the camp hammer blog

Hey Friends and Family.  I have to apologize for how long it has been since our last post!  Things have been crazy around here, and the whole staff just finished spending the week at a Conference for Camps!  Anyway, I hope everyone is doing wonderfully!  Today is a beautiful day in the Redwoods!  So, whats going on at Camp?  Well, let me tell you!

The Apostle (Cedar) Deck is in the works.  We are still raising money for it, but we have started the initial work to make the project happen!  It is going to be amazing, seriously amazing!  MC (Dennis) and Auger (Josh), as well as the Twin Lakes Church Men’s Ministry are working so hard to make this an incredible blessing to Camp.  It is a much needed improvement, and will benefit all of our weekend groups as well as our Apostle Campers from this summer on.  It is a really exciting project!

Registration has been open for several months, and Camps are filling up like crazy.  It is always exciting around this time of year to see new and familiar names on our registration list!  As the numbers get higher, it reminds us that summer is just around the corner, and we are more excited than ever!  Our Ride and Ropes Course inspection is happening this week which is just one more indicator that Summer 2010 is quickly approaching.

We are also in the process of re-stocking the Camp Store with fan favorite merchandise as well as some great new products.  This summer we will be introducing a new stainless steel water bottle in 6 different colors, authentic Camp Hammer sunglasses, some new t-shirts, and a new style of sweatshirt!  We are also looking into bringing back Camp Hammer trucker hats!  They won’t be camo this time around, but they will be even more awesome!  And of course we will have the famous Camp Hammer sweatpants!

Ok, so Camp is preparing tirelessly for Summer 2010.  What does that mean for you?  REGISTER TODAY.  Don’t miss out on an incredible opportunity to hang with old and new friends, ride the rides, laugh at the cab, go nuts during night games, and find out what the crazy new camp names are.  From Junior Camp to Apostle, you don’t want to miss camp this summer!

Lastly, if you feel like you would be interested in donating financially to the ministry of Camp Hammer, be sure to check out our “Give” tab on the homepage!

Love.  Camp Hammer Staff

Tags: 2010, Apostle, Auger, beautiful, camp, camp hammer, Cedar, conference, fun, hammer, hope, merchandise, ministry, project, redwoods, staff, Summer, summer 2010
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Hey Friends and Family!  Hope all is well on this cold and rainy February morning.  Even though we would love to see the sunshine, the rain is always a welcome guest here in the woods for a few reasons:

1. It helps replenish out water supply!

2. It will help fill the pond a few months from now!

3. It keeps everything nice and green!

So, although the sunshine gives us hopes of summer, the rain is a friend of the redwoods!

Three By Spring

Camp is busy, busy, busy these days!  Our maintenance team is working hard building and creating drainage for all the rain that has come through.  Let me be the first to say that our maintenance crew here at Camp Hammer are all-stars.  They are two of the most servant minded people around!  God has truly blessed Camp Hammer with our maintenance team!  I would also like to give a shout out at this time to the Twin Lakes Men’s Ministry who have devoted countless hours, and continue to in hopes of making Camp Hammer a better place!  Thanks guys, you too, are incredible examples of what it is to serve!

Ok, so what are these guys doing at Camp you might ask?  Well, they are helping Camp Hammer move forward with a campaign we like to call “Three By Spring.”  This 3BS campaign consists of three very specific needs that Camp Hammer has: Re-roofing buildings, Replacing/expanding the Apostle Lodge Deck, and scholarshipping students to attend Camp this summer.  The TLC Men’s Ministry is helping by donating the time and skills needed to complete these tasks, but there is still much more to be done!  We have begun to move forward on some of these projects, but we are still in need of funding and prayer!  In the month of March we are focusing primarily on the Apostle Lodge Deck!  This is a very exciting project because it will allow Apostle students to have more space of their own for meeting, hanging out, and storing personal things.  If you would like to partner with Camp Hammer and lift this project up in prayer, pray that God would continue to provide the funding and resources to complete this project before the end of March!  If you feel led to give financially, check out the “give” section of our website for specific instruction, or call our front office at (831.338.3200 x10).  We are incredibly excited for all of the amazing things God is doing here at Camp in this season!

