Impact of Tornado on Kanakuk Kamps

Thank you Lord!

Kanakuk was untouched by the tornado that has damaged homes and businesses in a 7-mile stretch along East Hwy 76 (The Strip) all the way down to the Branson Landing and up through the area known as Mount Branson on the other side of the lake. Reports are that the entire path of the storm may be 22-miles! The photo below of the inside of the Branson Hilton Convention Center is from the KY3.com news site and was taken by Alec Vanderboom. This damage was about 1/8 of a mile south of K-Kauai - Kanakuk's Family Kamp.

Branson Landing damage near Kanakuk.

This photo taken by former Kanakuk Summer Staff Alec Vanderboom. More photos can be seen here.

Power Out

We are thankful and feel blessed to be spared from damage. The power is off at our offices, making phone calls difficult. Tomorrow may be somewhat better as we work on ways to increase call taking capacity. This may be the situation for a couple of days. We want to take your phone calls, but for the next couple of days it may be easier to email. You can also reach us on Twitter @kanakuk or on Facebook. Our website www.kanakuk.com is operating normally.

Thank You!

We have been blessed by all of you who have checked on us today. We'll do our best to keep you posted, quickly on Twitter and more details here in the days to come.

Our Branson Family

Our thoughts are turning to those around us who are suffering. Branson is our home. We love living here and being in a community like this. There is so much help pouring into Branson. Individual employees are helping neighbors, doing what we can and waiting for needs to arise. At the time of this post there was no reported loss of life here in Branson, but this will leave scars.

We are praying for our community. Please pray with us.
 

 

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Kanakuk Starts Year-round Friendships

K-Seven Kampers work together during challenge course activity.

We love hearing from our Kamp family—especially when you tell us how Kamp principles impact you and your kids back home.  It totally makes our day when we hear about someone in our Kamp family stretching her faith to the next level, and depending on Kamp friends and counselors during the year to strengthen her walk with Christ.  

Just recently, a K-Seven Kamp mom sent me an encouraging letter about her high school daughter Kelsey. Here is an excerpt from that letter:

Kanakuk is, in my opinion, one of the very best spiritual investments a parent can make for their children.  It has instilled in Kelsey a love for God, His word, and the importance of staying connected to a small group of Godly people who encourage and hold you accountable.  Kelsey’s best friend is a fellow Kamper who’s been with her the past 3 summers.  They live 5 hours apart but talk regularly, and Hannah is who Kelsey calls when she needs to talk to a Godly friend.

Just last month, she called Becca, one of her counselors from 2 years ago, and got tremendous encouragement from her.  Becca had Kelsey going all through the Bible, using scripture to help her.  Wow!  What a comfort to a mom, when we need spiritual help in raising our kids!

Kids are our greatest national resource; each one is uniquely made and important to God. Our desire is to place tools in the hands of our Kampers, so that when they get home, they understand how to live with integrity, how to stand up to peer pressure, and how to stay encouraged in their walk with Christ. Hearing how Kelsey stays strong by locking arms with her Kamp friends and counselors  is exactly what our Kamp family is all about:  Helping each Kamper influence and make an eternal impact within her circle of friends...so that the love of Christ is spread to every life, every home, every neighborhood.  

One Heart at a Time.

How has Kamp impacted you / your family?

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The New Kanakuk Website: Top Four Favorite Things…

If you haven’t gotten the chance to look around Kanakuk’s new website, you really should.  Not only will the bright pictures and streamlined headings catch your eyes, but several new features are just waiting for you to explore them!

I’d like to take you on a little tour of a few of these fabulous features—starting from the top of the website page, right down to the very bottom.

Here are 4 of my favorite features on the Kanakuk website:

1.  Starting at the top of the website page—“Summer Prep” is a wonderfully useful tab, where we’ve gathered all the information you will be looking for before your child heads to Kamp.  Have no fear “Summer Prep” is here…with individualized packing lists, transportation information, and even lodging and attraction options while you visit.  Click, click—easy, easy.

2.  Right below the big picture—“My Kanakuk” tab is your hub, your home base, your Sonic Happy Hour (okay, I’m stretching it a little).   “My Kanakuk” is the launch pad to your child’s everything Kamp-related:  Daily pictures, account information, health form, emails.   You’ll be able to access all of your family’s Kamp information with the click of this one button.

