Nearly ten years ago, God lead me down a path. Since then, the path has been filled with joy, abundant blessings and of course, as with any path in life, a few challenges. Beginning with a Camp Gray water bottle that I saw while attending a young adult conference in Cleveland Ohio, God introduced me to Camp Gray. From there, I met a counselor name Reba, I strengthened my love of the outdoors and teaching and, of course, I learned more deeply the meaning of service. Reba and I met in 2003, eventually we married in 2005 (in Camp’s St. Francis of Assisi Chapel) and she served as the Program director from ’05-’07. In 2008, God called us to go deeper into life at Camp Gray. We began directing and the path has continued to challenge us and bless us all along the way.

Today’s second reading on the Solemnity of the Ascension of our Lord is the same reading I read the day I interviewed for the job as Camp Director. St. Paul in his letter to the Ephesians says, “I, then, a prisoner of the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received” (Ephesians 4:1) I love this challenge. It reminds me of the great charge that I have been given as a leader of one of the greatest Catholic camps in the US. Each year I strive to live this out. Last year, as many of you know, I was pulled away from Camp to fight a more personal challenge. The diagnosis of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma just a month before the start of summer camp was a tough blow to not only my family but to you, the camp family as well.

With the tremendous love and support we made it through that challenge, and I am so grateful for the generosity of so many of you. The prayers, cards, kind words, and love truly do help to carry a person through those difficult times. Today, I wish that I could say that we have arrived at the one year anniversary clean and healthy and ready to begin again. Unfortunately, I cannot. The cancer has returned after only five months in remission. This morning I am heading in for a bone marrow biopsy and next week I will meet with a new Oncologist at the UW to discuss the next round of treatment. It will be far more aggressive and it will involve a bone marrow transplant this time around.

I thank you all in advance for your love and support. No, this cross will not be an easy one to bear although we’ve fought this fight once and we will do it again. Please know that plans are in place here at Camp to ensure that each and every one of your children this summer will have a tremendous, safe experience. Topher will once again be the Summer Camp Director and Reba will be here, as much she is able, to carry out her duties as Executive Director. They have put a phenomenal staff in place and much work has gone into improving the facilities and the programs, especially the morning program area rotation around camp.

Ephesians also says this morning, “May the eyes of [your] hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call…”

We are a people of hope. I hope and pray that everyone has a fantastic summer. Thank you for taking the time to read this today and thank you again for being a part of the family.

By: Taylor Eveland

Greetings campers, parents, alumni, staff, and the never-forgotten but always appreciated web-surfer who happened to stumble upon this post! Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Taylor Eveland, and I am a freshman at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, majoring in Secondary English Education. I was a member of the kitchen crew at Camp Gray last summer, and will be returning this summer for my first year as a counselor! Of course, I am beyond excited—the position of counselor is something that has been on my mind ever since my wary, twelve-year-old self stepped onto Camp grounds—so I am counting down the days until Summer Camp 2012!

You may be thinking to yourself, “Self, who is this girl and why is her experience at camp important? Why is it applicable to me?” It’s a valid question—I’ve only been on staff one summer; before that, I was just a young, naïve camper. Why do I have importance? What makes me stand out from the thousands of other campers that have rolled through CG in the last decade? Well, to be honest, nothing at all. Absolutely nothing. I am just a regular camper—representative of all of the campers in your life. I’ve experienced Camp Gray. I’ve trudged forward on a stream hike on the purple trail and just missed catching Walter in Lake Jake. I’ve cleared dishes quickly enough to get Table Number One and have emerged victorious and war paint-stained from Capture the Flag. I’ve eaten asphalt on the basketball court and eaten apple crisp with just my face. What makes me stand out? Not much, other than the fact that Camp Gray has completely changed my life.

At the risk of sounding completely cliché, I’m just going to throw this out here: I have no idea what my life would look like had I never gone to Camp Gray. People say things like that all the time—but I honestly can’t imagine it. Camp has been intrinsic in my development as a person and has spilled over into so many other parts of my life. Of course, so many of my best friendships have stemmed from Camp, but it’s more than that. Camp helped me realize what’s important to me. It’s where I realized what kind of person I wanted to be and it’s where I learned the faith that has become such an integral part of my life.

