Something New Coming THIS Monday

What is WinShape Now?!

The post Introducing WinShape Now! appeared first on WinShape Camps.

Make the Most of Celebrating

The new decade is turning out a little different than what anyone might have expected — but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a little fun. Right now we could all use a little bit more good news and a reason to celebrate. If there’s one thing we know how to do at WinShape Camps, it’s how to celebrate! With recent school closings and social distancing practices, your campers may be feeling a little separated from all the things and the people they love. There are a couple of special events in the life of your camper that you may be trying to figure out how to make a little more special given the circumstances. We want to help!

April or May Birthdays

If your camper’s birthday falls in April or May, we’ve got some exciting news!

During the summer whenever a camper or Summer Staff happens to have a birthday, something HUGE happens. Out of nowhere, things go from normal-level-camp-loud to above-normal-level-camp-loud as we bang on pots and pans to catch the attention of the entire WinShape Nation within ear-shot. Once we’ve got everyone’s attention, all the voices at camp join together in the most EPIC birthday song you’ve ever heard, appropriately named the Birthday Rap. We make a BIG DEAL about birthdays at camp.

We started thinking — maybe if WinShape celebrated your camper’s birthday in April or May it might make it a little better. If you have a camper with a birthday in one of those months, we want to have some of our Summer Staff give you a face-to-face video call to celebrate your camper by reliving some camp memories AND of course with a Birthday Rap. The key is you can’t tell them it’s happening. It has to be a total surprise.

So how does it work?

📝 Request your camper’s birthday call with this form.

✅ We’ll confirm your request and send you information about the call.

🎈 Time to Party — Our team will give your camper a call at the scheduled time.

Birthdays are just one of the ways we want to give you a little help as you celebrate big-time.

Class of 2020

One of the toughest things to navigate for many of our camp families right now is those of you who have students in the class of 2020. They’re having to accept that they won’t get to spend their last few months in high school the way they thought. Who would have ever thought you’d be glad that schools out?!

We want to give you another way to celebrate your graduate!

If you have a former camper who was supposed to graduate this year, we want to feature them on our Instagram account. All you have to do is send an email to hello@winshapecamps.org and include the things listed below. We’ll reply to your email confirming when we’re going to share. Before you know it, you’ll see their beautiful face right on our Instagram page!

Things to include in your email:

📸: A few photos of your camper (we would ❤️ photos from camp)

📝: Their name, camp location they attended, and number of years they attended

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦: A word of encouragement from your family

Send that email to us as soon as you can and we’ll begin featuring graduates later this month.

We’re Just Getting Started

These are just a few of the things WinShape Camps has up our sleeves for the next couple of weeks as we all #StayHome. If you haven’t already, be sure to download the WinShape Camps app where we’re adding fresh content daily for your camper(s) to enjoy.

The post A Little Help For Big Celebrations appeared first on WinShape Camps.

Non-stop. Always. Forever. Whenever, wherever — right now. That’s ON.

Earlier this week, you may have seen our video announcing a BRAND NEW experience from WinShape Camps called ON. We’ve taken “NO” camp and literally flipped it around. Outside of knowing that this experience will be 100% authentic to WinShape Camps, you may have a lot of questions about just exactly what it is we are creating for Summer 2020! We’re here to give you a short preview of all the things to come. 

No matter what, there are no substitutes for actual camp.

Our team recognized early on that there is no substitute for being able to actually go to camp. From escaping into a new environment to the energy of so many campers coming together — there’s just no way to replicate that at home. However, we’ve worked really hard to bring some of your favorite parts of camp to you this summer.

This summer we will be offering two types of experiences: ON Jr. will be offered for kids who’ve completed grades K-6, and ON Sr. will be offered for those who have completed grades 7-12. We realize life looks really different across these age groups, and we want to make sure the experiences speak to campers at their level.

Both WinShape Camps ON Jr. and Sr. will be covered in faith as we talk about the truths from John 10:10 and how, even in a pandemic, Jesus is the Life Giver. You can expect both of these experiences to kick off the week of June 15.

Introducing WinShape Camps ON Jr. 

ON Jr. will be unlike anything you’ve ever experienced before. We’ve turned the campus of WinShape Camps at Mt. Berry into a real-life film studio, where we will be producing next-level content all summer long to keep your camper engaged. We’ve also built a custom, family-friendly video platform where this camp experience will happen. 

As you might expect from WinShape Camps, it’s not all just screen time either. Campers who register will also get to select two skills to be included in a Camper Kit they receive in the mail. Inside of the Camper Kit will be items for their Skills, a theme T-shirt, and all sorts of other surprises. 🎉 Campers will also be placed in Forces — similar to the way they would belong to  a Tribe, Club, Squad, or Village during a typical summer at camp. They’ll be able to cheer on their Force from home as they watch challenges and even participate themselves.

