Any assistance in distributing the letter and article below would be much appreciated. My “target market” is local atheist/humanist newsletters, but I’d welcome any distribution method that would be likely to place information about the camp in front of freethinking eyes.
Many thanks!
***
Greetings!
I’m the chair of promotions for Camp Quest, a summer camp specifically designed for the children of atheists, freethinkers, humanists, and others that reject a supernatural worldview. Camp Quest Classic just celebrated its 11th year of operation.
Though camp is over for this season, we’ve been brainstorming ideas to raise awareness of the six Camp Quests that operate throughout the country. One area we’d like to focus on in the coming months is reaching the members of the many free-thought organizations throughout the country.
As a starting point, one of our former campers and current staff members wrote a human interest-type piece about her camp experiences. If your organization has a regular newsletter and this piece would fit well within its format, we’d very much appreciate the article’s inclusion. Additionally, if you have ideas for reaching memberships similar to yours, we’d greatly appreciate the suggestions.
Thank you very much for your assistance.
www.camp-quest.org
***
Camp Quest: It’s Beyond Belief
By Livia Edwords, 22, biology major, former camper, and current staff member
I spent a week of my summer at the greatest camp on earth. Camp Quest this year was fantastic, and I'm so disappointed it's over already. This was my third year as a staff member, but I've been going to the camp as a camper since I was about 12, so I’ve been at camp for nine years total!
For those of you who aren't familiar with the program, "Camp Quest is the first residential summer camp in the history of the United States for the children of Atheists, Freethinkers, Humanists, Brights, or whatever other terms might be applied to those who hold to a naturalistic, not supernatural world view". In a country where most of the people are religious, it’s often difficult for children of secular families to express their beliefs, out of fear of being ostracized. Camp Quest is a safe haven for these kids, where they can discuss their thoughts without being called a "devil worshipper".
Campers learn about famous atheists and freethinkers in history, such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, Albert Einstein, Charles Darwin, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, as well as more modern figures like Yoko Ono and John Lennon, Ted Turner, Lance Armstrong, and Christopher Reeve. These are just a few of the people that my dad, Fred Edwords, tells the kids about during mealtimes, all to emphasize the fact that good, moral people that are freethinkers can do great things, and our kids are not alone in their views.
Of course, we do normal camp stuff too. This year, the entire camp spent a day canoeing through gorgeous scenery down the Little Miami River. We also went horseback riding, my personal favorite. Campers have the opportunity to rock climb, try archery, and hike. We also go swimming every day. It was especially fun this year because the shower area was refurbished to look like a water park. Fountains, sprinklers, and colorful buckets that dump water on you do a lot to take your mind off of how cold that first dive in the pool will be!
If you can’t tell, I love it there. This year I was a counselor in the cabin for 13-17 year old campers. I also hosted our annual Talent Night, and during activity time I teach drama to the kids. Activities are a time when campers can get to know staff members that aren’t necessarily their cabin counselors. They can tie die or create other arts and crafts to mold their artistic side. They can learn about the weather, and practice their future job as a TV weatherperson by doing a forecast for the next day. They can play sports, learn about biology, or have a grand battle with foam swords!
There are way too many activities at Camp Quest to possibly name here, and even if I tried, I still wouldn’t do it justice. At camp, so many of us feel connected to a community that doesn’t seem to exist where we live, and I believe this is why so many of us return year after year. We feel safe here, we have friends here, and you only need try us out to become a part of our family!
***
Camp Quest Classic is held annually in southwestern Ohio. Other Camp Quests are located around the country in Tennessee, California, Minnesota, Ontario, and Michigan.
Want more information about Camp Quest? Visit our web site at www.camp-quest.org to request more information or view camp pictures.
***
