About Us
Welcome to the 2009 Camping season! We are excited about all of the new and returning camps this year. Please take a moment and look at what we have to offer on the 2009 Camps page.
This summer was an amazing summer as the new Site Director. We had a great summer and had 30 more campers than last year and the most campers we have had for the last 5 years. That is due to kids and parents seeing the value of what camp means to the youth. Thank you for a great summer and continued growth for summers to come. The mud pit seemed to be a big hit this last summer. Kids of all ages from Lil Tykes to Senior High campers all took part in the excitement.
We have had a number of mission projects this past year that have completed a number of projects. A local man, Dan Bollow helped put new siding on the pool pump house and did a lot of painting signs, doors and shelter houses. University United Methodist put new hard wood floors down in Deer Trail and new vanities in Oak Valley. A mission group from Durham and Mt. Olivet UMCs put a new green metal roof on the lost cabin, primered and painted the outside, put a new door on the front and replaced windows that were cracked. Macon UMC put a new culvert in, drainage basins around the pool, hard wood floor and vanities in Riggs, finished trimming the center section of Deer Trail, repaired roof on Vancil Shelter and mulch the elements on the Challenge Course and did about 1/3 of the trail. Palmyra UMC also helped purchase a new winter cover for the pool. A number of churches helped out on clean up days. If I try to mention all of them, I will miss one and I do not what to leave anyone out. All have been a big help.
The Camp Jo-Ota Youth Rally was a big success. We raised over $3,000 for the dining hall. The kids and adults both had a great time and left here feeling renewed. Thanks to Spirit Camp Praise Band, Finding Bethel, Sarah Matthews and Andre Fulton for the music and the challenge messages. Other special thanks go out to Sandy Bruno, Rhonda Linsley and Gay Phillips for their help planning this event otherwise it could not have happened. We had over 50 adults and youth that attended and hope to see that double next year. The weather was rainy the whole weekend but that did not kill the spirit.
We have added at least five more camps to the 2009 schedule. We are doubling up on some camps and also adding Sports Camp, Puppet Camp, Pioneer Camp and Praise Band Camp.
We are looking forward to another amazing summer!
Mike Leonard, Camp Jo-Ota Site Director