The Boys Are Back

I'll get to the boys in just a minute... for right now, I'm back! Back at Circle Square Ranch, that is.

If you've spent any amount of time with me I'm sure you've heard me mention the ranch in some way or another. I've spent plenty of time here over the years and the work that this camp does is very near and dear to my heart.

For those of you who haven't heard me talk about the greatest camp ever, let me bring you up to speed a little. Circle Square Ranch is a non-profit non-denominational summer camp located in Arden, Ontario. (About an hour from Kingston.) The camp programs offer a wide range of activities for campers ages 6-17 including horseback riding, high ropes course, rock climbing, biking, archery, swimming, canoeing, kayaking, tubing and crafts. We also have campfires, rec games and theme meals where kids and staff get to dress up and have fun. I first came to camp when I was just 6 years old and I will never forget my first week at camp. It was awesome... and it still is!

As a ministry we recognize that not everyone has the money to be able to send their kids to camp. To support such families, we provide funding through our Camper Scholarship Program. This allows deserving families to send their kids to camp for only a fraction of the cost. The remaining fee is subsidized through the scholarship fund. If you remember my post from last summer, For the Boys, I shared a story about two young campers who were able to come to camp because of the support they received from the Camper Scholarship Program.

And this summer, the boys are back. I just spoke with a teacher from their school yesterday and got them set up with applications and funding to be able to return to camp for a second summer. The teacher told me about how excited the boys were to be able to come back to Circle Square Ranch. It's so cool knowing that they are able to be at camp because of the generous donations of others.

That's why I'm writing this today. I know that there are so many other families that want to send their kids to camp but just can't afford it. Some have lost jobs, family members or have other extenuating circumstances. Regardless, it is our aim to provide campers with the opportunity to attend camp. Even a small donation of $10 can make a difference. On behalf of kids like these young boys, will you partner with us to make this opportunity a reality for less fortunate children by making a contribution to our 2013 Camper Scholarship Campaign?  Your gift of any amount would help us make camp a reality for children this summer. Cheques can be made payable to “Circle Square Ranch” with the memo indicating “2013 Camper Scholarship Campaign”. Our contact information is listed below. If you would like to donate by other means, please contact me and I can assist you accordingly.

And if you have any doubt in how one little donation can make a significant impact, check out The Coolest Thing Ever, a story about a donation from last summer that really meant a lot!

Thank you for considering partnering with us to provide an exciting summer adventure to young people. With your support, deserving children and families will be have the chance to hear about God's love for them and about the difference He can make in their lives!

Sincerely,

Sarah

Circle Square Ranch
1361 Price Road
Arden, ON K0H1B0
(613) 335 5403
arden@csranch.ca

"I want you to be confused!"

One of my profs said that a few weeks ago and I looked around to see if anyone else had heard the same thing. What? Why would you want us to be confused! Wouldn't you want us to understand the concepts and be able to complete the work without difficulty? He then went on to explain that if something confuses you, it at least means you're working at it. You haven't given up and you're trying to make sense of it.

I thought about it later on and wondered if you could apply the same concept outside of financial management princples. What else do I find confusing? What things in life frustrate me? It's cool because the more things I put on my list of "Things I can't wrap my head around", the more I realized that my prof was right. I find some things confusing because I'm still working on them. I'm still sorting through things. I don't have all the solutions or know all of the answers. I'm still in the process of learning and understanding things. Everyday I'm learning (through trial and often error) how to communicate better, how to complain less, how to look for the good in people, how to count the wins each day and how to manage my time better.

I haven't written a blog since September which is pretty unfortunate because I love writing. Needless to say I've been busy learning, busy figuring things out, busy being confused. And as strange as it may sound, I think it's okay to be confused. (At least a little bit anyways.) It may even be a good thing. At least it means you haven't given up yet and you're working at it.

What confuses you? What are you doing about it?