All parents in God's Church have the same goal—to lead our children toward understanding and embracing the truth of God. Some of the best ways to do this are by introducing them to young people their own age of like mind, getting them involved together in fun activities and focusing their teachings on God's way of life.

Camp is a terrific place to achieve these goals! Camp is not just for teens! If you have children ages 6 to 12 years of age, you can find this experience in one of the many UCG preteen camps listed below.

"We have many preteen camps organized by dedicated volunteers whose main goal is to help our children connect with God, His truth and His Church," said Dave Myers, national preteen camp liaison for the Church.

"There are many children in small, isolated church areas who want to meet others like them. It was extremely rewarding to go to the Feast this year and watch all these children from camp hugging and reuniting with one another," said Shari Fooshe, director of Camp Tomahawk in Camden, Tennessee.

Camp may be one of the most important things we can do for our youth. A recent survey found that the average age children decide to stay in God's Church is approximately 9 years of age. With that in mind, we need to do all we can to establish a strong base for our children before they ever reach their teen years.

Each of our preteen camps offers a wide variety of activities and events, but some of the things you might find include Christian Living classes, swimming, kickball, softball, leatherworks, arts and crafts, hayrides, music, dance, novelty Olympics, treasure hunts, movie night, fishing, hiking and much more.

Both overnight camps and day camps are being offered in 2006.

If you would like more information about these camps or would like to serve in one of the many needed areas at a preteen camp, please visit our Web site at www.ucg.org/youthcamps/preteen/ or contact the individuals listed below:

Houston Regional Preteen Camp
The Arrow Retreat Center, 18993 Ferne Drive, Porter, Texas
May 28 to 31, 2006

Age Range: 7 to 12

Fees: Camper, $200 per child; staff, no charge

Contact Information:
Elisa Hees/Christine Whitley
P.O. Box 813, Montgomery, TX 77356
(936) 672-6746
E-mail: a-especialties@charter.net; cwhitley@ev1.net

Application Deadline: May 15

Description: The Houston congregations are pleased to sponsor a preteen camp featuring activities such as swimming, arts and crafts, sports, Christian education, fishing, etc. New this year, the campers will have the opportunity to showcase their talents and share them with their fellow campers. We will have a "Talent Show" one evening during the camp. It is a multiple-day, resident camp with excellent facilities and is fully staffed to care for the needs of our young campers.

Lewistown Preteen Camp
Grubb's Church Picnic Grove, Mt. Pleasant Mills, Pennsylvania
June 25 to 28, 2006

Age Range: 5 to 12
Fees: Camper/staff/parent: $20 each

Contact Information:
Renita Brummett
115 Lake Road, Beavertown, PA 17813
(570) 837-0134
E-mail: renita@ethanjacobscott.com

Application Deadline: May 15

Local Web Site Address: www.ucgnet.org/lewistown

Description: The Lewistown Preteen Camp gives our children the opportunity to get closer to nature and God. The facility we hold our camp at has a full kitchen and a large pavilion for serving meals. Our campers "rough it," sleeping in tents and spending most of their time outdoors.

Many families have come to the camp together to enjoy the relaxing atmosphere that comes with the outdoors and fellowship with others of the same belief. Parents are more than welcome to come, even if they have children that are not of camper age, with the understanding that they would be responsible for them.

Each year we have a camp theme. Last year we covered the life of Ruth. This year's lessons in the morning will be about the story of Hannah, Samuel and possibly Saul. The last evening of camp the children perform a play complete with costumes and songs written just for the play.

Throughout the day the children have crafts, sports, nature class and swimming.

Camp Tomahawk
Nathan Bedford Forrest State Park, Eva, Tennessee
July 23 to 27, 2006

Age Range: 6 to 12
Fees: Campers: $110 ($10 discount applied to fee if paid by May 15); staff, $60 ($10 discount applied to fee if paid by May 15)

Contact Information:
Shari Fooshe
1286 Walnut Grove Road, Dickson, TN 37055
(615) 740-7915
E-mail: THREEMMOM@juno.com

Application Deadline: May 15

Local Web Site Address: www.ucgnashville.org

Description: Located on beautiful Kentucky Lake, Camp Tomahawk offers many exciting activities including Christian Living, swimming with lazy river ride, leatherworks, athletics/sports, arts and crafts, reptile and owl program, hike, puppet show, non-contact dance class and much more. We also take pride in our themed dinners (dress in your favorite themed outfit for our costume contest) and sample some of the best themed camp food ever offered!

The camp is a multiple-day, resident camp. Campers will stay in the air-conditioned group lodge with several selected counselors, while the remaining staff are housed in the beautiful park cabins exactly 1 mile from the group lodge. Each lodge and cabin has attached bathroom facilities.

Camp Tomahawk is divided into two age categories for activity purposes, ages 6 to 8 and ages 9 to 12.

Because space at Camp Tomahawk is very limited for both staff and campers, we may not be able to accept all applicants. Please apply early, as special consideration will be given to those who possess specific skills that are needed at camp. Please visit our Web site at www.ucgnashville.org for additional information.

Camp Ironwood Springs (North Central Regional Preteen Camp)
Ironwood Springs Christian Ranch, Rt. 1, Stewartville, Minnesota
July 25 to 28, 2006

Age Range: 6 to 12

Fees: Special family pricing: first camper, $120; second, $100; third, $80; family maximum, $325. Teen staff: $80. Adult staff: no charge. Scholarships available for those financially in need.