These words, by themselves, don’t mean much. To really understand how much Camp has influenced me, we need to travel back: back to a time in which Justin Bieber was just another Canadian schoolboy and Joseph Ratzinger was just settling into his position as Pope Benedict XVI—to a time before YouTube had become a sensation and before the iPhone had taken over the mobile world. That’s right, friends, we need to go back to 2005.

There were early indicators that 6th grade Taylor - shown trying to color-up her wardrobe - would be a CG Staff member a mere six years later.

Meet sixth grade Taylor (pictured at right). She was an adventurous outgoing young girl who loved sports, country music, and making people laugh. One day, a friend of hers approached her about going to summer camp—an adventure that, of course, Taylor would not pass up. A mutual friend encouraged the girls to try out a place called Camp Gray, so with no prior knowledge, the two signed up.

And that’s how it all started for me. I got out of the car at Camp and was immediately whisked off into activities. I was apprehensive on the drive there—my friend and I were going to this place without knowing anyone; we had each other, but that was it. As soon as we arrived, however, everyone made me feel comfortable. I left any worries I had in the car and immediately jumped right in to the camp atmosphere, and I couldn’t get enough (I mean, what 12-year-old doesn’t want to cover herself in war paint and play a giant game of Capture the Flag?!). Camp Gray served up more fun than I had ever had—if you don’t believe me, be sure to check out the video made of the Cassidy Games, Camp’s newest evening program area, and I guarantee you’ll be convinced.

Now, don’t get me wrong—the fun is the main reason I started coming back to Camp. It’s the reason I immediately told my parents, upon getting picked up, that I’d be back for another year. But that’s not the reason I’m writing this post. No, I’m writing this because Camp has affected me in such a greater way than just through the goofiness and laughter that a typical camp atmosphere obviously provides—and that, my friends, is what makes Camp Gray so much different than other camps.

As I stated in the beginning, I don’t know what type of person I would be today if I had never gone to Camp. My faith is the most obvious and most prominent aspect of my life that has been affected. I started at CG in the sixth grade, just as we started diving deeper into our relationships with Christ in our religious education classes at church. At Camp, I was surrounded by college students who were incredibly fun and charismatic, but were also genuinely happy. They knew how to have a great time and appeal to campers but were also responsible, caring and genuinely conscious in all of their actions and decisions. Naturally, I wanted them to like me—so I started imitating what they did. I became more and more involved through my home parish and I developed a prayer life so that I could better imitate their happiness. This imitation soon turned into habituation, and the faith I sought out soon became my own personal relationship with God.

As I grew up and continued going through the programs at Camp, I found that I was never really able to choose a favorite. I know, I know, this is incredibly cliché, but it’s completely true—the programs are so well-tailored to the needs of each age group that I was shocked to find that I was enjoying each year more than the previous. There was one shift, though. The one change that really surprised me, more than anything, is what I found enjoyable. When I was younger, I went to CG for the fun. I went for the energy of the counselors and excitement of Capture the Flag. As I grew up, though, I went for the community and the opportunity to experience my faith in a new way. I think the shifting of programs really affected my priorities. They went from being centered on nurturing my own faith to teaching me how to be a leader for others’ faith. They taught me that I have so much to be thankful for, and they showed me that selflessness is the only way for me to really reach true happiness.

A mere 6 years after 6th grade, Taylor joined the Camp Gray staff, and she taught everyone that Christmas socks are cool all year!

I’m nearing the end of my freshman year at the UW right now. With almost a year of college under my belt (and summer camp 2012 quickly approaching), it’s humbling to look back on the year and realize what a huge impact Camp Gray has had on my life. I look at the organizations with which I’m involved, and nearly all of them wouldn’t be possible without Camp Gray. I’m in a bible study and regularly attend Mass and other events at St. Paul’s, the University Catholic Center; I teach a Wednesday night faith formation class at St. John’s in Waunakee; I nanny for a family just outside of Madison three times a week. Each commitment feeds back into an attribute I learned at Camp—faith, leadership, and love of kids! Add 16 credits on top of that and it gets a little hectic. Again, though, this is just where Camp has come in to help me even more. Camp has provided more than just references—it prepared me for these positions.

