Dear Friends of Lake Logan, Camp Henry, and the Outdoor School,
We hope this finds you safe and well. As we close out a very eventful 2024, we are reaching out with a huge “Thank You!” for all of your support, a sneak peak at some exciting plans for the year ahead, and several high-impact year-end giving opportunities.
This year was full indeed. Full of the love, hope, and joy that embodies Lake Logan and Camp Henry throughout each year and, of course, full of the destruction and devastation of Hurricane Helene. Several weeks ago we hosted over 100 volunteers who came to support our recovery and restoration efforts. This is a massive undertaking as the raging waters carved out much of the river banks and deposited hundreds of trees, boulders and acres of sand and silt onto the field and into the lake. On Sunday morning of the volunteer weekend, I pulled out the morning prayer service we used at the volunteer weekend last February. I was immediately taken aback. The opening song was an old camp favorite of mine with its first verse, “I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river in my soul”. Wow! The river certainly has not felt very peaceful recently. It has in fact felt turbulent, destructive, and scary. Just as our lives, living through the storm and its aftermath, felt turbulent, disrupted, and often quite scary. I was also struck by what we witnessed as the waters receded. Love was all around in the volunteers that showed up everyday to help in any way they could. A sense of hope emerged as we began to see progress and the light of a bright future for our beloved programs and ministries. And of course, thank you and hallelujah, we all experienced the joy of being together again in a place that we all deeply love and clearly have a call to protect with all our might. Peace is slowly but surely returning.
While we have a long-road ahead, and as we all work tirelessly to restore this awe-inspiring campus, Sadie and I would love to take a moment and celebrate so much goodness that has filled our 2024 season at the Lake: We hosted the week-long final interview process for the next Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church, revitalized and re-energized the Cold Mountain Music Festival, launched the first annual Bishop’s Cup golf tournament and the first annual Cold Mountain Christmas Craft Fair & Holiday Concert, facilitated the two largest Volunteer weekends ever (90+ people ages 8 to 81) and experienced – according to many of the Chaplains who have served Camp Henry for a very long time – one of the best Camp Henry summers at Lake Logan to date! We were thrilled to see campers embrace the joy and spirit of Camp Henry: conquering new challenges, growing a deeper relationship with God, and making friends and memories that last a lifetime.
Your steadfast support of Camp Henry and Lake Logan through donations and volunteer service has helped to make all of this possible. THANK YOU! As 2024 comes to a close and we look to the new year, “year-end giving” plays a vital role in ensuring both the immediate viability as well as the long-term vitality of our beloved Summer Camp, Retreat Center and Outdoor School. We have a ton of exciting opportunities and adventures planned for 2025. Check out our “2025 Sneak Peek” to learn more about what’s on the horizon including Spring Break adventures, Young-at-Heart camp for folks 55+, Cold Mountain Music Festival expansions, new Camp Henry offerings, and more. We are excited to see this awe-inspiring campus buzzing with folks of all ages, from across WNC and beyond, all year long! Feel inspired to support this transformational work? Please click “HERE” to offer your year-end gift today! Please reach out any time. We can’t wait to see you at the Lake.
Faithfully,
Laura Elliot Lake Logan Executive Director
Sadie McNair
Interim Director of Camp Henry and the Outdoor School
If you choose to mail a check, it is critical all year-end-giving checks are postmarked by December 31, 2024. Please make payable to Lake Logan and/or Camp Henry and mail to: The Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina, Attn: Accounting Team, 900B Centre Park Drive, Asheville, NC 28805. Make sure to earmark your checks to the fund(s) of your choice: Lake Logan annual fund, Camp Henry annual fund, Camp Henry Scholarships, Helene Restoration fund.
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