrecht
Counselor/Support
6
Jeremiah Schaefer Asst Couns/Support
6
Christopher Roscoe Asst Couns/Support
6
Colton Henning
Counselor/Support
6
Daniel Morgan
Asst Couns/Support
6
Matt Wilcox
Counselor/Voyager
7
Caleb Cook
Asst Couns/Support
7
Reed Alioth
Counselor/Support
7
Nathan Baum
Asst Couns/Support
7
Kyle Coan
Counselor/Support
7
Bobby Hall
Support Staff
7
Andrew Min
Counselor/Voyager
8
Justin Fabian
Counselor/Voyager
8
CJ Heck
Counselor/Support
8
Erik Stefanowicz
Support Staff
9
David Jorgenson
Indian Section Chief
9
Erik Dyrli
Asst Couns/Support
9
Jeremiah Kidd
Counselor/Support
9
David Martinsen
Support Staff
9
Ethan Karner
Support Staff
9
Tyler Hallenbeck
Asst. Guide Leader
9
Joshua Christenson Counselor/Voyager
9
Alexander Dreisbach Counselor/Support
10
Clark Elliott
Counselor/Support
10
Austin McEathron
Counselor/Support
10
Jack Fitzsimmons
Counselor/Support
10
CharlesBickhart
Counselor/Support
10
Sally Baum
Health Center Director
10
Shaun Mayer
Tripping Asst.
10
Abi Mackey
Awards Office/Support
11
Jack Gilbert
Counselor/Support
11
Tyler Lathrop
Counselor/Support
11
Mason Horst
Counselor/Support
11
Bowen Fox
Crafts Director
11
David Gates
Counselor/Support
11
Erik Hallenbeck
Counselor/Support
12
Dwight Huseland
Woodsmen Section Chief 12
Ron Duttweiler
Counselor/Support
12
Jacob Reisler
Pioneer Section Chief
12
Dane Gomez
Director’s Assistant
12
Jonathan Terner
Counselor/Support
12
Nathanael Littauer Sous Chef
13
Erica Barnett
Food Service Specialist
13
Anne Mackey
Camp Store
13
Mitch Baum
Food Service Specialist
13
Michael Bilezikian Counselor/Voyageur
13
Colin Reisler
Guide Leader
13
Mark Huseland
Sous Chef
14
Andrew Burger
Counselor/Support
14
Jack Fox
Counselor/Voyager
14
James Hoffman
Maintenance
18
Jonathan Redeker Tripping Operations
18
Shelby Hoffman
Office Asst
19
Stephanie Hoffman Office Manager
19
Ken Hoffman
Facility Manager
20
Shawn Barnett
Food Service Dir
23
Ron Mackey
Camp Director
32
School/Town
Baptist Bible College
Gordon College
Lebanon, PA
Nyack College
University of Rhode Island
Wheaton College
Wheaton College
Lake Pleasant, NY
Wells, NY
Lancaster Bible College
Gorham, ME
Gordon College
Landmark School
Liberty University
University City Adult Education
Avoca, MN
Caldwell, NJ
Gordon College
James Madison University
Liberty University
Schenectady, NY
University of Virginia
West Springfield High School
George Mason Univ.