Recruiting Recap.

Mossi, Noobie, and I (Liger), just returned from our Southern California recruiting tour.  We met a lot of incredible young men and women looking to serve at Camp this summer!  After all of the people we have met, it is clear that we are going to have another incredible staff devoted to serving the students who attend Camp Hammer in the Summer of 2010!

Well, I think we have given you enough to chew on for this week, so as you go through the next few days, please remember to lift Camp up in prayer!  Keep checking back to the blog for news and updates on the 3BS Campaign, and also other cool things to come!  Peace.

Camp Hammer Staff.

Liger.

Tags: camp, camp hammer, February, friends, give, hammer, hope, pond, rain, spring, Summer, three by spring, time, TLC, Twin Lakes Church
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Hey Everyone!  I hope this blog finds you well!  So, the time has finally arrived.  Camp Hammer Love Stories is LIVE!  Our very first letter is up for all to enjoy.  Feel free to read the “about” note to learn a little bit more about the campaign, and then take some time and read the first “Love Story.”  Each week we will be posting a new letter for readers enjoyment!  If you are interested in posting your very own, be sure to read some of the earlier blogs to find out how to submit your “story.”  Well, we will save the Camp Updates for next week so that you can take a minute and check out the Love Stories!  YEAH!  Peace.

Camp Staff.

Tags: camp, camp hammer, hammer, letter, love, love stories, love story, note, story
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Rain

Hey Friends and Family!  Hope all is well in your neck of the woods.  Like many of you, we have had constant, or near constant rain for the past 10 days.  Power has been out twice since last Monday but thankfully it is back on now.  Mini Waterfalls, leaves, and branches litter the mountain roads as you drive to Camp.  It is gray each day, but beautiful.  We are so thankful for the rain!  Our redwood retreat thrives on it, not to mention our pond will appreciate it when we begin to fill it in the Spring.  As you walk through Camp, it is amazing to see just how green it will get!  It’s also incredible how well you can hear our “roaring” creek that runs through the forest!  Needless to say, we are thankful for the rain!

Recruit

Mossi and Liger (Eric and Andrew) just returned from a Northwest recruiting trip.  They visited George Fox University in Newburg, Oregon, and Seattle Pacific University in Seattle, Washington.  They reconnected with old staff, and met many young men and women who could end up at Camp this summer!  In a few weeks, Camp Hammer will head to Southern California to complete the second half of recruiting.  They will be visiting Azusa Pacific (Feb. 8th & 9th), Point Loma (Feb. 10th), and Biola (Feb. 11th & 12th).  If you are in the area be sure to stop by and say hello.  If you are thinking about working at Camp and live in Southern California, be sure to take some time in the next few weeks and get your applications in!  We look forward to seeing you!

Write

Finally, we are just mere days away from launching our “Camp Hammer Love Stories” campaign.  Starting next week we will be posting a new story each week on the website for your viewing pleasure.  To view the posts, all you have to do is check out the camphammer.com main page.  The stories will be there for you to enjoy.  Remember, these stories aren’t reserved for specific people!  In order to submit one, you just need to have your very own story to share.  We want to share the stories of all who love Camp Hammer.  Check out other blog posts to see more specifics!

Farewell for now.  Hope to hear from you all soon!  Summer 2010 is closer than EVER.  And remember, “Today is the day the Lord has made!”

