PICTURED: Instructors and students of Colorado Roots Music Camp enjoyed meal time fellowship outside on the umbrella patio.
colorado roots music camp Returns
Everyone involved was delighted to be able to join together for Colorado Roots Music Camp (a program of Rocky Mountain Mennonite Camp) since it was last held in the fall of 2019. Seventy students and instructors were part of the week that included classes, instructor concerts, jams and one-on-one sessions to name a few things. The sound of fellowship was just as rewarding as the sound of music from all corners of camp. Participants offered the following feedback:
“I so much appreciate the overall feel of the camp. It’s like family and we picked up right where we left off 2 years ago. I appreciate the choice of classes and scheduling. It’s a full day but manageable.
“We greatly enjoyed our first experience with Roots Music Camp. All of the instructors were very good, it is a great full week of music opportunities, and it is of course a wonderful setting.”
“Beautiful location! The hospitality and helpfulness of the staff and volunteers…outstanding! Thank you!”
“Being a newbie, I very much appreciated the warmth and encouragement of everyone I encountered. Whereas I have played my instrument for years, I am self taught and have a lot of bad habits to overcome and replace with proper technique. I have a year in which to do that, as I have already signed up for August 2022 camp. I am practicing every day and expect to see improvement soon.”
“I love the family feel of this camp. Eating with the instructors and all the open jams made it feel like one happy family.”
PICTURED: Multiple images from Colorado Roots Music Camp
SUMMER STAFF FACILITATE CREATIVE RESPONSE TO PANDEMIC CHALLENGES
The opportunity to invite youth to be part of our resident and wilderness camp programs this summer was a tremendous blessing after the cancellation of camps last summer. This good news of course came with a good amount of uncertainty and challenges in making necessary and helpful changes in providing a safe, fun and meaningful experience for all, while following state and local guidelines.
Like a jig-saw puzzle (a popular coronavirus pandemic past time), camp took one manageable yet challenging piece at a time. Those “pieces” included:
How to begin each week of camp safely and be safe for the week of camp. Response? Campers were asked to provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of arrival. Symptom screening of all campers and staff was done daily and masks were required whenever inside facilities and staying in cabin groups when eating meals.
Minimizing arrival registration lines and camper check-in and health screening. Response? Facilitate as many parts online BEFORE arrival (i.e. payment, upload forms & vaccinations or test results, trading post spending money, etc.).
50% capacity in cabins to minimize exposure. Response? Instead of 8 cabins of 7-8 campers like previous years, there were 16 physical cabins of 3-4 campers which resulted in our 48 camper maximums. The additional spaces were created from 8 Rustic Cabins, 2 Heidi levels, Edelweiss, Jungfrau, Tall Timbers, 2 Aspen combo rooms (1-2 & 3-4) and the resurrection of the Hideaway Rustic Cabin (not many even know it exists).
Twice as many cabins means twice as many counselors. Response? With 16 physical cabins, all summer staff served as a counselor or co-counselor during the resident youth camp weeks. This made it possible for summer staff to collectively share and care for the responsibilities and needs of campers, foodservice, housekeeping, office and maintenance by day and night as one group. The new model easily improved and facilitated greater relationship opportunities between staff and campers, between staff (shared camper responsibilities and experiences), along with improving staff coverage options for time off or illness.
Sunday to Friday camp week change. Response? The Sunday to Saturday camp week was clearly beneficial for drop off and pick up of campers by parents and guardians. While moving from a 6 day camp week to a 5 day week was initially motivated by coronavirus guidelines (i.e. cleaning & disinfection of facilities between groups), it quickly highlighted how short the 24 hour turnaround time was in sending one group of campers home Saturday morning and welcoming a new group of campers Sunday afternoon! The additional time was greatly welcomed for planning and staff rest and renewal after a busy week. A benefit for the campers (regardless of age) was that one less night away from home wasn’t necessarily a bad thing (parents & guardians too?). 😀
Summer Staff participation in family camps Response? While this wasn’t necessarily a challenge, the thought “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” came to mind. As summer staff enjoyed the shared involvement with youth camps, the same model was applied to family camps. So in addition to fulfilling the foodservice, housekeeping, office or maintenance needs of the day, staff were also scheduled with program needs like hike leading, recreation, tye-dye, arts & crafts, nature hikes, and evening worship. More opportunities to meet and interact with the variety of folks the Rocky Mountain ministry serves.
