5 Things about Summer Camp Photos

1. You can watch your kid having fun at camp!

When you chose Kanakuk for your child’s summer Kamp experience you knew they would be taken care of. But did you know each Kamp has their own photographer? We want you to be able to experience Kamp with your child as much as possible. We work hard to capture the fun, the adventure, and the fellowship your child experiences so that you can log on and be a part of it.

2. Photographers cover all areas of camp.

We know you want to see more than the evening activities your child is attending and that is why all of our photographers spend their days at Kamp going from one event to the next capturing as much as they can. Kanakuk has a ton of activities so this keeps them very busy but whether it is soccer on the upper-fields, lunch in the dinning hall, free time on the slides or Bible study in the outdoor chapel our photographers will be there ready to capture those “moments of wonder” we so frequently see at Kamp.

3. Finding photos online is easy.

Viewing these photos is simple. When you go to myKanakuk.com, simply sign in using your username and password. Choose your child and their current Kamp and term and you will find a place where you can look up your child’s pictures. This summer our goal is to provide more pictures to you than ever.

4. Photos are secure and not available to everyone.

We understand that the security of pictures of your children is not something to be taken lightly. That is why we have worked hard to make sure Kamp pictures are only available on the Kanakuk website. This is a secure location providing only the photos of your child’s Kamp and term. We understand the importance of security and that is why these pictures are only accessible with a username and password.

5.Photos available online the day after they are taken

We go through thousands of photos a day to make sure the photos you see are top quality. Please be patient with us. Photos taken on one day will be on the website by noon the following day. These pictures will be available for viewing and purchase all year @Kanakuk.com, but will be taken off our server May 1, 2011.

We are so excited your child is coming to spend a piece of their summer with us. We can’t guarantee they will write you every day, but we can promise we will do our best to capture them in all the fun they are having at Kanakuk.

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Kanakuk Packing Essentials

Kamp Essentials

Whether it is your first or your 5^th time sending your child to Kanakuk, the question on every mom’s mind is “what do I need to pack for my child?” Making sure they have everything they need, but not everything they own can be tough, but coming from an 8 year Kamper I can honestly say the less they take the less you will lose.

While Kamp does have a strict policy of making sure everything a Kamper brings into Kamp is labeled with their name, it is still a regular occurrence for things to be forgotten, left behind or mixed up in another Kamper’s trunk.

Kanakuk provides an extensive list of items a Kamper must bring with them for their stay. There are, however, a few things you absolutely do not want to forget when sending your kid to Kamp for 7,13, or 25 days. I recently conducted a survey on Facebook to see what our past Kanakuk Kampers see as “must haves” when it comes to packing for Kamp. This is what I they told me.

Crazy Creek (camping chair)

Water bottle

Swimsuit (modest one-piece for girls)

Tribal colored clothes

A fan (battery operated)

Party Clothes (for themed nights and for fun during the day)

Bible

Flashlight

Coloring book

Underwear / lots of socks

Duck tape for sheets (to keep them from slipping off of the small beds)

Bug Spray

Stationary to write your parents

Tennis Shoes

Water Shoes

Shower shoes

Now I’m not saying a Kamper has to have any of this. This is purely coming from Kampers who have been before, have lived in a barn or a teepee and know what it takes to make it an awesome 7,13, or 25 day experience!

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Kanakuk K-7 Party

A little confusion about the K-Seven party this year is the inspiration for this post. If an explanation is what you're looking for K-Seven is here to help you out!

All across Kanakuk-land there are a few magical nights a term where Kamp is transformed to another place and time. It’s party night and it’s time to get dressed up in your favorite costume and boogie! In the past, K-Seven only had one or two “dress-up” nights because of their shorter terms. This year, however, they are shakin’ things up in a big way and having a party all week long!

That’s right you crazy Kampers get excited because this year K-Seven is going to time-travel to a different decade every day and you get to dress up almost every night!

So what do you need to bring?

Well it’s really up to you, go raid your parents closets, ask your grandparents what they wore and find the most Rad-Tad Bodaciously Awesome Dancing through the decades wardrobe you can come up with!

Theme days

Sock-Hoppin through the 50’s – grab your poodle skirt and leather jackets, slick back your hear with gel and let’s twist and shout our way through a night of fun 50’s music!

Beach Boys Beach Party (60’s) – Back when Hawaiian shirts were what everyone wore and ruffles were on every girl’s bathing suit! Find your best beachwear and join us for a 60’s beach party K-style.

K-Life night is going Retro! 70’s - bellbottoms, afros, silk scarves, big sunglasses and tie-dye are a must for this groovy night as we disco dance the night away at K-Life!

Finishing out the week, K-Seven wouldn’t be complete without a talent show. This year we are filling it with 80’s excitement and the phrase “if it isn’t neon it shouldn’t be on.” So find anything and everything you can from the 80’s. Parachute pants, BIG hair and aviators; this is going to be a talent show you won’t want to miss!

