The Heart of a Boy

One of the joys I have as Marketing Director at Kanakuk Kamps is the Parent and Kamper feedback that flows over my desk. When it was time to try and tell the story of Kanakuk, that part you can't explain unless you've lived through it, I turned to your letters. This story about Dakota is pulled from last year's Kanakuk Kamps brochure. I combined your stories into one cohesive story that I hope begins to do the job. The rest of this week's posts will be more of "your" stories. Many of you haven't seen these.

I'm going to be extremely busy this week and will be on a road trip with my oldest son part of the time. I'll be back to connect with you the following week. If something important comes up I'll be sure to keep you posted. Thanks for reading and sharing.

Summer fun at Kanakuk! [Not Dakota]

This story about Dakota represents every child at Kanakuk, even our own, who needs a loving role model:
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“I’m writing to thank you for doing it again! Last year my ten-year-old daughter had a life-changing summer at Kanakuk. I couldn’t wait for my seven-year-old son Dakota to go. The youngest in a house with two women, he really needed some guy time. I wasn’t sure he’d want to go, so we sat down together one evening and went through the “A Day at Kamp” virtual tour on the website. He thought the food looked good and asked if he could sleep on the top bunk. I was able to show him that Kanakuk has football, basketball, baseball, tennis, archery, wrestling, rollerblading…Dakota stopped me, “Mom, do they have soccer? I think I want to play soccer when I go.” I sighed with relief and tucked a memory away of a little boy on my lap.

A couple of months later, sleeping bag in tow, Dakota became the biggest fan of Kanakuk. His counselors, Bo and Jeff, made Dakota feel like the only boy in all of Kanakuk! They carried him and his trunk to Cabin 1. Bo helped Dakota unpack, pick a top bunk and meet some of the other boys. Bo patiently listened as I covered the first seven years of Dakota’s life in two minutes! The whole time, Dakota stood next to Bo, hat now turned around so they would match. Bo was the Soccer Specialty guy and it was obvious that he and Dakota would be fast friends. I left with a lump in my throat and warmth in my heart. I looked every day for photos of Dakota and saw some of him on the soccer field, with Bo, with his cabin mates, and at the pool. At the end of the term, I picked up a boy whose cup was overflowing. On the way home I asked him if he had a best friend at Kamp. Without looking up from his cheeseburger he said, 'Jesus.' I had to pull over! He whispered in my ear, 'Mom, why are you crying?' I said, 'Jesus is my best friend, too.'"
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The fun at Kanakuk is off the charts and we think we have the most fun summer staff in the world, but hiring a mentor for your child is serious business! For your sons and daughters we hire the strongest men and women who have hearts striving after Christ. For more about our staff hiring process please give us a call.

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