Testimonials from st. therese's campers & parents
"★★★★★ My 10 year old twins had never been to camp before. They were excited and a little nervous when we dropped them off and thoroughly thrilled and full of stories when we picked them up at the end of the week. From Mass and Adoration, to the blob, gaga (ball game), arts and crafts, archery, and the fantastic staff, plus a countless amount of other details too numerous to name, they talked our ears off for hours about the adventure. When asked if they're interested in going back next year, the answer was a resounding YES without hesitation. This camp is a must-do for any and all Catholic families in the area. It's top-notch." -Camper Parent
****************************
From a mom on the day that registration for summer 2019 opened: "Thanks for keeping the spirit alive in my daughter!"
***************************
Our kids have said one of the best things about camp is Eucharistic Adoration in the chapel.
***************************
From a mom on Feb, 28, 2019 right after she registered her kids:
"They are PUMPED! Best week of the year! Camp experience is transformative."
***************************
From a dad who registered his son for summer camp 2019:
Being connected to a Christian youth community is important. My wife and I both had strong Church summer camp programs. and we're both grateful for the camp's tireless work. We were just talking yesterday about how lucky we are to have St. Therese's as a resource in Catholic formation.
***************************
A mom says: You asked, what was great... Phil says everything! The counselors were really nice, the food was good, and the Gaga Pit, Bif, and Granny’s Candies were all really fun!
***************************
From a parent's view, I liked that he never mentioned that electronics were missed. ;-)
***************************
summer 2019 high school week comment:
It's been adamantly decided that this high school week was the best ever. The talks were deep and powerful, they covered tough topics, my daughter said the girls needed to hear their talk about being worthy and my son said the boys needed to hear the talk about the male topics.
The counselors were incredible, the fun times were incredibly fun...Thank you SO MUCH for the high school week!!!!! My son actually shed a few real tears when he was prayed over.
*****************************
summer 2019 high school week comment:
My daughter had an amazing time at teen week.
I asked her her favorite thing and she said “everything”. I asked her what wasn’t her favorite thing and she said “nothing”.
******************************************
From a teacher at a local Christian school:
"At the start of the school year, in my theology classes, I ask students to write a spiritual autobiography describing the history of their relationship with God. I want you to know that several 8th and 9th grade girls have had transformative experiences at St. Therese’s Camp over the years - experiences that made their relationship with God personal and deep. Thank you for your ministry - know that it is bearing abundant fruit and giving both me and our students hearts full of hope!"
******************************************
1) What was great at camp summer 2019?
Everything! It all starts the week before with the anticipation and build up. From the packing of bags all the way through to the chatty drive home.... it is all so exciting! While I love the quiet house (because I work from home, summers can be tough), the kids love picking out a bunk and seeing which friends might happen to be there this year compared to the last. There seems to be a lot of control and supervision from the counselors, but to the kids it is different then school where they are required to be very structured and disciplined, the counselors extend some grace and freedom within the activities to really explore and ad-lib without feeling so micromanaged. They can really have fun with whatever activity they are doing, which is really nice for them. All the excitement is balanced well with quiet prayer time and meditation, which is equally fulfilling. The kids spend a lot of time reflecting and looking inward, which is hard to do in your day to day life. St. Therese's Camp has given my kids such an enriching experience.... we look forward to it every year!
2) What could we do better?
I haven't really heard much from the kids as far as what could be done to better the experience.... and as a parent I feel the same. It's hard not having contact with them so being able to see photos on facebook really helps.... especially if they are posted early in the week. I LOVE the end of camp video too.... it is a lot of work, but so appreciated.
********************
1) What was great at camp summer 2019?
My son says the counselors were great!!
2) What could we do better?
He says everything was great!!
3) Anything else you want to tell us.
He says please do it again!!
***************************
What was great at camp summer 2019?
The counselors are very amazing, holy people! It was such a blessing to be able to talk to them, pray with them, and learn from them.
I enjoyed the new rifles, daily Mass, evening snack, adoration, religious sisters, crafts, swimming, messy wars, nap time, and the trip across the lake.