Last summer, I was in the kitchen crew. That meant we woke up before the sun rose and went to bed well after the sun set. We worked all day in a fast-paced environment, constantly working hard to maintain community and get things done in a productive, efficient manner. This has done nothing but help me since I’ve come to school. It has taught me what hard work is, which—at such a highly ranked university such as Madison—puts me at a great advantage. It taught me to keep my priorities in check, that sometimes a good night’s sleep is more important than a few extra hours of studying. It taught me time management and how to work with people. More importantly, though, Camp Gray taught me how to serve people. It taught me how to make servant-leadership the most important thing in my life, and to be constantly aware of how others are doing. It’s the reason that I’ve spent nights consoling a friend in the laundry room, hours of the day planning religious education classes for tenth graders, and countless spare moments writing down new devotion ideas. It’s the reason that I chose my major—Camp showed me that teaching and serving is what I’m passionate about, and that’s what I plan to do.

I’ve stated this over and over again, but I can’t emphasize it enough: my life would be completely different had I never gone to Camp Gray. I wouldn’t have the same friends; I wouldn’t have the same priorities; heck, I might not even have the same career choice. I’d love to say that it’s just a camp thing, but I know it’s not. No, there’s something different about Camp Gray. No other camp has the Holy Spirit so vividly expressed in every aspect of its outreach. It so cohesively binds “faith, friends, and fun” that campers can’t often distinguish between the three. As a former camper, I can attest to this. We spend time with our friends, having fun diving deeper into our faith. I’ve been asked many times if I would recommend Camp Gray to families, and I always have the same answer: just recommending this camp doesn’t do it justice. Just hearing my life story, the Camp Gray experience won’t make sense. If people don’t experience these grounds, they’ll never understand. Camp Gray isn’t just a camp—it’s an exciting, joyful way to experience a true Catholic community.

So, what makes me qualified to tell you all of these things? I am a Camp Gray camper. I have laughed, cried, and experienced an outpouring of love on these 225 acres. I have observed some of the most kind and holy people doing what brings them joy, and I have learned what it really means to be a servant leader. I received things from Camp Gray that have made my life so much more abundant. What makes me qualified to receive these things? Nothing. All I had to do was go to Camp Gray.

Would you like to share your Camp Gray story on the CG Blog?  Email Topher at bigfun@campgray.com

Thanks for your help this weekend fellas!

On any given day, as our Servant Leadership team steps out to lead an environmental stewardship program, they wear a staff shirt with a quote across the back from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. It states, “We are not gods, but stewards of the earth.” Stewardship is a word we hear pertaining to wisely using our time, talent, and treasure. In each of these areas the Lord has entrusted to us gifts which we are called to cultivate and use to bear as much fruit as we can.

At Camp Gray, stewardship is certainly much more than just a word on a shirt. We take our call to stewardship seriously. As many of you already know, we are currently in the process of creating a new retreat space. Using the concept of stewardship is really how this plan came to be. The impetus for the project was the fact that the current office has become a worrisome site on many fronts. We began to look for a suitable location to host the behind the scenes work of the wonderful Camp Gray staff.

The area near the Joe was a prime target for our new office. After looking to one side and then the other of this nearly 50 year old structure, and then looking closer at the structure itself, we realized that this is a building that was never intended for year-round use. It was decided to explore other options. The Joe (once upon a time our Chapel) was in need of roof repairs, electrical and lighting upgrades and more warmth for the cold winter days.

So, the Joe is badly in need of repairs. We need a new office. The location of the Joe is prime (near the parking lot and central to the heart of camp). After doing the math, a new question arose: would it make more sense to combine forces and construct a new building designed to house both a retreat space and an office? And then it hit us, another huge bonus, this new building could include the luxury of indoor restrooms, an amenity neither space currently has. And soon, the answer to our question was obvious. With a resounding “Yes!” we began to make plans. And throughout the planning process we have been committed to stewardship, to wisely using the resources we have at hand.

With the demolition of the Joe, we are able to minimize camp’s footprint expansion. The new building will be bigger because it will house both the retreat space and the new office, but it’s one building instead of two. There were seven white pine trees that needed to be removed, but what is really cool is that we are even able to use those wisely. We recognize the relationship that we are to have with the land, as a gift from God. This is a respect that comes from our desire to use the treasure that God has given. Thanks to the help from some of the local Knights council, #746, we were able to mill over 500 board feet with a portable band saw right on site. The wood will be used inside the new structure as paneling and possibly as some sturdy, hand crafted benches. Look for a pretty impressive fireplace mantle, someday (hopefully soon) down the road in the new dining hall. Each board was milled from the land, a resource given to us by God to be used wisely.