All of this plus opportunities for LIVE interactions with our Summer Staff are coming this summer to WinShape ON Jr.

Introducing WinShape Camps ON Sr. 

ON Sr. will also have all of the things campers love – just packed into a shorter length of time. We’ll be streaming a LIVE event one night a week that completed grades 7-12 will be invited to be a part of. We know that one of the reasons senior campers love camp is the friends they make, so a big part of this experience will be connecting your senior camper with a community group where they can talk about what happened in the live stream event.

Come one, come all

“So is this experience for my camper who attended WinShape Camps for Communities in Warner Robins, GA?” Yes — they’ll love the day camp-like schedule.

“Is it for my camper who is a 3rd year Bumbline at WinShape Camps for Girls at Young Harris?” Yes — for this summer she’ll be all about her new Force.

“What about for our son who was going to be moving into his second tribe at WinShape Camps for Boys at Mt. Berry?” Yes! He’ll get to rejoin the Tribe in 2021!

“Okay — last question — this is the first time I’ve heard of WinShape Camps. Can my kid participate?” Yes! This will be the perfect on-ramp to joining us for an in-person experience one day.

We’ve created this experience to satisfy the camp cravings for those campers who’ve been a part of WinShape Camps for a LONNNNNGGGG time (like our 2020 Theme Song below!). We’ve also created it so that families who have yet to experience WinShape Camps in person get a taste of what the Summer of a Lifetime is like. Come one, come all! 

More Information Coming Very Soon! 

We’re putting the finishing touches on all of the fine details that will make this experience E P I C. Stay tuned for more information about dates, registration opening, pricing and SO MUCH MORE! You can sign up to get updates here.

The post A Sneak Peek of WinShape Camps ON appeared first on WinShape Camps.

The Inside Scoop on this Year’s Theme Songs

Helloooo Camp Fam! We are giving you the story behind the creation of this year’s camp theme songs Nothin’ Better Than You and You Give Life! 🎉

We had the pleasure of talking with Troy Vander Hoek, a member of the WinShape family, who is also one of the writers of this year’s theme songs. He gave us the 411 on the songs’ inspiration, creative process, and so much more!

What inspired this year’s songs?

First and foremost, Troy explained that these songs were “inspired by the joy that can only come from knowing Jesus and realizing that He is the one who gives us life.” Troy also expressed how the theme songs needed to “reflect this year’s core verse (John 10:10), camp truths and setting.” Since this year’s camp setting is inspired by the Amazon Rainforest, the goals of the songs were to reflect the nature of the rainforest through vibrant, fun, and lively sounds in the songs. Troy also revealed that if you listen closely, you will even be able to hear snippets of “river and rainforest [sounds] running through the songs.”

What was the creative process like?

According to Troy, he began the process by “writing content based off of the core Scriptures, the camp truths and the camp theme.” In order to create something that stayed true to this year’s ambiance, Troy recalled “spending a lot of time listening to music that originates from the Amazon to better grasp what instruments and character would best fit with this year’s theme.” After meeting with a producer, WinShape Camps’ writing team assembled and Troy presented the lyrical and melodic ideas to the team. From there, the team began their collaboration. They worked hard to craft lyrics and music that glorified God and be seamlessly embedded into our campers’ experience. Once the writing was finished, the team sent their work to the producer to be mastered. After the music was complete, vocalists were brought in to record the finished product!

What’s the one thing you want our campers to remember after hearing WinShape Camps’ 2020 theme songs!? 

“No matter what trials our campers face or what success our campers encounter, we want them to know and remember – God is always our Life Giver.”

What is your favorite part about writing the camp theme songs!?

Troy revealed that his favorite part is being able to “watch a camper or a staffer connect with the songs.” He called it very “humbling to watch campers, on the last day of their camp experience, completely give The Lord their ALL through praise and worship.” Additionally, he noted how it has been “incredible to see what God is able to do through music to help bring forth transformation in our campers’ lives.”

How do the songs compare to those in the past?

 Calling the project a “labor of love,” Troy said this year’s songs were extremely difficult to write. Moreover, Troy stated that in the beginning stages he and the team really struggled with “coming up with the creative direction, the lyrical flow, and creating a cohesive message fit for our campers.” However, Troy voiced that he “didn’t view the challenges as a negative thing,” but more as opportunities for the team to rely on the Lord’s strength and guidance rather than their own. He added that all the hardships that accompanied this project worked together to serve as a testament to the Lord’s goodness and faithfulness. Troy notes that “the Lord knew that the songs Nothin’ Better Than You and You Give Life, were going to speak volumes in a season unlike any other for our campers and staffers.” Troy also conveyed that he believes the reason that there were so many roadblocks in the writing process was because the Lord was calling him and his team to persevere and create something that would encourage listeners in the midst of the challenging times that lay ahead.