Anything else you want to tell us.
I think the high school week was a fantastic idea and I really enjoyed my time. Please continue doing it.
***************************
Thank you and your team for making camp a place of love of our Lord, faith, and friendship. This was truly a much needed peaceful time away from all the chaos.
My favorite part about camp is picking my son up, because he's always excited to share all the experiences that he had with his friends and counselors. Now that he's a bit older we were able to have deeper conversation about his experience during Adoration. As well as how deep the faith and love of our Lord the patron saints of their cabins really had and how he can try to be like them, choosing to make the Lord the first and most important thing in his life.
These are his answers to your questions:
1) Who were your counselors, and what is your assessment of them?
Alto, Bop it, Ryder- they were very nice and fun throughout the whole week.
2) What was great at camp?
1.Adoration, 2. Daily Mass, 3. The Blob (in that order)
3) What could we do better?
I don't know, camp is really great the way it is.
4) Anything else you want to tell us.
I can't wait to finally be able to go to Glory Bound, this will be my first year going. I can't wait to come to camp next summer!
Thank you again!
******************
Feb. 23, 2018
This note was on the registration of a girl who has attended a few summers of camp, and registered
for 2018. The note is in response to the question "What do you want your child to get from camp?":
To have Good clean Christian fun, that it doesn’t take sin to have fun while at the same time learning of
Gods love for her. That God loves her always, unconditionally. I want her to learn ways to honor,
respect and offer praise to God. If this year is exactly the same as previous years, I know she will learn
all these things and more, things I can’t articulate or think of right now. Your camp is amazing, life
altering. I’m bummed this is her last year as a camper but encouraged she’s already talking of being a
camp helper!
*****************************************
Friday, June 29, 2018
Dear Rudy and St Therese Camp Staff,
Thank You for providing a wonderful week of faith, fellowship and fun for our son and the campers
during the first week of camp!! He always tremendously enjoys his time at camp. He is greatly looking
forward to continuing his camp experience next summer as a helper!!
As a parent, I am thrilled and feel so blessed that he had the opportunity to grow in his faith at camp
with his friends (old and new) with the guidance of passionate dedicated staff.
********************************************
June 30, 2018
My daughter loved it. She LOVED the staff and all the activities!!
**************************************************************
June 30, 2018
Thanks again for all of your work for the youth of the church. My girls had a wonderful week and I’m
so thankful for this break in the summer for them to grow in their faith and create lasting friendships.
You will remain in my prayers as the summer goes on.
***********************************************
July 1, 2018
They loved having Mass everyday as part of the schedule. They said the food was really good this year
also. Thank you to all the great counselors for another wonderful week at camp!
************************************************
From www.facebook.com/wlstc, July 27, 2018
5 star review
My oldest loves this camp! She especially loves to select the last week of summer to attend - says its
the best :) my favorite part- no electronics! It's hard for me to be out of contact with her all week but I
love the connections - real connections- she makes! Last year she came home and told me her favorite
part was Eucharistic adoration :) That's a pretty cool thing to hear from a teen!
************************************************
July 28, 2018
Good morning! It was so wonderful to hear the kids talk the whole way home about their amazing
week at camp!! Thank you for providing such a fun filled, spiritual strengthening, relationship building
week for these three! Thanks again for an unforgettable week!
