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CAMP UPDATES
Camp Auction
We had a VERY successful auction this April! Between the live, silent, and online auction, we made almost exactly $14,000 for Camp Mardela! We are thrilled with this outcome, as this was our fundraising goal for this event. A BIG thank you to Alan Hutchison for volunteering his time to conduct the auction, the Thursday men for helping move and distribute items, the Easton women for helping sort and display the items, Amy Hutchison and crew for providing food, and the many other volunteers who made this possible.
Easter SON-rise Service
On Easter morning, April 9th, Denton COB, Ridgely COB, and Easton COB presented an Easter SON-rise service for the community to enjoy. We had between 30-40 people come for the service and for breakfast. It was a blessing to see this tradition return to Camp Mardela, and hope to continue it in future years. Thanks to Meghan Knight, Ken George, and Jody Gunn and the many other church volunteers who helped make this event possible.
Yard Sale & BBQ Chicken
On April 22nd we had a Yard Sale & BBQ Chicken Sandwich sale. We made about $2,200, and many new people came through this event. Of the roughly 200 people who came, nearly 60% of them were new to Camp Mardela! This was a great fundraiser AND community event! A big thank you to Amy & Paul Hutchison, Judy & Bob Musch, Jane Marshall, Anne Harvey, and all the others for making this possible.
Chick-fil-a Spirit Night
On May 1st we started the month at the Seaford Chick-fil-a for a "spirit night" where $1 from each purchase between 5pm-8pm was donated back to Camp Mardela. We had several supporters dine-in, and many more in the drive-thru. There were also many others who learned about camp for the first time through this event as well! We raised $380.00 through this fundraiser! We hope to host more restaurant fundraisers like this. Thanks to Sara Potvin and the Fundraising Committee for making this possible.
Camp Clean-Up Day
On May 13th many came to help clean and prepare camp for summer! We had 40-50 volunteers come throughout the course of the day. Many were from the local Brethren churches, helping clean their designated areas. We had some young volunteers help clean up the peace pole and rock garden, and a local Boy Scout troop came and help with grounds maintenance! Thank you to everyone who came out to support camp with your service.
Camp Appreciation Day
On May 21st, we celebrated camp's birthday at Camp Appreciation Day! The day's festivities included a free meal, Volunteer Awards presented to Amy Hutchison and Jim Lohr, Camp Mardela singing, birthday games, a concert by the Delmarva Ramblers, and a campfire. We had historical displays and a Camp Mardela trivia challenge as well. We all left camp with a deeper appreciation for its history, the people who made it possible, and all the ways Camp Mardela will continue to grow. Thanks to the Anniversary Committee who helped plan this event.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Staff & Volunteer Training
If you plan to help with summer camp, don't miss these training days! These are key in keeping you up-to-date on policies and procedures to keep programs safe, consistent, and fun! Dates are:
June 18th - 2pm-5pm (New & Return - In-person & ZOOM)
June 22nd - 6pm-8pm (Return - ZOOM Only)
June 23rd - 6pm-9pm (New - In-person Only)
June 23rd-24th - 5pm-5pm (C.I.T & Resource - In-Person Only)
If you are are unable to make training, please contact the camp office.
Online training module alternative available for returning volunteers.
Camp Clean-Up Day
There is no greater joy than serving together in community, and many hands make light work! Help us clean-up after summer camp and prepare for the fall season at camp. We will have a lot of work to do after a summer full of campers. Examples of work to be done:
Cleaning cabins
Organizing program supplies
Grounds maintenance
Litter pick-up
Lost-and-found collection
Prepping archive materials for Family Camp
Anyone is welcome to come for these service days, and students can earn service learning hours! Lunch will be provided at noon for all volunteers.
Save The Dates
Friday-Sunday, September 1st-3rd - Family Camp
Saturday, September 16th - 4pm-7pm - Camp Supper
Saturday, November 18th, 9am-5pm - Fall Service Day
Saturday, December 9th & 16th, 5pm-8pm - Sights & Sounds of Christmas
SUMMER CAMP
Discounts
Prices for summer camp vary depending on the type of discount and/or scholarship needed for registration. Visit www.campmardela.org/post/discounts-for-camp for a more in-depth explanation on how to take advantage of these discounts.
Bring a Friend - 10% off
Church Pays Half - 50% off
Scholarship - varies
Cabin Counselors Needed!
We are in need of 15-20 male and female cabin counselors for several weeks of camp. If you have ever wanted to spend a week at camp and help make memories for a lifetime with the best campers on the Eastern Shore, now is your chance! Contact campmardela@gmail.com to express your interest, and we will see where we can fit you in!
PROJECTS
Krabill Hall Progress
We have made some more progress on our Krabill Hall improvements, but we still need to raise funds for the rest of this project. We have currently raised about $8,000 of our $50,000 fundraising goal - that's 16% of our total goal We are seeking additional donors! This is our timeline for Krabill Hall's improvements:
DONE - April 15th - Dishwasher & Plumbing ($5,000)
We started installing the donated dishwasher. We just need to redo the floor, install a water heater, and upgrade the plumbing.
DONE - June 15th - Refrigerator Upgrades ($5,000)
September 15th - Insulation and Weatherproofing ($10,000)
December 15th - Heat & AC Unit Installation ($30,000)
Mini Grant
We are finalizing the last details for a $5,000 mini-grant to do some re-planting of native plants in the main camp area that was effected by the storm of 2022. As part of this, we are trying to establish paths, so we know where we can plant that will not effect typical driving and walking paths. We hope to find out about funding and begin working on this project in the fall.
Other Camp Improvements
We've been hard at work on many projects around Camp Mardela! Here are just a few of the projects we have completed since the last newsletter:
Refreshed Peace Pole
Replaced Admin House porch poles
Installed dish washer
Wood Cutting
We are always looking for more volunteers. Join us on Thursdays from 9am-3pm or on scheduled service days to help us with maintenance projects around camp
OTHER CAMP NEWS
Rentals
Our rental groups have DOUBLED since 2021 and we're already reserving for 2024! Our primary ministry is our camp programs, but in addition to our fundraisers, our rental income helps to support our programs and projects at camp. Camp can be used for family reunions, business retreats, weddings, birthday parties, church events, etc. Dates are getting reserved quickly. If you are interested in renting camp for your event, visit www.campmardela.org/rentals.
Camp Sharing
Would you like Camp Mardela to come to your church, school, or group to share about our ministry and ways you can support? We would be happy to visit you or send you a video presentation to show in your church to help spread the word about camp! Schedule a time for camp to present at https://calendly.com/campmardela/campsharing.
Support Camp
Camp Mardela is largely sustained by the generous contributions from donors. If you are interested in supporting the ministry of Camp Mardela, send a donation to P.O. Box 460, Denton, MD 21629, or online at www.campmardela.org/product-page/donation. Any and all contributions are greatly appreciated.