So there you have it, K-Seven is changing it up this year and giving you more opportunities to dress up than ever before! Can’t wait to see you dancing through the decades.

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Kanakuk Staff Gives Back

Walking into the K-Kauai dinning hall one day during workweek you notice there is something different. A massive transformation has taken place for the day and a clinic for a Kamp-wide blood drive has been set-up.

In the midst of hot days and late nights, the staff at Kanakuk is able to find time to give above and beyond what they are asked.

This will be the third year for Kamp to host a blood drive at K-Kauai during workweek. After taking a year off from the drive last year, Kamp is back at it and hoping to help give back to the community of Branson by donating blood.

The previous two blood drives have seen significant increase each year in participants. During the first year’s blood drive there were 51 participants and two summers ago there were 118. This year, the director of the blood drive said his goal would be 65 participants and he didn’t see any problem being able to fulfill it.

When talking to the director he had nothing but great things to say about the college-aged staff he sees throughout the day during this blood drive. Of the many blood drives they operate throughout the area, he said working with our Kamp staff is very enjoyable because of how kind and encouraging they are to all of the workers.

What an awesome testament to Kamp and all they are doing to give back during workweek!

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New additions at Kanakuk for 2010

Things are really beginning to take shape around Kanakuk as we prepare for the first term of Kampers beginning June 1! Our staff has only been here for a few days and already you can see Kamp coming to life.

In traditional Kamp style, we are shaking things up a bit this year by adding a couple of fun new activities at a few of our Kamps.

Heading up the list, K-1 has received a new, super cool whirly slide! It goes round and round and pours you into the pool down below. Don’t worry though; you won’t be too dizzy to do it over and over again!

Just down the street from K-1, K-Kountry has been working up a storm too! Re-doing their entire pool deck including adding a few fun new additions has really transformed the first thing you see when you walk in the gates!

Keep traveling down the road and K-Kountry’s neighbor, the Kanakuk Family Kamp, K-Kauai has accumulated quite a few new attractions to their Kamp facility as well.

With so many ziplines coming to the Ozarks, K-Kauai had to be competitive by putting in some new high-ropes elements themselves. New at K-Kauai is a 40 ft. free-fall as well as a giant swing. K-Kauai didn’t stop there though, they have also added many new small amenities they are sure will make their guests’ stay even more enjoyable.

Head on out to the other side of the lake where we find K-7 and K-2 have also added new adventures to their line-up.

Entering K-7 will look a little different for returning Kampers. A new zip-line has been built parallel to the road taking you into Kamp. New staff has been working hard on making sure it is up and running by the time the first term Kampers arrive!

Just up the hill from K-7, there are a few new changes at K-2 ready to make any Kamper’s summer adventure complete! The volleyball court has been redone, there is a new K-Life gym and most importantly there is a new slip-n-slide going down Cardiac Hill that is just dying to be tested for the first time! You don’t want to miss all these new additions to K-2 this summer!!

Adventure is the name of the game at Kanakuk and this summer you have to try one of these new additions here at Kamp! See you there!

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All Staff Day 2010

Despite a bit of a monsoon mid-day, "All Staff Day" went excellently once again this year! It’s the one-day when we gather our entire summer staff together at K-2 for a day of fun, training and fellowship. Boarding their buses mid-morning headed to Lampe, the staff for KAA and the Branson Kamps met up at K-2 with the Lampe staff for a busy day. Picnics, prayer, fellowship and worship were just a few of the things on the agenda as they prepare for the Kampers to arrive in just a few days.

This year, the staff had the opportunity to listen to Greg Love, of MinistrySafe, speak on “Awareness.” Equipping staff with more knowledge on how to relate to and deal with Kampers well. Other training events covered topics ranging from healthy relationships at camp to the importance of ministering to families. This training day is a wonderful day of getting excited about and praying for the opportunity to shape the lives of Kampers this summer.

This “All Staff Day” it rained buckets, and buckets of "liquid sunshine"! The rain gear came out, the band played an extra set and then staff chants and cheers brought the sun back out just in time for the big staff picture.

1,500 staff ran up to the field and posed for the camera. They were still a little soggy, but the energy was contagious!

Sitting on the sidelines looking out over this group of college students it was a sea of multi-colored t-shirts each representing different universities. These students are all from different back grounds, many from different states, different ages and different races, but they are here, and they are dedicated for the next 25-78 days to change the lives of this summer’s Kampers one heart at a time. They are unified under the Lord’s purpose of serving others and showing others the love of Christ.

After the picture, they got together with their university and prayed for safety in Kamp, unity as a team, as well as for the Kampers who are coming in just a few short days! They then wrapped up the evening with a picnic, and evening speaker/pastor Ted Cunningham who illustrated the importance of showing the love of Christ to the kids and their families. Exhausted, but not quite ready for the day to end, they boarded their buses and headed home.

We truly are blessed with a great staff this year. If you know staff working for Kanakuk this summer, please be sure to tell them how much you appreciate their work for the Kingdom.

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