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Lake of Egypt Living 75 Egyptian Parkway, Creal Springs, IL 62922. Lake of Egypt

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Each year four print issues of Lake of Egypt Living are distributed to Lake of Egypt residents free of charge. If you live outside of the Lake of Egypt, you can purchase a subscription by visiting lakeofegyptliving. com. Subscriptions are $30 for one year (four issues).

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We've been so blessed here at The Resort to have the opporutnity to continue to grow and expand. This past spring, we introduced some exciting new additions, such as our floating water park and the remodeled RV park bathhouse. It seems like it's only when you get near the end of construction that you have time to reflect on just how many people have helped to get us where we are today.

The Lake of Egypt water department has been such a huge help with our development (even when we accidentally graze a water main!)

Southern Illinois Power Co-Op, the owners of the lake, have been an enormous help as we continue to add additional power connections to power our facillities. Their engineers and linemen have been an incredible resource time and time again.

The Johnson County and Williamson County Sheriffs Departments have both unfortunately been called upon at various times through the years when needed. Their deputies have been timely, professional, and extremely helpful.

And last but not least, the incredible Lake of Egypt Fire Department who have also unforutnately had to respond to more than one emergency.

We live in an amazing community with some of the best people. We are forever grateful for all of the assistance our friends and neighbors have given over the years to help us reach our goals.

by TERRANCE GEESE

There are phenomena known to residents of Southern Illinois. Walk into the Shawnee National Forest and call out “CAMP.”

The echo soon will return: “ONDESSONK.”

Well, not really, but it could happen as Camp Ondessonk, in Johnson County near Ozark, is the premier youth camp of Southern Illinois, and it has served thousands of campers since it was built in 1959. The good feelings those thousands of campers and counselors experienced within the Camp’s 983 acres have created wonderful memories, great friendships, and more than a few marriages.

The Camp has retained its rustic atmosphere throughout its existence, and it offers a respite from the hectic world outside. It is a place where thousands of children have learned there is an abundance of fun outdoors when you leave the couch and electronic games behind.

W hen you head off to Camp Ondessonk, you know you are entering a different world the moment you make the turn off U.S. 45 onto Ozark Road, and then onto Ondessonk Road. At 3760 Ondessonk Road, you encounter a large gate with two stone pillars and a large wooden sign.

Tony Vrooman, senior director of communications for the

Camp, says when you pass the entrance, “You start to drive down a two-mile road that once was a railroad bed. The trees become taller and greener until you crest a hill and you see Camp Ondessonk.”

The abundance of trees is indicative of the location. “We are at the heart of the Shawnee National Forest,” Vrooman says. “It is absolutely gorgeous.”

The environment is so loved by Vrooman, he has been with the Camp for 13 years. Years ago, he and his wife attended an event at the Camp and they were impressed by the Camp and dedication of the Camp’s staff; so impressed that when a marketing position came open, he answered the call from Ondessonk and left his private sector job.

Adults and kids will find a lot to do at Camp. “We have one of the largest equestrian programs in the Midwest with more than 70 horses onsite. All of our activities are still traditional based,” he says. “That includes archery, horseback riding, canoeing, kayaking, hiking, and swimming. All the things we did as kids are still a part of Camp Ondessonk’s mission, and we strive to keep nature within kids’ lives and unplug them from other devices.”

“One of the neat things at Camp Ondessonk, besides just being a summer camp, we have year-around lodging facilities, which include both St. Noel and Fournie Lodge, which are kind of the upper echelon of our lodging services offerings,” Vrooman says.

Camp information describes the St. Noel Retreat and Conference Center as “a modern, climate-controlled facility with nine hostel-style suites with event meeting and dining spaces in the basement as well as a kitchenette and a common sitting area/library. The building has audio/visual equipment and free WiFi.

“Open all year, St. Noel Retreat and Conference Center is the perfect place to get away for the weekend, host a retreat or youth group, or just enjoy the beauty of Camp Ondessonk and surrounding Shawnee National Forest without having to ‘rough it’,” explains Vrooman.

Fournie Lodge has two areas. According to Camp information, the Loretto Unit is a three-room suite floorplan with two bedrooms, one bathroom, a great room with fireplace, open floor plan kitchen, large deck, and campfire area (ADA accessible). It can hold up to four guests.

The L oyola Unit is constructed with a two-room studio floorplan, one bedroom, two bathrooms, galley kitchen, futon in studio room, and deck. It can hold two to four guests.

D uring the spring and fall, before the summer youth camping begins and after it ends, people can stay at the Camp’s tree houses, which are three- or four-sided units, classed as part of Camp Ondessonk’s rustic offerings. And, should you want to relive your childhood, more rustic tent camping is available during those seasons. The treehouse and tent camping areas are not lacking necessary conveniences, with showers and restrooms close by.

The camp also hosts special programs. “We offer MotherDaughter Weekend, Father-Son Weekend, and we have Family Camp Weekend as well as some specialty events,” Vrooman says. For the mountain biker, there also is a special event, the Southern Illinois Fat Tire Festival. This year it is Oct. 20-22. The festival is billed as one of the best MTB events in the Midwest.

