What Does Summer Camp Have to do with Racial Restoration?

Camp picture, Surf City 2008

We have worked hard from the start to ensure that every student, regardless of ethnicity or financial status, can attend our camps. Recently, our hearts have broken as we've seen evidence of the evil of racism in our country. We as a team have taken time to lament, learn, listen, and think critically about our programs and how we who live and work in the student ministry space might pursue racial restoration and racial justice.

Surf City is where I realized that the world is far bigger than my world in Wexford. Surf City was just so dope, and it just gave us a chance at having a friend that can just show us that our lives are different.

Enjoying shared experiences at camp is a great starting point for kids who come from different backgrounds to get to know one another and develop friendships that cross the barriers of race and socioeconomic status. Throughout the year, we hear stories about how these shared experiences at camp provide foundations for lasting friendships. A few weeks ago, we received a note from Lucas, a former camper and camp-staff member, who was reflecting on his time at camp and how his experiences have equipped him to better understand the current issues of racial injustice. I connected with Lucas via Zoom to talk about his experience. 

Rodger: Lucas! Thanks for making time to chat today. Where are you living now?

Lucas: I'm in Sherman Oaks in Los Angeles outside of Los Angeles.

Rodger: No way, I didn't realize that.

Lucas: I really wanted to get out there because I knew that it's a better fit for my skillset in music than Nashville. So, I finally saved up enough and had a squad of four other roommates. It's been awesome despite everything that's going on. With corona, the whole industry is shook, especially because live shows aren't happening. I mean, it's so many industries right now. It's crazy. How's it been in Pittsburgh?

Rodger: We're definitely not immune to the rollercoaster of corona.

Lucas: So is Surf City canceled this year?

Rodger: Surf City, as it normally stands, is canceled. In May, Michigan, the state government still had not released any information about whether summer camps would be allowed to happen. So Grace Adventures canceled all of their summer programming because they didn't have any direction to go off of. Then later, probably about a month ago at this point, Michigan was like, "Summer camps can operate." So Grace put a bunch of what they had already planned back in place, as far as social distancing, group size limitations, et cetera. So right now, we are planning on inviting small groups up to Grace for week-long camp experiences.

Lucas: Okay, cool.

Rodger: Hopefully things trend downward as far as COVID risk, and we're able to put on a good experience, but weirdly enough, some of the stuff that we'll probably talk about in a couple of minutes here, like getting everyone together under the same roof in a big group setting, none of that can happen this year.

Lucas: That's tough. It feels like there's just always been magic at Surf City.

Rodger: For sure. So tell me a little bit about your first PKF camps experience.

Lucas: I think my first one was 2006 Surf City. I remember that year vividly because that shirt was my favorite shirt, it was the brown one. Actually, no, that's not my favorite. My favorite shirt was the next one, but I remember the shirt, and I think we were all entering our sixth-grade year that year. It could be because I was younger, but that was some of the best skits I think I experienced in Surf City. There was a Surf City Siberia, and Kites are Fun. These were all honestly, I don't want to play too nostalgia and favorite those ones over the newer ones through the years, but I'll never forget those. Cottage cheese fight with Mark...

Rodger: Haha, that's so gross! So from 2006, you said you were entering your sixth-grade year. Were you pretty involved year after year?

Lucas: Yeah, I think I went straight through from 2006 to 2009. 2009 was the first year I was staff, I think. I played in the band and then worked as a counselor. I mean, my whole time in middle school was all Surf City and Laurelville. I do remember the first time I played in the band, I must've been in eighth grade, and I pretty much owe where I am today to that experience. That was the first time I got the bug of like, this is incredible to play music with people who are excited. The only performance I had prior to that was a recital. I can still vividly point to that moment of playing Party in the USA and jumping up on stage while Mark Williams, or maybe Ryan was leading. I think that that is just such a good idea to get kids excited about worship and about live music and bring them in with a secular song. Get them pumped - there's something crazy about music to where you... when you're with people, and everybody's singing together, that's when you feel, at least for me, I felt sure that God was looking out for me and everybody in this room and like God's real. It's like that to me was the only proof I ever needed that God had a plan for me and he was out there. I think it's hard to give that experience to a young person, especially when you're in sixth grade.

Rodger: Right. That's something we always look at... Not that there's anything incredibly special about the actual physical locations of Laurelville or Surf City, but the fact that it is out of a student's norm, out of the routine. There's something special about that.

Lucas: Those experiences that I think are just... Whether we remember them or not, or think about them actively, those experiences are crazy important.

Rodger: In your note to Jack that he shared with our staff, you talked a little bit about, with all of the racial injustice going on right now or being brought to light, you talked a little bit about how your Surf City in Laurelville experiences played a role in helping you understand and comprehend it, and be able to think through the current scenarios with maybe a bit more empathy. Can you talk a little bit more about that?

Lucas: Yeah, absolutely. When I got to college in Nashville, I realized that there are definitely kids just like me who got to college and lived and grew up in the same areas like Wexford, which is predominantly white. I'm no expert on the current topics today, but my opinion is that we just are really quick to take our point of view and our perspective and apply it to all the issues that confront us: political issues, what have you. I think the longer you go without ever, even just having a friend that's from inner-city Pittsburgh, if you don't make that connection, then when stuff like police brutality, black lives matter, another side's saying, "blue lives matter," it's easy to be like well, "my experience with the police has been fine. So, I can't see what they're talking about."

Rodger: I think a good way to put it is like, the privilege aspect allows us to live with our narrow worldviews, our narrow experiences, and say, well, like you said, "I've never had problems with the police, so the police are fine." When that's not the reality for so many of our black brothers and sisters. My only reference for understanding is going to be people that I surround myself with, and if all the people that I surround myself with look and sound and talk like me and share the same interests as me, then that's a pretty narrow view, and I won't be super well equipped to understand people outside of that circle.

Lucas: 100%, man. Surf City was so dope because you would actually - for the first time as a kid that grew up in Wexford - actually make a friend that could just drop some knowledge on you indirectly. I remember making one friend in particular. He told me his story, and I was just shocked. The problems that he had in his family were not problems that I was used to hearing about other families. A lot of my friends' parents were divorced, sure, but I didn't know anybody that suffered from a parent having a drug problem or something like that. Surf City is where I realized that the world is far bigger than my world in Wexford. Surf City was just so dope, and it just gave us a chance at having a friend that can just show us that our lives are different. I think Surf City is great because it introduces you to somebody that has a different culture than you. When you kind of realize they have a different culture, but we still like the same stuff, we're out here playing capture the flag. We clearly have a lot more in common than we have not in common. 

Rodger: That's awesome, man. Thanks for sharing.

Learn more about PKF Camps

Meet The Staff: Caitie Bellotti

Caitie joined our staff this summer at Surf City as a tech team intern. She also joined us again at Laurelville this fall! Catie works closely with other members of the tech team and plays a big part in filming and editing the camp highlight videos. Check out what she had to say about her experience on staff this summer.

Interning with the tech team at Surf City has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life, allowing me to grow in my skill while working in a positive environment. I have been working in video since I was 12, and since then, I have been searching for different ways to better my skill set. Being able to work with PKF, an organization that has hosted many camps that have helped me meet Christ and grow in my own faith, was so incredible because I was able to help others meet God as well. To glorify God by doing what I love was so rewarding, and even inspiring others close to my age to serve Christ was even better.

-Caitie

We're always looking for passionate staff members. If that's you, or you know of a highschool or college student who you think would be a great fit, encourage them to apply for an internship at Surf City or Laurelville.