Mid-Summer Update from COCUSA

     We all know the cliché phrase, “time flies when you’re having fun.” Man, has that phrase been true so far this summer at Camp! Believe it or not, the Camp season is almost halfway over. Taking a second to reflect, there have been so many amazing moments that have occurred at Camp this summer. Moments that were eagerly anticipated, moments that were surprising and sometimes perplexing, and moments that serve as daily reminders of how truly special COCUSA is. Here are a just a few of the many cool moments our staff has captured so far.

     One camper positively responded to the Good News for the first time at the end of last summer. When her Site Directors gave her a Bible with highlights of each week’s memory verses, she exclaimed, “Wow! I can’t believe they’re all actually in here!” She begged her mother to let her return to Camp next year and has gotten extremely involved in everything COCUSA this summer. This camper pays special attention to the Bible stories and asks thoughtful questions about God each day. Even more so, she enthusiastically learns each week’s memory verses, not just so she can compete in memory verse challenges against her counselors, but because she actually wants to grow as a disciple of Jesus!

     Another camper told his mother that he wanted a new pair of expensive shoes. His mom told him that he could get his new shoes, but they cost about the same amount as a week of Camp. If she bought those shoes, he'd have to miss a week at COCUSA. Without skipping a beat, the camper quickly responded, “Never mind, I’ll wear my old shoes.” Camp was that much more important to him!

     At the end of one Camp day, a Counselor rushed over to her Site Directors to tell them how much she loved being able to share the Gospel message with her campers each Wednesday morning. During her first time sharing the Good News, three of her campers felt a personal calling to accept Jesus into their hearts. Her soul was overwhelmed with God’s amazing power, and she knew that Camp had provided the opportunity for His love to move through her. The Counselor said she couldn’t imagine anywhere else where she’d rather be this summer than at Camp of Champions USA.

     So many more moments are in store for the second half of the summer, and we can’t wait! Here’s some ways you can continue to pray for the ministry of COCUSA.

• Pray that God would continue to work in mighty ways at Camp. Pray that campers would respond to the Gospel, grow in their faith, and share it with others.

• Pray that our staff would continue to provide safe and quality child care for each kid at Camp. Pray that we would stay focused, positive, and energized.

• Pray that everyone at Camp would have a ton of fun as we enter the 2nd half of the camp season. Pray that our fun would lead to lasting friendships that point us all to Jesus.

     If you also want to get involved with our ministry and partner with us financially, you can check out www.cocusa.org/bowl to donate to our scholarship funds and help even more kids come to Camp.

Staycation in Style: Make the Most of Your Summer Family Time

Summer is officially here!

     You probably have a lot of plans for your family. They might be plans for some low-key, quality time at home, or they might be plans for an incredible summer get away. If your family is like mine, no matter how many plans you make, at some point you still wind up at home on a weeknight with "nothing to do." Why not take advantage of all the interesting things to do in your community? You can staycation in style with these helpful tips.

     Ruth Soukup gives us 25 Awesome Staycation Ideas in her blog post on Living Well Spending Less (livingwellspendingless.com). One thing I learned from her post is to set some ground rules for your famliy before you head out on the town. These rules might include "no cell phones," "no cooking/cleaning/laundry," "no TV/movies/video games," or "no worrying," These rules help to keep your family time focused on what's really important: Family!

     In her post on My Kids Adventures (mykidsadventures.com), Debra Eckerling gives us 26 Staycation Ideas to Rejuvenate Your Family. She lists activities from A to Z that you can try with your familiy in just about any community. One of my favorite activities from her list is exploring your own neighorhood. You could take a walk to a part of town you don't normally visit, or drive around while letting your kids navigate. Another great idea from Debra's list is checking into a local hotel. Your kids will love the change of pace, swimming in the hotel pool, and all the other perks a hotel has to offer. Take the opportunity to try a new restaurant or simply order pizza to your room. A short get away will be a blast for your kids, and easy on your schedule. 

     Each of these lists has lots of other great ideas. Get creative, and make the most of your summer family time!