**************************************************
"I want to thank you for your part in putting on such an excellent camp. Our four very different children all have such enthusiastically glowing reports! It is impressive that you can run a program that satisfies such a variety of personalities and interests. We are also extremely pleased with the faithfully Catholic content. I have heard many positive comments in particular about Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament." -Camper Parent
"The best part of this place (camp) is the chapel." -Unsolicited comment from a 2016 Summer Camper
"Let the counselors know that neither one of my kids have taken off their necklace and bracelet they got from them. That's saying a lot, especially for my sentimental boy." -Camper Parent
"This is by far my favorite camp." -Unsolicited comment from a Summer 2016 Camper
"Our daughter had a fabulous time at camp last week, and we are so appreciative to everyone for providing a safe and comfortable experience for her first time at camp. Add to this the fact that she was surrounded by our faith all week, and we are thrilled to support and promote St. Therese's Camp." -Camper Parent
"My son had a wonderful time at camp!! He raved about his week at camp and shared with us about everything: the awesome counselors, the fun and engaging daily activities, the meals!, and the friendships. Thank you for overseeing a fabulous fun camp for the kids!!" -Camper Parent
"As a parent, I was so impressed with the counselors. The interactions that my kids relayed to me about their energy, joy, and teaching was really wonderful." -Camper Parent
"Staff at St. Therese's Camp-I wanted to take this time to tell you all how grateful we are for you. Thank you for spending an awesome two weeks with our son. You led him and inspired him by your example. He had such a wonderful time. He cried tears the entire way home because he didn't want to leave you all. It's truly impressive to me that in a week full of fun activities, when asked what his favorite parts were, he told his dad and I that it was confession and adoration. It makes my heart so happy that he was able to grow in his Catholic faith. We are also so grateful for the opportunity for him to attend twice. We look forward to sending several of our kids next summer. Keep up the great work. Thanks again and God bless." -Camper Parent
"I should add that my child has never done a stay-away camp, and we as parents and he as camper were nervous and excited. I was very happy that he didn’t have a single comment about being afraid or scared or couldn’t sleep. In fact, he said he slept through most nights. When I asked him about the food, he said it was like being at a resort the food was so good." -Camper Parent
"I am getting glimpses of camp from my son on and off. I have tried not to ask too many questions because I know he is not a talker, but I can say he had a very positive experience. I asked him if he was ready to go back, and he gave a 'YES!' He is telling his brothers little things like 'At St. Therese's camp we do ____ like this!' Whatever that thing may be. It's his personal experience. Like a person who visited Europe (or Africa) would say 'when I was in this country, I saw this...' I over heard my son telling his friend of his own thought (without being asked) 'I GOT to go to St. Therese's Camp this summer' and when asked what did you do there, he responded 'It was fun. We GOT to go to church there.' Like going to church was fun. I can say his attitude about going to mass has been better, and he is making the sign of the cross without being told to. OH! and for what it's worth, he was having a pretend battle with the neighborhood kids and before his side ran off, he took a knee and made the sign of the cross. We used to always have to tell him to cross himself." -Camper Parent
"St. Therese’s Camp was a fabulous experience for our son. When we heard there was going to be a camp, I was very interested on many levels. First, and foremost, it was a Catholic camp, which I knew would bring things to my son that he wouldn’t get in our busy lives, particularly understanding that unique camaraderie that comes with camp and experiencing spirituality in a setting that was not ‘church’ or faith formation class. Also, as my son’s first overnight camp experience (he was 9 going on 10 years), I knew it would be a safe environment that would curb some of his fears and mine. He came home with such a positive feeling, he asked if he could go back again – and he did, two weeks later. Of course, I wanted to know why he wanted to go back, and while he immediately said because it was fun, I could tell it was a different kind of fun. Sure, he really like the gaga pit and the messy tag, but as time went on, he would talk about things like adoration and closing circles and the counselors. He also said the food was so good, it was like being at a resort (really! And, we’ve never been to a resort). He could speak about things related to the Eucharist that I didn’t know he knew. My daughter was trying to think of the name of the ‘the thing that starts with an M’, and my son called out, 'You mean the monstrance?' To which I whipped around and asked him how he knew that, and he said (like, duh), 'we learned about it at camp with adoration.' I was amazed. Things that we tried to impress upon him at home or at church would never seep in like they did at camp. From a parent perspective, getting the facebook posts and photos of the kids at camp gave me and other boys’ moms from the neighborhood great peace to see our boys running around the camp or singing around the campfire or swimming and jumping on the blob in that truly camp-spirit setting. We look forward to next summer, and my daughter is more than excited with anticipation because she will be eight and old enough to go, too." -Camper Parent
"I really can't express to you what it means to me to see my daughter's eyes light up with the joy she found in the fellowship and community at camp. It's "her" experience where she found a relationship with others, grounded in Christ's love, that truly belongs to her - not just something Mom & Dad tell her she should do. As parents, we are their first teachers, but when they can carve out a little piece by themselves, it helps them to form their personal journey." -Camper Parent
****************************
From a mom on the day that registration for summer 2019 opened: "Thanks for keeping the spirit alive in my daughter!"
