2024 Camp Don Lee Annual Fund by Don Lee Center

This is the day that the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24

Celebrating of Ministry 75 Years

Dear Camp Don Lee Friends,

As we conclude another summer of camping ministry and my 10th summer as director, I prayerfully consider my role and give thanks for all the leaders who have come before me and the nearly hundreds of thousands of young people who have participated in the Camp Don Lee experience.

I remember my summers as a camper in the late 1970s and then working on summer staff as a counselor. Like most of you, as the years have gone by, those experiences rank among some of the most formative of my life—the friendships, experiencing God’s love, the beauty of our setting, the personal growth, joy and confidence that occurred as I learned to sail and cook a meal over a fire with my group.

Those years are a small slice of youth, but have an outsized, lifetime impact for those fortunate enough to participate. Camp Don Lee has been creating these types of life-changing experiences every summer—and throughout the year—for more than 75 years. Now, more than ever, young people need the summer camp experience to disconnect from technology, focus on social-emotional learning, learn from trusted adults, make friends and grow in their faith.

Our ministry together is full of twists and turns, the excitement of building and heartbreak of loss, of a pandemic, wars and great storms, of decline and growth, but through it all our aim remains for children and youth to experience the transformational power of the Christian camp experience, where we grow in relationship with others and with God.

I hope that everyone receiving this letter will be moved to express their gratitude to camp through generosity of prayer and financial support. Whether you give from a place of gratitude for the camp’s influence in your own life

or that of your children or grandchildren, the ministry is in need of your support. Our program fees, which we want to keep affordable for most families, have not been able to keep pace with the skyrocketing costs for food, utilities, fuel and labor.

Yet, our desire is to maintain and grow the program opportunities and facilities that have been so vital to the Camp Don Lee experience.

Our goal for this campaign is $100,000—a lofty one but one we believe is attainable–given the support we have received for various projects over the years. Even if you’ve never made a gift to the ministry before, now is the time to join us in this important work. We are on a journey of ministry together, whether we worked on staff 40 years ago or just last year. Camp has progressed as the years have gone by, but many aspects stay the same: our beautiful but vulnerable setting on the Neuse River Estuary and our aim to have campers experience the love of Jesus Christ through our staff and various program opportunities.

We have already received a leadership gift of $10,000 from a family who is grateful for the formative ways the ministry has impacted their young adult children. You may give securely online on our website by scanning the QR code below or by mailing back the enclosed envelope with a check. During our Annual Fund campaign, you may also have an opportunity to reconnect with some of your camp friends via our Quartermasters for the campaign. Won’t that be fun?

Friends, these are exciting times for Camp Don Lee as we conclude another wonderful summer of ministry with staff and campers and welcome hundreds of school children and retreat guests this fall. Please help others experience the vital, ongoing ministry of Camp Don Lee.

Sail on Sailor!

Kate Metts

2024 Camp Don Lee Annual Fund

All Hands on Deck

Sailing Through the Years –Learning the Ropes

Since its beginning in 1948, the Don Lee ministry has been impacting the lives of children and youth for Jesus Christ through the wind and the water at our beautiful location on the Neuse River Estuary. What started as a summer camp ministry for Methodist youth in NC has grown to 9 weeks of residential summer camp serving more than 1,000 campers each summer from many Christian denominations, including a number of campers who do not have a church home. In addition, Camp Don Lee operates robust “shoulder seasons” with environmental education field trips for students across NC and weekend retreats for churches and other groups.

About 10,000 young people are welcomed to our site annually.

Don Lee Ministry Impact –From Stem to Stern

Don Lee has been creating life-changing experiences every summer as youth practice living in Christian community. Our staff facilitates a setting that helps campers experience personal growth through sailing, many outdoor activities, friendships, faith formation and more. Three months following camp, 95 percent of our campers reported learning more about God at camp, and 85% said camp helped them grow in independence, according to a 2022 independent survey by Sacred Playgrounds. For many of our thousands of school and retreat guests, it is the first time they have experienced a setting like Camp Don Lee and learned to greatly appreciate our natural world.