Camp Staff

Tags: 2010, camp, camp hammer, creek, February, forest, hammer, leaves, liger, Lord, love, love story, Monday, mossi, rain, recruit, road, story, Summer, summer 2010, write
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Hey Friends and Family,

I hope all is well on this beautiful winter day.  Camp is busy preparing for the months to come, and we are getting so excited for another incredible summer in 2010!  I mentioned a few months ago that the Camp website will be launching a campaign called “Camp Hammer Love Stories,” in the new year, and the new year has definitely arrived.  We are still finalizing the details, but the campaign should be up on our website starting February 1st.  What is this campaign all about?  Well, let me tell you.  Camp Hammer is the home of millions of memories for thousands of men and women.  We want to share those with you!  From current and former Camp staff and campers, to parents and retreat attendees, we want to hear about your experience.  Over the past few months we have been compiling some stories from “lovers” of Camp Hammer.  Starting February 1st, we will be posting these stories on our website for you to read.  Depending on how many we recieve, we will be posting them either weekly or bi-weekly for your reading pleasure.  Now, that’s not all.  We would love it if you would send us YOUR Camp Hammer Love Story.  Tell people your favorite memory of Camp Hammer, or tell of a life-changing experience you had in the Redwoods tucked up in the Santa Cruz mountains.  There is no limit to how much you can write, and you don’t have to write a lot if you don’t want to!  We just want to know, and to tell others about your story.  You can send your stories to andrew@camphammer.com.  We will edit them, and make sure they are appropriate!  Seriously, take a moment and write down your Camp Hammer Love Story, and be sure to watch out for the campaign to begin in February.

Camp Staff

PS.  If you’re not already, become a fan of our page on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter (CampHammerTime)

Tags: blog, camp, camp hammer, campaign, family, February, friends, hammer, love, love story, New Year, story
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Happy New Year!  2010 has arrived.  I hope you all enjoyed your holiday season, and are as excited for 2010 as we are!  The mark of the New Year means that Summer 2010 is closer than ever!  After a quiet December, Camp Hammer is back in full swing preparing for this upcoming summer.  Liger and Mossi will be venturing across the Northwest in weeks to come searching for this summer’s staff.  Registration is open, and Camps are filling up.  It is so exciting to think about all the young men and women who will be here in just a few months.  Until then, we have some great weekend retreats coming through!  We are definitely staying busy, and enjoying the promise of all the fun to come.  Now that the holidays are over you can count on the Camp Hammer blog being updated weekly!  Continue to check it out and leave us your comments!  We love hearing from you.  I hope this week that you will remember that you are loved by the creator of all.  Until next week…

Camp Staff.

Tags: 2010, camp, camp hammer, fun, hammer, liger, mossi, New Year, Summer
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Hello Camp Hammer Friends and Family!  I hope you are doing so well!  If you are a student, you are most likely awaiting the final school bell to ring, and Christmas vacation to begin.  If you are an adult, you are probably looking forward to some time spent away from the office this Christmas.  Whatever the case may be, Camp Hammer is so excited for this holiday season!  There is so much going on!  We just sent out our 2010 Brochures!  Look for them in your mailboxes.  Also, in just over a month, Mossi and Liger will be traveling around to find this the summer of 2010’s staff!  I love that summer preparations begin in December!  It makes if feel like summer is already getting closer!  Also, we are all excited for this time of year in which we celebrate the birth of a savior!  Christ’s birth is the reason for the season, and that is what Camp Hammer is all about.  We hope that this holiday season you are able to take some time and remember the baby that was born so many years ago, that saved the world!  How exciting!  Also, in these next few weeks remember that Camp Hammer loves you, and is praying for you this holiday season!  Have a great last week of school or work, and check out the blog next week!  Peace!