PICTURED: Summer Staff 2021 – FRONT ROW: Madison Alderman (Alma KS), Savannah Smith (Key West FL), Anna Amstutz (Indianapolis IN), Jadyn Kaufmann (Goshen IN), Joshua Kennell (Newton, KS), Christian Harsha (Marriottsville, MD), Mary Yoder (RMMC), MIDDLE ROW: Natalie Graber (RMMC), Emma Graber (RMMC), Emma Zuercher (Apple Creek OH), Will Stutzman (Denver CO), Natalie Unruh (Pretty Prairie, KS), Mia Graber (Wellman, IA), Eli Regier (Newton, KS), Hannah Beck (Linville VA), Stephany Myer (Newton, KS), BACK ROW: Tom Unruh (RMMC), Trevor Stutzman (Cenntenial, CO), Ana Fiz (Denver CO), Hannah Schrag (Kansas City, MO), Simon Hertzler Gascho (Goshen, IN), Axel Brown (Goshen, IN), Nathan Oostland (Goshen, IN), Andrew Graber (RMMC), Zachary Kennell (Newton, KS), John Jantzen (Newton, KS), Corbin Graber (RMMC), Samuel Hunsinger not pictured (Wheat Ridge, CO)
PICTURED: Multiple photos including resident camp cabin photo, worship in the chapel, wilderness campers & staff, nature study on Aspen Ridge.
3rd groffdale volunteer Group help wrap up fun, safe and meaningful summer camping season
Nine young adults from across the country (Lancaster County, Pennsylvania) joined to volunteer for the week that represented the close of summer here at Rocky Mountain after a week of a quilters group along with a high school soccer men’s team (Ralston Valley) and a college XC men’s and women’s team (University of Colorado, Colorado Springs – UCCS).
After the end of a busy summer, there was still some housekeeping and projects to finish-up including but not limited to:
- Clean all Chalets, Rustic Cabins, bathhouses, Chapel & Nature Center
- Clean DH/Lodge, Emmental, Pleiades and ridge cabins (Eagles Nest, Rocky Ridge, Solitude Center)
- Complete painting at Jungfrau
- Finish roofing project of Juniper Rustic Cabin as result of building material supply issues from earlier in the summer.
- Caulk & wash windows and remove scaffolding from painting at Solitude Center
- Scrape & paint south windows, support beams, concrete footers and top of large cross of the Chapel
- Carried new Solitude Center sofa (you don’t just drive up to it) and removed old one.
Camp is so grateful for the numerous volunteer groups and individuals that make camp possible. As Mary has done in previous summers, the group enjoyed a peanut butter pie as a way to celebrate and recognize the end of a busy and successful summer camping season . . . and still be able to make a pie crust.
PICTURED: Multiple images from Groffdale work projects.
PICTURED left to right: Mary Yoder, Ruthie Brubaker, Marie Newswanger, James, Reiff, Curvin Zimmerman, Daniel Horning, Harvey Zimmerman, Michael Leinbach, Karen Horst, Evelyn Brubaker
Who’s been helping
Thank you to all of our volunteers this month:
- Evelyn Brubaker
- Ruthie Brubaker
- Peter Conrad
- John Goshow
- Daniel Horning
- Karen Horst
- Lizzie Kirkton
- Sophia Kirkton
- Myrna Krehbiel
- Michael Leinbach
- Kenneth McDowell
- Sarah McDowell
- Reuben Millsap
- Sarah Millsap
- Cody Miller
- Ashley Neufeld
- Emily Neufeld
- Marie Newswanger
- Ruth Penner
- Mil Penner
- James Reiff
- Rachel Stutzman
- Douglas Swartzendruber
- Ronald Weaver
- Curvin Zimmerman
- Harvey Zimmerman
Come volunteer
RMMC relies on the help of volunteers to keep the ministry going. Your help with any camp tasks is greatly appreciated! If you have interest in volunteering, call (719-687-9506) or email ([email protected]) RMMC.
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- Long-term volunteers: help in Food Service, Maintenance, and Housekeeping. Service term can be for up to a year if so desired.
what you said
[I appreciated] “The young people that served us all week and who led us in the hymn sing along…a favorite of mine, too!” – Colorado Roots Music Camp Student
“Thanks again for being humble servants doing God’s work. It does not go unseen by others :)” – University of Colorado-Colorado Springs Cross Country Team
“Camp was a marvelous experience. The site is beautiful and well maintained, the staff friendly, and the lodging comfortable. The teachers were inspiring.” – Colorado Roots Music Camp Student
Did you know?
Fall (winter too) is coming! Despite the warm weather of other locations, here at Rocky Mountain we’re already anticipating (and seeing) the Aspen trees changing from green to gold now and in the coming weeks. The middle of September is typically the pivot point between leaves being at their full color and beginning to fall off. Nighttime temperatures also (typically) dip below freezing which necessitates the draining of the water lines to Rocky Ridge, Sky-Hi-View, Park Ridge and Solitude Center. This change is a reliable sign that snow isn’t far away with our first typical snow arriving around the first of October!
Mark your calendars
- Labor Day Work & Play Retreat – September 3-6
- Peace Mennonite Community Church Retreat – September 4-6
- Glennon Heights Mennonite Church Retreat – September 11-12
- Beth-El Mennonite Church Retreat – September 17-19
- First Mennonite Church Denver Retreat – September 24-26
- UFO Quilters Retreat I – October 3-6
- UFO Quilters Retreat II – October 6-10
- UFO Quilters Retreat III – October 19-24
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