The Need –In the Wake

The past 10 years have been challenging at Camp Don Lee. Hurricane Florence left a major impact on our facilities across camp. A world-wide pandemic had considerable repercussions on attendance for all programs. Economic challenges, including food and fuel pricing, employee pay, employee shortages and more have significantly riveted the budgeting process. Through all these issues, Camp Don Lee has persevered and in some areas, thrived. Even under these challenging circumstances, the staff has been committed to resourcefulness in maintaining equipment, implementing safety precautions, continuing our mission, and extending Christian hospitality.

The Camp Don Lee Annual Fund –Ready About

Though our world is more “connected” than ever, increased rates of depression, anxiety and aggression are being reported across the country indicating people are actually feeling more isolated and lonely. Young people need the camp experience now more than ever. Camp is a place of belonging, a home away from home, a place to experience the awe and wonder of God’s creation, and a place to feel comfortable and safe as God’s children.

Through the Annual Fund campaign, you can choose to support any of the following program areas: waterfront; facilities and maintenance; faith formation; and creation care. Your support means we can continue to upgrade and expand our programs and facilities to meet the needs of the ongoing ministry, now and for future generations to come.

Call to Action

–Don’t Miss the Boat

The Don Lee experience is a legacy of love and faithfulness. Have you taken the time lately to give thanks and to consider how these camp experiences and relationships have contributed to the person you’ve become? For 75 years, spaces have been created where campers are encouraged to move beyond limited understandings of self, others and God, to discover that their talents and those of fellow campers are gifts from God to impact the world for Jesus Christ.

The goal for the Annual Fund campaign is $100,000. Please join us with a gift today to help offer an experience that changes lives through the ministry at Camp Don Lee.

Q&A Throughout the Years

Rev. John Farmer

>> Director, 1977-2015

Favorite Song? I have to say Tow-Ley-E-Mow-Mow because no one else will lead it!

How many years were you at camp before you knew it was your life’s work? There wasn’t a particular moment. I just enjoyed it because every day—sometimes every moment—there was something different.

What did you learn at camp? I learned children are very resilent. One time there was a young camper girl that walked across camp at night to the med hut and accidentally got bit by a copperhead. We were seeing the effects of the bite and I’m calling mom, telling her we were taking the camper to the New Bern hospital. She was hospitalized for two days, then went home. About a week later, I had a phone message from mom. I called her back, expecting to hear negative comments about her daughter’s experience. Instead, the mom said, “You know, she didn’t get the full week? She wants to come back for another week. Will that be ok?”

What did you do as director that you never expected to do? Crawled in and out and around manholes! As a director, you do things that you don’t anticipate doing.

Why should college students work at camp? It gives them an opportunity to do something meaningful with their time, to give of themselves and know more about what they are capable of doing. I could say to make millions of dollars, but that’s not true. They have an opportunity for a sense of freedom but a lot of responsibility. Yet there is nothing more transferable than working at camp. People who work at camp have to think on their feet, they have to make decisions.

Mott Blair

>> Sailing Staff/Sailing Master 1976-1981

Where did you learn to sail? I learned to sail at CDL. In those days sailing was taught with “tacking drills” on Monday mornings. The person who taught me to sail was Rosalee Ward. On that day there was no wind so Rosalee waded out into the river and pushed the little pram that I was in so that I could practice. It is amazing how a singular act on a singular day can ignite an interest for a lifetime as it did for me.

and

What makes the sailing program at Don Lee special? I always liked the destination sailing. Whether to Croatan, Camp Perry (Oriental) or South River, it was always challenging whether reading the weather, predicting the wind and above all keeping everyone safe.

Favorite Camp Meal? Friday night picnics of course—with a dessert of cinnamon rolls. At home I have a copy of Ms. Gatlin’s recipe.

What did you learn while serving in this leadership role? I like the small group philosophy. Working together as a small group, realizing and learning to respect our differences while together always working towards a common good were great life lessons that have served me well in working with people and organizations my entire life.

