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We Need YOU!
CLICK LOGO TO TAKE YOU TO eGive! |
Your financial support is crucial to keep our ministry going strong! Our goal this year is to have $50,000 in contributions. So far, we are just over $13,500! Any amount will help. We have two simple ways to give:
Egive.usa.com - a safe, secure online Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) or you may send a check to:
Pyoca Camp, Conference & Retreat Center
886 East County Road 100 S
Brownstown, IN 47220
Thank you for your support!
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 Summer was a HUGE hit!
Pyoca was blessed again with an amazing summer! We had 664 campers visit us and experience the "Pyoca" that we all love. From kids playing on the high ropes, incredible Bible study, to hiking to Baldy, all who participated learned more about themselves, their relationship with God, and of course, had a great time.
This excerpt is from one of our graduating seniors who has been part of our ministry for over nine years!
"...It was not until nearly the last night that God's message hit me... my last week of Pyoca gave me probably the most important message I have ever received from God. Before camp I thought it would be sufficient to simply be a good person and love, or at the very least tolerate, other people but I learned that such a view greatly limits the scope of the glory of God. Through Pyoca I have been called to serve and I have decided to do so in the best way possible, starting with a study of Jesus because I want to be like him, truly like him."
His sentiments are similar to that of the other campers that we've surveyed. From what a "family" means; to a place to be apart and learn more about their faith; to be able to simply "be" themselves are common threads of our campers thoughts on what Pyoca means to them. Pyoca serves a vital role in the development of youth - in shaping their faith life, in allowing them to learn new skills, to learn more about how God is working in their life. We are so thankful for the opportunity to have such a profound impact on the lives of our campers! |
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 Meet Ingrid Swanson, Program and Hospitality Coordinator! Hi! I'm writing to introduce myself as the newest staff member at Pyoca Camp, Conference & Retreat Center. First, a bit of background about me: I'm a church kid and a camp kid who grew up lucky enough to always know the love of Christ through the strength of family. My dad is a Presbyterian Pastor whose call took his family on a tour of the rich soils of the Midwest. When it came time for school I chose to wear the bright orange of the Illini, in the process forever dooming myself to cheering on a losing season. After graduation I headed down south and have spent the last two and a half years working for Clemson University with the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice at a camp for incarcerated teenagers. Last spring I walked across the stage for a second time with a Master's in Education and began to look where God would lead me next.
After a few false starts it turns out that the "next" was a call to work at Pyoca and I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to work in a place with such a strong history that is supported by such a tight network of people who hold camp close to their heart. For me the joy of summer camp is like sunshine on the soul, but I'm even more excited to work with groups who come to Pyoca throughout the year to relax and grow strong as they bask in the glory of God's creation.
Ingrid will begin work on October 4th. Her contact information will be Ingrid@pyoca.org. We are looking forward to having Ingrid as part of our ministry team! **Maggie Platt served as our summer program coordinator for the past year and has taken a new job at a church in Indianapolis. We wish her the best in her future endeavors and are looking forward to seeing where God is taking Maggie! (Don't fear, she will still be involved at Pyoca as a volunteer director!) |
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What's next?
· Retreats, retreats, and more retreats! While we are still recovering from an incredible summer, our fall season is shaping up to be another one for the history books! We have 47 retreat groups scheduled to use our facilities between August 10 and Thanksgiving! We're not completely booked yet, but getting close! Church retreats, leadership events, youth groups, family gatherings and even weddings are going to be occurring this fall.
o Third Thursdays Our monthly work days are starting up again this fall. Be sure to mark your calendars for Sept 16, October 21, November 11, and December 9. We will begin with coffee at 9:30 and work from 10:00 to 3:00. A free lunch is served and we will provide all the tools necessary to complete meaningful jobs. A downloadable poster is on our website at www.pyoca.org.
o Pyoca UnFinished Object Retreat Our annual fall gala for those crafters who need uninterrupted time to finish those projects that have been hanging around too long is scheduled for November 5-7. More information is on our website at www.pyoca.org.
o Senior High Retreat dates have been set for December 27-29, 2010. Look for registration information in mid-October.
· Booking for 2011 retreats is going on now. We still have openings each month, but are getting close to capacity in the fall. Be sure to contact us soon to reserve your retreat.
· Renovations We continue to update and upgrade our facilities. We strive to make each return visit for a guest a new experience with something different. Our plans this fall are to paint the meeting rooms in all the cabins with a new color, to add a new piece of art to the Welcome Center, and start the preliminary work on the dam renovation scheduled to begin fall of 2011.
· Summer 2011 Even though we just wrapped up the summer, we're already looking forward to next summer. A tentative schedule has been posted on our website and it will be finalized by October 1. Be sure to check it out so you can plan for 2011! |
 Capital Campaign Update
We are pleased to report that we have over $251,500 available for the dam renovation. We will begin the permit process this fall which will include breaking this project into two phases. The first phase will replace/upgrade the existing cement spillway, replace the inadequately sized draw down pipe and remove the abandoned draw down line which has been seeping for years. Phase two will involve raising the level of the dam and reducing the downstream slope from a 2:1 slope to 3:1. Our intent is to complete phase one next fall and phase two beginning in 2012. Our estimated cost for the entire project is approximately $400,000.
Future projects include replacing the remaining two rustic cabins with year-round cabins, upgrading our meeting spaces, resurfacing the road, and eventually building a 12-bedroom conference center.
To date, we have pledges for just under one million dollars! We will begin visiting individuals and congregations who have not participated in the capital campaign as of yet to see how they can partner with us in such a great ministry!
For more information, please feel free to contact Rich Swartwood at 866-251-2267 or rich@pyoca.org.
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 WISH LIST
Each year, we receive incredible support for our ministry in general undesignated support as well as for specific projects. Some of the items that we have received in the past year include: the water trampoline, banners in the Lodge, Bibles for campers, new tables in the Lodge, and mattresses for Spruce Cabin.
Some priority needs for this fall are:
- Used full-size truck (Our 1986 vintage camp truck has carried its last load of wood. We need a replacement "junk" truck to haul debris, wood, and garbage. Ideally a used farm truck would be great! approximately $3,000-$4,000
- Dock renovation - one section of the docks has broken and needs to be repaired or replaced (Estimated cost $6,000 to replace, $800 to repair)
- High Ropes Course Cables - our course is 10 years old and our safety cables are starting to show signs of wear and surface rust. Replacement cost for the safety cables and Giant Swing element - $1,000
- Life jackets for waterfront $15 each
- Porch Chair re-caning - $100 each (8 chairs)
- New round tables for Lodge - $200 each
Our updated full wish list can be found on our website, www.pyoca.org. |
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