Mission: To empower youth to make a difference in their communities, build leadership and team building skills and to improve their own, personal self-confidence.

Objectives and Activities:

  • Each youth will participate in service learning projects
  • Each youth will participate in workshops focusing on improving themselves and developing problem solving strategies
  • Each youth will participate in team building and leadership activities

We had a great two weeks of camp! For the first time, we had a High School Servant Leadership Camp – it was a HUGE success! Thanks to some great activities put together by our summer intern, Heather Schmidt, the kids got to know one another quickly and team bonds started forming. We NEVER had an issue with cell phones or lack of participation. Our service-learning projects consisted of putting together hanging baskets for Life Care Center of LaGrange, cleaning and landscaping the Bruce Brown Memorial at Lakeland Primary School softball diamond, cleaning up and making flower baskets at the LaGrange 4H fairgrounds baseball diamond, and finally, road clean-up. We had guest speakers: Shipshewana Town Marshal Tom Fitch, State Representative and owner of Jo Jo’s Pretzel Joanna King, and local attorney and advocate for those with substance use issues, Linda Zabona-Wooster. The teens took part in personality tests, leadership assessments and team building activities. They ended the week writing SMART goals and a field trip to the Indiana Dunes State Park. We saw incredible growth with all of the kids. It is a unique camp; it is a transformational camp!

Our middle school camp was smaller in numbers, but they also had a great week. We started off with washing windows for businesses in LaGrange. They got to visit the 5 Lakes Roastery and the coffee shop in Sturgis, hearing from owner Paul Smith and the incredible story of how 5 Lakes came about. They spent afternoons at the LaGrange Town Park doing team building activities, scavenger hunts and playing. We took a field trip to the new restaurant in town, Linders Tavern on Main, and had a delicious lunch and heard from owner Josh Linder. One of the things that set our camp apart from others is the guest speakers and field trips. We want the kids to meet successful, local people as it motivates them that they too can overcome obstacles and achieve! The youth ended the week making bird houses and windchimes for residents at Life Care Center and going on a field trip to Dallas Lake Park where they want on a short hike and heard from naturalist Leslie Arnold and enjoyed the cool water.