FREEDOM

Everett was just six years old when he attended Koinonia's very first day camp in 2021—a

pilot swim camp created in partnership with St. Peter's Church in Port Jervis. Now 11,

Everett has returned to Koinonia every summer. Living just minutes from camp with his

family, Everett has made Koinonia a consistent part of his childhood.

For Everett, camp has always been a place of adventure. He remembers fishing, kayaking,

and swimming during those early summers. Today, Nature Camp offers even more

opportunities to discover the outdoors. One of his favorite new activities is Critter

Catching. "We look for and catch creatures," he explained. "We have a net to catch fish,

frogs, salamanders, and lizards. Then we release them." These experiences are helping

children develop curiosity, confidence, and a lasting connection to nature.

What has made the greatest impact on Everett, however, isn't the activities—it's the

people. "When I get older, I want to be a counselor here. I want to do all of the stuff." He

smiled as he described the counselors he looks up to. "Nature Camp counselors are great

because they love to socialize with the kids. They want you to have as much freedom as

possible."

The caring relationships Everett has built at camp have helped him imagine himself one day

becoming the kind of mentor who inspired him.

Asked if there was anything else he wanted to share about Nature Camp, Everett grew

serious before answering. "This is important," he said. "This is the best summer experience

a kid could have. I love this place."

Nature Camp has given local children like Everett hands-on experiences in nature,

connections with caring counselors, the freedom to choose and explore, and even the

freedom to imagine working on Koinonia staff. That's the lasting impact of Koinonia—

creating experiences that shape not only a child's summer, but the person they will

become.