If you haven’t heard this year’s theme songs, go check them out now! Nothin’ Better Than You and You Give Life are available on Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play Music and YouTube! The theme song will be a huge part of WinShape Camps ON this summer.

We are so excited about what is to come and all the fun we will have this summer. See you soon!!! 🤪

The post The Inside Scoop on This Year’s Theme Songs appeared first on WinShape Camps.

The Best Week EVER (Online)

Just over two months ago, you got the news that WinShape had made the decision to cancel all of our in-person experiences, including your camper’s registration. If you’re anything like us, it was probably tough to break the news to your family. Kids deserve to have an E P I C summer, and as a parent, we know you want your kids to have fun while growing in their faith. We are bummed we couldn’t bring truckloads of fun to your community, but there’s still a chance to get your dose of life-changing awesomeness this summer for as little as $19!

Cure your kid’s boredom with an experience that will be non-stop fun and that you know will teach them truths that will last a lifetime! And when we say non-stop fun, we mean it. Campers who register get on-demand content from 5 full weeks of camp, not just one!

After 35 years of in-person camp, we’re creating memory-making moments online called WinShape ON! We’ve taken your camper’s favorite part of their WinShape Camps experience and found ways to make those moments epic while at home.

What is your camper’s favorite part of camp? Keep reading to see how we’ve worked to include it as a part of our virtual camp experience. 

Skills

During a week of WinShape Camps for Communities, campers get to choose 3 Skills from a list of 21 to participate in throughout the week! These Skills include things like Wacky Science, Flag Football, Performing Arts, Secret Ops & more. There’s something for every kid!

Skills were a must-have for our virtual camp experience. For WinShape Camps ON, we’ve created 8 virtual Skills led by our top-notch staff for your camper to choose from. Campers who register to join us LIVE ($99) or sign up for ON DEMAND + ($79) pick two skills and also get a hand-delivered Camper Kit with most of the supplies they need for their skills for the week. 

WinShape ON Skill options are: 

• Wacky Science
• Gourmet Chef (Similar to Fast Food)
• Recreation (Sports like Basketball)
• Fitness
• Secret Ops
• Performing Arts
• Adventure (Think S’mores and exploring outside)
• Creative (Painting & Crafts)

Want to see what a virtual Skill is like? Check out Day 1 of Wacky Science!

Wake Up & Power Surge

At the beginning and the end of each day at WinShape Camps for Communities, campers join us in the Auditorium for an epic party! Complete with stage games, dancing, hilarious videos, and skits from our Summer Staff, Wake Up & Power Surge are some of the most energizing moments of the camp day. They’re also one of our camper’s favorite parts. 

This summer, at the beginning and end of each camp day during WinShape ON is something called The Show. Hosted by Lizzie and Blake, each day consist of funny moments, competitions and (of course) dancing! Campers even get a chance to join in by participating in our Camper Questions each day and seeing photos that you post online during The Show! After two weeks of camp, our campers are already giving rave reviews for The Show and our hilarious hosts.

Want to see what The Show is like? Check out this episode from Week 1. (Hint: Skip to the 6-minute mark)

Villages & Recreation

During a week of day camp at WinShape Camps for Communities, campers are broken up by their completed grades into Villages. Completed K-1st grade is in the OCEAN, completed 2nd-3rd grade is in SAFARI, completed 4th-5th grade is in the ALPINE and completed 6th-8th grade is in the GALAXY. Villages are a big deal at camp! They determine the color you wear each day, your facepaint style, and the team you’re on for Recreation & Triangulation at the end of the week. Campers learn their cheers and love their Village as much as us grown-ups love our college football teams. 

We’ve brought this same spirit of competition into WinShape Camps ON this summer. Campers are a part of FORCES, similar to Villages. Forces are Earth, Wind, Fire and Water.

Each Force is represented by a Force Captain who competes on video to win points for their Force, and ultimately your camper. But it’s not all up to just the Force Captains! Each camper will receive a few items that allow them to join in the competition from home in their Camper Kit. 

Check out an episode of Force Feud and watch the unboxing of a Camper Kit here.

Theme & Small Groups

Each summer at WinShape Camps for Communities, we bring a set along with a truckload of other things to help transport campers into another world. This world, called our Theme, is where we introduce campers to the daily truths we are teaching them. This theme has a major impact on what campers experience during Worship and Team Times (small groups). 

This summer, we had plans to dive into John 10:10 and explore the rainforest with our campers in our Life Giver Theme. When we decided to launch WinShape Camps ON, we also decided that this theme was exactly what campers needed to hear in 2020. 

That being said, each day campers will get to join in for Worship. Each week we have a different communicator teaching truths to campers. If you sign up for WinShape ON LIVE ($99), campers will also get to join us for small groups led by real WinShape Counselors via ZOOM. ON DEMAND campers can think more about the Theme with pre-recorded small group content. 