3.  In the middle of the website page—“Kanakuk Video Wall” is our chance to show you what Kamp is all about.  From inspirational to music to testimonials, these videos are packed full of Kanakuk tradition, excitement, and practical information.  Be sure to spend some time checking out these videos.  (Warning!  You may need a tissue or two…)

4.  At the bottom of the website page—Look for the envelope to find “Contact Kanakuk Kamps” information.  Picture this:  It’s June 4^th, and you have written your son his first Kamp letter.  But, WHAT WAS HIS ADDRESS???   Just click click, look for the envelope for easy access to each Kamp’s individual mailing address.   Ah, I love easy!

Those are my favorite new website features.  But, what are yours?

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Happy Valentine's Day from all of us at Kanakuk Kamps!

"We love because He first loved us." I John 4:19

Today is a day where people all over the world express their love for one another. The only reason we can love God or love anybody else is because God first loved us. And He showed that love by sending Jesus Christ to earth to die for you and me. He showed that love by creating you. He showed that love by everything you have in life; it's all a gift of God's love.

Our prayer is that you will trust in Him and proclaim the truth that"God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."  (John 3:16)

Download this image we created for you as your desktop photo to remind you of this amazing truth! 

GOD LOVES YOU.

Encourage others! Pin this!

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Roll out the Red Carpets, Get your Cameras Ready!

Can you hear it?  There’s a buzz humming through the Kanakuk hills.  Kanakuk Kamps is rolling out a brand new look this week—online, that is.  We think you’re going to love the changes you see!  From easier-to-access parent information to a more streamlined registration process, our brand new website has turned out a lot like many of the people who work behind the scenes around here:  friendly and engaging.

We think you’re going to like our new look.

Let’s explore some of the exciting details about our new website from a couple of the people who helped develop it.

First, let’s hear from Jay Holden, Marketing Director of Kanakuk Ministries:

Rebuilding a website the size and complexity of kanakuk.com is a big undertaking. Why did Kanakuk choose to make this change?

Cleaner platform, easier interaction.  We rebuilt kanakuk.com to provide Kamp families a cleaner platform to learn about our ministries, and make improvements to the tools families use to interact with us. Web technology develops quickly, and the new site is more flexible and faster to develop on. We are excited about the features we have provided--and the ones being developed later this Spring.

Quicker registration, easier access to photos and email.  The new website also leans heavily on the latest version of CircuiTree 5.0, camp and conference software provided by CircuiTree Solutions, a division of Kanakuk Ministries. CircuiTree is a powerful database-driven registration and camp management solution that Kanakuk has relied on for 15 years. Kanakuk parents are thankful for the ability to quickly register their children, and have access to photos and Kamper emails while their child is a Kamp.

It’s all about logistics.  Providing an Exciting Adventure in Christian Athletics for over 9000 children each summer is a lesson in logistics. Many Kampers take advantage of Kanakuk charter buses and airport shuttles to get to Kamp. The new website provides ways to register for those transportation options and communicate special requests and changes directly to the transportation department. Sharon Smith, Transportation Manager at Kanakuk Kamps, knows that parents appreciate the transportation functions. "Kamp parents will find tons of information about transportation options, and the new web tools will make it even easier to provide us all the important information we need to make all those connections!"

Next, we’ll hear from Jeff Schneider, Executive Director/CTO of CircuiTree Solutions:

Why did the Kanakuk registration process need to upgrade to CircuiTree 5.0?

Deeper connections.  Kanakuk's upgrade to CircuiTree 5.0 will provide parents, families, and administrative staff the ability to provide better service and a deeper connection to their Kampers during the summer. Kanakuk is a great partner, helping us bring the best camping management practices to many of the biggest camping organizations in the country.

You, yes you.  The last group of people who helped develop Kanakuk’s new website…is YOU, our Kamp families.  YOU’VE played a huge role in this enormous undertaking.  We’ve listened to your suggestions, and have tried to make this new website better and easier to use for YOU. 

So, now we’d love to hear from you!  What are your favorite things about Kanakuk’s new website?

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