And so, stewardship guides everything that we do here. We ask our staff to be good stewards when shopping with camp’s money. They are expected to take great care of the buildings in which they live and work, as well as all camp property. Our staff teach our campers to be good stewards of the environment and of each other’s emotional needs. And we strive to be good stewards in preserving and cultivating the the gifts we have, while also meeting the needs that arise here at Camp Gray.

We are very excited about all the projects we have which will hopefully make our visitors’ experiences more fruitful. And we are grateful for the gifts that the Lord has sent us to allow this to happen.

Thanks for your help raking, ladies!

By: Chris “Topher” Aderhold

While the weather was quite a bit less than ideal for our annual Spring Work Day this past Saturday, it certainly could have been much worse. Sure, it was rainy and chilly, but thankfully the predicted snow did not fall. Despite the tough weather, there were well over 50 dedicated and hard working folks that rolled out to Camp Gray to help spruce up the grounds in preparation for Summer Camp 2012.

Projects included an extensive cleaning to the St. Vincent (Vinnies!) Retreat Center, the St. Raphael Bunkhouse, and the kitchen. Additionally, though they were wet and heavy, the leaves and pine needles scattered around much of main camp were raked up and dumped into the woods.

A task which was completed with somewhat heavy hearts was the removal of furniture and carpets in The Joe. Click here to read more about why this work was done.

The cross at the Main Campfire Area had fallen, but with a little help from some friends, a new cross was constructed and put back. Thanks gang!

Lastly, a highlight of the day – besides the consumption of delicious Sloppy Joes at lunch – was the work done putting the new cross into place at the Main Campfire Area.  SaLT Missionary Nathan Heit spent time last week putting the cross together.  The crew from St. John Vianney Parish in Janesville stepped in to help put the cross in place.

It’s extremely humbling to see so many folks come out to Camp’s annual Spring Work Day, and it serves as an affirmation that people are in support of all the great work that goes on out here!

Thanks friends!

 
Do you have questions (about CG, sports, faith, coffee… anything!) for the semi-regular Tuesdays with Topher mailbag? Email! Thanks to those that have already emailed over questions!  Check out the latest mailbag by clicking here.

Seriously, Camp Gray consistently gets two thumbs up!

By: Chris “Topher” Aderhold

”Words can hardly describe how my wife and I felt while driving back from camp as we listened to all three kids talk over one another, bragging about their counselors and experiences throughout the week. What a great feeling for a parent to have knowing that their kids will hang on to these positive memories forever.”
___________

On Mother’s Day of each year, we open wide the doors of Camp Gray to invite the masses out for our annual Spring Open House. The above parent quote comes to us from a family that heard about Camp Gray from friends. Before they sent their kids to Camp Gray last summer, they attended last year’s Open House. They left the Open House excited for Summer Camp, and left Summer Camp with lifelong memories.

FAQ: Why is Camp Gray’s Open House on Mother’s Day?
Camp Gray is open not just in the summer, but during the school year, as well. More than 3,000 youth experience the faith, friends, and fun of Camp Gray during the school year, which means there are very few days Camp Gray doesn’t have a retreat group on our grounds. Mother’s Day is one of those rare days when there aren’t any groups present, which means we love taking the opportunity to welcome you and your family out to spend time at one of the greatest places in the State!

Awareness of Camp Gray is on the rise – as are registrations for Summer Camp (we’re currently sitting at 85% capacity!). Reading articles about Camp Gray, watching Camp Gray videos, or hearing folks talk about all that goes on at Camp Gray can teach you a lot about Camp. Sometimes merely hearing about something isn’t enough to be convinced of its transformative power, though. Sometimes you need to see something to believe (just ask that doubting Thomas character!).

Maybe you’ve already registered your campers, and you’ve never been to Camp Gray. We invite you too to come out, so you (and your campers) can see first hand for the first time all that goes on at Camp Gray.