Glens Falls, NY
Grove City College
Mechanicsburg, PA
Montclair State University
Burlington, VT
Princeton University
University of San Diego
Wheaton College
Allentown, NJ
Auburn University
Dallas, PA
Florida State University
Litchfield, CT
Lowell, MA
Trinity Evanelical Divinity School
Wheaton College
Amherst College
Baylor University
College of Wooster
Grove City College
Lehigh University
Mechanicsburg, PA
Robbinsville, NJ
Averill Park, NY
Gordon College
Grove City College
High Point University
Savannah College of Art & Design
Wheaton College
Gordon College
Gordon College
Houghton College
Messiah College
Montreat College
SUNY Binghamton
Appalachian State University
Aurora, IL
Averill Park, NY
Mechanicsburg, PA
Southeastern University
Texas State University
Cairn University
Moody Bible Institute
The College of William & Mary
Fulton Montgomery CC
Goshen, NY
SUNY Cortland
Wells, NY
Wells, NY
Aurora, IL
Averill Park, NY
Spring Work Weekend May 22-25
Spring Work Weekend is just around the corner. Projects include:
•Dug Mtn. Lean-to
replacement
•Office ceilings and
Old Hardwood
cabinets
•Complete camp
store renovations
•Kitchen cabinets in
Lookout
•Finish Health
Center addition
•Finish Woodsmen
section to
waterfront walkway
•Dock repair
•Canoe repair –
install rock guards
on old town trip
canoes
•Row boat oarlock
repair
•Finish Nays Loft
renovations
•Build replacement
benches for dining
hall
•Re formica/replace
some dining hall
tables
•Replace screens
and trim in
Woodchuck cabin
•General screen
repair camper
cabins
•Set up tipi frames
•Replace poles for
archery netting
•Replace rotten
poles in gazebo
where rock
climbing wall is
•Stain Old
Hardwood and
Office
•Firewood cut and
split
•Mow / weed eat
•Move tripping
flammable / stove
shed closer to
tripping barn area
•Kitchen Help &
more!
You must be at least eighteen, a hard worker, a big eater, and ready
to cope with Adirondack black flies. To learn more and to sign up
contact Chief Ron or visit the camp web site.
2015
Staff
Facts:
75 Staff Hired
37 Colleges/Universities Represented
91% have Deerfoot experience
Average DL experience: 9.3 years
CONTACTING
Mail (All year):
Deerfoot Lodge, PO Box 228, Speculator, NY 12164
Phone/Fax/Email:
Summer (June-August)
Phone: 518-548-5277
Fax: 518-548-6333
Email: Camp Office: [email protected]
Off Season (September – May)
DL Albany Office, Chief Ron Mackey (Camp Director)
Phone: 518-256-0106; Fax: 518-207-0434
Email: [email protected]
DL Adirondack Office, Ken Hoffman (Facility Manager),
Stephanie Hoffman (Office Manager)
Phone: 518-548-5277; Fax: 518-924-2606
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]
Chief Nick Isder, Director of Staff Development
Phone: 651-442-4519
Email: [email protected]
Contributions have been received in memory of…
Dale Harro
Bob DeWolfe
Howard McDowell
Bill Gardner
Dave Good
David Harvey
Michael Owensby
Alfred Kunz
Howard Buirkle
Ambrose Goetz
Virginia Chick
J. Barnes, Jr.
Jack Gill
Doug Trillet
And in honor of…Roy Washburn
Chelsea Trillet
Fred Long
Scott Pokorny
Harriett Hutchinson
Tim Jessen
Thank You!
A Vision to Reach More Boys
The vision Dad Kunz had back in the
1920s to build godly men has never
been more relevant, needed, and challenging than today. By God’s grace,
Deerfoot has been a consistent and
transformative influence in the lives of
boys who come to camp year after year.
Many who read this newsletter can testify how great an impact Deerfoot has in
shaping godly men.
Because Deerfoot has excelled at its
mission, every summer session at camp
is filled to
capacity. This is
we made an
exciting, but it
important decision
also points to
to pursue a plan
a huge need.
to replicate
Many of you
Deerfoot Lodge in
know Deerfooters who
a new geographic
have missed
location.
out on at least
one summer at
camp because we were full. We have little opportunity to reach more boys who
want to come to Deerfoot. Campers who
have friends who would thrive at Deerfoot know that their friends will likely not
get in. Boys who discover Deerfoot after
the age of 9 or 10 will probably not be
able to get in. There is no point in advertising a ministry to more boys, no matter
how effective the ministry is, if you have
no capacity to serve them. In effect, we
have to hang a “No Vacancy” sign out to
the public at a time when there is great
need for ministries like Deerfoot.
