The National Association of AOTS (As One That Serves) men's clubs have embarked on a journey of church community revitalization. The 'destination' is to inspire young people from across the country to become actively involved in our churches. The 'vehicle' is the experience of United Church camping.In the Summer of 1998, after setting two years of groundwork, more than 30 AOTS clubs from 5 provinces sent 140 children to United Church camps. This youth-oriented national initiative – entitled Youth to Camp Project – is rapidly catching fire across the country.
For many years the United Church has supported sending its young people (both boys and girls) to church camps, often paying for those children whose families could not afford to send them.
In September of 1996, the late Mr. Don Williams, then Honorary President of the National AOTS, was asked by his colleagues at the National Convention to propose a 'tangible' national project to commemorate the organization's 75 years of serving the church community. Having experienced Christian camp as a young man, and having been the Director of a United Church boy's camp for many summers, Mr. Williams strongly believes that the Christian camp experience fosters spiritual growth and moral development. Indeed he recommended that youth camping be the focus of the project.
Over the years, AOTS clubs have not only sent children to camp, but have also conducted the much-needed behind the scenes work that keeps the camps running: building and renovating cabins, conducting camp clean-ups and funding projects. But the idea this time was to spearhead and coordinate a much broader youth camp initiative with a view to revitalizing the United Church community through attracting more youth.
The National Association of the AOTS believes that by coordinating the Youth to Camp Project at the national level, the United Church community of Canada will be better placed to shape its own future.
Mr. Williams is currently the enthusiasm and direction behind the National Youth to Camp Project. "This project will positively affect more than just our youth," he explains. "These young people are the future leaders of our families, church communities and country."
The goals of the National Youth to Camp Project are as follows:
In September of 1996, the late Mr. Don Williams, then Honorary President of the National AOTS, was asked by his colleagues at the National Convention to propose a 'tangible' national project to commemorate the organization's 75 years of serving the church community. Having experienced Christian camp as a young man, and having been the Director of a United Church boy's camp for many summers, Mr. Williams strongly believes that the Christian camp experience fosters spiritual growth and moral development. Indeed he recommended that youth camping be the focus of the project.
Over the years, AOTS clubs have not only sent children to camp, but have also conducted the much-needed behind the scenes work that keeps the camps running: building and renovating cabins, conducting camp clean-ups and funding projects. But the idea this time was to spearhead and coordinate a much broader youth camp initiative with a view to revitalizing the United Church community through attracting more youth.
The National Association of the AOTS believes that by coordinating the Youth to Camp Project at the national level, the United Church community of Canada will be better placed to shape its own future.
Mr. Williams is currently the enthusiasm and direction behind the National Youth to Camp Project. "This project will positively affect more than just our youth," he explains. "These young people are the future leaders of our families, church communities and country."
The goals of the National Youth to Camp Project are as follows:
- to encourage not only AOTS men's and women's clubs and church ministers, but also other men's and women's groups within the United Church to promote Youth to Camp Canada-wide; and
- to reach out beyond the church and into the community to find children who might benefit from an introduction to Christian teachings by way of camp.
Following Mr. Williams' recommendation, the National AOTS leaders launched a pilot project based in the Bay of Quinte Conference of the AOTS to determine the level of support for the project and look at such issues as budgets and time lines.
In May of 1997, at the AOTS Ontario Round-up in Geneva Park, Orillia, Ontario, the National project leaders presented the pilot project outline to Round-up participants and received overwhelming support. In fact, two clubs from outside the Bay of Quinte area decided to join the project, resulting in eight additional young people being sent to camp.
The overall outcome of the pilot was extremely positive. Fourteen of 16 clubs in the Bay of Quinte area fully supported the project sending anywhere from two to 26 children to camp. A total of 85 Bay of Quinte area youth attended one week of Christian camp in the summer of 1997.In the Fall of 1997, the National Association of the AOTS Clubs formally adopted the National Youth to Camp Project at the National Convention in Gander, Newfoundland.
The National Association of the AOTS is currently collecting statistics which will help in setting national targets for church community revitalization. The Association is working at fostering a healthy, competitive spirit between churches, towns, cities and even provinces as it strives to affect more and more children's lives. It provides financial/fundraising assistance and assists with strategic planning. It also seeks to ensure that the Project's messages and goals are consistent, and builds awareness for the Project at the national level.
Several new clubs are committed to joining the project for the summer of 1999 and have already started their planning.
St. Paul's AOTS Club in Stirling, Ontario sent 26 children to camp during the pilot project and 34 in the summer of 1998. They adopted the attitude: 'find the young people and the money will come.' Although they paid for approximately one third of the children's camp experiences, local Service Clubs were inspired to make an investment in local youth and covered the remaining costs.
In addition, all of these children and their families were invited to St. Paul's following their week at camp to share their experiences with AOTS members who appreciated hearing the children's first-hand accounts about what they gained at camp.
Success stories like this demonstrate the power of working together. As National Chairman of the Youth to Camp Project, I would like to underline that the prospects for this project look great. We look forward to the continued support of the UCW (United Church Women) and other United Church men's and women's clubs.
I am convinced that one week at camp can be one of the greatest, life-changing experiences in a young life. It introduces Christian values and views to children who might otherwise never have been exposed to them.
It is my hope that men's and women's clubs from all over the country will join together with their local AOTS clubs to help find and fund Youth to Camp and have a positive impact on children's lives.