***************************
Our kids have said one of the best things about camp is Eucharistic Adoration in the chapel.
***************************
From a mom on Feb, 28, 2019 right after she registered her kids:
"They are PUMPED! Best week of the year! Camp experience is transformative."
***************************
From a dad who registered his son for summer camp 2019:
Being connected to a Christian youth community is important. My wife and I both had strong Church summer camp programs. and we're both grateful for the camp's tireless work. We were just talking yesterday about how lucky we are to have St. Therese's as a resource in Catholic formation.
***************************
A mom says: You asked, what was great... Phil says everything! The counselors were really nice, the food was good, and the Gaga Pit, Bif, and Granny’s Candies were all really fun!
***************************
From a parent's view, I liked that he never mentioned that electronics were missed. ;-)
***************************
summer 2019 high school week comment:
It's been adamantly decided that this high school week was the best ever. The talks were deep and powerful, they covered tough topics, my daughter said the girls needed to hear their talk about being worthy and my son said the boys needed to hear the talk about the male topics.
The counselors were incredible, the fun times were incredibly fun...Thank you SO MUCH for the high school week!!!!! My son actually shed a few real tears when he was prayed over.
*****************************
summer 2019 high school week comment:
My daughter had an amazing time at teen week.
I asked her her favorite thing and she said “everything”. I asked her what wasn’t her favorite thing and she said “nothing”.
******************************************
From a teacher at a local Christian school:
"At the start of the school year, in my theology classes, I ask students to write a spiritual autobiography describing the history of their relationship with God. I want you to know that several 8th and 9th grade girls have had transformative experiences at St. Therese’s Camp over the years - experiences that made their relationship with God personal and deep. Thank you for your ministry - know that it is bearing abundant fruit and giving both me and our students hearts full of hope!"
******************************************
1) What was great at camp summer 2019?
Everything! It all starts the week before with the anticipation and build up. From the packing of bags all the way through to the chatty drive home.... it is all so exciting! While I love the quiet house (because I work from home, summers can be tough), the kids love picking out a bunk and seeing which friends might happen to be there this year compared to the last. There seems to be a lot of control and supervision from the counselors, but to the kids it is different then school where they are required to be very structured and disciplined, the counselors extend some grace and freedom within the activities to really explore and ad-lib without feeling so micromanaged. They can really have fun with whatever activity they are doing, which is really nice for them. All the excitement is balanced well with quiet prayer time and meditation, which is equally fulfilling. The kids spend a lot of time reflecting and looking inward, which is hard to do in your day to day life. St. Therese's Camp has given my kids such an enriching experience.... we look forward to it every year!
2) What could we do better?
I haven't really heard much from the kids as far as what could be done to better the experience.... and as a parent I feel the same. It's hard not having contact with them so being able to see photos on facebook really helps.... especially if they are posted early in the week. I LOVE the end of camp video too.... it is a lot of work, but so appreciated.
********************
1) What was great at camp summer 2019?
My son says the counselors were great!!
2) What could we do better?
He says everything was great!!
3) Anything else you want to tell us.
He says please do it again!!
***************************
What was great at camp summer 2019?
The counselors are very amazing, holy people! It was such a blessing to be able to talk to them, pray with them, and learn from them.
I enjoyed the new rifles, daily Mass, evening snack, adoration, religious sisters, crafts, swimming, messy wars, nap time, and the trip across the lake.
Anything else you want to tell us.
I think the high school week was a fantastic idea and I really enjoyed my time. Please continue doing it.
***************************
Thank you and your team for making camp a place of love of our Lord, faith, and friendship. This was truly a much needed peaceful time away from all the chaos.