O verall, Camp Ondessonk has “some really neat programming,” Vrooman says, and it takes more people than you might imagine to maintain and operate a camp the size of Camp Ondessonk.

D uring the entire year there are about 28 on the staff. Then, during the summer months, that swells dramatically. Vrooman says the camp hires about 135 staff members to help with the summer camp programs.

“Camp Ondessonk has been around for 64 years,” states Vrooman. “We also are accredited by the American Camp

Marion Carnegie Library, standing on Marion’s historic Market Street and in the direct center of Williamson County offers:

• Books, magazines, DVDs, audiobooks, digital content

• Computers (including laptops and mobile hotspots for loan)

• Public meeting space

• A study room

• Technology lab (for ages 10-18)

• Printing, faxing, and notary service

• Programs for all ages

Marion Carnegie Library is dedicated to fulfilling community educational, informational, cultural, and recreational needs in a relevant and timely manner.

Featured Event

Featured Facility

cityofmarionil.gov

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Discovered on the Square is a Saturday evening music series providing free live music during the June, July & August dinner hour. Musicians will be at the base of the clocktower, on Marion’s Tower Square Plaza, among the water features. So bring a lawn chair and enjoy!

Association, with only one quarter of all summer camps across the United States receiving this distinction. It means that Ondessonk has met more than 500 operating and safety standards when working with children and adults,” Vrooman says.

W hen it comes to programming, Vrooman explains there are areas he likes to share with parents and children thinking about attendance at Camp Ondessonk, “This is an opportunity to reconnect with nature and God’s gifts.”

“I think it is just incredible to come back and shoot a bow and arrow, participate in a hike and learn about nature, go swimming in a lake and go down a large waterslide called the ‘Shawnee Screamer,’ get on the climbing wall and learn how to push yourself outside of your boundaries, and take a chance within a structured environment. I think that really helps kids within their personal growth, as well,” Vrooman says.

He explains that a study was done several years ago, and it produced an interesting fact; one he shares with parents of prospective campers: “One of the great outcomes we share with parents is that kids leave Camp Ondessonk with a larger sense of responsibility, more independent, and with a closer relationship with God. Those are three of the pillars that I think are very important with a youth’s development program and also his personal development,” Vrooman states.

For years, those core values of life have been instilled in thousands of youths in Illinois and surrounding states. “We see generation after generation of campers, and the largest percentage of our counselors were once campers themselves. We find that campers often become counselors, and then they become volunteers, then they become donors. It is a neat progression to watch,” Vrooman says.

Sometimes the close bond shared by campers extends beyond lifelong friendships.

“ Throughout the years, I can think of quite a few couples who met at Camp as counselors and continued dating afterwards, and now their children are attending Camp. I think it is incredible to see how many of our campers and staff become friends for life,” Vrooman says.

F irst-time campers and their parents are most impressed with the staff of the Camp. They are impressed with the friendliness of the Camp staff and the thoroughness of training of staff members.

That training includes how to handle a common “ailment” of the youngest campers.

“It is normal for a child who is away from home for the first time to feel a little homesickness, and one of the things we do with our staff is teach them how to help manage those feelings and how to help guide a child through those emotions,” Vrooman, the father of two, explains.

W hen the child is guided through that phase, it then becomes, “Hey! I am ready to go get on a horse; I am ready to go do some mountain biking; I am ready to try a new adventure.”

“ Those are the things we pride ourselves on, and our staff is probably the gem of our operation,” Vrooman shares.

In advance of the Camp’s opening day, staff members go through a two-week training process conducted by Nolan Hurst, camping services director, and Dan King, the Camp’s executive director, who first attended Camp Ondessonk in 1981 as a kid.

King was on the summer staff from 1987 through 1994 and was co-leader of the Camp’s first Horse Adventure Trip.

Each year, the summer staff is trained to meet a series of certifications, and “Adventure staff” senior members receive added training to become certified wilderness first responders.

Further measures for a child’s safety also are in place and fully explained to the summer staff. “One of the things we adhere to at Camp Ondessonk is the Rule of Three,” Vrooman states. When a counselor, volunteer, or staff member interacts with a camper, the staff member is required to have another staff member with them or another camper on hand. “It is just a safety protocol,” Vrooman says.

“ There also is a doctor or nurse on-site at all times when children are present, which really is a stand-out point when we talk about different camps across the nation.”

The camper-staff ratio is a number that pleases and impresses parents. “For programs such as our Mini-Camp Program, for campers ages 8 to 10, we have a counselor for every five campers. For our traditional programs, we have one counselor for every 10 campers. When you look at various camps across the nation, you won’t see those types of ratios. That is the reason I keep coming back to our staff being one of the gems and highlights of our program,” Vrooman says.

W hile the Camp is owned by the Belleville Diocese of the Catholic Church, people of all faiths are welcome to participate in Camp’s programs. “It is about the teachings of Christ. While the Catholic values are in place, Camp Ondessonk’s gates are open to people of any race or faith,” states Vrooman. The organization’s Catholic identity is present throughout, from in its namesakes, mission, and the site itself, which contains the Chapel of North American Martyrs at its heart. Referring to Camp Ondessonk as a relational ministry, King says “the organization strives to maintain a culture in which Catholics and non-Catholics alike feel inspired by the teachings of Christ.”

