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See & read about what is going on in the Warm Beach Camp & Conference Center community

New space for special needs campers to learn and grow

SpecialNeedsCamp6After a dramatic realization during a Special Friends Day Camp in 2012 Laurie Fertello, Disabilities Ministries Director, realized the importance of further developing the spiritual ministry of Warm Beach Camp’s Special Friends Day Camps. The program had been growing by leaps and bounds since 2006 and now averaged over 50 campers plus buddies per camp. Laurie was now on a path to help each camper better understand and know Jesus Christ.

One problem the Special Friends Day Camp had consistently faced is that there was no place for all campers, buddies, and leadership to meet and learn together. There was no place that was both big enough and handicap accessible.

But in the spring of 2013, the Lord sent to Camp a team of four men from Mobile Missionary Assistance Program (MMAP). These men spent three weeks painstakingly building a brand new amphitheater that can now accommodate 130 people. Now there’s plenty of room for the Special Friends Summer Camps, and it’s even handicap accessible.

So in 2013, Special Friends Camps began having chapel together each day. Sister Sparkles (Margaret Spears) led each day’s devotion with enthusiasm in the center of the newly built amphitheater. Campers looked from every angle. At the end of each week Sparkles would invite campers to make decisions for Christ. Through this, the Lord carried out the plan he has for every person on earth. Campers began accepting Christ into their lives. By the end of the third week of Special Friends Day Camp, over 50 campers had made decisions to make Jesus their Special Friend.

Warm Beach Camp’s Special Friends Day Camp is one of the few camps in Washington State that serves persons age 15 and up who have special needs. Just one hour north of Seattle in north Snohomish County, Special Friends Day Camp offers campers amazingly creative camp activities in a highly supervised, supportive setting. Each camper is matched with a volunteer “Buddy,” who engages with them in the camp experience. For more information on attending or volunteering at Special Friends Camp, visit https://www.warmbeach.com/programs/special-needs-programs.

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The Delight of God

"No, the Lord’s delight is in those who fear him, those who put their hope in his unfailing love." -Psalms 147:11 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/psa.147.11.NLT The Delight of God (spoiler alert: it’s you!) The writer of Psalms 147 makes three things clear: God provides for His created world. God responds to the needs of His children. He is not impressed by our own means of strength and power. There is one more thing God wants us to experience and know:  …the Lord’s delight ...

Welcome Jennifer Maxson!

Warm Beach Camp would like to introduce Jennifer Maxson as the Guest Services Event Coordinator! Jennifer was born in Utah and grew up in Shoreline, Washington. She attended Whitworth College and graduated with a bachelor’s in Religion. Jennifer worked at Cascades Camp in Yelm throughout high school and college and loved working with the horses at the ranch. She also has extensive work experience teaching preschool and elementary-age children at daycares and Christian schools. She was assistant manager of Quilter’s ...

Welcome Kevin Craig!

Warm Beach Camp Ministries would like to welcome Kevin Craig as the new Sales Manager! Kevin was born and raised in Rochester, New York, and at thirteen years old, his family moved to the San Francisco Bay area. Kevin has a vast camping ministry career that spans over 37 years! He worked as summer staff for a camp during high school and college before graduating from the University of California, Berkley, with a degree in Architecture. Kevin was called back ...