Not to mention, we’ve created Camper Books to be delivered in our Camper Kits for each kid to walk through the truth with a physical guide made for their specific age-group. 

Watch an episode of Worship below:

Give Your Kids A Piece of Summer Back

There are only two more weeks to join our team LIVE for a session of WinShape Camps ON! Give your kid’s a piece of their summer back by registering today. If none of our LIVE sessions work for your family’s schedule, sign up for ON DEMAND and get 5 weeks of camp content to entertain your kids until school starts back!

The post A Day Camper’s Guide to Virtual Camp appeared first on WinShape Camps.

Camp at home is still an overnight camp, right?

Just over two months ago, you got the news that WinShape had made the decision to cancel all of our in-person experiences, including your camper’s registration. If you’re anything like us, it was probably tough to break the news to your family. Kids deserve to have an E P I C summer, and as a parent, we know you want your kids to have fun while growing in their faith. We are bummed we couldn’t host you at camp in Young Harris, Cleveland, Mt. Berry or at Gardner Webb; but there’s still a chance to get your dose of life-changing awesomeness this summer for as little as $19!

Cure your kid’s boredom with an experience that will be non-stop fun and that you know will teach them truths that will last a lifetime! And when we say non-stop fun, we mean it. Campers who register get on-demand content from FIVE full weeks of camp, not just one!

After 35 years of in-person camp, we’re creating memory-making moments online! We’ve taken your camper’s favorite part of their WinShape Camps experience and found ways to make those moments epic while at home.

What is your camper’s favorite part of camp? Click the item below to learn how WinShape ON is giving all kids a little bit of their summer back!

Skills

During a session of WinShape Camps, campers get to choose a number of Skills to participate in throughout the week! These Skills include things like Wacky Science, Gourmet Chef, Flag Football, Performing Arts, Secret Ops & more. There’s something for every kid!

Skills were a must-have for our virtual camp experience. For WinShape Camps ON, we’ve created 8 virtual Skills led by our top-notch staff for your camper to choose from. Campers who register to join us LIVE ($99) or sign up for ON DEMAND + ($79) pick two skills and also get a hand-delivered Camper Kit with most of the supplies they need for their skills for the week. 

WinShape ON Skill options are: 

• Wacky Science
• Gourmet Chef (Similar to Fast Food)
• Recreation (Sports like Basketball)
• Fitness
• Secret Ops
• Performing Arts
• Adventure (Think S’mores and exploring outside)
• Creative (Painting & Crafts)

Want to see what a virtual Skill is like? Check out Day 1 of Wacky Science!

Wake Up & Power Surge

No matter which overnight camp location you register for, campers join us in the Auditorium for an epic party! Our in-person camps refer to this as Jump Start, Kick Start or Hydrate. Complete with stage games, dancing, hilarious videos, and skits from our Summer Staff, Auditorium Moments are some of the most energizing moments of the camp day. They’re also one of our camper’s favorite parts.

This summer, at the beginning and end of each camp day during WinShape ON is something called The Show. Hosted by Lizzie and Blake, each day consist of funny moments, competitions and (of course) dancing! Campers even get a chance to join in by participating in our Camper Questions each day and seeing photos that you post online during The Show! After two weeks of camp, our campers are already giving rave reviews for The Show and our hilarious hosts.

Want to see what The Show is like? Check out this episode from Week 1. (Hint: Skip to the 6-minute mark)

Villages & Recreation

One part of the camp experience that we know your camper has talked about is the tribe, club or squad they’re a part of. You know..Bumbline, Catawba, Blaze, Shawnee, Skocean, Quake & so on. These groups make an impact on our campers by allowing them to feel a part of something bigger than themselves. It’s a chance to rally around a team to cheer for, and creates ways to connect with other campers. Not to mention learning their camp cheers and painting their faces up!

We’ve brought this same spirit of competition into WinShape Camps ON this summer. Campers are a part of FORCES, similar to Tribes, Clubs and Squads. Forces are Earth, Wind, Fire and Water.

Each Force is represented by a Force Captain who competes on video to win points for their Force, and ultimately your camper. But it’s not all up to just the Force Captains! Each camper will receive a few items that allow them to join in the competition from home in their Camper Kit. 

Check out an episode of Force Feud and watch the unboxing of a Camper Kit here.

Theme & Small Groups

Each summer at WinShape Camps overnight experience, we try to transport campers into another world. This world, called our Theme, is where we introduce campers to the daily truths we are teaching for the session. This theme has a major impact on what campers experience during Worship and Cabin/Suite Devotions (small groups).

This summer, we had plans to dive into John 10:10 and explore the rainforest with our campers in our Life Giver Theme. When we decided to launch WinShape Camps ON, we also decided that this theme was exactly what campers needed to hear in 2020. 

