Volunteers Nurture Campers and Future Leaders
In the rolling hills of North Carolina, nestled amidst towering trees and babbling brooks, lies Camp Grier. Founded over half a century ago as an outdoor ministry of the Presbyterian Church, the camp has served as a sanctuary for young minds to explore, grow, and connect with nature.
Each summer for over 50 years, First Presbyterian has been sending kids to Camp Grier through a scholarship program with the goal of allowing children from urban areas to experience the outdoors. But sending your child to camp, especially for a first-time camper and parent, can be intimidating. That’s why FPC enlists the help of “Camp Connectors” – church member volunteers – who provide a personal connection to campers and their families as they prepare for the week at Camp Grier.
For Jayson Faulkner, a Westerly Hills Academy and Camp Grier alumnus, his experiences at camp and his relationship with his Camp Connector, Elise Barksdale, have impacted his life in more ways than one. He explains, “Engaging in outdoor adventure activities within this camp setting allowed me to surmount personal challenges and cultivate unwavering resilience … shaping my mindset and fortifying my ability to overcome obstacles in various facets of life.”
Jayson is attending Morehouse College in Atlanta as an honors Biology major with a minor in Public Health Science. He serves as a residential advisor, he’s a member of Phi Delta Epsilon, and he is the Director of Communications for the Howard Thurman Honors Program. He was the first Camp Grier alum to receive an academic scholarship.
Each year that Jayson attended camp, Elise Barksdale was there to serve as his Connector. She recalls, “Volunteering with Jayson has given me an opportunity to get to know all of his family, and I have been inspired by their many and varied activities. They are a strong-knit family, and I am certain he will serve as an inspiring role model as each of their children goes into adulthood.”
For Elise, serving as a Camp Connector is more than just a duty; it is a labor of love spanning over 25 years. “I loved Camp Stewart, our former Presbytery Camp, as an elementary school child in the 50s … I looked forward to going for a week every year in the summer,” she reminisced. “I have found that the Camp Grier experience provides a similar wonderful opportunity.”
Last summer, Jayson returned to First Presbyterian to see Elise – just like summers past. “My bond with Ms. Elise has bloomed beautifully from its inception during my formative years at Westerly Hills Academy,” he shared. “I hold great affection and admiration for her, considering her a figurative fairy godmother. Her inherently kind nature has deeply touched me, and I am sincerely grateful for her presence in my life.”
Camp Grier believes, “You can pave the world, or you can put on shoes,” and camp teaches kids how to put on the shoes. Rather than looking for the smoothest and easiest path through life, experiences in the outdoors give young people the skills and confidence to embrace challenging circumstances, persevere to solve critical problems, and see the world through a lens of compassion.
If camp teaches kids to put on shoes, then Camp Connectors put on their own shoes and walk beside them. They give families the knowledge and confidence to prepare for camp. But it is more than just preparing families for summer camp – it’s ministry. Elise says, “My faith is strengthened by my involvement at First Presbyterian, and [the church] is truly ‘home’ for me. I am grateful for the many volunteer options I have been gifted.”
Camp Connectors are needed for the summer 2024 camp season. Every camper is paired with an FPC family, their Connector, who provides a personal connection to the church and assists with communication and transportation to and from the church if necessary. Sign up to volunteer here, or contact Heather Herring (hherring@firstpres-charlotte.org) if you have questions.