Dare To Imagine Summer Camp 2018

KELLOGG — Once again the Dare to Imagine Coalition has outdone themselves with their annual free summer camp.

More than 250 Silver Valley kids and more than 100 volunteers enjoyed the many activities over the last week that were put on throughout the Kellogg Middle School and Community Center campuses.

Camp organizer and local pastor Corey Berti has been thrilled with the positive feedback he has gotten from the campers, and also from those volunteers, many of whom are returning from previous camps.

“Anything I've heard has been positive. Most kids enjoy the opportunity to do something like this during the summer,” Berti said. “We attempt to get better every year. From a volunteer perspective, it's the best year we've had. We have had more volunteers than in the past and everything seems to be running a lot smoother because of several returning volunteers.”

Angel Wings Daycare put on a vacation Bible school for the preschool aged kids, and also did all of the morning snacks and lunches during the camp.

Kids had a wide range of learning activities to participate in. From aeronautics, art, archery, equestrian and cooking, to several sports activities like basketball, golf, hiking, cycling and fishing; there were plenty of opportunities to mix learning something new and exciting with also doing something that they may already love and enjoy.

“This year we were able to offer most of our previous activities and even added a few extras,” Berti said. “We had 17 different activities in total. The equestrian class was one of the first classes to fill with the opportunity to ride horses. Archery was a big hit. This year we brought fishing back and the kids have been able to go fishing in various kids ponds around the Valley.”

The success of the camp always comes back to the level of support and help from the many volunteers who donate time, money and effort into making the camp a great four days for the kids.

“To have this many volunteers from around the community offering to spend a week out of their summer is amazing,” Berti said. “Volunteers come from all different occupations, ages, organizations, and some even take time off from work for this week. I wish I could thank them all by name, but there are too many to list, and that's a testimony to the heart of the Silver Valley community.”

Forty of this year’s volunteers were with Shoshone Mountain Retreats (part of Lutherhaven Ministries) Idaho Servant Adventures program. These servants were from Rochester, Minn., Bellevue, Wash., and Coeur d’Alene.

SMR Director Clint Kunze explained that their responsibilities ranged from being “counselors/mentors for the Day Camp participants and helping them get from one activity to another,” to “walking alongside the youth’ and good old-fashioned loving on kids!”

Like Berti, Kunze had nothing but positive things to say about the event and was happy to be a part of it.

“The Dare to Imagine Day Camp is one of the best things happening in the Silver Valley for our kids in the summer! Loving on kids and investing in the next generation in a safe and FUN environment like the Day Camp is a big win for the kids, the volunteers and the community! Idaho Servant Adventures is so blessed to be able to come alongside our community volunteers to help make this awesome week happen!”

In 2014, the three Silver Valley school districts partnered with the Silver Valley Ministerial Association and the Dare to Imagine Coalition was created.

DTIC brought the Valley school districts, community members, organizations, businesses and churches together to provide a variety of supports to the children of our community.

One of DTIC roles is to identify volunteers, provide a summer enrichment camp for students and promote volunteerism.