It's Not Too Late to Make Your Summer Count

     Camp of Champions USA exists to serve families by giving your child a fun, safe, and gospel-centered summer. We hope and pray that you will be able to join us for an incredible ride over the next three months, as we teach from the Bible, lead your kids in prayer and character development, all while singing silly songs, going swimming, playing crazy games, and having a blast! Whether you're looking for child care all summer long, or just want to give your kids a week to remember, we're here to serve you.

     It's not too late to register for summer camp! The deadline to register for the first week of Camp (May 31-June 3) is tomorrow, May 24.  

     Summer camp starts on May 31, and many of your kids may already be done with school! If you are already registered with COCUSA, we can't wait to see you. 

Click the big red button below to register- but hurry, space is limited!

3 Questions Every Parent Needs to Answer Before Choosing Summer Child Care

Summer.

     That means three months away from school, free from homework, projects, and parent-teacher conferences. But it also means different routines, crazy schedules, and figuring out what your kids will do for three whole months!

     There are a lot of options out there for summer child care - park districts, day care services, summer camps, sports camps, college for kids, and even a stay-at-home babysitter. All of these have their pros and cons, so how do you choose between them? Here’s the three most important questions every parent needs to answer before choosing summer child care.

1. Will my child have fun?

     It might seem obvious, but fun is important! Find somewhere that your child will enjoy spending their summer. It should make your kid jump out of bed in the morning. If your son or daughter comes home complaining about how bored they were that day, you’ll have a headache that lasts until school starts again. 

     Fun is important to your child’s development. Fun helps your child grow socially by breaking down barriers to building relationships and making friends. At Camp of Champions USA, we’ve seen firsthand that kids who have fun together can develop close friendships. Fun also helps your child grow physically. Activities like playing games and making crafts help your child to develop their coordination and skills. Fun is also important in helping your child develop emotionally. Playing fair, learning to abide by the rules, and interacting with other kids develops empathy, self-awareness, and compassion for others. Fun is so much more than simply having a good time...

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To learn the other 2 questions you need to answer before choosing summer child care, subscribe to the COCUSA Blog to download the free e-booklet! Fill out the form below to immediately receive your free download.

Summer Camp 2016

     Summer will be here before you know it - warm days, a glass of lemonade, maybe even a dip in the pool! It also means your kids won't be in school for 3 whole months. We know you want your kids to have an incredible summer, but how can you decide between so many different choices for childcare? Unlike some of the other childcare options, Camp of Champions USA offers more than a just fun experience. We're committed to helping your child grow in maturity and integrity. We believe that teaching kids Biblical character traits will help them become leaders who positively impact the world. That's why everything we do at Camp is shaped by these three values:

Gospel-Centered Discipleship, Safe & Quality Childcare, Fun for Campers and Staff

     Every year we hear kids and their parents say the same thing: Camp is awesome! Check out this story below to hear how COCUSA impacted the life of a young boy and his family.

     "Each week of the summer, the Counselors at Camp prepare a skill group to share a personal hobby, passion, or skill with their campers. At Pekin Camp, two of our male counselors teamed up to put on a skill group about manliness. After spending having some fun discussing sports, how to properly tie a neck tie, and showing off with feats of strength, the counselors talked about Jesus' example of masculinity. They highlighted Jesus along with other men in the Bible to show how true manliness is found in humility and service to others. Jacob, a boy brand new to Camp this week, happened to join this skill group and had a blast. On Friday that week, Jacob's mom wanted to talk to the Site Directors about her son's behavior. She said that Jacob had totally changed from his one week at Camp. He cleared the dinner table, held doors for people, and cleaned his room all without being asked. She was so grateful for the life-changing influence those two counselors had on her son. Jacob was only signed up for one week of Camp, but his mom promised he would be back next year."

     Our summer program runs June-August, Monday-Friday, 7:30am-5:30pm. We have 8 convenient locations in communities all across Central IL. Weekly prices start at just $120/camper (discounts and financial assistance available). Register now to take advantage of our early registration discount. Now through the month of February, receive half off your first week of summer camp!

We can't wait to see what God does at Camp of Champions USA this summer, and we hope that your kids can be a part of the story!