Kanakuk Health Centers

K-Kountry Health Center

K-1 Health Center

Collectively, Kanakuk staff and Kampers spend more than 123,000 "days" at Kamp during the summer! Those days are packed with dozens of activities and fun adventures indoors and out. Tremendous importance is placed on safety and healthy spiritual and physical habits. But, with all the excitement comes regular health needs of Kampers, the normal scrapes and bruises, and the occasional activity related injury. Each Kanakuk Kamp maintains and staffs a health center with compensated RN's, volunteer nurse helper moms, and volunteer physicians. These health centers, their equipment, policies and staff are managed year-round by a Kanakuk employed Health Services Director. Kanakuk families help us keep their Kampers healthy and our Health Centers running efficiently by completing health information during the enrollment process and updating us on any changes. Our health center staff understand their care provides everyone a chance to enjoy Kamp to the fullest! We are all very thankful for their service and dedication.


- Living the dream at the happiest place on earth! - Ashley

Hope from Heartache

“Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well: keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” James 2:14-17 NIV



When tornadoes came through Joplin a little over a week ago many Kanakuk families were affected. With Kamp in the midst of “work-week,” it just made sense to pack up some staff and head to Joplin to help. So yesterday, we loaded 150 K-Kountry staff into 4 buses, 3 vans, and a truck with everything we would need to try to bring the love of Christ to a place that had lost a lot of hope.



Nothing could’ve prepared us for the day ahead. Volunteering with Samaritans Purse we were quickly put to work with families in need. The sight of the destruction at these homes was unimaginable. Walking down the streets, everywhere you turn you find Legos mixed with tree limbs, house siding intertwined with stuffed animals and cars filled with mud from the whipping winds.

Despite all the destruction, the Lord’s hand was obvious in the smiles on the victim’s faces, in the encouragement they gave the staff and in the love they showed each of us. It was our desire to be Christ’s hands and feet to show His love to individuals One Heart at a Time and our staff did an exceptional job.

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2011 Kanakuk Summer Theme Announcement

Key Theme Verse: James 1:22 - “prove yourselves doers of the word”

Kanakuk Kamps Mission: Developing dynamic Christian leaders through life-changing experiences, Godly relationships, and spiritual training.

The goal of the 2011 summer theme: That all Kampers would take home spiritual principles from James and apply them to their spiritual walk.

Check out the Theme announcement video HERE.


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Kanakuk Kamp K-Kountry arrival of Term 2 (7day)

Kanakuk has already welcomed their second term of Kampers this summer!! Here is their arrival at K-Kountry yesterday!

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How do you pronounce "Hallelujah"?

Laura Lee and Callie share God's gift of laughter. See video below to accept the gift for yourself.

Wheww! It has been crazy-busy and to get a break from the hectic days and focus on my family I haven't taken my computer home for the past few weeks. That's cutting down on the posts. I so appreciate ALL my readers. Thanks for your candor and your encouragement. During the winter months you'll definitely get a mixed bag of posts here.

Here are the things that are coming up with Kanakuk from my vantage point:

The new kanakuk.com is coming! I know I've been saying that:-) It has turned out to be a real challenge to give you something radically different. We are getting closer to having it done and readers of this blog will be the first to know when it's ready for a test drive.

I'm collecting three amazing stories to share with you:

• A young Kamper who came to Kanakuk for the fun but left with so much more. We captured highlights from her whole term. I think she even figured out how to say "Hallelujah"! (See Video teaser)

• A mom made a flippant decision over 20 years ago to attend a Kanakuk Movie Night with a friend. That moment has changed her family forever and now she wants to share it all with you. (Hot of the phone lines last night!)

• Normally a fatal blow to a Kanakuk counselor's summer, an emergency appendectomy couldn't stop Jenny from following God's plan. The outcome surprised even her as she witnessed God's hand at work.(Video to come! Thanks BHill.)

During the summer months there will be much more specific about Kanakuk happenings here at Inside Kanakuk, but I'm looking out ahead at the horizon and there will be much to share between now and Summer 2009! Check out the blogs on the right for different little windows into the Kanakuk family.

Look at the heart.

Have a great day!

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2009 Summer Camps at Kanakuk

Graphics for Display booth being used at Men at the Cross events

Next years terms are filling up faster than we thought they would. I'll post some of the stats below, but first a quick reflection on summer 2008.

It's crazy how time flies during the summer. I've been at Kanakuk Kamps for 8 years and every summer goes by faster than the last. Here in the marketing department we are in charge of making sure the photos get taken, posted to the web, and printed, video footage captured and edited, and collect new material for the upcoming year of telling the Kanakuk story.

This summer we had an intern, Adam McClure, from UGA. He was huge fun to have around and a great asset to our team. He had a hand in making sure that photos of kamper's were approved and posted to the website. He was also plugged in to the program at K-1. He stayed there and served in ways I'm sure I don't even know. Thanks Adam for hanging with us and making it a great summer.

