Aubrey’s eyes shone with determination as she told her mom, “Make sure our Disney trip is not the week of Camp BAM. I will not miss that!” A rising high school senior, Aubrey has attended every Camp BAM as part of “IMPACT Community Youth”—a unique group comprised of churched and unchurched teens from Stanly and Rowan counties.
Juan, another camper from IMPACT, was just as determined not to miss Camp BAM 2024. He worked his required 30 hours at Food Lion in just three days in order not to miss a single day of his third Camp BAM.
The zeal of these young campers may lead you to think Camp BAM is packed with thrilling adventures like ziplining, kayaking, and evenings around a campfire. While campers are offered pool time each evening, their days start early with breakfast at 7:30, morning devotions, and everyone arriving at their work sites by nine o’clock sharp.
Martha (McDowell) Hayes, pastor at Mattons Grove Methodist Church and IMPACT volunteer, was impressed with the campers’ work ethic and believes their desire to serve will be with them for life. She recalls, “I did not hear one complaint from anyone. Not, ‘I’m tired. I’m hot. The bugs are bothering me. My blisters hurt.’ Nothing! They worked beautifully together as a team.”
The fourth annual Camp BAM took place June 19-23 on the Mills Home campus of Baptist Children’s Homes (BCH) in Thomasville. Hosted by North Carolina Baptist Aging Ministry, (NCBAM), this intergenerational camp allows volunteers to serve aging adults by building wheelchair ramps, installing smoke alarms, and completing other projects. Thirty-eight campers from IMPACT and 11 from First Baptist Concord participated. They constructed five wheelchair ramps; installed two handrails; mowed, trimmed and cleaned three yards; moved two tons of durable medical equipment; and served four BCH ministries.
IMPACT volunteers Billy and Monica Talbert have attended Camp BAM each year. Interacting with BCH’s kids in care was a highlight for Monica. “I love how these kids grew over a span of four days. They learned new strengths, how to work as a team, and to come out of their shells. They used tools that some of them had never laid eyes on. They built new friendships, gained confidence, and taught me things as well!”
Encouraging youth to have a positive self-image is important to Monica. She adds, “It’s also important for them to realize it’s not always about them—that it’s important to serve and love on others! And that is exactly what they did!”
Volunteer Jennifer Parker has attended since 2021. A highlight for her was when one of the campers felt prompted to pray with a ramp recipient. Jennifer recalls, “When the ramp was completed, she also did our closing prayer. It was wonderful to see the youth grow in their walk with Christ.”
NCBAM’s Austin Decker (north central regional director) returned as camp director for the second year. “Camp BAM is about more than fun, although we have a ton of that! These teenagers and adults get to see the impact they can have, build friendships, and grow closer to Jesus. It’s powerful!”
Call Center Director Brian Roberts brought together worship teams from three churches, Triad Church Greensboro, Triad BC Kernersville, and Elevation Church Winston-Salem, to kick off opening night. Their offering set a tone for all the good to be accomplished. Brian is grateful for the difference the camp made in people’s lives. “What would normally take a month for us to complete in the Call Center was done within four days! We were also able to stretch our budget with funds received from the American Rescue Plan Act. We used $11,500 from the grant to purchase lumber.”
IMPACT volunteer Martha previously served as south-central regional director for NCBAM. During her tenure, she hosted intergenerational camps and began to envision what would become the first official Camp BAM in 2021. At the close of that first Camp, the McDowell family established the “Live Out Luke” endowment fund in memory of Martha’s youngest son, William Luke McDowell, who passed away in 2016 at age 20. Throughout his life, and even from a young age, Luke connected strongly and lovingly with older adults.
Martha loves Camp BAM as much as the campers. “Camp BAM is such a beautiful blessing to my husband Bobby and me! I know Luke would be very proud. It makes me feel close to him because I saw the same excitement in him when helping aging adults.”
Contributions to the “Live Out Luke” endowment fund are tax deductible and will benefit Camp BAM in perpetuity. Designate your gift at ncbam.org/donate or checks designated for Camp BAM may be made payable to Provision Financial Resources and mailed to 201 Convention Drive, Cary, NC 27511-4257.
Camp BAM participant Makynlie Holbert takes an “us-ie” of this year’s campers on the ramp that IMPACT youth built for the Hammer family in Liberty. The fourth annual Camp Bam took place June 19-23 on the Mills Home campus in Thomasville and was hosted by NCBAM. This was Makynlie’s third Camp BAM.
Written by Carol Layton, NCBAM Director of Communications and Administration