Campers Benefit For Third Year
Leadership 100 awarded the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Department of Youth and Young Adult Ministries Camping Ministry program $270,000, for the third successive year, distributed at $30,000 for the Direct Archdiocesan District and each Metropolis. The primary purpose of the grant is to enable Greek Orthodox youth who do not have the financial means to participate in a summer camp program, in addition to programming, supplies, transportation, and youth protection training and background checks for staff members. The program was in full swing around the nation in the summer of 2013, making it possible for more than numerous young people to attend camp programs.
Rev. Fr. Jason Roll, National Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries and Camping Ministries, thanked Leadership 100 and submitted the responses of each Direct Archdiocesan District and Metropolis Youth and Young Adult Ministries Director on the use of funds and compliance with Leadership 100 requirements.
Among the reports, the Direct Archdiocesan District, which operates Camp Saint Paul, had its most successful year to date with 600 campers, many receiving financial assistance, and produced a short video with the entirety of our camp lined up in a “L100” formation saying, “Thanks Leadership 100” posted on Facebook and Instagram. The Metropolis of Chicago stated that the significance of the Leadership 100 financial assistance at its Camp Fanari had tremendous value to those who would have not been able to attend camp. In addition, the support helped develop a love for camp and the relationships made there, leading many directly to Ionian Village and other Metropolis camps, as well as parish youth activities.
The Metropolis of Boston Camp said its scholarship program, including Leadership 100 financial assistance, benefits 200 campers a year with 100% of all the monies granted to the camp through the Camping Ministries support of Leadership 100 going for this sole purpose, while the Metropolis of Denver utilized Leadership 100 funding for both financial assistance, helping to keep registration fees lower, as well as for travel assistance given the large geographic size of the Metropolis.
The Metropolis of Atlanta experienced changes in staffing at Saint Stephen Summer Camp, while the Metropolis of Detroit, which operates Metropolis of Detroit Summer Camp, St. Timothy’s Summer Camp and St. Nicholas Camp, serving more than 500 young people, stated that the Leadership 100 grant provides a unique experience for campers, as well as the staff, and “is an investment in the present and future of our Orthodox Churches.”
The Metropolis of Pittsburgh said the cost of sending a child to camp has risen to a level that has made it difficult for many of our families to send a child or several children to Summer Camp. They rent the camp that they use, Camp Nazareth, requiring that they pay for each and every camper and staff member. In 2013, funds only went only towards financial-‐need based scholarships as they had so many requests.
The Metropolis of San Francisco, which was the first Metropolis in the Archdiocese to purchase its own retreat center, Saint Nicholas Ranch and Retreat Center in 1979, reorganized operations through its Metropolis Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministries. A new Board of Directors was created, along with a new Program Director and Management Team. More than 50 counselors were recruited. The changes met with a positive response from campers and their parents. Leadership 100 grant funds were used almost exclusively for scholarships serving a portion of some 303 campers.
Finally, the Metropolis of New Jersey reported that its Camp Good Shepherd saw increased need for financial assistance from a number of children's whose families were still suffering the effects from Hurricane Sandy. Leadership 100 grant monies allowed children to attend who may not otherwise have been able to, allowing them to have an adequate number of staff on site and enabling them to offer a registration price that was affordable to all families. A total of 280 campers participated.
