Camp to Club: Lifeline

*A blog written by Scott Jones, Springdale Ozone Director

“EEEEEAGLE TAAAALES… WHAT WHAT WHAT”

“EEEEEAGLE TAAAALES… WHAT WHAT WHAT”

Almost every elementary school camper knows this phrase all too well. I’m sure they can all recite the call and response: Christ is our Lifeline so that we never hit…. “ROCK BOTTOM!” Indeed, the joy of Lifeline at Camp War Eagle is forever ingrained in our memory.  From the crazy characters on the Lifeline stage, to the hype of each song sung, to the ever-exciting and bouncy gymnastics mat, we undeniably LOVE it all!

But what if we told you that Lifeline is not just a summer worship service on the shores of Beaver Lake? What if we told you that what happens in the Gymnastics Center at CWE from June through August is just the beginning of something even more awesome? Here, at CWE 365, we look forward to the best Friday of the month, when Lifeline becomes a year-round reality. 

In September, we started exploring the Fruit of the Spirit. Peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and joy were the themes of the fall months. Who would have thought that Kindness and Goodness could be taught through "The Turkey Games," an extreme version of Thanksgiving themed Tribal Competition? The Turkey-Jerky and Gobbler tribes went head to head in a competition to ultimately learn more about our wonderful Good Shepherd, Jesus. Perhaps my favorite of the fall lifelines, however, was the skit performed in honor of the prodigal son. Somehow, the message of these bible stories becomes richer each time they are taught!

Looking forward, we have a semester to remember ahead of us.  Starting off with a BANG, January’s lifeline just might have had the biggest surprise yet: MISSION IMPOSSIBLE! There is no better way at Camp War Eagle to learn about the impossible mission of Joshua and the walls of Jericho than through the beloved tradition of Mission Impossible! God is faithfully miraculous, even now, as he was with his chosen people long ago.

One of our most exciting plans for the spring is Family Lifeline in April! We love welcoming parents and families to our last lifeline of the year, as it helps show our students the importance of a faith family. Celebrating a great year of lifeline in the style of CWE’s Red, White, and Blue is nothing short of AWESOME!

So join us for the final three lifelines of the 2015-2016 school year, as we dive into the Love, Self-Control, and Gentleness! There may even be some exciting and friendly competition coming up in February that your kids won’t want to miss. Lifeline is a reminder that God calls us all, young and old, to follow Him. So let’s do it together!

Behind the Lens: Streetfest

*written by Bethany Meyers |

Springdale Ozone Volunteer & CWE Photographer

    As a Camp War Eagle Photographer for Ozone activities. I get to see our events from a very unique perspective, so I was asked to talk about Streetfest from "behind the lens."

    What is Streefest? Streetfest is the coming together of Camp War Eagle’s Year-Round program, The Jones Center and Fellowship Bible Church to put on a fall-festival. It’s a time where families from all around the Springdale community are invited to come enjoy a night of games, prizes, dancing, CANDY and ultimately, fellowship with one another.

          

    One of the best parts of the night was the dance party. Kids, families, and many volunteers came together under the flood lights, next to the hay-bale-covered DJ stand. For most of the event, there was lots of laughter, dancing, and people breaking out of their comfort zones to have a good time. We love dancing at Camp War Eagle, but it was even more magical to see many different people come together for that same camp-like experience outside The Jones Center, in the middle of Springdale.

    A little over 1,500 people came out to the event. That many people on The Jones Center’s front lawn, along with all the games and inflatables, was an incredible sight to see. I was asked to capture the event in photos and I recorded some of the evening as well. The coolest thing about going through the footage later was noticing how excited all the kids were to be there and how much joy was exuding off of every face that I was able to catch on camera.

    Thank you to all the volunteers that came out to make sure the kids and families had the best time possible and thank you to Camp War Eagle Ozone, The Jones Center and Fellowship Bible Church for making Streetfest happen each year. It is a cherished community event that would cease to exist without your efforts, commitment and passion for serving Springdale families!

Beaver Lake Clean Up

*A blog written by Bonnie Black, the Rogers Ozone Director

Beaver Lake Clean Up is a community service event that involves the entire community of Northwest Arkansas. Every year, people from all four cities come together for the common purpose of cleaning up our beloved Beaver Lake. Beaver Lake has a special place in our hearts because camp is right on Beaver Lake. Camp is our second home, therefore we have a soft spot in our hearts for good ole Beaver.

Throughout the morning, we picked up trash, tires, and even found some animal bones. Families came together and worked hard for several hours. Beaver Lake Clean Up is such a great event because it provides an opportunity for families to serve the community together and for students to serve alongside their friends. Several parents claimed that it is their favorite event that we do every year. It is not just a great way to earn community service hours, but also a fun activity to so as a family.

Cedar Valdez, senior at Rogers High, came to the service event for the third time this year. This is Cedar’s last year to be involved as a student and is taking every chance that he can get to make the most of it. He has been to Beaver Lake Clean Up in the past, but said that this year is different. “This year, I was the oldest student. It felt good to have the responsibility to be a good example to the younger students, to show that community service is important,” Cedar explained. Cedar has grown to love his camp community over the years and is starting to realize how big of an impact his camp family has had. “It is so cool to see the outreach and effect Camp War Eagle has on so many different people.” Cedar also enjoyed the opportunity to serve with Scott Richards, CWE 365 Director. They picked up trash and caught up on life. Cedar has looked up to Scott for a long time and is thankful for influence that Scott has had in his life and other CWE 365 students. Cedar is sad that this is his last year as a student, but as he looks back, his gratitude for Camp increases.