Originally written in 2015 by camper parent and former camper, Jelise Ballon, for her blog, Neither Height nor Depth, here's a glimpse of the magic of summer camp from a camper and parent perspective. Summers may come and go, but these memories last well beyond. Here's a huge THANK YOU to all of our counselors, past and present, for sharing the magic of camp with all of our campers! Dear Camp Counselor, September is here. Backpacks are packed, pencils sharpened, and yellow

We have been blessed with an incredible Summer Camp season here at Caroline Furnace! With the help of God, as well as the communities and individuals that support this ministry, we had eight weeks filled with faith, fun, and friendships that will last a lifetime. A total of 297 campers came to Caroline Furnace this summer! Of those 297, over 100 campers had financial support from their congregation, an outside organization, or from our camper scholarship fund. God's love and

It's Week Eight of camp, which is always bittersweet. We've already had our final Opening Campfire for the summer, our last Color Tag, our last time in St. John's for Wednesday Evening Worship. There are no more doctor skits, no more staff introductions, and no more nervous campers arriving for the first time. We only have one more Fancy Dinner, two more option blocks, one more game of Capture the Flag, and just a few more meals together. It has truly been an incredible summe

This summer has been such an exciting one so far! We can't measure the amount of fun that we have had, the smiles we've seen, or the joy that has filled our hearts. Each camper has brought so much delight into our camp, sharing their stories, experiences and faith with us in their own unique way. Recently, our campers have enjoyed cowboy camping during Outdoor Challenge Camp, practicing canoe skills on the Shenandoah River, learning how to use kitchen equipment in Culinary

Come to camp and watch the clouds move around you on top of a mountain, make an absolutely perfect mint chocolate pancake, canoe by turtles and jumping fish, hit a bullseye, build a fire, sleep in your hammock, find a massive piece of slag, and grow closer to Christ. You’ll daydream about these moments for the rest of the year! Stay tuned to discover how this changes everything! Be on the lookout for a new post every Friday until summer camp! #friendship #adventure #memories

We have 257 beautiful acres of forest and fields, with a creek, lake, and extensive trail system. Caroline Furnace is surrounded by George Washington National Forest and is only twenty minutes away from the South Fork of the Shenandoah River. We enjoy taking the time to enjoy the incredible blessings of God’s creation, and we have a wonderful place to do so. Stay tuned to discover how this changes everything! Be on the lookout for a new post every Friday until summer camp! #a

Let's go fishing! Fishing camp is available for FOUR different weeks this summer, depending on your age group! We'll explore the wonders of God's creation with quality time at the lake, creek, and river. While at fishing camp, you can expect to learn and practice skills such as casting, hook-tying and baiting, and more! We'll also share our secrets on how to find and catch the best, biggest fish. Depending on the catch of the day, you may also learn how to pan-fry it to perfe

Rumor has it that Caroline Furnace has the darkest night sky within two hours of Washington DC. Join us for a night (or five) under the stars! Every camper gets the opportunity to stargaze throughout the week, and Outdoor Challenge campers get a special treat with a Cowboy Campout one night. Of course, out-trips such as canoeing and backpacking get to live under the stars for the week! Stay tuned to discover how this changes everything! Be on the lookout for a new post every

For Grades 4 to 6 and Grades 7 to 9 Campers: Saddle up for an exciting week! During your mornings at nearby Fort Valley Ranch you will learn to care for, saddle and ride a horse western-style. The wranglers will pair you with a horse for the week so you can build a partnership and learn your horse’s unique qualities. You will practice controlling your horse using your voice, reins and legs, and put your new skills to the test on the trails surrounding the ranch. Our 2018 Hors

At Caroline Furnace, faith is central to the fun and adventure that forms our community. Join us in discovering God through morning worship, Bible study, Faith5, and our friendships. We’ll explore a new theme and story each day, and together we’ll find out how God’s love changes everything! Stay tuned to discover how this changes everything! Be on the lookout for a new post every Friday until summer camp! #adventure #memories #share #experience #valley #fun #camp #nature #cre

Are the craft options your favorite part of a week at camp? Do your friends and family describe you as creative? Do you enjoy making things for yourself and others? Does your room seem more like an art gallery than a bedroom? Would you like to learn to make cool things? Does Crafting Camp sound like a good time? If you said yes to any of these, join us for a week of limitless creativity! We'll play around with a variety of media (styles of art) throughout the week as we explo

Are you ready for a new adventure?! Choose between activities such as spending a week canoeing down the river, learning archery, going rock climbing or caving, trying out horseback riding, experiencing camp at night with night camp, setting out on a backpacking trip, or even traveling to West Virginia for Whitewater Camp! Stay tuned to discover how camp changes everything! Be on the lookout for a new post every Friday until summer camp! #memories #share #experience #growth #c

Our explorer camps get into all kinds of shenanigans! Explorers stay in our centrally located Cabin Village and get to explore everything camp has to offer! The schedule is a bit less structured, so the group can decide together which activities they want to plan for the week. Explorer campers go creekwalking, play games, explore the furnace ruins and hunt for slag, sing silly songs, play gaga ball, make crafts, and have their own small group Bible study. They also join the r

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” If these trees could speak, I bet they would have quite a story to tell. I sometimes wonder: How many people have spent time here and left more rested, a bit more whole, feeling closer to God? How many campers have experienced God’s love through their counselors or a new friend? What is the magnitude of impact from this place hidden in Fort Valley? There’s no way of truly knowing th

Over the mountain ridge and into the valley I travel home to peaceful and natural surroundings where HIS Grace is abundant. Although the grace and peace of our Lord is everywhere... there is just something about the arrival into Fort Valley that relaxes the mind and opens the spirit. The cold flowing waters of Passage Creek awaken the thoughts of a baptismal cleansing while the open fields and endless natural beauty of the forests reveal the power of HIS creation. There are m