LAKE STEVENS — A summer camp here with a plethora of outdoor activities has been growing rapidly as staff balance birthday parties, retreats and outdoor education with the organization’s Christian roots.
Cedar Springs Camp is a sprawling 200-acre wilderness off Highway 92. Opened in the 1960s by the Assemblies of God, the Lake Stevens property is the camp’s largest location. There also is a day camp on the Cedar Park Christian School campus in Bothell and a drop-off in Lynnwood.
The number of day campers in Lake Stevens has doubled each of the last two years, program director Jeremy Boeckel said. Cedar Springs, overall, “has been growing like gangbusters” for about five years now, he said. They’ve added new programs and expanded to new groups, including more churches, businesses, birthday parties and schools.
The camp serves thousands of guests each year. About 5,000 visitors came last year for birthday parties alone, Boeckel said. Another 5,000 were day campers, and about 3,500 were over-nighters.
Summer is the peak season, and staff are getting ready for another busy one. The number of employees goes from about eight year-round staff to nearly 100 with seasonal workers.
Though the camp has Christian roots, it also serves secular groups, Boeckel said. Several public schools use the venue for outdoor education. Teachers and administrators determine the curriculum, and Cedar Springs provides space and staff to make the lessons come to life. Staff can teach fire building, shelter construction, conservation and outdoor safety.
“That’s an exciting program that we really like doing,” Boeckel said.
Clark Combs coordinated outdoor school — where students learn about teamwork, survival and nature — for about 1,600 students at 20 elementary schools in the Northshore School District.
“We looked at 13 different camps and (Cedar Springs) is the one we chose,” he said.
Students get to climb a rock wall, build with old-fashioned tools, learn to use GPS, dissect owl pellets, study stream ecosystems, and learn to start fires.
“They start with matchstick-sized things and build it into a fire the size of your fist,” Combs said.
The Northshore outdoor education program calls for teachers to head up half of the lessons while camp staff teach the other half.
“Crazy as it sounds, two of the best things for the students are being outside and being away from electronics,” Combs said. “They seem to get energized when they’re up there. Lots of fresh air, good food and lots to do.”
It also is a popular venue for birthdays, Boeckel said, with paintball, laser tag, rock walls, pools, slides, a racing track and a giant jumping pillow — like a children’s bouncy house, but bigger and without walls.
Laser tag is one of the most popular activities. High-end equipment simulates futuristic laser guns, Revolutionary War muskets or a variety of other weapons, and it can be set to adapt to a storyline over multiple sessions.
Summer Adventure Camp is another highlight, Boeckel said, with zip lines, kayaking, rock climbing and hiking.
Cedar Springs also has added new programs to keep up with demand, like a wilderness crash course with a three-day guided trek and tent camping.
Staff already are booking weekends in 2016 for parties and retreats. Summer camps almost always have a few spots open for last-minute campers. Most guests are between six and 14 years old, though there are camps for older teens, as well.
People can learn more online at www.cedarspringscamp.net
Kari Bray: 425-339-3439; kbray@heraldnet.com.
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