That being said, each day campers will get to join in for Worship. Each week we have a different communicator teaching truths to campers. If you sign up for WinShape ON LIVE ($99), campers will also get to join us for small groups led by real WinShape Counselors via ZOOM. ON DEMAND campers can think more about the Theme with pre-recorded small group content. 

Not to mention, we’ve created Camper Books to be delivered in our Camper Kits for each kid to walk through the truth with a physical guide made for their specific age-group. 

Watch an episode of Worship below:

Give Your Kids A Piece of Summer Back

There are only two more weeks to join our team LIVE for a session of WinShape Camps ON! Give your kid’s a piece of their summer back by registering today. If none of our LIVE sessions work for your family’s schedule, sign up for ON DEMAND and get 5 weeks of camp content to entertain your kids until school starts back!

The post An Overnight Camper’s Guide to Virtual Camp appeared first on WinShape Camps.

Introducing the 2021 Theme

At WinShape Camps, we are committed to serving our campers and their families through every aspect of camp; and this includes our camp theme. By the time campers show up for camp one summer, we are already well on our way to planning the ultimate camp experience for the next summer!

As this preparation unfolds, we have a team that meets regularly and pays special attention to our camp theme and everything related to it. This team is made up of staff members from all of our camp programs. As we plan for each summer’s theme, we first seek the Lord for our ultimate leadership. We ask His guidance as we seek to select a theme that will be relevant, powerful, and engaging. We then do everything we can to follow His leading and to craft a theme that will meet our campers and their families where they are. We identify and discuss issues, circumstances, and challenges that our campers and their families are facing. As we have all been praying for our campers and for God’s guidance, we share the burdens on our hearts. We also share research we have done and specific real-life examples we have seen regarding these burdens.

Summer 2021 feels especially unique. There are some big questions we believe campers are facing in their lives, especially in these unprecedented times, when the current state of their lives and purpose may feel like a big question mark.

Who am I? Why am I here? What am I supposed to do?

Where do I fit in with everyone else?  These are huge questions that affect our thoughts, our feelings, and our actions—big and small. In Ephesians 2:10, God’s Word gives us some great insight into the answer to those questions : “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” We are each a unique masterpiece of God, designed with intricate divine care.

Shakespeare wrote that “all the world’s a stage” and that each of us has a part to play. God has written the most incredible adventure story of love and purpose. . . and He made each of us to play a very unique role, designed by Him. God created us all, values us all, and loves us all with an amazing love. But He created each of us with our own talents and skills and personalities. We are all different, yet equally important, with our specific parts to play. So, places please, for WinShape Camps 2021, where we will explore this amazing story God has written and discover what it means that you were Made For This!

The post A Sneak Peek at the 2021 Camp Theme…Made For This appeared first on WinShape Camps.

Good News & Great Joy

Ahhhhhhh — it’s that time of year again! TV commercials are all featuring holiday lights, the grocery stores seem a little more crowded than usual and parents and grandparents are faced with sheer panic about what will be under the tree when their kids wake up on December 25th. Well, panic no more. We know the perfect gift — here are 7 reasons to give your campers the gift of overnight camp this Christmas!

1. Shipping is always free!

The shipping wars have never been so heated! First, there was free shipping, then free two-day shipping, then one-day and so on. Before long these retailers will start building a warehouse in your neighborhood so they can just toss boxes out the window to your front door! While deals are nice, there are all sorts of stipulations when it comes to shipping. Between spending minimums and “order by” dates — it can all get pretty stressful. Here at WinShape, the shipping is always free! You might be saying to yourself “isn’t it free because they don’t actually ship anything?” Just keep reading 😉

2. One size fits all

WinShape Camps has something for everyone! Whether you have boys or girls, athletes or artists, elementary age or high school age — if you’ve got a kid, we’ve got something for them. We offer Horseback Riding, Flag Football, Calligraphy, Gymnastics, Gourmet Chef, Wacky Science, and so much more! And the best part, your camper gets to pick what they want to do! It’s like wrapping their favorite gift INSIDE of their favorite gift!

3. Batteries not included, because they’re not needed

No batteries. No Wifi. No complicated packaging. And DEFINITELY, nothing to buy an extended warranty on. Camp is the gift that will get your kid’s noses out of their iPads and into the great outdoors. The only thing you’ll stay up late trying to figure out is what you’re going to do with all your free time while your kids are at camp.

4. Our reviews on Amazon would be top-notch

When we talk about next-level summer experiences, we mean it! We want the families who attend camp to have the best experience possible! To ensure that camp has been worth their investment, we send out surveys each year to a large group of parents to get their feedback. Two of the most important questions we look at are the ‘Parent Satisfaction Rate’ and the ‘Camper Satisfaction Rate’. Our camp locations consistently average a 4.9 out of 5 across all of our overnight camp locations in those two categories. How could you go wrong giving a gift that kids and parents love so much (watch)?! 

