A unique camp full of adventure and learning

Some days can be difficult for kids and their families.

With lots of changes, unknowns and scary news stories, it is easy to want to crawl into a cave and never come out. But we learn from research* (see list below) and people like Mr. Rogers…when we are scared, look around for the helpers. And who are the helpers? Us!! Well, let’s learn how to be better helpers!

Camp: Mission is a unique five-day camp in July open to all kids who have finished Kingergarten through 5th grade. As a group, we will learn about God’s Creation (that includes every creature, object and idea that points back to LOVE), and we will learn about practical ways each of us can care for our neighborhoods and God’s full Creation each and every day. We will see how Jesus modeled being a helper, as well as other people in the Bible back then and people out in our community today. We will hear from local experts, go on daily field trips, try new activities and face challenges. And we will have TONS OF FUN all week!!

If your family is trying to find a way to be better neighbors, better friends and better humans, this is the camp for your kids! And don’t worry, on the last day, parents/guardians will be invited to be a part of helping and celebrating life, too. After camp, you will also receive a list of practical resources on how you as a family can be better helpers and how to help support your kids in scary situations.

Our field trips include:

Kansas City Zoo
Peace Pavilion
Hillcrest Transitional Housing’s Thrift Store
Beanstalk Children’s Garden (Swope Park)
Trailside Center
Harvesters Family Kit-making: grocery shopping and assembly

Talk to your kids and see if this is something that they’re interested in. Let’s be good neighbors, sharing God’s love in practical ways, and let us be the helpers this world needs!

Note: Holmeswood Baptist Church welcomes and includes all children and families, in their wonderful forms. We are an inclusive space for learning and sharing, and we are honored to be a safe space for BIPOC and LGBTQIA families, as well as families who do not have an established religion or faith. All are welcome and valued.

*There is a multitude of research surrounding the many benefits of helping others. The following are reasons why helping others is good for our overall health:

The human desire to help others is deeply rooted in our neurobiology (Hurlemann & Marsh, 2016) Neuroscience research has shown that helping others activates the “reward” area of our brains (Moll et al., 2006). – from Berkeley Well-Being Institute
Helping others is associated with greater health, well-being, and longevity (Post, 2014).
Helping others can improve self-confidence, self-awareness, self-esteem, and reduced symptoms of depression (Schwartz & Sendor, 1999).
The study of happiness and how helping others affects personal happiness. –TedTalk from social psychologist Dr. Elizabeth Dunn

Sign up for Camp: Mission

sign your campers up here!
Pay: Online or Mail a check – $50 per camper
(scholarships, see section c., below)
1. Online (via credit or debit card, or checking account): https://www.fellowshiponegiving.com/app/giving/holmeswood
  1. Under “Fund” (dropdown menu): Please select “Camp Mission Payments,” then choose your method of payment
2. Mail a check to Holmeswood Baptist Church, 9700 Holmes Rd. Kansas City, MO 64131; write the check to Holmeswood Baptist Church, and please add your camper(s) names in the “Note” section.
3. We believe ALL kids should experience the joy of camp, so financial assistance is available if you apply by June 15. (The earlier the better, though!) Please contact Laurel Cluthe at laurel. cluthe@ holmeswood.org or 816-942-1729 to request financial assistance; your information will remain confidential within our Finance Office.

Details:

July 10-14, 2023 (Monday to Friday) from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
$50 per camper (includes lunch and snacks, plus a $25 donation to the partner organizations we are serving alongside; Holmeswood baptist has supplemented the cost of camp to make it affordable for all families.)
Camp is for ALL kids, and we want to ensure all can participate. Financial assistance is available if you apply by June 15 at the latest! Please contact Laurel Cluthe at laurel.cluthe@holmeswood.org or 816-942-1729 to request financial assistance.
- Or, if your family would like to gift another family the cost of camp ($50), please contact Laurel. Thank you!
Camp Size and Approach: Because of the experiential nature of this camp, it will be limited in spots, so register early! We welcome friends, newcomers and anyone who wants to learn how to be a better neighbor and helper while having lots of fun. Also, each camper will be expected to be actively engaged in all of the activities, so please ensure your child is open to trying new things and working together with a group of other kids and adult helpers; we understand each person has different abilities and passions, and we will ensure everyone is safe and as comfortable as possible during all of camp’s activities and experiences.
The Fine Print: Payment is due with Registration Form. No refunds after registration yet, due to the logistics and many detailed nature of the camp, if your camper(s) is unable to attend, please contact the church.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is screen-shot-2021-04-07-at-8.38.08-pm.png

We are thrilled to spend a week with your incredible campers. Stay tuned for more details.

Volunteers:

Our camp is successful because of our wonderful Holmeswood volunteers! As a volunteer, you have options of how to be involved, including working on one day or multiple days, either in the morning or afternoon. There are special times when you really get to know the campers, such as on field trips or experiences, or in a briefer capacity, like helping with one craft or game activity at the church for 1-2 hours. Please let us know how you would like to be involved; all volunteers will be screened through a thorough criminal background check and will need to attend Volunteer Training on Sunday, June 25. Approved volunteers will participate in a two-part training and are expected to follow all camp policies and procedures.

VOLUNTEERS (youth aged 13-17 or adults aged 18 and older)