Sure, gas prices are high, and there may be other plans being made for Mother’s Day. However, you can’t put a price on learning more about an experience – or bolstering a decision – that may impact the lives of your children forever (see parent quote above). And Mothers, the following parent evaluation quote infers that sending your campers to Summer Camp may be the best Mother’s Day gift you’ll ever receive:

”My children were returned better than when I dropped them off. They seemed to remember their manners.”

So come on out on May 13th to meet the Camp Gray staff, tour the grounds, and see our ongoing improvements. Call or email if you have any questions!

Camp Gray Spring Open House: May 13th, 2012 – 11am-2pm

Do you have questions (about CG, sports, faith, coffee… anything!) for the semi-regular Tuesdays with Topher mailbag? Email! Thanks to those that have already emailed over questions!  Check out the latest mailbag by clicking here.

I found Walter picking out his choice spot for a top bunk in the St. Raphael bunkhouse for Summer Camp! How's that for an early bird - or rather, a prompt fish.

We decided to head to the kitchen for a quick snack and found Kevin, the year round cook. Don't worry folks, he's just giving Walter some warming spa treatment after his winter in frozen Lake Jake.

Where's Walter? Looks like the Amphitheater is completely empty!

Hold on a second! Walter, you blend right into the Lake Jake that is painted in the mural of the Amphitheater wall. He thought he was home sweet home!

Looks like Walter found himself one of Camp Gray's new mountain bikes in the Lance bike shed! I only wish his little fins were long enough to reach the peddles, then we could go for an epic bike ride adventure.

Oh no! Walter has misplaced himself...luckily he's been found! After quite a long day someone is ready to head back home to his humble underwater dwelling in Lake Jake.

On the way back to Lake Jake, Walter found this large hole in the ground! "What could that be?" he asked. "Surprise! Walter, after 30 years of the same old swimming pool, we are excited to start construction on the new pool, which is one of many projects happening at Camp Gray this spring/summer.

Walter and I are looking to go for a quick swim before he journeys back to Lake Jake, but it appears we'll have to wait until Summer Camp 2012!

Thanks for tuning in!  I don’t want to make any promises, but be on the lookout sometime soon for the first ever VLOG (that’s a video blog! sweet!)!

After 17 blog posts, it’s finally time to answer some reader emails. Over the course of the past four months, feedback and questions have been rolling in at an unprecedented rate (unprecedented because there is no precedence to the Tuesdays with Topher mailbag feature…).

It’s not too early to submit emails for the next Tuesdays with Topher Mailbag…  Do you have questions (about CG, sports, faith, coffee… anything!) for the next quarterly/semi-regular Tuesdays with Topher mailbag?  Email!

Without further adieu, I give you the first addition of the quarterly/semi-regular Tuesdays with Topher Mailbag. These are actual emails from actual readers.

Q: In your VERY experienced career at Camp Gray, what has been the most exciting moment to ever happen to you?
– Kacey, Madison, WI

Back during Summer Camp 2009, I had the great privilege of counseling a group of campers in the Adventure program. There was a camper in the group named Mark. This is his story:

Mark bought a brand new Camp Gray hat his first day at Camp, and by the second day, the hat had been misplaced (we don’t lose things at Camp Gray). It was apparent to his counselors and to the rest of his cabin group that Mark was pretty bummed about the missing hat. The group immediately rallied around Mark and dedicated the rest of the week to tracking down the hat.

The last day of camp came, and there was still no sign of the missing hat. The group penned a song in a last ditch effort to spread the word about the missing hat. Mark’s cabin group also recruited Camp’s arts and crafts specialist to design a poster with a sketch of the missing hat and the text of “Mark Lost His Hat.” – to be hung in the pavilion (where all camp meals take place).

Unbeknownst to anyone in the pavilion during the singing of the new smash hit single, “Mark Lost His Hat,” Jeff, Camp Gray’s co-director, fatefully stumbled across the missing hat. As the song finished, there was a brief moment of silence as 400 eyes scanned the pavilion in the hopes that Mark’s hat would suddenly appear. When no hat appeared, disappointment began to fill the Camp Gray pavilion. Mark and his cabin group slowly began finding their seats with looks of defeat on their faces.

Then, as if prodded providentially, Jeff flung open the pavilion’s double doors and pulled from behind his back a simple hat. The pavilion erupted into a scene of joy and pandemonium. (It was such an unlikely and miraculous timing of events, that even to this day, some people feel as though the entire occasion was staged…) Mark and his fellow cabin mates couldn’t believe their eyes. Sure, it was only a hat, but that hat was responsible for uniting not only a cabin group but all 200 people present that day.