Why should college students work at camp? Working at Don Lee is the opportunity of a lifetime. Mentoring young people and at the same time having a lot of fun is a great investment of summers. I made lifelong friends at Don Lee and to this day will still encounter former fellow staff members and campers. It is the opportunity to be a part of a great friend network with a common experience.

Why do you support the annual fund? The camp continues to touch many lives just as it has mine and it is important to support that mission going forward.

Rev. John Farmer

Mott

Seaborn Blair, ECU Medical Students

Mott and Seaborn Blair ~ 1973

Rev. John Farmer Rev. John Farmer at the corner store The Blair Brothers at CDL

A Legacy of Love, Faithfulness and Fun

Gaynelle and Scott Glass

>> Gaynelle Glass, Summer Staffer, 1960, Widow of Dr. Conrad Glass, Camp Director 1960-70

>> Scott Glass, Camper, Summer Staffer, Assistant Director, 1993-96

How has Camp Don Lee impacted your life?

Gaynelle: It is where I first worked with, and enjoyed, young people and children. At camp, I met Conrad Glass who became my husband. We were married 62 years.

Scott: The short answer is that I would not have a life if it was not for Camp Don Lee. My parents met there in 1960 and were married within the year, so I owe my entire existence to CDL. My mom originally was offered a job at Chestnut Ridge but was called and asked if she would switch camps for the summer and she agreed. My dad gave her a ride to camp on a Friday, and they went out on a date the next night at Tony’s (Sanitary Fish Market) in Morehead City and were married within the year. In addition, I would not have the life I have now if it were not for working there for so many years. I met my wife, Bonnie, at CDL and have since had my children, Katie and Sam, who have both attended, graduated as LITs and worked at camp. I believe my time at camp led me into the career I have had for the past 25 years. And certainly those summers at camp allowed me to meet some of my best friends for the past almost 40 years. It is hard to describe how much the place has meant to me and my family.

Share a favorite camp memory:

Why do you support the Camp Don Annual Fund?

Gaynelle: Because of the need to maintain upkeep on the camp - supplies for arts and crafts, maintaining boats (canoes, sailboats, etc.), indoor and outdoor chapels, buildings, and furnishings for the buildings.

Favorite Don Lee tradition:

Gaynelle: Cooking many meals outside in a pot over an open flame. Scott: The best memory is easily meeting my wife. That has impacted how the past 35 years have gone for me and that eventually led to the two best children in the history of time and space, and I don’t think that is an exaggeration. There are so many great memories that it is hard to pick just one, but I also appreciated all the staff training sessions I attended. It was always so exciting to finish school for the semester and drive to camp for the summer. That time seeing old friends and meeting new people was always a great experience.

Scott: I support the annual fund because I know the impact that CDL has had on me and three generations of my family. The trajectory of my entire life has been affected because of Camp Don Lee and the experiences I had there.

Gaynelle: Learning and singing camp songs after dinner. Scott: Overnight sailing trips would be at the top of the list. They could be brutal when there was no wind, but those times allowed groups to bond and staff to lead, and I hope that camp continues to find ways to make those experiences available to campers.

I know how powerful it was to find friends and a place I felt I belonged when I was a camper but particularly when I was in college. I enjoyed it and appreciated it so much that I continued to find ways to work there for the better part of a decade. I would like for other campers and college students to have those experiences as well. The relationships I built there are still the ones that mean the most to me today.

How does the summer camp experience impact a camper’s life?

Gaynelle: They can learn to work in a large group, get along with each other and learn to accept others just the way they are.

Scott: It can be such a powerful experience for young people to have the CDL summer experience. It is a time for them to meet new people, try new things, grow in their faith, and hopefully come away with a stronger sense of self-worth and self-confidence.

Scan the QR code to see more photos of Rev. Farmer, the Blairs and the Glasses and their reflections on camp.

