Camp Susque
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Camp Susque is an ACA accredited nondenominational Christian summer camp and retreat facility located in Trout Run, Pennsylvania. For 60 years, Camp Susque has offered its unique programming to youth of all ages. It began when four men met together and came up with the idea of a ministry through camping, with planned goals, teaching inserted into daily camp life, and the purpose of evangelizing boys who did not attend church. The following goals/statements were agreed upon:
1. Only God can open a boy's heart.
2. In the presentation of the gospel, there should be no gimmicks, or pressure leading to a false decision.
3.Who God is, is of prime importance. (The application of what Jesus did, is when the Holy Spirit comes to the heart).
4. It should be independent of any church tie in order to have all boys attend. A location was rented, and the first camp was attended by 23 boys.
In 1949, incorporation papers were obtained in the name of Susque Boys' Club, Inc. In 1951 Camp Kline, where the first camp was held, became unavailable, so Bob Dittmar began looking for an alternative location. Land along Lycoming Creek was available and ideal, so the advisory board met, and agreed to purchase the land for $10,000. In 1953 the purchase was finalized, and the following summer, Camp Susque moved to its current location. Bob Dittmar and Bob Christenson designed a logo for the camp.
Attendance continued to grow, and the facilities continued to expand. As such, a girl's camp program was added, and the name changed to Camp Susque.2 The camp now has a pre-camp "Adventure Camp" for children grades 1-3 who aren't yet old enough to attend the regular week-long camp. Each year, there are three weeks of a boys only camp, followed by three weeks of girls only camp. Susque also offers two off-site "Adventure Treks", for teens 14-18. One, the "Adirondack Adventure" is a week long canoe trip in New York; it entails canoing each day to a different island, and camping there for the night. There is also a hike up Mount Ampersand in the middle of the week. The other trek involves a week of white water rafting, rock-climbing, and biking in West Virginia. A smaller four day trek is for girls only, and is an opportunity for "girls to grow deeper in their relationship with God, while walking the beautiful Loyalsock Trail in Northern PA".3
Camp Susque also houses and sponsors The Susque Academy. The academy is a semester long worldview studies program, primarily intended as an academic and spiritual formation 'gap year' for high school graduates previous to their enrollment in college or university. The curriculum consists of five core classes focusing on worldviews, apologetics, devotional classics, Biblical studies, and practical theology. The program goal is to ground students in Christian truth while exposing them to alternative truth-claims found in contemporary culture. Additional seminars provide a look at art, music, literature, science, ethics, politics, leadership, and personal discipline.
Camp Susque is not only a summer camp, but during the winter season it has three winter retreats. Youth from grade 6 to 8 take part in Frost, and grade 9 to 12 take part in Freeze, and college age and older take part in Blast.
[edit] References
1. Camp Susque Website Retrieved 2-15-07.
2. Camp Susque Website Retrieved 2-15-07.
3. Susque Registration Brochure - © 2007 Camp Susque, Inc.Retrieved 2-16-07