Grown men cried that day, my friends. Well, at the least, there were certainly misty eyes…

Q: What is friendship?
- Mariana, LaCrosse, WI

Sometimes I ponder the origin of words. And sometimes, while pondering, I just kind of start talking about the first thing that pops into my head when I think of this word. And sometimes, along the way, I talk my way into a pretty legitimate definition. I am hoping that is what is about to happen.

The first friend ship.

I’m guessing there was once a bunch of friends on a boat, and someone said, “This is a friend ship!” Now that I think about it, likely this was on the Ark. Noah had his family, and every animal had a buddy. The friend ship set sail for 40 days enduring a trial none of us can imagine. Noah, being a good guy, probably used corny jokes like, “This is a friend ship!” to keep his family sane and to entertain the animals on the long journey. Although, after a while, the corny jokes were probably driving his family insane and the animals stopped being amused. Though his jokes may have gotten old, Noah willed the good of the others on the boat, and so he did everything he could to help them endure such a long and arduous journey.

And you know, surviving that adversity likely bonded Noah, his family, and those animals like nothing else ever before or after. Friendship was born. And this is the part where I begin to sound like I know what I’m talking about (even though I’m stealing St. Thomas Aquinas’ definition of love). St. Thomas says that love is “to will the good of another “, but I think it works for true friendship, as well.

See, the best friendships are the most loving. And the most loving friendships are the ones where each friend desires only what is best for the other person, and is willing to work hard to make that person happy. This is why the Ark was a friend ship. Not only were the people on this ship laughing and having fun, but they were helping each other. Noah may not have wanted to put his family through this ordeal, and his family may have been a bit annoyed at the inconvenience. However, Noah knew that this was what was best for their lives, so he worked to make it happen. And good thing he did.

There you have it.

Friendship:
1. noun – to will the good of another
2. noun – a boat load of friends

Q: What is your favorite thing that happens during the “typical” Summer Camp ‘day in the life’ at Camp Gray?
- Rae, Madison, WI

Smiling! It’s my favorite!

One of my favorite daily tasks during Summer Camp is that I take lots of and lots of pictures. Capturing photos of hundreds of smiling campers and staff members each day puts a huge smile on my face. This may seem extremely cheesy, and not exactly the type of “thing” that you were looking for, but truly, my favorite thing that happens during a “typical” Summer Camp day is witnessing all of the joy – which is easy to spot because there are so many smiles.

Q: When will sky diving and bungee jumping be added into the Dream Sports Pod!?
- KC, North Branch, MN

While having both of these extreme activities would be extreme-ly cool, the feasibility is non-existent.

There was a “Camp Gray Bungee Jumping Exploratory” Committee established back during Summer Camp 1983, because it was around that time that Bungee Jumping fever was first sweeping the Midwest.

It was discovered early in the Exploring that Camp Gray is extremely flat. Extremely flat. This discovery was detrimental to the prospect of adding bungee jumping to the long list of Camp Gray activities. Turns out, to have quality bungee jumping, a platform of at least 500 feet is required. The rock wall tower stretches to an impressive 45 feet, and the roof of the ‘Joe’ peaks at a just-shy-of-the-requirement 24 feet.

As for sky diving, unfortunately, the sky above Camp Gray is restricted air space (probably to avoid obstructing the joy and prayers of campers and staff from wafting up to heaven…).

*Fine print – 89% of this response if fictional.

Q: There are so many exciting things going on this spring with the new basketball court, new swimming pool, and new schedule. However, not much has been made of the situation surrounding Walter’s expiring contract – and the inability so far to get a new contract signed. Are you concerned negotiations won’t get done and that Walter might refuse to sign his franchise tag in order to hold out for a bigger contract?
-Timmy C., Stevens Point, WI

Camp Gray's enormous fish Walter can, for now, be found in the depths of Camp's Lake Jake.

There has been an enormous amount of work done this school year to ensure that some glaring CG needs are remedied. These improvements will continue to put CG in the best position to positively impact the lives of every single one of our 1,200 campers this summer.

As you mentioned, this spring is seeing/will see improvements to the basketball court, the swimming pool, and the new daily schedule.

