We had another fine year weather-wise at the 2,000-acre property owned and operated by the Boy Scouts of America, Greater Pittsburgh Council, with a brief thunderstorm early Thursday morning and a few showers that dampened the checkout procedures on departure day. Campers built a "Kindness Tree" with direction from the annual Life Skills class and were challenged to "dive into God's Word" in the Christian Living classes, which once again began each day at camp. A new element this year at Heritage was the media class, conducted by staffers Chris Moen (pastor in Canton and Mansfield, Ohio), Ashley Moen and Marianne Connell. The class recorded several 15-second spot ads (a few of which were included in the annual slide show at the Saturday night dance) and wrote articles that were used to produce The Heritage Herald, the first camp newspaper for the Camp Heritage program. Campers and staff were able to take copies home with them when they checked out Aug. 19. Once again we were grateful for God's protection and guidance, especially for the Challenge campers and staff who took part in the whitewater rafting trip on Wednesday, Aug. 15. The trip takes place annually on the Lower Youghiogheny River, and always has its share of "thrills and spills" for participants. The trip this year was challenging and exciting, but smooth and uneventful, which is just the way we like it! Next year's program will most likely reintroduce the spelunking expedition for Adventure campers (ages 12 to 15) at the Laurel Caverns, where campers take guided tours 300-feet deep into the caves under the hills of the Laurel Highlands. The whitewater trip is an annual "given" and the media class earned its spurs for a return engagement in 2008. We're already planning our 13th season at Camp Heritage, scheduled for Aug. 10 to 17, 2008. See you then!