5. A deal better than any doorbuster out there

In case you haven’t heard, WinShape Camps is paying 50% for first-time overnight campers to attend any of our one-week, or two-week overnight locations! Plus you won’t run the risk of getting stomped on in a stampede at the door at 3am. We’ll keep dollars in your piggy bank, and put change in your summer. PLUS —  Learn more about our 50% gift here.

6. We’ve got a little something to put under the tree

We’ve got something awesome for your camper! If you register between November 16th and December 18th AND you fill out this form, we’ll send you a LIMITED EDITION “I’ve Been Eating BoSki” lunchbox for each camper that registers! If you don’t recognize the phrase “I’ve Been Eating Boski”, it comes from one of our campers’ favorite cheers at camp.

7. It’s a gift that lasts a lifetime!

It won’t rust, run out, grow old, get dusty or get lost in between the seat cushions. Camp is an experience filled with good news and great joy creating memories that will last for eternity. We don’t call it life-changing, memory-making, adventure-taking awesomeness for nothing! This could change their lives forever. Your kids will make friends, try new things, stay active and have unforgettable fun all while growing in their faith. They will never stop talking about it! It’s truly the #SummerOfALifetime.

The post Give the Gift of Camp 2020 appeared first on WinShape Camps.

A Different Kind of Thankfulness for a Different Kind of Summer

Anyone else exhausted hearing people talk about 2020-this, 2020-that, unprecedented, unparalleled, never-before-seen, blah, blah blah….

Yeah. Us too. 😂

Sometimes you just want to forget all the cancellations, rule changes, mask-wearing, social distancing, etc., and pretend this whole COVID-19 thing never existed. However, growing tired of hearing about it doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. 

So what can help us when we’re emotionally and spiritually drained by something? 

One word: Gratitude. 

It’s a pretty big deal. In fact, it’s a command. Scripture tells us “Give thanks in ALL circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:18

And it’s not just one place in scripture. It’s in a lot of places in scripture! 

“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which you were indeed called in one body. And be thankful.” – Colossians 3:15

“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” – Psalm 107:1

The verses could go on and on. The reality is, this year, thankfulness and gratitude might be more important than ever! But this isn’t your every-year kind of thankfulness. You might have to look a little harder, dig a little deeper, and think a little wider. 

Here at WinShape Camps, we could be pretty down about this past year. Not having an in-person camp meant not getting to work with our incredible Summer Staff, see some spectacular campers, and visit countless communities across the world. It would be easy for us to be blinded by disappointment, however, God did big things. 

For us this year, we have a different kind of thankfulness because we had a different kind of summer. Our founder, S. Truett Cathy, often said to “take advantage of unexpected opportunities.” In fact, our entire organization was born out of an unexpected opportunity. And it was in that spirit that we marched on in the best way we could this summer.

As we go into Thanksgiving with our families, there’s reason to celebrate. God did tremendous things this year through WinShape Camps ON, our virtual experience. While many of you may not have been able to participate like normal, or didn’t want another virtual experience (trust us, we get it 😆), God still moved in big ways. And for that, we’re thankful and hopeful for what lies ahead as we create experiences that transform campers and families with the message of Jesus. 

Watch the video above to see how our unexpected summer turned into an unexpected opportunity to reach an unexpecting group of kids in the Mississippi Delta. 

The post A Different Kind of Summer appeared first on WinShape Camps.

The Summer of a Lifetime Starts Here

While the chilly temperatures and short days might not reflect it, summer is on here at WinShape Camps as we begin the year with a BANG at our annual Host Rally!

What Is Host Rally?

WinShape Camps for Communities will take their day camp experience to close to 100 cities around the country in 2021! (more on that soon) In order to bring WinShape to a community, our team partners with a host church and a locally-owned Chick-fil-A restaurant in the area. WinShape provides the Summer Staff, programming, and most of the equipment to help teleport campers into a whole new world while never (or barely) leaving their home zip code. However, while camp is in town for just 5 days, a ton of work goes into making those 5 days happen. That’s where our church hosts come in!

“Host Rally is an opportunity for us to get excited for the summer and prepare hosts for success,” says the Team Lead for Host Development, Tory Vore. “We also love the opportunity to really pour into our hosts and create experiences that are fulfilling, encouraging, and challenging. Ultimately, our goal with Host Rally is to add value to our Hosts who give so much to help make camp a reality.”

Each location we send the WinShape experience to develops a team of people to help make camp a truly community-wide event. This team prepares the facilities, recruits volunteers, raises scholarships, gets the word out to families and so much more! Host Rally is a multi-day conference where we bring all of the hosts, many of whom are kid’s pastors, along with the teams they’ve assembled from their community. We also invite the local Chick-fil-A restaurant to send a representative to see the important role they play in continuing the legacy of our shared founder, S. Truett Cathy.