Camp Hammer Staff

Tags: 2010, Brochures, camp, camp hammer, Christ, hammer, liger, mossi, Noel, Prayer, Savior, Summer
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Well Friends and Family.  It seems it is that time of year again.  The Holidays are swiftly approaching, and Camp is quiet.  Our last retreat group of the year was last weekend, and now Camp will rest for a little over a month.  The office will still be buzzing with preparations for the new year, but the grounds will take a break from guests.  The Holidays are such an interesting time of the year.  For some, they bring fond memories of family and friends, and for others there are feelings of frustration and anxiety.  Well, this Holiday season I want to challenge you!  Thanksgiving is often viewed as a time of family, friends, food, football, and Black Friday (that was some great alliteration)!  Thanksgiving is certainly all of those things, but there is so much more.  This Thanksgiving remember all of the incredible things you have been blessed with.  Even though times might be tough, or you just aren’t a fan of the holidays, remember that there is always something worth being thankful for!  As we take a breather here at Camp, know that we are so thankful for the decades of staff and guests that have spent time with us in the Redwoods.  Camp Hammer is an incredible place because of the people that have filled it for over 40 years.  Our hope is that you know just how valued you all are.  So this holiday season, remember that there is always something to be thankful for!

Love,

Camp Hammer Staff

Tags: blessed, break, camp, camp hammer, family, friends, hammer, holidays, love, rest, thankful, thanksgiving
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Hey Camp Friends and Family.  I hope you are well on this Wednesday morning.  Blogging is a very interesting aspect of our website.  Up until this point, our blog has served as another way for people to stay in touch with, and continue hearing about what is going on at Camp.  But I want to ask you what you think!  A blog is something that can be interesting and fun to read, or dull and repetitive.  My question for you is, what do you want to read when you log onto a blog?  Your opinion matters!  We want people to love reading this blog, and eagerly anticipate the next one to be published.  So, if you have things that you would love to hear or read about on this blog, comment on this entry and let us know!  We want to serve our readers to the best of our ability!  Let us know what you want to read on the Camp Hammer blog!

Camp Hammer Staff

Tags: blog, blogging, camp, camp hammer, family, friends, hammer, love
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Hey Friends and Family,

I hope this wonderful fall day is treating you well!  It is cold here at camp, approximately 53 degrees, with a strong little wind chill, brrrrrr.  Well, I must apologize for the lateness of this entry.  It has been crazy around here lately.  Many of you who live in the greater Santa Cruz area probably remember the storm we experienced two weeks ago, well, it knocked out all of our power for over 80 hours!  It is incredible how different life is when there isn’t any electricity!  It was amazing to realize just how much time is spent on things like facebook, blogs, twitter, email, oh you get the point.  Anyway, let’s get to the good stuff.  What is going on around here?  Quite a bit actually, thanks for asking !  We recently said farewell to one of our staff members.  Sundance’s time at camp ended this week and he headed home to start the next chapter of his life.  We miss him already!  Widget has joined us here at camp to work on our website.  We are in the process of putting out the Summer 2010 Summer Brochure!  It is going to be awesome!  Look for it in the mail.  Mossi and Liger are looking at recruiting dates to find the staff for next summer!  So exciting!  Auger, MC, Mum, and Pickadilly are working hard to make sure Camp runs smoothly through the Fall!  Skipper, Optimus, and Bambi are working hard in the Kitchen for all of our weekend groups, and let me tell you, the food is incredible!

Lastly we are still working on this incredible new campaign.  It is called “Camp Hammer Love Stories,” and no it isn’t about people falling in love.  It is about why people love Camp Hammer.  Everyone, including YOU, will have a chance to send in their Camp Hammer Love Story.  You can write a paragraph or 5, it makes no difference to us.  We will  be censoring all entries, and every couple of days, or each week, depending on the number of entries, we will be featuring a new story on the front page of our Website!  So exciting.  so much great stuff going on.  Keep your eyes peeled for specific dates and more info on how you can send in your entries.  If you want to start writing one, feel free!  Here is a quick prompt: “What do you LOVE about Camp Hammer?”  Let the world know what Camp Hammer has done for you!  Have a great Wednesday!

Camp Hammer Staff

Tags: Auger, bambi, camp, camp hammer, campaign, email, facebook, hammer, liger, love, MC, mossi, mum, optimus, pickadilly, power outage, skipper, storm, story, sundance, twitter, widget
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