DEER RUN SEEKS TO GATHER MOMENTUM AND TO GIVE BACK
by Jennifer Burns
On Sunday, October 7th, Deer Run Camps & Retreats held its first annual Gathering Momentum event on its grounds in Thompson’s Station. Coming off a summer which hosted more than 3000 campers, Deer Run is poised and hopeful for an even bigger group next year. Of those campers, nearly 300 received scholarships through Deer Run’s MISSION 42:1 Scholarship Program. The Gathering Momentum event sought to highlight how Deer Run is serving these campers and their families and how lives are transformed as a result of the program.
Deer Run stands on the foundation that kid’s lives are transformed while experiencing summer camp, and the MISSION 42:1 Scholarship Program seeks to build on that foundation by never turning a camper away due to an inability to pay. Thus, attendees at the Gathering Momentum event were given the “Deer Run” experience with the hopes they would be inspired to come alongside the camp to support their mission in changing lives. This unique camp immersion experience included everything from being assigned their own camp counselor, participating in camp games and enjoying Moon Piesâ and RC Colaâ at the Camp Canteen. Team building and working together was highlighted and the “champions,” as the attendees were called, also had the opportunity to hear personal testimonies from camper parents and scholarshipped campers as well as local organizations such as the Boys & Girls Club who have ongoing partnerships with Deer Run.
The day closed with reflections from camp staff and parents about what Deer Run has come to mean to them. Said one camper parent in her story of how camp changed her son’s life, “The counselors and staff weren’t just tolerating my son, they were truly loving him.” In a society where interpersonal contact is increasingly rare, Deer Run’s approach of removing distractions and discipling as they go is often just what kids need to truly relax, be kids and experience authentic community. It is Deer Run’s hope that through this Gathering Momentum event, even more kids will be able to experience the Deer Run way through the generosity of donations, the giving of time, and the offering of prayers. Says Emily Hastings, Community Relations Director for Deer Run, “We want to come alongside our champions and find out what it is they are passionate about. We want this to be about transformational giving and building relationships. The motivation to give, in whatever capacity that may be, has to come from within.”
The Gathering Momentum event leads right into Giving Tuesday on November 27th. Giving Tuesday is a global initiative that takes place annually on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, and seeks to highlight and support giving and philanthropy. This year, Deer Run is participating in this movement by gathering backpacks filled with necessities for the scholarshipped MISSION 42:1 summer campers. There are opportunities to purchase backpacks, supplies, or volunteer time. For more information on Deer Run’s Giving Tuesday initiative or to volunteer, contact Emily Hastings at EmilyH@DeerRun.camp or visit https://deerrun.camp/scholarship-giving.
