Dear ADDaM campers and parents,

Welcome to another great week of ADDaM Camp where Art, Drama, Dance and Music abound!  This year’s theme is “Resurrection” and we will explore ways that God rescues us from our life’s challenges.  Camp will be held at First Christian Church in Bloomington, IL and housed at Illinois Wesleyan University dorms.  Check in is Sunday, June 22 at 4:00 PM at Gulick Munsell Hall.  Please go to IWU web site at www.iwu.edu for directions and to virtually visit this beautiful campus.  We will be leaving the dorms shortly before 5:00 PM to begin camp, so please be punctual at the check in. 

You will be assigned a room and given 2 keys: one for the outside door and one for your room.  There is a $5 fee for being locked out and an $85 fee for lost keys, for which individual campers will be responsible, not ADDaM Camp.  There is a microwave in the lounge for popcorn, but we do not have access to a refrigerator at the dorm.  There are also vending machines for sodas and snacks.

CCIW Regional Camp policy is that there are NO cell phones, pagers or palm pilots allowed.  If you bring one, it will be confiscated by camp staff.  You may bring a CD player or iPod, but they must remain in your room.

As our mission project we will be helping Bloomington school children by making school kits.  Last year the church provided over 700 kits to needy kids.  We are proud to say ADDaM Camp contributed about 50 of those kits.  This is one way we can show our appreciation to FCC for hosting us and also provide a needed service.  Please contribute anything you can.  Monetary donations are also accepted.

What to bring:

1.       Towels, washcloths, extra long twin sheets and/or sleeping bag, pillow, personal grooming items, shower shoes, swimsuit.

2.       Camp attire is casual, but appropriate clothing is required.  Be considerate of wording on your T-shirts and don’t bring anything that may be construed as offensive or inappropriate for church camp.  The church and the dorm are air conditioned, but rehearsals have been known to be strenuous.  Personal hygiene is very important and we expect everyone to shower regularly and use deodorant.

3.       There are some scenes in the show that will need biblical costumes such as shepherds.  Please bring a costume if you can.

4.       For the school kits bring any of these items:  blunt scissors, 12” ruler, pencil sharpener, pencils w/erasers, large eraser, box of 24 crayons, notebooks 8-1/2”x11” 150-200 sheets, construction paper.

5.       If you play an instrument bring it for the talent show and/or to play in the band.  There is a Talent Show on Tuesday.  You may participate in one solo and one ensemble, limited to 4 minutes each.  No lip synching.

6.       Please bring any artwork you would like to share and have on display during the week.

7.       Bible

8.       You may want to bring some spending money for our visit to Crossroads (a local shop featuring global artisans) or for the vending machines at the dorm.

9.       This year we are inviting you to do some creative writing dealing with the theme of the show.  If you have had an experience where you felt really down or in a situation where you were spiritually “dead” and found that God resurrected you, please put it down on paper and bring it with you to share with camp.  We may possibly incorporate it into the show!

10.   Folks in Mt. Carmel and Bloomington have graciously agreed to open their homes to us.  Some homes will provide beds, but also bring a sleeping bag and pillow in case you have to sleep on the floor.  There will be at least one counselor in each home.  Also this year the region is asking hosts to complete a volunteer form and have background checks performed. 

Important information for parents:

1.       Please abide by the regional camp rule of no cell phones allowed.  If you need to contact your child during the week, you can call Michael Fitch’s cell phone at 309-826-1865 or the church office at 309-829-9327.  Counselors will have their cell phones and campers will be allowed to use their phones at appropriate times if requested.  We understand that cell phones are a way of life now, but also understand that during camp it is distracting and creates more problems with maintaining the attention and focus of the camp.

2.       To send camp mail:  First Christian Church, 401 W Jefferson, Bloomington, IL 61701, ATTN: ADDaM Camp, Camper’s Name.

3.       Performances:  Friday June 27, 7:00 PM at FCC Mt. Carmel, IL, 201 S Main; Saturday, June 28, 4:00 PM at FCC Paris, IL, 801 W Market; Sunday, June 29, 10:00 AM FCC Bloomington, IL, 401 W Jefferson.

4.       Camp ends after the worship service Sunday morning so campers will need to be picked up then.  Campers will, however, need to stay and pack the show and make sure the church has been restored to its as found condition.

5.       Please visit the new ADDaM Camp web site at www.addamcamp.com for more info and links to the churches’ and IWU web sites.

6.       If you have any questions before camp begins, please call 309-531-4405 or email phyllisrf@aol.com

7.       We have again been honored to be invited to perform at Regional Assembly Saturday, November 15, 2008 at Crowne Plaza Hotel in Springfield, IL.  More details on that will be forthcoming this fall.

See you soon!

Michael & Phyllis Fitch, Eron Dupree

Camp Directors