A/U Ranches
Every time I visit with someone from camp, I’m reminded of how special our time was together at the A/U Ranches. It doesn’t take long to reminisce over some story of laughing so much it hurt or overcoming some limitation that I marvel at today. These encounters are special and help me keep focused on the things in life that matter – love, laughter, friendship.
When you signed up your children for Youth Camp or told your camp-age friends about the great adventure they can have in the Rocky Mountains this summer, chances are you thought about the horsemanship program. It’s just one of many majors campers can choose at the A/U Ranches. But it’s also one that helps young people like Emma and Cassidy to discover their God-given strength and confidence.
Get together with friends at Mini Camp, volunteer as a bunkhouse parent, or simply share what you know about Adventure Unlimited with someone you know. There are lots of ways to stay connected with the activities and people you love!
Emma arrived home for spring break this weekend, and a river of late-March shopping trips flooded my heart. You see, since I was a girl, spring break was “getting ready for camp” week. It started when I was 11. My best friend from Sunday School was a full summer camper. That meant that if camp was in session, she was there.
I spent many years at the A/U Ranches. One consistent comment, heard over and over again from new comers and from people returning to the Ranches, was, “What is it about this place?”
Appearing in three of the four gospels, it was clear these were treasured and well-known stories (The Good Samaritan, The Prodigal Son, etc.) but that perhaps a group of serious Bible students could dig into their meaning more deeply and discover new insights unseen before. And that’s exactly what happened. […]
Philip usually drove the Land Cruiser, bumping over the dirt path to the Round-Up corral and down through the pasture to the South Woods. Wyatt usually rolled down the window, stuck his head out and commented emphatically on the way the sunrise hit Buffalo Peaks in the distance. It was always beautiful. […]
It is now, as the year ebbs away, that my thoughts turn to 20 years of Christmas at the A/U Ranches. There are no words adequate to describe the pure sense of wonder – the almost tangible sense of holiness that saturates the atmosphere. […]
One summer, the counselors and staff decided that instead of Christmas in July, they would hold Thanksgiving in June. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, so I was thrilled. But I wasn’t so sure how it was going to fly with high school age campers. […]
Throughout the A/U Ranches’ 60-year history, the programs and their duration have varied to meet the needs of campers and families. What hasn’t varied is the dual focus that Cap and Marianne originally established: “character education and emphasis on the individual’s growth in Christian Science through observing and doing.” […]