“During the year-round programming, we will have many groups that will use Camp Ondessonk as an activity base, the facility while taking advantage of Camp’s Outdoor Education Program, or maybe participating in horseback riding for the week, or some other activity, but then they will have their own group’s programming for what they want to accomplish for that week,” explains Vrooman.

For groups using Camp Ondessonk, they are able to choose what they will be doing and develop their own programming. Fee schedules are in place for a wide variety of activities, so a group can customize the week. “That includes what activities you are going to do, what type of food you require, and what type of lodging you want. You can customize the entire program,” Vrooman says.

The Camp also provides assistance to the parents of a firsttime camper. “One of the great things we have developed as an organization is a parent resources section on our Website. It has a parent-camper handbook that will walk you through the process of getting yourself prepared for summer camp and first-time camper questions. We have also conducted many webinars for first-time campers, and we have held an open house, in order to help people understand what happens at Camp Ondessonk, as well as some of the things available as far as resources,” Vrooman says.

Camp Ondessonk has three major categories of camp programming each summer. First is the Mini-Camp and MiniCamp Explorer Programs for children ages 8 to 10. This is a scaled-down version of Traditional Camp, which has archery, canoeing, kayaking, hiking and swimming. Traditional Camp includes all the activities of Mini-Camp, plus a sampling of all the features of the Camp. Traditional camp is for ages 10 to 15. Camp Ondessonk also has an Adventure Program, including Shawnee Adventure that includes hiking, biking, paddling, climbing and horse programs at different levels from first-time riders to expert riders. There is a Mountain Bike Adventure where the campers go mountain biking all week, as well as a Climbing Adventure.

Ondessonk also has an offering in the field of leadership, the O.W.L. program – Ondessonk Wisdom in Leadership is for 15-year-old campers. That program transitions to the Counselor-in-Training program at age 16, giving a continual development – first as campers and eventually counselors. “It is a great stepping stone for them as they become adults, whether they are going on to trade school or college. I think it is among the most important things, learning leadership skills,” Vrooman states.

Vrooman notes Camp Ondessonk “is a little bit rustic,” and if a child has disabilities, that is a topic that needs advance discussions with Camp. “When we say, Camp Ondessonk is a very rustic facility, we need to talk about what some of the limitations are and what some of the expectations might be for the family, and ensure that we are the best fit,” Vrooman says.

Vrooman says there is one question about the Camp frequently asked by new prospective campers: What about electronic devices? “One of the things that we instill at Camp Ondessonk is to take a break from electronics. I think that is one of the most important things kids can do nowadays. Just taking that time to breathe and be away from those electronics is really important at Camp, and I think it is one of the great things we do as an organization – allow kids to unplug just for that week,” Vrooman says. “It takes a little time. It is almost like a detox because social media and our devices have become instilled as (a large) portion of how we live our lives. Just being able to detox from that for a week is probably one of the most important offerings that Camp Ondessonk instills within its community and the people we serve. It is so important to be outside; so important to be in the woods; and so important to decompress.”

The programs at Camp put campers in touch with nature, and the Camp takes its obligation to preserve nature on its Shawnee National Forest border very seriously.

“Mike Jennings is our camp ranger. He is an incredible person and he and his staff keep the grounds in shape,” Vrooman says. “And we have Marsha Bockmann, the camp landscaper, who also is a horticulturist, helping with controlled burns and with invasive species.”

Having started with the purchase of 300 acres of forest in 1959, subsequent purchases have brought the Camp’s property to 983 acres, much of which is maintained in its pristine beauty as a wilderness area.

The Camp is a c losed area for the general public during the summer camp season; the remainder of the year it is open to the public with a few rules and restrictions. More information is available at Camp’s Web site, www.ondessonk.com .

Camp Ondessonk is a place that takes you back in time, even earlier than 1959. The name of the Camp and various installations and sites on the grounds honor martyrs and Native Americans. According to the Camp history, the word ‘Ondessonk’ is a Huron word meaning ‘Bird of Prey.’ It was a name given to St. Isaac Jogues, a Catholic Jesuit priest that came to North America from his native France in the early 17th century to bring the Gospel to the Huron people of Quebec. He gave his entire life to them, with the ultimate ending of torture and martyrdom. Several other Jesuit missionaries, working among the Huron during this time, were martyred as well. These martyrs and their Native American companions provided inspiration for spiritual development at Camp Ondessonk; the camping units, lakes, and major landforms were named in their memories.

Summer event Guide: The ultimate guide to summer fun in Southern Illinois

june 2 - 3

Enjoy live music with a beer tent and various vendors. On Friday, June 2, we will have food, music playing, Biergarten and vendors set up at 5 PM. Till about 8 PM. On Saturday, June 3, we will have vendors set up, concessioners, Biergarten and live music. The music begins at 12 noon with The Sullivan 3 band. At 3:30 we will have the Lew Jetton and the 61 South band. Ending the day with Cat Daddy’O band starting at 7 PM