Glass Family LIT Graduation Scott Glass, second from left

Glass Family

CAMP DON LEE 2023 DONORS

1948 Society ($5000 and more)

Dail Ballard, Jon and Dana Branham, Bradley Cummins, Scot and Kristi Finch, Joseph T. Jones, Keith and Rhonda Nichols, Jody and Bill Slater, Sylvester Family Foundation, James and Mildred Wilkinson

Charitable Trust, Andy and Jen Willis

Friends of Camp Don Lee ($1000 and more)

Don Anson, Rudolph Ashton, Ryan Boyle, Alexander and Genevieve Brooks, Centenary United Methodist ChurchNew Bern, Catherine Cooper, Eugene and Emily Everett, Wendy Fisher, Anna Britt Harty, The Healy Family, William Johnson, La Grange United Methodist Church, Eric Lodge, Powercraft Marine, Kate Cooper Metts, Jennifer Michalak, Daniel Pate, Kevin Seymour, George Singleton, Cindy Stanley, Swansboro United Methodist Church

$200 or More

Sail on Sailor ($2500 and more)

Catherine Artman, Tom and Lib Campbell, Doug Creps, Edward Ligon, Laura Patterson, George Singleton, Amanda Tilley, Triangle Community Foundation, Inc., Edwin Yaeger

$500 or More

James Adams, Angela Andrews, Sallie Batchelor, William and Sabrina Brooks, Keith Cannon, Mary Carpenter, Tim and Erin Catlet, Jenny Collins, Catherine Creps, Phillip and Lori Edwards, Scott Glass, Mike Glover, Bill Guthrie, Phyllis Howard, Brian Jesinkey, Robert Jessup, Belton Joyner, Sally Linton, Emily Massey, Mark Merryman, Oriental United Methodist Church, Jere Pelletier, Betsy Smith, Bruce Stanley, Jon Strother, Tyler Stroud, Andrew Tait

James Amy, Arapahoe Methodist Church, Nancy Arnold, Elisabeth Baker, David Boone, Robert Borbet, Scott Bridgeman, Cynthia Brown, Karlene Brown, Hugh Carpenter, Judith Clark, Pierce Conway, Rena DiPofi, Carol Erwin, Wendy Fisher, Scott Fitzgerald, Darrell Gibbs, Gary Greene, Scott Hair, Brad Hanover, Edmund Hughes, Cara Leary, Brady Midkiff, Meredith Ramger, Rebecca Rice, Riverside Hardware Co., Andrew Shepherd, St. James United Methodist Women, Sara Veal Circle, Westminster United Methodist Church, Frances Williams, Mason Williams, Stephanie Williamson, Kevin Wilson, Wilkie Wilson, James Womble, Claire Cox-Woodlief

$100 or More

Elisabeth Baker, Mitchell Barnes, Gordon Bell, Elizabeth Blair, Robin and Michael Brooks, Dianne Bruton, LuAnn Bryan, Al Capehart, Cassandra Carmichael, Jennifer Cooper, David Cordts, John Darrah, David Edwards, Tom & Becky Eller, Susan Ellis, Elizabeth Evans, Michelle Freyburger, Susan Fulp, Laura Giles, Katie Glass, Cynthia Gleisberg, Sarah Haithcock, Richard Hardy, Meader Harriss, Alan Hawkins, Julie Hinshaw, Margaret Huffman, Jennifer Jones, Kevin Jones, Ann Kellogg, Jessica Kochman, Keith McCabe, Ashley Mills, Don Mills, Meg and Tim Moran, David Morris, Norma Morrison, Robbie Patterson, Carlyle Perry, Pollocksville Methodist Church, Meredith Rose, George Seymour, Carol Simpson, Kathryn Sims, Stephen Smith, Sound District Women of Faith, Arlene Spehar, Charles Stafford, Adam Stockwell, Brenda Thacker, Nell Todd, Vincent Tosco, Natalie Van Genderen, J. Gilbert Vick, D. Walston, Martha Walston, Westminster Inquirers SS Class, Karen Wing, David Woodhouse

Thank you for your generous support.