Another task which is at the top of our spring “to do” list is to lock Walter into a lucrative long term deal. As you probably know, Walter has been a part of the Camp Gray team since his birth in the early-70s. His current contract though, which was signed before the 1998 summer, expires next month.

Talks between Jeff & Rebecca and Walter’s agent, Peter Mittiga, have found an enormous gap between the two sides, and that a common ground may be harder to come by then originally thought.

Jeff & Rebecca are hoping to give Walter an 8-year 32 million worm contract. This’ll keep Walter – the undisputed face of Camp Gray’s wildlife and mythology departments – at Camp Gray until 2020. At that point, Walter will be 46, and will likely be looking into retirement due to the deterioration of skills.

Walter’s agent however, is demanding no less than a 14 year 63 million worm contract.

This is where the franchise tag comes into play. The franchise tag, similar to the franchise tag arrangement in the National Football League, was established by former Catholic Camp Association Commissioner Steven Torres just after the 1979 season.

The purpose of the tag, in theory, is for camps to be able to continue contract negotiations with a star mythical creature and not lose him in free agency. The practice often is that the camp just wants to lock up a mythical creature for one summer and see what happens.

Unfortunately, mythical creatures don’t like to get tagged. They often see it as an insult, not a compliment. They see it as an easy out for the team.

It’s not as though Camp Gray would get off scot-free; giving Walter the franchise tag would still cost Camp Gray upwards of 5 million worms just for the one season.

The reason for this is that a franchise mythical creature must be offered a one-year contract for an amount no less than the average of the top five salaries of other mythical creatures at camps which are a part of the Catholic Camp Association, or 120 percent of the mythical creature’s previous year’s salary, whichever is greater.

It is not chump change, mind you, but for mythical creatures with lengthy résumés and significant value, the franchise tag is not enough.

Jeff & Rebecca have until May 15th to either negotiate a new contract or put the franchise tag on Walter. Otherwise, Walter becomes a free agent, meaning he can walk (er, swim) to another CCA camp. It’s not a stretch to think Walter could get the 14-year contract he desires from another camp.

Voted by the Tuesdays with Topher crew as the most impressive beard south of Harrison Creek.

Q: What do you make of James Harden’s beard?
- Max, Gunnison, CO

For those not aware, James Harden plays professional basketball for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Also, for those unaware, Harden has an incredibly large beard. Though the entirety of the Tuesdays with Topher crew lacks the ability to grow quality beards, we’re in 100% full support of beards.

a

Thanks so much for tuning in, friends!  I hope you enjoyed the inaugural quarterly/semi-regular Tuesdays with Topher mailbag.  Again, it’s not too early to send in questions for the next quarterly/semi-regular Tuesdays with Topher mailbag.  So, do you have questions (about CG, sports, faith, coffee… anything!)?  Email!

Like your soul, the large oak at the corner of the basketball court is in full bloom this spring!

By: Doug Ulaszek

For the past couple of weeks, the SaLT Missionaries have been preparing for our spring retreat season, which started last week! The spring retreat schedule here at Camp is chock-full, making the  days leading up to last week the last opportunity for us to make sure our programs are ready to go.

One of the things I’ve been working on is brushing up on my ESP knowledge. ESP stands for Environmental Stewardship Program. Geared towards sixth graders, Camp’s ESP retreats are aimed at introducing students to the beauty of God’s creation through experience and basic science concepts. Generally, the students’ first contact with the beautiful creation here at Camp is through the ESP Hike; each small group makes a sack lunch and heads out to someplace in the woods for a couple of hours. They play games, learn some new things, and get to soak in the natural beauty we are blessed to have here at Camp Gray.

To get ready for the ESP Hikes I will lead this spring, I decided to go on a dry run by myself on one of Camp’s trails just to make sure I could still tell the difference between some of the plants around Camp. Boy am I glad I did! Shortly into my hike, I realized that Camp has a very different look in the spring. Whereas in the fall I could easily tell the difference between a Red Oak and White Oak, it is a bit more difficult in the spring. The main way I can tell the difference is from the leaf structure – and as you can imagine, there are not many leaves on trees yet! This posed a bit of a problem for me, but I now have time to think of other cool concepts to teach the kids, ones that don’t involve telling the difference between different types of Oaks.