My last Facebook message from Adam indicated that he was coming back next summer in some capacity. We love having staff back year after year. They come back, not because of the accomodations, not because of the huge paycheck :-), but because of the community of Christians that is created here. There is so much opportunity for Spiritual growth, for serving God through giving their time and hearts to the Kampers and other staff. In different ways those are some of the things that bring Kampers back too.

During the summer months, enrollment for the following summer usually hovers in the single digits and doesn't really take a big jump until people have had time to get home, get back into the school routines, and begin planning out the coming year. All of us are planning our lives in much shorter spurts and that means summer camp plans too. I know last year my wife and I waited until after Christmas to enroll our kids in Kamp and almost didn't get them in.

This year with some of the changes that Kanakuk has made the enrollment numbers are up considerably for this time of year. That means that some terms are full already. I know that heart of all our Director's yearns for the chance to see the same kids come back next summer. In many cases this is happening. Here are the numbers from today.

2008 Kampers enrolled for 2009: over all 18%, the highest Kamp is K-Kountry at 52%, then K-West at 21%, K-1 at 20%, etc.

Total enrollment is sitting at 23% of next year's available spots with more than 9 months to go!

We are headed towards a return rate of greater than 63%. That's going to make the Director's happy and a lot of kids too. I'm mainly sharing this information for our returning Kamp Families so that they can work now to get enrolled so they don't end up , not getting the spot they want.

More information about the other changes Kanakuk is making will be coming soon to your mail box.


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Promises

Rainbow over Kanakuk from the gate of Grant* Holcomb's Farm.

Yesterday I made a to do list, promises to myself that I couldn't keep. In contrast...

God said, Genesis 9:13-15 (New American Standard Bible)

13I set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth.

14"It shall come about, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow will be seen in the cloud,

15and I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and never again shall the water become a flood to destroy all flesh.

Tomorrow is "change over" day at Kanakuk. The last term of 13-day Kampers are packing their trunks and fighting over which seat they get in the car on the way here. It's rained nearly every change over day and lots of days in between :-) It's been a wet summer.

On my way to work this morning as I pulled out of my driveway about 9 minutes from K-1 and K-Kountry I could see this rainbow (sorry for the bad picture, laptop cam). I thought about all I have to do today and the poor performance of yesterday. The overwhelming nature of the Fall months to come. About the "rain" that seemed seems to be flooding in at the moment.

It might have been a wet summer, but as I drove the windy road, getting my bearings, I could tell that rainbow sat right over the Branson Kamps including my office. I took it as a promise of a dry arrival for Kampers tomorrow and no more than I can handle today at work.

Are you struggling today, overwhelmed, wondering when the next rain is going to pummel you? Be encouraged, as I have been, that the promises of God control this Earth and all that is in it. That's you and me friends. Fear not the rain. Thanks for the prayers for Kanakuk. Pray today especially for the Staff, they are incredible, dedicated to service. They are relying on the promise too.

My "To Do" list for today:

1. Blog Post
2. Finish Cleaning My Desk
3. Meet with Kanakuk Ministries Board Member Tony C.
4. Fax the confidentiality agreement to BroadRamp
5. Finalize the concept for the Kanakuk Display booth
6. Write content for the "The Story", "The Kamps", "The People", and "The Impact" pages of the new website

Whew...that's enough. Just typing that list I think I felt a drop of rain in my office. I may not get it all done and guess what, it's OK. It's more important that I surrender it all to God. He knows what of that he wants done today, it's His work to do through me. What a relief.

I have two blog post ideas going for tomorrow. Talking about the new website. Or defining the word "connectersationalism". Which would you prefer talking about? Something else maybe?

Now Playing: Out Of The Woods by Nickel Creek

*Grant Holcomb lives a couple of miles from my house and runs a Bobcat, excavation service in addition to his farm work. He's pushed some dirt at my house.

Update: Meeting with Tony C. moved to K-Kauai (lose 30 minutes), not having to finish my desk (gain back 15 minutes). Coffee with JGM (gain back 15 minutes)

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Lake Shore Drive Bridge Update - It's Open!

This morning the bridge looked like this. More like a bridge but still clearly under construction. I had a meeting with Doug at Starbucks in downtown Branson, so at 11:00 I made what would turnout to be one last trek around the detour. By late this afternoon the bridge was open and looked like this.

County Commissioner, Danny Strahan, who oversees road issues came by the office to officially let us know that the bridge was open. He said it was a 90 day project that was completed in just 27 days! It obviously didn't just magically appear there. Some serious hard work and sweat went into getting it done. Many thanks to everyone involved throughout Taney County.

K-1 parents coming to closing ceremonies next week will get to enjoy the new bridge. We sure do thank all our parents who patiently and graciously came the "long way" around to pick up their children!

It's been a great summer already. So many Kampers have put down deep spiritual roots and left a legacy in the hearts of the Directors and counselors. What a privilege it is for us to share just a little time with your children.

Earlier I met with Collin Sparks, the K-Kountry Assistant Director. He's already planning for the winter and thinking about the best ways to stay connected with all his new friends. It's obvious he's pouring out every ounce of energy to make this summer life-changing for every Kamper. Thanks Collin for loving on our kids.

