Here’s what we’ve been doing at Camp Maximum during the month of June:
Food Program – We partnered with Josiah Ventures/Epoch to deliver the next batch of 10,000 food boxes. We have already delivered 18,000 boxes and are now starting our third batch of 10,000.
Crises Response International team spent a week with us helping pack the food boxes and visiting the wounded in the hospitals.
Camp Maximum in Italy – Our two camps in Italy for Ukrainian refugee children are happening! We start on the 27th of June until the 10th of July. More than 100+ Ukrainian children temporarily residing in the region of Brescia signed up for camp. 18 Camp Maximum volunteers residing as refugees across Europe will join Ira Provoziuk, our program director, to serve Ukrainian children in our first ever camp abroad. Exciting moment of unity for our community of volunteers!
Medical Help – We continue to provide medical help, hygiene and other essential items for civilians and defenders of Ukraine. We received a large delivery of medical supplies from our new partners in Romania.
New team – Cherkasy oblast, where Camp Maximum is located, is considered one of the safer locations in Ukraine. In early June authorities allowed camps to go on. Because 60% of our team is new, we have initiated a major hiring and training initiative to catch up and get prepared for the camping season:
- Because Rustam and four other extreme activities instructors are in the military, we are training a new team, many of whom are refugees.
- Misha Vakhtomin is now in charge of program development. We are also looking to add two more program coordinators to the team.
- Our team has helped most of the refugee families residing at camp find new homes and move on. In addition, we have provided full time employment to nine of the refugees and are in the process of negotiating housing for them with our neighbors. Our prayer is that many of them will choose Zolotonosha as their new home and will be able to stay will us long term.
We love our new team!
Trauma Healing – Last week we partnered with Trauma Healing Institute to organize certificate training for the camp’s children’s ministry leaders and other organizations that will be actively working with children dealing with various types of trauma resulting from the war.
Our Summer Camp Schedule:
JULY
7 – 10 – Staff Camp 2022
16 – Our first wedding reception at camp! Two staff volunteers are getting married!
18 – 23 – youth camp #1
24 – 30 – youth camp #2
AUGUST
7/31 – 8/6 – family camp
1 – 5 – day sports festival
7 – 13 – kids camp #1
14 – 20 – kids camp #2
21 – 27 – festival week (day family festivals at camp)
We expect to serve 600+ children in our overnight camps and over 1,000 children and families in our day programs this summer. Please continue to pray for us and support us as we are dealing with many organizational and financial challenges along withthe risks of war.
The Camp Maximum team sends their greetings. We stay strong! Thank you for your continued support and prayers!
Vitaliy