On the way back from my hike, I started to think about this phenomenon. Camp is certainly still the same, but I literally didn’t recognize some parts of Camp that I had grown used to in the fall. I had to look much more closely at many of the plants in order to identify them. I couldn’t help but think about how closely this relates to the Easter season we have just entered in our Church. In many, if not all the Gospels during the Easter season, we will be hearing about different appearances the risen Christ makes to his disciples. Jesus looks the same as he did before the Crucifixion, but something has fundamentally changed in his interactions with the disciples during Easter season. He is no longer teaching in parables, but opening their minds to all that he taught before the Passion.

I think the imagery here is fairly familiar to many of us: just as Christ rises from the dead, so does creation rise up in the spring to take on new life. However, something I don’t think of often is how Easter impacts me. Something changes in Christ on Easter Sunday. But am I any different after Easter Sunday? When Lent began, we entered into the temptation of Christ with prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. We may have done really well in these areas, but what do they mean for us now that Lent is over?

Just as the dead of winter has cleared the way for blossoms around Camp Gray, Lent is meant to prepare us to bloom spiritually. Hopefully, some of the good habits we acquired (or bad habits we ditched) during Lent continue during Easter. If that is the case, we are definitely in for a beautiful spring for our souls.

By: Colleen Dunn

Where in the world is Walter the fish? “Lake Jake!”  you might say.  But oh no my friends, he has left his home for a little journey around camp searching for all of YOU! As I was taking a walk enjoying the beauty of our 225 acres, I spotted him sneaking out of the water to go on an adventure around camp, so that he could get a closer look at where you all hang out during Summer Camp and when you come to Camp Gray during the school year.  Thank goodness I had my camera so I could document this epic journey of his!

Stop 1 - the lake! He escaped the frozen lake to explore camp

Stop 2- Walter made his way to the Bakke Outdoor Chapel on his way to main camp

Stop 3 - The forts outside St. Francis and St. Martin trailblazer boy’s cabin. Walter was looking for some shelter from the snow and found this awesome work done by some campers. He is here to hold down the fort til y’all come back this summer!

Stop 4- PAN-DA-BALL! He is practicing for the summer Cassidy Games

Stop 5- The Gym. Walter and I spent some time shooting hoops. He is very good, and had the assist as I dunked it in for the win!

Stop 6 - After a long day of traveling, I saw him sneak into the Canteen Store to do some shopping and grab some Camp Gray souvenirs from his journey.

Stop 7 - The office! He couldn’t find his way back so he stopped by the office for a map of camp. While there he ran into Emilio, who let Walter borrow his Loras hat to keep warm.

To be continued…

Tune in next Thursday for Part 2 of Walter’s Adventure Plog!  Also, stay updated on other Camp happenings right here on the Camp Gray blog… or plog… or maybe even a vlog (video blog)!

Greetings friends!

I hope you and your family had a blessed Easter!

The Camp Gray office was closed last week on Thursday and Friday to allow for a four-day Easter weekend.  Because of the time away, we’re going to be keeping this week’s Tuesdays with Topher brief.  Get excited for next week though, as we’ll be launching the first installment of the quarterly Tuesdays with Topher Mailbag.  You haven’t emailed over a question, yet?  It’s not too late!  Do you have questions (about CG, sports, faith, coffee… anything!) for the quarterly Tuesdays with Topher Mailbag? Email!  Thanks to those that have already emailed over questions!

Major progress is being made on Camp's new swimming pool - making all of us excited for summer!

Additionally, allow me to put out another plug for our annual Spring Work Day.  You’re invited to join us at Camp Gray on April 28^th as we rake, clean, and construct in preparation for Summer Camp 2012.  A delicious hot lunch is provided.  Thanks in advance for your work to get this place ready to impact the lives of 1,200 youth this summer.

And lastly, have you been keeping tabs on the Spring Construction Journal?  Major progress is being made on Camp’s new swimming pool, and work on the basketball court will be coming soon!  To see the latest images from the Camp Gray swimming pool, check out Camp’s facebook page by clicking here (even if you don’t have facebook, you can still visit our page and view the images!).

Have a wonderful rest of the week, and thanks for sending over questions for the quarterly Tuesdays with Topher Mailbag!  Looking forward to seeing you again next Tuesday!