I volunteered for two weeks at Vanderkamp this summer and had an awesom experience. the staff is wam and gracious and the kids are wonderful!
I spent a weekend there and there is no doubt in my mind that every person there is deeply committed to providing an atmosphere for children to grow and be loved. It's honestly hard to imagine a more sincere place where the children, who often don't get the same level of love elsewhere, are nurtured so well.
I volunteered at Vanderkamp over the summer. I absolutely loved my experience there. Not only were the staff incredibly kind to me, they were constantly inspiring when interacting with the children there. They seemed to deeply care about what they were doing and were making the kids smile non-stop. It was obvious that the kids were having the times of their lives and that there was incredible, positive energy surging through the place. One thing I noticed that was particularly unique was the range of ages that were interacting. Unlike in many other places throughout life, kids were given a chance to encounter and be friends with people of any age! They were not constrained to their particular grade or intelligence, like sometimes in school, and everyone could embrace each other. One example of this paying off was when a younger child had hurt his foot and an older one offered to give him a piggy back ride. Another is when a 9 year old, 11 year old, and 14 year old all became close friends in a week.. They realized their particular ages do not matter and that its the loving relationship between them that does! I would recommend attending to anyone, whether it is through working, visiting, or camping.
When I came here as a guest, I was greeted with warm hospitality and care. The food was great, the staff was welcoming, and the facility was very well maintained. It was the middle of the winter, but there were snow-blown paths between all the cabins and the beautiful historical buildings were a lot warmer than I thought they'd be! Highly recommended for anyone who would go as a retreat guest!
As a camper for many summers, I formed incredible relationships both with fellow campers and staff, gained a foundation for my faith to be built on, ate great food, stayed in great lodging and had an absolute blast with all of the camp activities (hiking, swimming, canoeing, field games, sailing, campfires, you name it!). As a volunteer and staff member, I was given the incredible opportunity to facilitate all of the same experiences for my campers that I had when I was young. I led devotions, which although geared to children, challenged me in my relationship with God, too. I changed and grew with every summer I spent at Vanderkamp. It is a beautiful, life changing place with staff who seem to always be seeking to better the ministry and services that are provided.
I have had nothing but a positive experience from my time working with and for Vanderkamp. It is a great center with lots of hope and promise for all who attend. The beauty of the property is one that cannot be matched. I love getting up to the site early just to go for a hike around the lake.