I just met with JGM about innovation, man I love working with that guy, he super creative! I've never met someone with his spreadsheet skills who loves to think big picture, and out of the box like he does. It's really fun and I'm blessed.



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"ChockTalk"

At many of the Kanakuk Kamps, Kampers are placed into tribes for competitions. The two boy tribes are Cherokee & Choctaw. The two girl's tribes are Kiowa & Kickapoo. Our first son, went to Kamp and was put in the Cherokee tribe, and then our our second son was a Cherokee and so our third boy when he's old enough to go will be a Cherokee. Then their sons will be Cherokees and on and on. Our daughter Hannah, attended Kamp third term and she is a Kickapoo.

I was riding to lunch with her yesterday on a "Daddy date" and she was telling me all about her time at Kamp. It sure is fun to get a 7 year old's perspective on the Kamp experience. She was telling me about all the funny skit characters at Kamp, about "The Man" who stole the Bumble Bee on the Spy Party day, and then about the first day of tribal competitions. The boy tribe, the Choctaws, were a focus of the stories. And throughout she was calling them the "Chocktalks". I said, "You mean Choctaws?" "No Dad. ChockTALKS!" I stand corrected. But, most importantly I realized that even to a 7 year old, Kamp is about having an experience that begins your independence. Right or not she has taken ownership of that 13 day period of her life. She stood her ground. I like that. Now over the course of the next year her brothers and I will say "Choctaw" and by next summer she will be too.

She might not fully understand God right now either, she has prayed the sinner's prayer and I have seen an increase in sensitivity to spiritual things, but it's still a little fuzzy. That's how we all are. When we believe in Christ, there is a radical, complete, and eternal change of our hearts but the day to day, Christian life is a transformational process . Us understanding God and God transforming us. We'll do the best we can to help things into focus, to back-up the Holy Spirit's work in her life. If you are around Hannah can you show her what you know about Jesus?


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Lake Taneycomo in the news

Kanakuk Kamps, K-1 and K-Kountry, and the K-Kauai Family Kamp are all situated on the banks of Lake Taneycomo across from downtown Branson, Missouri. News outlets in the region are reporting on Lake Taneycomo being flooded in the Branson area, describing evacuations, etc. This is all true and many of our friends on the other side of the lake are underwater again! Local emergency services including the American Red Cross are responding to their needs even as I write.

I thought I would describe for people, the best I can how our Branson Kamps are positioned on the Lake.

As you may know Lake Taneycomo was once the White River and downtown Branson sits on the inside of a big meander of that old river. As the White River cut it's way through this area it left tall cliffs on the outside of the meander. Our Kamps are on the cliff side of the Lake and take advantage of about a 300-400 foot wide "bottoms" area perfect for sports fields and lake activities. All Kamp buildings; cabins, pools, dining halls, chapels, etc. are perched some 75-150 feet above on the high ground.




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Washed out Bridge near K1 leaves Kamp activities up and running

After a long rainy season in 2008, and a steady rainy most of the night Branson is wet! Flash flooding occurred throughout the area over night and into the morning today. The county bridge on Lake Shore Drive that goes over the little arm of lake Taneycomo (The "Slew" if you are a Kamp person) between K-Kountry and K-1 was washed out. This is the washed out bridge on the hairpin turn in Branson, Missouri on Lake Shore Drive.


Kanakuk Kamps President, Joe White wrote a quick note to K-1 parents letting them know what happened and that Kamp activities are going on like normal. Here is that letter:

"The K1 summer continues to be blessed, joyful and literally filled with stories of happy Kampers and fulfilled lives that I am sure will be told for a lifetime. We had and interesting event last night when the Lake Shore Drive bridge between K1 and K-Kountry washed out. As you know, it is a small two lane bridge approximately 25 feet long. No one was on the bridge when it washed out. Normal Kamp activities are uninterrupted. The kids were all asleep and were not even aware of the bridge situation. There is no change in any Kamp activities or schedule. All of our facilities are unaffected. When we have a heavy rain, we are always thankful we live on a hill! By the grace of God in 83 years of operation Kamp has never had an interruption of any kind, due to inclement weather. The only inconvenience will be a 5 -8 minute traffic detour when you drive to K1 for closing ceremonies. K-Kountry and K-Kauai traffic will proceed as usual. As I write, I am at K1 and the kids are playing games and having the time of their life. Thank you for entrusting us with your precious children. Again, by God's grace, this has been and will always be the safest place for a child on earth."

Other Kamp staff I talked to were working with County officials to determine traffic rerouting needs and coordinating getting signs made, etc. We have a great team in place to make sure the Kampers are safe and having a great time. While the bridge is close to the Kamp the affect to daily operations is very minimal.

My daughter is at K-Kountry right now and I haven't talked to the Director. I'm sure he's creating a rainy day adventure for all the kids and it will be a day they never forget. It will be interesting to talk to her when she gets home to see if she even knows what happened.

Check back here often for updates. As I get details I will post them here.

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