How is this year different?

While we fully expect to host in-person camp experiences this summer, the current COVID-19 conditions weren’t suitable to bring in our hosts from all around the country to Atlanta. Our team is understandably bummed to not be in the same building with this remarkable group of leaders this year, but we’re not letting that get us down! After 2020, we’ve just about become experts in virtual events. Our church hosts will join us live for a virtual Host Rally from the safety of their communities. We’re even doing a separate event for our partners at different Chick-fil-A restaurants around the country.

Stephen Moore, the Director of WinShape Camps for Communities, addressed the change:

“Although now virtual, we are thrilled to still be having Host Rally. It is such an important event for our team and our hosts as we look to host in-person camp next summer, and we truly think it will still be an excellent event.”

These virtual sessions will include talks from keynote speakers like Clayton King, Kathleen Edleman, Drew Worsham, and Toni Collier. Hosts will also get to choose from a range of digital breakout sessions that will teach them anything from how to market WinShape in their community, to how they can elevate their project management and planning skills.

Keep Up with Host Rally

Join us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter on January 19th and 20th and we share a few highlights from the event! We can’t wait to see you soon for the Summer of a Lifetime! Interested in hosting camp in your community? Check this out.

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What’s better than food delivery? FUN delivery! 

The last year has introduced MANY things into our lives as new norms. We’re now pros at video chats and even digital board games. We’ve got a mask to match every occasion. And maybe one of the more awesome things for busy moms and dads that has come out of 2020 is the prevalence of food delivery! Back in the day, the only food you got delivered was pizza. Today, ALL of your favorite restaurants can be at your doorstep within the hour. Doorbells have never been so exciting! But what’s better than delivering food to your neighborhood? How about delivering FUN! 

Introducing our 2021 WinShape Camps for Communities locations!

Safety First

Before we share some of the places we’re excited to visit, we want you to know safety remains our number 1 priority! We believe kids were made for camp, and they need it this summer more than ever. In order to do EVERYTHING we can to bring in-person experiences to your community, we’re working closely with the Hosts in the area to monitor the local situation. We’re also making some changes to our programming that you’ll hear more about in the near future. We’re hopeful that 2021 will be the most epic summer ever! Learn more about the safety steps we’re taking!

Head Out West, Again

WinShape Camps for Communities has been in Texas for over 10 years now, and we’re excited to go back in 2021 as we visit several stops in the Dallas/Fort-Worth area like long-time Camp Host Midlothian, TX. Another western state we were supposed to make our debut in during summer 2020 is Oklahoma in partnership with BattleCreek Church for a week of camp. After a pandemic pause, we’re excited to finally be headed to the Sooner State in 2021!

We’re also excited to be holding camp in the state of Nebraska for the first time as we visit the beautiful city of Lincoln!

Going Coastal in the Sunshine State

Whether you prefer the Gulf Coast or the Atlantic, you’ll never be far from a WinShape Camps Host community! We’ll be taking I-95 from the Jacksonville area all the way down near Miami to Stuart, FL with several locations in between. Jump on over to the Gulf and you’ll find us near the home of Super Bowl LV in New Port Richey, Port Charlotte, and long-time Host Bradenton, FL. 

Just The Start

While we’re excited to visit places like Marietta, GA; Olive Branch, MS; Louisville, KY; and many more, there are still some locations coming soon. As we continue watching COVID-19 numbers, we’ll be working with a few more communities to lock in final dates. Check back often for additional locations! And if you think WinShape Camps should be in your community, learn what it takes to host camp!

Close to 90 Stops in 9 Weeks!

We’ve just scratched the surface of where you might find WinShape Camps for Communities this summer. We’ve got camp all over the place! Catch us anywhere from Atlanta, to Washington D.C., to Kentucky, and even up near Chicago. We truly believe this is going to be the greatest summer ever and we can’t wait to deliver truckloads of fun to your zip code! 

Registration for WinShape Camps for Communities opens on March 1st at 9am (local time). Click the link below to find out if we’re coming to a neighborhood near you!

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Look out for the Important Dates 🔍

Who’s looking forward to camp?! Our team certainly is and we’re here to make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible.  Mark these dates on your calendar to remind you of these upcoming deadlines.

Overnight Camps Half Payment Deadline:

One of the first big dates we’ll come to is the half payment deadline. This is the date in which your registration costs should be at least halfway covered. If you registered your camper for summer 2021 prior to January 1st, then your payment needed to be halfway complete by February 3rd, 2021. If you have already or are planning to register for summer 2021 in the first three months of this year, your half payment is due on March 3rd, 2021. 

Parents who register after March 3rd will not have a half payment deadline, however, the entire cost of camp will be due on May 5th.

WinShape Camps for Communities Registration Opens:

Sending your camper to one of our day camps in Summer 2021?! Registration for ALL locations opens on March 1st at 9am local time. Find out if we’re bringing truckloads of fun to your community here.