Contact Information:
Steve and Kathe Myers
25897 655th St., Kasson, MN 55944
(507) 634-6363
E-mail: steve_myers@ucg.org

Application Deadline: June 26

Local Web Site Address: www.ucg-calm.org

Description: Camp Ironwood Springs takes place in a spectacular outdoor setting in southeastern Minnesota. The camp is about 90 miles south of the Twin Cities, and just 15 miles west of Rochester, Minnesota, off I-90.

Ironwood Springs offers a variety of children's activities including Christian Living, horseback riding, crafts, field games, court games, swimming, hiking/exploring, obstacle courses, music, wagon rides, camp fires, sing-alongs and novelty Olympics. The girls' and boys' dorms are located in the main lodge and are air-conditioned. Each dorm will be grouped by age and will have an adult counselor and cocounselor staying with the campers. The showers are also located in the main lodge so campers will not have to walk to an outside bathroom.

Camp UCanDo (Day Camp)
United Church of God, 850 N. Bluff Road, Greenwood, Indiana
July 11 to 13, 2006

Age Range: 5 to 12

Fees: Camper, $25 ($20 for each additional child from the same family; $50 maximum per family). Staff, no charge

Contact Information:

Diana White
324 Wales Court, Greenwood, IN 46142
(317) 884-3416
E-mail: bdkjwhite@hotmail.com

Application Deadline: May 22

Local Web Site Address: www.ucgindy.org

Description: Our activities include arts and crafts, Christian Living, photography, nature, home economics, science, outdoor games, water day, team building and sign language. Download your camper and/or staff application from our local Web site.

Because this is a day camp, camper families must arrange their own housing in the area. Check out our Web site for information on nearby camping facilities and hotel information or contact the director for suggestions.

Great Lakes Region Preteen Camp
Camp Buckeye, 10055 Camp Road NW, Beach City, Ohio
July 30 to Aug. 2, 2006

Age Range: 6 to 12

Fees: Camper, $65; $50 for each additional child from the same family. Adult staff, $20. Teen staff, $30.

Contact Information:

Gary and Peggy Summers (assistant directors)
6215 Bayside St. NW, Canton, OH 44718
(330) 499-4736

E-mail: p_summers@ameritech.net

Application Deadline: June 15

Local Web Site Address: www.ucgakron.org

Description: Dave and Pam Myers will be the directors. Activities will include swimming, fishing, leatherworks, arts and crafts, field games, a walk in a waterfall, campfires and games! Be sure to download your application packet today at www.ucgakron.org. It contains all the information you need about camp.

We would also like to remind the teens and adults that we cannot run camp without your volunteer service. Staff application packets are also available from the Web site listed above. Staff positions will be limited, so be sure to get your application in early!

Camp Osage Hills
Osage Hills State Park, HC 73, Box 84, Pawhuska, Oklahoma
July 31 to Aug. 3, 2006

Age Range: 6 to 12

Fees: Camper, $80 ($70 for third and fourth camper from the same family). Note: Cancellations after July 1, 2006, may be subject to a $40 cancellation fee. Teen and adult staff fees, $20.

Contact Information:
Thomas Clark
P.O. Box 12322, Wichita, KS 67277
(316) 773-3917

E-mail: thomas_clark@ucg.org

Application Deadline: June 10

Description: The park is located about 14 miles west of Bartlesville, Oklahoma, about an hour north of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and two hours from either Joplin, Missouri, or Wichita, Kansas. The park includes a crystal clear river flowing over the natural rock base, a man-made fishing lake, swimming pool and recreational facilities. Deer and wild turkeys are all over the park and are seen on a daily basis.

Camp Osage Hills offers a fully staffed three-day resident camp program. The campers are grouped by ages into dorms staffed with both a counselor and assistant counselor. Activities include swimming, fishing, canoeing, field games, arts and crafts and daily Christian Living classes.

We also provide one off-camp trip to Woolarock, the expansive former estate of oilman Frank Phillips. This trip includes a drive through a game preserve with both native and African game animals, a 19th-century "Mountain Man" camp staffed by men in period costumes, a petting zoo and a large museum featuring western art, artifacts and cultural history of Native Americans and Western American history.

We encourage parents and grandparents to apply to work on staff, as well as teens and young adults with a desire to serve the youth in the Church. Staff should plan to arrive on site by 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Northwest Region Preteen Camp
Camp Davidson, 31051 SW Sutle Lake Road, Sisters, Oregon
July 30 to Aug. 2, 2006

Age Range: 6 to 12

Fees: Camper, $100; adult staff, no charge

Contact Information:
John Cafourek
720 Van Buren Dr., Salem, OR 97304
(503) 587-7053

E-mail: john_cafourek@ucg.org

Application Deadline: June 15

Description: Davidson Preteen Camp runs simultaneously with the teen camp for the Northwest Region. Activities include Christian Living classes, archery, swimming, canoeing and paddleboats, tubing behind a ski boat, zip line challenge course, sports decathlon, music, arts and crafts, campfire and miniature golf.

Last year we had 72 campers and 35 staff. This coming year will be our fifth year to have the preteen camp. UN