The A.R.C.
If you can do it at home, why would you come to camp to do the same thing? The Lake Ann staff thinks about questions like that often. Camp wants to be creative, and it wants to stimulate the imagination. It wants to move people from where they are to where they want to be or know they should be. We love providing creative activities outdoors throughout the summer months. However, it has always been a challenge for us to provide these activities throughout the year, no matter the weather. The ARC gives Lake Ann Camp the ability to enhance the camping and retreat experience every day of the year.
Why Call It The ARC?
The ark that Noah built was huge! In relation to all of Lake Ann Camp this building will be the largest by a long stretch. It reaches 320’ long, which is 20’ longer than a football field, and cover 36,000 square feet.
In addition, Lake Ann Camp’s desire to be intentional in all we do fits this building well. Here is what ARC stands for:
Adventure
Adventure is defined as both a verb and a noun. As a noun it means: An unusual and exciting experience or activity. As a verb it means: an exciting activity that involves exploration of unknown territory. The ARC will include: a series of high adventure and challenge course activities similar to what we offer outdoors. These activities invite campers to move outside of their known physical and mental abilities. Additionally, our staff will challenge them to make application to their lives back home. Using activities as metaphors for life provides campers with an opportunity to do so much more than just an activity. It becomes transformational and life-changing.
Re-Creation
If we were simply building a gymnasium we would call it recreation, however, at Lake Ann Camp we put intentionality in all that we do. To be sure, our activities are fun and engaging, but they are also so much more. We believe you can take an open space like a gymnasium and play activities that give campers a whole new perspective on their lives. Campers who never assert themselves elsewhere can learn how to stand up and be counted. Students who have never led an activity can see that they have leadership skills they never knew they possessed. We are not afraid of recreation, but in our world recreation can become re-creation and campers can go home with a whole new view of themselves while having the time of their life!
Connection
When our staff set out to design the ARC, connection was the driving force behind every aspect of the facility. These connections can be as trivial as playing ping pong or as meaningful as sharing a Frozen Hot Chocolate at a table where a counselor or youth sponsor converse with a camper regarding their spirituality and the direction they are headed in life. There is an open corridor from North to South leading campers to high adventure experiences, tables and chairs, fireplaces, Red Canoe coffee shop and store, game area, worship arts facility for 300 campers, Fieldhouse and racquetball courts. Each an opportunity for deep, meaningful and life-changing connections.