The Board of Directors has been
actively and prayerfully working on
this issue for more than five years.
Convinced that the Lord is calling
Deerfoot to expand its reach to build
more godly men, we’ve taken steps to
extend the reach during the ‘off-season’
by creating a new year round staff position and providing opportunities for
alumni gatherings (Winter Treks, for
example). A greater challenge, however, is to find a way to reach more boys
during the summer season without
compromising the special camp experience at Whitaker Lake.
At our March Board meeting, we made
an important decision to pursue a plan
to replicate Deerfoot Lodge in a new
geographic location. The plan is to find
suitable property on which to develop
another Deerfoot Lodge camp. The
new camp program, culture, and mission would be the same as ‘Deerfoot
North’, i.e. Whitaker Lake.
This, of course, is a massive vision that
will require the support, prayers, and
participation of the Deerfoot community. We trust the Lord’s leading as we
walk this path. While the future is full of
unknowns and challenges, it also presents opportunities to build hundreds
more godly men in a Christ-centered
community through wilderness camping. We are currently exploring properties in the mountainous areas of the
South such as the Smokies and the Blue
Ridge Mountains.
Would you pray with us? Please consider joining the Vision Prayer Team, which
is accessible at the Vision Page on the
camp web site (www.deerfoot.org). In
the days ahead, there will be more details to share, but for now, please pray
for the wisdom and discernment of the
Board. Thank you!
NON-PROFIT ORG.
US POSTAGE
PAID
RANDOLPH, NY
PERMIT NO. 31
PO Box 228, Speculator, NY 12164
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Summer Registration
Reminders
• Camper Openings Regular camper
spaces are full, but there are a few
Voyageur trip spaces left (for 15-17 year
olds with strong trail experience). Visit
the camp web site to see openings. We
keep active Wait Lists for each session. To
learn more, contact our Camp Registrar,
Stephanie, at [email protected].
• Camper Medical Information Camper
health information should be submitted
via CampDoc.com at least four weeks
before the start of the session. Registered
camper families should be receiving
Health Form links from CampDoc.
2015 Lone
Eagle
Ceremonies
Five Lone Eagle ceremonies
are being scheduled for this
summer. Visit the web site
calendar for details. If you
are a Lone Eagle and can
participate in any of these,
please contact Chief Ron.
• Arrival & Departure Times Camper
check-in begins at 3:00 sharp. Camper
pickup is the last Saturday morning.
Parents should arrive 9:30 a.m. to meet
campers and plan to stay until 11:00 for
the Circle of Friendship closing.
•Directions Directions can be printed
from the web site.
•Mail Regular postal mail is the only
way to communicate with campers at
camp, and all campers love to receive
mail! Do not send packages. Please
include the cabin or teepee name when
you address your mail.
• More Information and other necessary
forms are available on the camp web site.
Calendar Correction
Please be aware of an unfortunate
error in the 2015 Camp Calender/
Brochure. The dates for December
2015 are incorrect. We will send the
2016 calendar earlier in the Fall,
which will include a new December,
2015. We apologize for any
inconvenience this may cause.
Get the App
The new Deerfoot Lodge Godly
Man app is available. This
free app is designed to help
campers and staff to be in the
Word on a daily basis. Campers
must be 13 years or older to
register the app for themselves.
We hope it will be a helpful tool
throughout the year as we seek
to be and build godly men. To
download the App, search your
IOS or Android app store for
Deerfoot Lodge Godly Men.
Boss Winter Treks!
Thirty four Deerfoot alumni participated in one of
the two 2015 High Peaks Winter Treks. Winter
conditions in the High Peaks are harsh, but both
trips had a great time of adventure and fellowship.
View the photo albums at the camp web site. 2016
Winter Treks have been scheduled for January 6-8
and March 4-6. Registration will open in the Fall.