Overnight Camps Handbook Release Date:

Every Overnight Camps parent will receive a Handbook for their camp experience. The handbook contains a ton of information about your campers experience specific to the location they’re attending. Handbooks include arrival information, packing lists, camp-wide events (aka Nite Lifes, Late Nights), and information about photos of your camper at camp.

Keep your eyes out for the Handbook in Mid April!

Overnight Camps Payment Deadline:

To make sure we’ve dotted all the “i”s and crossed all the “t”s before summer, we ask that all families finalize your camp cost payments by May 5th, 2021, no matter when you’ve registered.

Overnight Camps Paperwork & Camp Doc Deadline:

You can’t spell “FUN” without “PAPERWORK”. Well — actually you can — but you can’t come to camp without completing your paperwork and camp is fun. Paperwork includes any physicals, insurance documents, or photo releases that you’ll find in your account on WinShapeCamps.org.

If your camper comes to camp in the month of June, paperwork is due May 5th, 2021. If your camper will be with us in July, that paperwork is due on June 1st, 2021. This allows for our nurses and staff to review any necessary documents before your arrival.

We hope these dates and deadlines help you on your road to summer! Always feel free to contact our Customer Experience Team at 844-WS-CAMPS (844-972-2677).

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How to “WIN” with the WinShape Camps App

Do you know the “Happy Cheer?” Made famous by our founder S. Truett Cathy when he would visit his Chick-fil-A Franchises, the “Happy Cheer” is deeply ingrained in the WinShape Camps DNA. It starts out when someone yells to a crowd “Is Everybody Happy?!”

Everyone in the group then responds “YEAH MAN!” Then in rhythm, the crowd spells out “h-a-P-P-y” going an octave higher as you say the “P-P” in the middle.

We like making people H-A-P-P-Y at camp — and this year, we’ve gone the extra mile to make you a little extra happy using the WinShape Camps app-y. (Sorry, that was cheesy).

We’ve completely reorganized the WinShape Camps app to make it more resourceful and user-friendly for all your camp needs!

Tips to Get Ready for Your Session

Getting ready for camp can feel like a lot! We’ve pulled together some key resources to help you get ready for the Summer of a Lifetime! Check out an abbreviated version of the Handbook which includes things like packing lists and medical information. In the “Get Ready” section, you’ll also find our theme song and the music video to go along with it. Lastly, we’ve included a quick link to check out all of our Camp-Wide Events that happen during the week of camp. You’ll want to know those for packing!

The First Day of Camp

Called “Spectacular Starting Sunday” at our overnight camp locations, we’ve put a few things in the App that will help you get to camp! The biggest two to highlight are what’s called our “Drive-In Track” and a new project we’re working on called “Meet Your Counselor!”

The Drive-In Track is a special message featuring our directors to listen to as you drive on to campus for drop-off. Since parents won’t get out of their cars this year at our overnight camp locations, we’re going to be filming a short introduction of all 230 of our overnight counselors so you can see who your kids are hanging out with all week!

While the Kid(s) Away

Once you’ve taken your camper to camp, the thing you’re going to want to access the MOST is our daily photos. Each morning by lunchtime, our photographers will be uploading photos from the day before to our new photo platform called “Waldo.” For just $9.99 a session, parents can get text alerts when a photo of their camper is posted, however, if you just want to scroll through the photo galleries, this link will get you there in fewer clicks!

Chick-fil-A Friday Family Fun Day

Typically, Chick-fil-A Friday Family Fun Day is an in-person experience for the whole family! To reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 this year, we had to make the call a few months ago to restrict the number of people on campus. That’s just one of the many safety measures we decided on as we planned this summer months in advance. However, we didn’t want families to miss out on all the fun!

In the Friday Family Fun Day section, we’ll have quick access to your session recap video, announce the winners of the Raving Fan Parking Lot, and share some special announcements like our Summer 2022 theme!

After Your Session of Camp

Want to find out more about everything your camper learned at camp? We’ve designed Family Moments as a way to talk about each of the truths we taught at camp this summer. They go in-depth about what each truth means, the scripture we used for that truth, and gives you some questions to ask your campers so you can process altogether. Each truth also has a video that goes with it for the whole family to watch!

Extra Goodies

We’ve still got a ton of bonus content on the app that has nothing to do with this summer. You can watch previous Camp Shorts that we showed during previous summers at camp. We’ve also got a ton of at-home skills that your family can enjoy together even when camp is not in session.

On top of all of these awesome enhancements, downloading the WinShape Camps app also gives us the ability to share important news and updates with your and your family as we go throughout the summer and beyond! We even have notifications for specific locations!

We hope these new features help you navigate the Summer of a Lifetime better than ever and we look forward to seeing you this summer at WinShape Camps!

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