Sail on Sailor! *We’ve

MEET OUR 2024 ANNUAL FUND QUARTERMASTERS

Rev. Owen Barrow, Fuquay-Varina, NC

Camper: 1989-1998

Summer Staff: 1999-2004

“Now, as a United Methodist pastor, I am deeply grateful for how my time at camp shaped and formed me. I’m also thrilled to continue the tradition as a parent of current campers, watching the next generation experience the same transformative environment."

Sabrina Sowell Brooks, Fayetteville, NC

Board Member: NC United Methodist Camp & Retreat Ministries Inc. Camper Parent, Summer Staffer Parent (Mack and Will)

“The Camp Don Lee experience was instrumental in my sons’ faith journey, in growing their confidence and in developing their leadership skills. As a donor, I want other children to have that experience at this “place God has blessed”.

Peggy and Rev. Charles K. Moseley, Washington, NC

Former Pastor: Oriental United Methodist Member: New Director Search Committee, Don Lee Local Committee

“We are supporters of Camp Don Lee and its mission to make disciples of all ages in its beautiful natural setting.” They both encouraged the camp staff and recruited prospective campers and church groups to be engaged in this important ministry.

Davis Todd and Paige Lucas Todd, Wilmington, NC

Paige: Coastal Staff Fall 2016 and Fall 2017, Summer Staff

Aquatics Coordinator 2017

Davis: LIT, 2009, Summer Staff, 2010-2013, Sailmaster, 2014, Senior Sailing Staff 2016, Coastal Staff, Fall 2016 and Fall 2017

“We are thankful for the Don Lee ministry as it led Davis to pursue a variety of experiences leading and working on the water sailing throughout his life. However, we are most appreciative that it brought us together!

Eugene Everett and Emily Baker Everett, Cary, NC

Emily: Camper from age 10 to high school, summer staff counselor, 1981-1983

Eugene: Summer Staff, 19801987. Volunteered as a healthcare professional in the med hut.

“Camp Don Lee holds a special place in our hearts because it’s where we first met as staff members. It has always been like a second home. The friendships, spiritual growth, and unforgettable experiences we shared continue to draw us back. We love staying connected with the camp community that has shaped our lives in such meaningful ways.”

Hannah McMillian and Landis Barber, Raleigh, NC

Hannah: Camper, 1997-2004, Summer Staff, 2012-2015, counselor, head counselor, LIT coordinator

Landis: Summer Staff, 20132017, counselor, head counselor “As two youth raised in the United Methodist Church and UMYF, Camp Don Lee has always been a special place for us. We both worked at camp during our college years, and out time spent there provided formative experiences for leadership, faith and fun. We cherish the friendships formed at this special place and look forward to watching camp continue to impact young people’s lives as much as it has ours.”

Thank you for your leadership for the 2024 Annual Fund.

The Don Lee Annual Fund gives all of us the opportunity to support the ongoing ministry that has meant so much to so many over the years and to help sustain it for future generations.

“Through experiences at Camp Don Lee, campers learn of Christ together, rather than merely learn about Him. We believe that sailing helps a camper to grow in maturity and develop a better understanding of themselves and through the experiences on the water, deepen their relationship and understanding of God.” —Gus Deal, Sailmaster, 1961

“LITs has not only taught me vital leadership and life skills, it has taught me so much about myself: my strengths, weaknesses, triggers and most importantly, my purpose. As we reach the finish line as campers, becoming the new generation of staff, I thank Don Lee for being the place I’ve been able to call home and everyone who has become my family throughout these 10 years.” —Izzy H., LIT 2024

“Every person who has gone to camp has a memory that sticks with them. For me, it was when my Navigator group was sailing and almost to Cedar Island. We hadn’t been able to see land for a while and just as we were beginning to see it, we were swarmed by dragonflies. There must have been hundreds on the boats, on us, sailing along with us. It didn’t seem real but I felt God’s presence in that shared experience with my group.” Sarah H., LIT 2024