Full lake surprises campers in Edmond
Canoeing added to activities thanks to recent rainfall

By Shane Granger

Published: July 31, 2007

EDMOND —A silver lining has appeared in the clouds that otherwise might have dampened the hopes of 120 teens attending the Philadelphia Church of God youth camp in north Edmond.

The camp, which features a variety of outdoor activities from archery to cycling, was able to add canoeing to the activities list, thanks to record rains that filled a long-dry, seven-acre lake on the Herbert W. Armstrong College campus. The camp has been at the college every summer for the past five years. The new lake took many return campers by surprise.

"I was totally shocked to see the lake,” said second-time camper Jesse Hester, 15, of Louisiana. "Last year it was dusty, with weeds in the bottom; really dry.”

Canoeing class turned out to be a hit with campers.

"It was a great experience,” Reinaldo Ramcharit, 18, said. "We learned how to rescue — something I've never done before. It was pretty fun.” Ramcharit, whose family just moved to the United States from Guyana, is one of several international campers this session. Others have traveled from Australia, Canada, England, South Africa and the Bahamas to attend the three-week camp that began July 11 and ends today.

In canoe class, campers learn canoeing basics: how to swamp their canoes, rescue themselves and run a tandem rescue in what they say is an educational team-building experience.

"It took a lot of communication,” said Jessie Chaney, 14, of Ohio. "If one person is paddling on the same side, you can flip over, and you don't want to be paddling against each other.”

Staffed by college faculty and students, the camp is sponsored by the Philadelphia Church of God. The camp not only teaches teens outdoor activities and sports, but also aims to help them develop the mind and spirit. Campers enjoy basketball, softball, archery, canoeing, cycling and four other sports, in addition to delivering speeches, learning ballroom dancing basics, organizing and hosting etiquette dinners, and attending leadership and Bible classes.

"PYC is a summer educational program designed to challenge, stimulate and encourage our youth to become balanced individuals,” camp director Wayne Turgeon said. "As Christians, we stress the importance of building godly character and developing the whole personality.”

The Philadelphia Church of God also operates youth camps in Australia and the Philippines.

Herbert W. Armstrong College is at 14400 S Bryant Ave., between Waterloo and Simmons roads. For more information, call 285-6000 or go to www.hwacollege.org.

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