Pastor Mark's CAMP ADVENTURES

Hey...what's up? I'm Mark Radloff (that's me wearing the tie) and I am the Director of Lutheran Outdoor Ministries-IK--overseeing things at Lutheran Hills, Lutherwald and Lake Luther. I love what I do because it has me doing something different most every day... This friend of mine from California calls me and says I should start a "blog." At first I say "FORGET IT!" But he goes on to tell me all the ways it would benefit LOM-IK if I kept track of interesting things that happen in and around camp. He talked me into it, so here goes...

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5.1108
Young Philanthropist Makes Reading Camp Donation

Allie Horton recently raised $620 and 430 books for Lutheran Hills and its Reading Camp program. Allie, a member of Servants of Christ Lutheran Church in Indianapolis, took on this project because of love of Lutheran Hills and a desire to help other kids. Thank you, Allie... Way to go!

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5.3.08
Join Hands Day

"Join Hands Day," sponsored by Thrivent, took place at Lutherwald (April 26) and Lake Luther (May 3) with over 60 volunteers participating. These are volunteer work Saturdays held each spring. This year volunteers split firewood, spread mulch, built a new swimming platform at Lake Luther and helped finish up a new cabin at Lutherwald. Thrivent provided $1,000 for materials and meals.

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4.21.08
Staff Alumni Champions

Dave Thurman and Sheryl Foust Whiteman (camp staff alums from the 1980s) are the lead organizers of upcoming STAFF ALUMNI EVENTS at all 3 camps this summer. The first kicks off at Lutherwald (July 12-13) at the annual Hog Roast BBQ weekend, the second at Lake Luther (July 25-27), then Lutheran Hills (August 1-3). Check out details on our "Alumni Listing" page.

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4.19.08
New Ironwood Cabin at Lutheran Hills

As the summer approaches, we're rushing to complete Ironwood for the start of camp. It's the 7th cabin we've replaced at LH since 2002. Repalcing our 8th and final cabin (Black Oak) will be underway this fall.

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4.6.08
Luther Road Planning Meetings Begin

April is the month I travel and visit churches that sponsor a Luther Road Day Camp week. Here's the local planning team from Hope Lutheran Church in Frankfort KY. Luther Road teams travel to 11 churches in 2008 and run week-long day camps for over 400 kids.

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3.17.08
Q: Who Are These Characters--and What Are They Doing?

A: Sean Willman & Anna (a.k.a. Tula) Florent, 2 of our 7 summer program directors. Home from college on spring break, Sean and Anna spent time at camp getting ready for the summer. Here they are hard at work putting a spring mailing together. They also got the camp store ready and helped remove two fallen trees.

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3.3.08
FAITHFUL FUTURE Appeal Kickoff

Members of the Indiana-Kentucky Synod Outdoor Ministry Committee gathered to officially kickoff an effort to raise $500,000 for the LOMIK Endowment. FAITHFUL FUTURE will establish funds for each camp to keep up the property, keep fees low, develop new programs and provide camper scholarship. This is exciting stuff...stay tuned!

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2.23.08
Toboggan Retreat Has Perfect Weather

Lake Luther's Middle School Toboggan Retreat (cancelled last year due to ice storm) had cold, clear weather. We go to nearby Pokagon State Park for a Saturday night on their refrigerated toboggan run. Next year's date: Satuday afternoon through Sunday morning, February 28-March 1.

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2.19.08
READING CAMP Gears Up

Reading Camp aims to help kids (entering 4th & 5th grade) read at a proficient level. Volunteer teachers are needed to help at Lutheran Hills (July 6-11) and Lutheran Hills (July 13-18). Contact Cleo Swager at 260.456-3168. Thanks to Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, its a free program.

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2.14..08
Comedian Scott Gregory at Lake Luther Fest 2008

Christian comedian Scott Gregory contacted me the other day to say he's taking the Lake Luther Fest Comedy Stage on July 26th! Lake Luther Fest is a weekend for youth groups and families. Its free! So come on up for the day or the entire weekend!

