“Camp Can Change Lives,” was printed last year on the back of every Lake Nixon staff and camper t-shirt. Hopefully you’ve seen them.

When our new Camp Director, Mike Simmons, first suggested using those words last spring I was hesitant. We were busy enough just figuring out how to have camp in the middle of a pandemic and after a year of no camp. Wouldn’t making it through the summer safely be enough of an achievement? “Camp Can Change Lives” is a big claim.

But Mike was right. Camp does change lives. Sometimes it’s spending extended time in God’s creation in an unfiltered way. Or meeting a counselor or lifeguard who really sees you and lights up when they greet you each morning. Or simply the chance to be a kid in an atmosphere that combines freedom and structure, challenge and support. 

Here’s what the parent of a 2021 “campership” recipient had to say:

“Lake Nixon was life changing for [our camper]. She had just finished a traumatic school year and was so nervous, that her hand trembled 24/7, she frequently melted down, and she had trouble sleeping. Within weeks at camp, her nervous system calmed, and she was sleeping again. Meltdowns ceased, and she was able to breathe again. This was the biggest blessing we could have ever asked for. . . . She [also] learned to swim!”

Your help is needed so that summers at Lake Nixon continue to change lives. Last year, Lake Nixon provided full or partial financial assistance to campers attending 73 weeks of camp. We want and need to do more. During this season of giving, you can help create a strong start to our 2021-22 Scholarship and Sustaining Campaign. Our goal is to raise $30,000 that will make camp possible for some campers and keep Lake Nixon financially accessible for many others. Your gift will make a real difference today.

Donate Today!

Gratefully,

Andy Black

Executive Director, Lake Nixon Outdoor Center

p.s. Camp can change lives. And you can, too!