My favorite part about camp is picking my son up, because he's always excited to share all the experiences that he had with his friends and counselors. Now that he's a bit older we were able to have deeper conversation about his experience during Adoration. As well as how deep the faith and love of our Lord the patron saints of their cabins really had and how he can try to be like them, choosing to make the Lord the first and most important thing in his life.
These are his answers to your questions:
1) Who were your counselors, and what is your assessment of them?
Alto, Bop it, Ryder- they were very nice and fun throughout the whole week.
2) What was great at camp?
1.Adoration, 2. Daily Mass, 3. The Blob (in that order)
3) What could we do better?
I don't know, camp is really great the way it is.
4) Anything else you want to tell us.
I can't wait to finally be able to go to Glory Bound, this will be my first year going. I can't wait to come to camp next summer!
Thank you again!
******************
Feb. 23, 2018
This note was on the registration of a girl who has attended a few summers of camp, and registered
for 2018. The note is in response to the question "What do you want your child to get from camp?":
To have Good clean Christian fun, that it doesn’t take sin to have fun while at the same time learning of
Gods love for her. That God loves her always, unconditionally. I want her to learn ways to honor,
respect and offer praise to God. If this year is exactly the same as previous years, I know she will learn
all these things and more, things I can’t articulate or think of right now. Your camp is amazing, life
altering. I’m bummed this is her last year as a camper but encouraged she’s already talking of being a
camp helper!
*****************************************
Friday, June 29, 2018
Dear Rudy and St Therese Camp Staff,
Thank You for providing a wonderful week of faith, fellowship and fun for our son and the campers
during the first week of camp!! He always tremendously enjoys his time at camp. He is greatly looking
forward to continuing his camp experience next summer as a helper!!
As a parent, I am thrilled and feel so blessed that he had the opportunity to grow in his faith at camp
with his friends (old and new) with the guidance of passionate dedicated staff.
********************************************
June 30, 2018
My daughter loved it. She LOVED the staff and all the activities!!
**************************************************************
June 30, 2018
Thanks again for all of your work for the youth of the church. My girls had a wonderful week and I’m
so thankful for this break in the summer for them to grow in their faith and create lasting friendships.
You will remain in my prayers as the summer goes on.
***********************************************
July 1, 2018
They loved having Mass everyday as part of the schedule. They said the food was really good this year
also. Thank you to all the great counselors for another wonderful week at camp!
************************************************
From www.facebook.com/wlstc, July 27, 2018
5 star review
My oldest loves this camp! She especially loves to select the last week of summer to attend - says its
the best :) my favorite part- no electronics! It's hard for me to be out of contact with her all week but I
love the connections - real connections- she makes! Last year she came home and told me her favorite
part was Eucharistic adoration :) That's a pretty cool thing to hear from a teen!
************************************************
July 28, 2018
Good morning! It was so wonderful to hear the kids talk the whole way home about their amazing
week at camp!! Thank you for providing such a fun filled, spiritual strengthening, relationship building
week for these three! Thanks again for an unforgettable week!
