Pyoca Camp, Conference & Retreat Center
Summer News! June 2011 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Greetings! |
Summer is here at last! We are set, ready, and looking forward to our 59th summer! Please keep us your prayers as we continue to shape the lives of all who come to Pyoca! |
| Summer Update |
 Camps are filling up FAST! We have a waiting list on four of our summer programs, and several programs have less than four openings.
Programs which are filled include: Discoverer I, Jr. High Challenge (Female), Sr. High Traditional (Female), Night Owl, and E.L.F. Camp (Female).
It is NOT TOO LATE to come to Pyoca. There are camps that are open for youth entering grades 2-12! Check out our website for updated registration information. Scholarship assistance is available if needed. |
|
|
|
Summer Staff... READY, SET, AMAZING! |
 Each year we are blessed by a gifted, energetic staff of college-aged young adults who commit themselves for the whole summer to make camp come alive. This year, without exception, we have a fantastic group! This group has over 92 years of camping experiences (both at Pyoca and beyond!)
Many of the staff grew up with our programs and have made the transition from camper to staff! It is a joy to watch them work with youth and give back to the new campers what they were given when they were young.
In addition to the summer staff, we count on the dedication and support of many volunteers. Both directors and counselors make the summer program become a reality to the campers! We can still use several volunteers the week of July 3 and July 10th. More information and applications can be found on our website.
Please pray for the staff and volunteers as they work tirelessly this summer to serve our campers! |
| Volunteer Recognition Dinner |
 Pyoca hosted the first of hopefully many volunteer recognition/donor appreciation dinners in May. We had approximately 75 people in attendance. Many who attended stated that it was their first visit in several years and commented on how wonderful camp looked. We commissioned the summer staff who could attend and celebrated together.
Tami Gibson was recognized for her many years of volunteerism. Tami has been involved with Pyoca in a leadership capacity for over 20 years! She has been a cabin counselor, Advisory Council member, and has directed the Discoverer I Camp for the past eight summers. Many thanks to Tami for her dedication, support, and love of our ministry! |
| THANK YOU DONORS! |
 Each year, many individuals make it possible to upgrade our programs. This year, we have received several donations which allowed us to make some significant changes BEFORE camp started!
We now have a new serving buffet line, new utensils, and have renovated the fire circle benches. Other donors have helped us to replace the first of two docks that have been damaged by winter weather. The new dock was installed the first day of camp! Our goal is to replace the second dock by the end of the summer. The cost of each dock is $8,000. The new docks are of solid, one-piece construction that will be safer, easier to maintain, cooler on campers' feet, and sturdier - not too mention they look much nicer!
Scholarship requests have been coming in on a regular basis. To date, we have given over $7,000 in assistance. The Pyoca Advisory Council has had a long standing policy that we grant assistance WHENEVER needed! They want campers to experience Pyoca, regardless of the campers' financial situation. We have received just over $1,500 in scholarship assistance this spring and have designated funds that will cover what we do not receive. If you would like to help with scholarships, please let us know and we will be happy to provide you with more information.
For more information on how you can make a difference by partnering with us in ministry, please visit our website wish list!
|
|
2012 Retreat Reservations are now being accepted! Contact us today to reserve your space!
www.pyoca.org
| |
| Construction Update |
 The dam renovation and septic field replacement projects are moving forward! We are finishing the permit process to replace our existing septic field with a four mound system that will enable us to add bed capacity to our facility and programs! We are moving the septic field to the north of the present location so we can add an emergency spillway over the current absorption field.
Our estimated time-line for construction is to have the mounds ready for use by mid-August so we can begin to work on the dam this fall. We plan to have two phases of construction on the dam - this fall we plan to replace the draw down pipe with a 4' pipe which will replace our existing spillway, "side-kill" the abandoned pipe, and add a 75' emergency spillway. Phase II will increase the height of the dam by 1.3' and increase the backslope to a 2:8 slope instead of the current 1:9. Hopefully, Phase I will be completed this fall and will be the only time we need to lower the lake level by 8-10'.
While this does not seem exciting or glamorous to say the least, these two projects ensure that Pyoca's infrastructure is set for another 60 years!
|
|
|
Pyoca exists to provide a place away from the busy world where people can grow in their relationship wish Jesus Christ, with others in a Christian community and with themselves.
Please pray for our ministry as we serve the campers and retreat guests!
Sincerely,
|
|
Rich Swartwood
Pyoca Camp Conference and Retreat Center
|
|
|
|
|