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2.11.08
Luther Road's 2008 Theme: "Power Lab"

From South Bend IN to Lexington KY, LOMIK's Traveling Day Camp Team will travel to 11 congregations this summer. We call this program "Luther Road" and our college-age staff conducts a VBS program in the morning and camp activities in the afternoon. This is the 8th summer we've been on the road helping IK Synod congregations.

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1.31.08
LF Team Checks Out New Cabins at Lutherwald

The Lutheran Foundation of Ft. Wayne is helping fund the cabin replacement project at Lutherwald. LF representatives (Gene, Marcia and Art) stopped by for a visit to see the progress. The first two cabins (Ephesus and Damascus) were completed this past summer. Cabin #3 will be ready for the 2008 summer. Thank you, Lutheran Foundation!

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1.23.08
New Program in 2008: Cheer Camp

Members of the Fremont High School Varsity Cheerleading Squad pose for a picture following an Eagle win. They will be running a fun program for girls (entering grades 4-7) at Lake Luther, June 8-13. These girls are special to me--and one is my daughter. Can you guess which one?

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1.15.08
A Visit With My Old Boss

Another stop on my "Carolina Adventure" was a visit with Bishop Ralph & Mary Kempski in Aiken, SC. They live in a beautiful home in a golf course community and stay plenty active. Bishop Kempski agreed to be the "Honorary Chairman" of our upcoming FAITHFUL FUTURE appeal. I found both he and Mary loving retirement and in good spirits and health.
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1.14.08
Everybody Loves Larry!

Since I was in the neighborhood, I stopped in for a visit with one of my all-time favorites. After 10 years with Lutherwald, Larry & Margie Hamrick left for South Carolina in 2006 to manage Camp Kinard, a Lutheran camp in Leesville SC. In typical Larry fashion, when I pulled out my camera, he grabbed a football from a nearby shelf and struck a pose.

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1.14.08
Mike Ward Helps Organize FAITHFUL FUTURE Appeal

I drove down to Asheville NC to get some advice from an old friend. Pastor Mike Ward is a fundraiser with two camps in North Carolina--Lutheridge and Lutherock. I have known Mike since he worked at camp during college. (He even met his wife, Hannah, at camp). We spent much of the day planning for our upcoming FAITHFUL FUTURE appeal to raise endowment money for our camps.

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1.3.08
Summer Staff Reunion at Lutherwald

About 16 members of the 2007 summer camp staff spent a couple of days together hanging out, eating pizza and playing "Guitar Hero" and "Rock Band." Pictured here is Sam, Dom, Karl and Jessica playing while the rest of the staff puts together the 2008 summer brochure mailing that goes out January 7th.

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1.1.08
Storm Drops 12" of Snow at Lake Luther

Happy New Year! Here's what it looked like when a foot of snow fell and drifted on January 1st. I live in the residence at the front of the camp at Lake Luther. After a big snowstorm things really grind to a halt for a day or two. It's great!

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12.27.07
Work Underway at Lutherwald Camp Store.

The new additon to Hanes Lodge (our main lodge building) gave us a new camp store. It looks like a log cabin inside. Here we are mounting an old camp canoe (we split it in half) to the wall. Once we put a table-top on the canoe, it will serve as a display table. Other ideas we have for the store: pine trees, stuffed animal heads (fake ones, of course) and an electric train that will run on an overhead track around the store.

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12.17.07
Invite Allie & Sam To Your Church

Allie Burbrink (left) and Samantha Herrin are our PR Team in 2008. They'll travel to as many churches as give them invites on Sunday mornings with camp music and the message "COME TO CAMP." If you'd like them to come to your church contact Allie at (812) 371-1439.

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  12.14.07
This morning a guy walks into my office and gives me $50,000.

No kidding! The guy is Dale Oelker (right), regional manager for Thrivent's Indiana and Kentucky area. This is a big deal, so I go down the hall and get the Bishop (Jim Stuck) and take this picture. The money is the "kickoff" for the FAITHFUL FUTURE appeal--a campaign we'll run in 2008-09 to raise a $500,000 dollars for each camp to have an ENDOWMENT (a bucket of money that never goes empty.) Thanks, Thrivent!

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