**************************************************
"I want to thank you for your part in putting on such an excellent camp. Our four very different children all have such enthusiastically glowing reports! It is impressive that you can run a program that satisfies such a variety of personalities and interests. We are also extremely pleased with the faithfully Catholic content. I have heard many positive comments in particular about Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament." -Camper Parent
"The best part of this place (camp) is the chapel." -Unsolicited comment from a 2016 Summer Camper
"Let the counselors know that neither one of my kids have taken off their necklace and bracelet they got from them. That's saying a lot, especially for my sentimental boy." -Camper Parent
"This is by far my favorite camp." -Unsolicited comment from a Summer 2016 Camper
"Our daughter had a fabulous time at camp last week, and we are so appreciative to everyone for providing a safe and comfortable experience for her first time at camp. Add to this the fact that she was surrounded by our faith all week, and we are thrilled to support and promote St. Therese's Camp." -Camper Parent
"My son had a wonderful time at camp!! He raved about his week at camp and shared with us about everything: the awesome counselors, the fun and engaging daily activities, the meals!, and the friendships. Thank you for overseeing a fabulous fun camp for the kids!!" -Camper Parent
"As a parent, I was so impressed with the counselors. The interactions that my kids relayed to me about their energy, joy, and teaching was really wonderful." -Camper Parent
"Staff at St. Therese's Camp-I wanted to take this time to tell you all how grateful we are for you. Thank you for spending an awesome two weeks with our son. You led him and inspired him by your example. He had such a wonderful time. He cried tears the entire way home because he didn't want to leave you all. It's truly impressive to me that in a week full of fun activities, when asked what his favorite parts were, he told his dad and I that it was confession and adoration. It makes my heart so happy that he was able to grow in his Catholic faith. We are also so grateful for the opportunity for him to attend twice. We look forward to sending several of our kids next summer. Keep up the great work. Thanks again and God bless." -Camper Parent
"I should add that my child has never done a stay-away camp, and we as parents and he as camper were nervous and excited. I was very happy that he didn’t have a single comment about being afraid or scared or couldn’t sleep. In fact, he said he slept through most nights. When I asked him about the food, he said it was like being at a resort the food was so good." -Camper Parent
"I am getting glimpses of camp from my son on and off. I have tried not to ask too many questions because I know he is not a talker, but I can say he had a very positive experience. I asked him if he was ready to go back, and he gave a 'YES!' He is telling his brothers little things like 'At St. Therese's camp we do ____ like this!' Whatever that thing may be. It's his personal experience. Like a person who visited Europe (or Africa) would say 'when I was in this country, I saw this...' I over heard my son telling his friend of his own thought (without being asked) 'I GOT to go to St. Therese's Camp this summer' and when asked what did you do there, he responded 'It was fun. We GOT to go to church there.' Like going to church was fun. I can say his attitude about going to mass has been better, and he is making the sign of the cross without being told to. OH! and for what it's worth, he was having a pretend battle with the neighborhood kids and before his side ran off, he took a knee and made the sign of the cross. We used to always have to tell him to cross himself." -Camper Parent
"St. Therese’s Camp was a fabulous experience for our son. When we heard there was going to be a camp, I was very interested on many levels. First, and foremost, it was a Catholic camp, which I knew would bring things to my son that he wouldn’t get in our busy lives, particularly understanding that unique camaraderie that comes with camp and experiencing spirituality in a setting that was not ‘church’ or faith formation class. Also, as my son’s first overnight camp experience (he was 9 going on 10 years), I knew it would be a safe environment that would curb some of his fears and mine. He came home with such a positive feeling, he asked if he could go back again – and he did, two weeks later. Of course, I wanted to know why he wanted to go back, and while he immediately said because it was fun, I could tell it was a different kind of fun. Sure, he really like the gaga pit and the messy tag, but as time went on, he would talk about things like adoration and closing circles and the counselors. He also said the food was so good, it was like being at a resort (really! And, we’ve never been to a resort). He could speak about things related to the Eucharist that I didn’t know he knew. My daughter was trying to think of the name of the ‘the thing that starts with an M’, and my son called out, 'You mean the monstrance?' To which I whipped around and asked him how he knew that, and he said (like, duh), 'we learned about it at camp with adoration.' I was amazed. Things that we tried to impress upon him at home or at church would never seep in like they did at camp. From a parent perspective, getting the facebook posts and photos of the kids at camp gave me and other boys’ moms from the neighborhood great peace to see our boys running around the camp or singing around the campfire or swimming and jumping on the blob in that truly camp-spirit setting. We look forward to next summer, and my daughter is more than excited with anticipation because she will be eight and old enough to go, too." -Camper Parent
"I really can't express to you what it means to me to see my daughter's eyes light up with the joy she found in the fellowship and community at camp. It's "her" experience where she found a relationship with others, grounded in Christ's love, that truly belongs to her - not just something Mom & Dad tell her she should do. As parents, we are their first teachers, but when they can carve out a little piece by themselves, it helps them to form their personal journey." -Camper Parent