Over this summer, and many prior, the Seeds of Hope Camp has welcomed hundreds of kids to up to three weeks of free summer camp housed at an area school. Last week in Dobson, Central Middle played host to more than 100 kids and a slew of volunteers leading them in games, songs, and worship — and staying out of the scorching heat.
Jana Elliott, also executive director of The Greater Mount Airy Ministry of Hospitality, said the camp got its start about 15 years ago. “We started out doing like one week of summer camp and focused mostly at that point on the Stokes County area. That’s where the majority of the folks that were coming when we were starting this organization came from.”
The camp focuses on foster, adopted, and at-risk kids and is free of charge. Elliot said the organization writes grant applications and does fundraisers to aid with transportation when it is needed to take a camper to the experience. YVEDDI has helped with transportation as have numerous church groups coming in from Sandy Ridge, Pilot Mountain, and King to shuttle kids to camp and to offsite activities.
“A lot of our kids have been through trauma, have been through abuse, coming out of the foster care system. For these kids that we’re serving, they need that tangible connection. They need that one-on-one, that time to show that somebody really cares and is invested in them,” Elliot said.
“We have to make sure that we’re training our staff members more, that they’re equipped and prepared to deal with any of those behaviors or the traumas that may arise,” she said, but noted joy is oft found as well. “Some of the kids over the years have been reunited with siblings that they’ve been separated from here.”
When Elliot took over at The Shepherd’s House she made a connection between those campers and the women in need she serves now. “I had seen this beautiful little girl, she was 19, and she had been in the foster care system and was so strung out, and just all these different things were going on. I finally realized, I had that moment, where nobody had intervened or stepped in for her.”
“The adults at my house, at the Shepherd’s House, were these same kids that I was serving with camp, but nobody had stepped in for them when they were little.”
“So it’s just such a beautiful thing to be able to see that whole picture and the evolution of how if we can step in now, then maybe we can prevent some of that cyclical pattern,” she said.
She walked past a worship session led by John Blackburn of The Rock Church in King. “It’s faith-based and we’re trying to teach them just how precious and unique they are and that God loves them. Their current circumstances don’t define their future,” Elliot explained.
“Our very first verse that we’ve held onto throughout the years is Jeremiah 29:11: ‘God has a plan for you, a hope and a future.’ It’s become the cornerstone of our messages and themes. We’re committed to pouring into the hearts of these children, emphasizing that their past doesn’t define them, and their current circumstances don’t limit their potential. We’re trimming away the negatives and focusing on the bright hope of the future,” she added.
“It’s so fulfilling. You walk away so exhausted, but so, so full,” camp director Allison Eckridge and third grade teach at Winston-Salem’s Kimberley Park Elementary added.
Having once been a camper and now the camp leader, she appreciates the symmetry of it all. “I feel all the things. It’s such a big responsibility. There are things you get paid to do, and then there are things you get called to do. And I’m blessed enough to have those tie in for me.”
“It’s just great, it’s a blessing. I don’t feel worthy to have this position, but God has chosen me, so I love it. I wouldn’t do anything else. It’s not always easy, but it’s definitely worth it,” she said. “It’s tough. It’s hard to find people who are willing to give their time to love on kids that are hard to love.”
The camp is returning a high percentage of campers year to year, and week to week, Eckridge said. “We have a really good rate of kids that come back. I’d say probably 80% of our kids come back. That’s a blessing too, is we’ve seen a lot of our kids grow up in this program.”
“This year we’re doing something brand new where we are having our oldest group of kids be counselors in training. And we have paired them with all of our staff,” she said and pointed out a member of the Gold Group. “That one was mine, like when I was younger I was his counselor and now it’s amazing to see kids that we fussed with or argued with as little grumpy eight year old’s are now leading our other kids that need them.”
After the week in Dobson the camp is moving on to King Elementary and Forbush Middle. Elliot explained, “We try to bounce around different counties but we’re keeping the theme throughout the summer.”
She expects their week in King will be the busiest with 140-150 campers registered. Elliot will be down a key player, “I won’t have Allison. She’s actually been asked to go to a huge national conference.”
“It’s actually my first time missing a week of camp, since like forever, ever,” Eckridge said.
“Since you were a counselor, or an attendee,” Elliot confirmed but said they will somehow carry on without her though with a new set of volunteers and counselors in training.
Elliot said the camp’s greatest need is people power. “Our biggest need is recruiting additional staff members who are service-oriented, who really want to give back, and who can dedicate some time. We always emphasize that we’d love to have you full time... But if you can give us an hour and come in to run a track or do a craft with a kid we’ll take whatever time we can get. The rewards are tremendous.”
“That’s what I try to tell all of our staff,” Eckridge said. “You don’t realize the impact you make on these kids just by playing games with them or rolling a ball with them or playing football with them or even just encouraging them.”
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