Winter 2020 Magazine

WINTER 2020

A PATH TOWARD

HEALING

How Woodland Christian Camp is reaching grieving kids p. 16

FAITH AND WORK What a Point professor learned at camp p. 10

STIRRING WATERS Providing camp for those with disabilities p. 18

CONTENTS

SAVE THE DATE:

4 From the President 5 University News ON THI S PAGE Dr. Darryl Harrison, chief academic officer, welcomes guests to December commencement. To see more photos from the day, visit flickr. com/pointskyhawks.

Benefiting scholarships for local students in Troup and Chambers Counties

ON THE COVER Luminaries float across the lake at Woodland Christian Camp. To learn more about Woodland’s grief camp, turn to page 16.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25

8

Did you know 17 percent of Point University students are from Troup and Chambers Counties? Support Point’s Golf Classic to contribute to the $1.8 million in aid given to these local students!

A Point professor reflects on what all organizations can learn from camps about faith and work.

SPONSORSHIPS NOW AVAILABLE $5,000 $2,500 $1,000 $600 $350

12

Presenting Sponsor Skyhawk Sponsor Gold Sponsor Team Sponsor Hole Sponsor

STIRRING WATERS Bill Redmon ’62 works to provide camp experiences for those with disabilities.

FIND OUT MORE AND REGISTER AT POINT.EDU/GOLFCLASSIC

d’ann conroy (’14-’15)

WHAT I LEARNED AT CAMP

16

A PATH TOWARD HEALING Woodland Christian Camp expands its reach with a specialty camp for grieving children.

WINTER 2020 | 3

FROM THE PRESIDENT

POIN T M AG AZI NE Volume 58, Number 2 Winter 2020

SNAPSHOT

EDITOR/DESIGNER Sarah G. Huxford

Point was honored this fall to once again serve as one of the Christian colleges hosting a Q Union event. Hosted simultaneously at institutions across the country, the event features both nationally televised speakers and local students.

This year’s national speakers included Francis Chan, Rebekah Lyons and Malcolm Gladwell. Jeisson Palencia Mendoza ’19, pictured here, served as one of Point’s student speakers. “To be impactful in our world, followers of Jesus must understand our world,” said Wye Huxford ’73, dean of the College of Biblical Studies and Ministry. “Q Union is one of the important ways Point has to help our students become more engaged in our world, aware of its needs, and willing to take risks to meet those needs.”

CONTRIBUTORS D’Ann Conroy (’14-’15) Kara Johnson Kayla Schlichting

In this issue, you will read about Bill Redmon ’62, one of my mentors and a pioneer of Christian camping in our country. He is a proud Point alumnus who, in later life, realized he had more to offer and felt a call to serve a highly underserved population of young people and their families. I am excited for you to read about Stirring Waters and how an older Bill Redmon is dreaming big and working hard to make a difference in God’s kingdom by serving this population. I would love for you to join him!

You’ll also read about how other Point alumni and professors are making a difference at Woodland’s Camp Cairn, serving grieving children, and about what all of us — no matter our career or ministry — can learn about integrating faith and work.

Point University is preparing leaders who will serve ministries like these for generations to come. We need your partnership in prayer and through financial gifts to continue our kingdom-focused mission. I invite you to join us in meeting the needs of our world and sharing the love of Christ everywhere, everyday.

By His grace,

Dean C. Collins ’79 President 4 | POINT MAGAZINE

CONTACT US: Point University Attn: Point Magazine 507 West 10th Street West Point, GA 31833 706-385-1000 editor@point.edu © 2020 Point University Point University’s mission is to educate students for Christ-centered service and leadership throughout the world. Point University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate, baccalaureate and master’s degrees.

Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, at http://www.sacscoc.org, or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Point University.

d’ann conroy (’14-’15)

When I was 25 years old, I remember adding up the time I’d spent as a camper and as a volunteer leader at camp. It added up to a full year of my life. I’ve long since blown by that number!

Christian camping brings thousands of kids into a relationship with God and strengthens thousands more. Mission fields, churches, colleges and more have hundreds of leaders who experienced what I did, and are lifetime servants of the King because of Christian camping.

Point Magazine exists to tell Point University’s stories. It is intended to serve as a vehicle for connecting the University’s alumni and friends. For the first 49 volumes of its existence, Point Magazine was known as The Gold & Blue.

The magazine is published by the Communications Office, which retains the right to determine the editorial content and presentation of information contained herein.

Articles or opinion pieces contributed by guest writers do not necessarily reflect the official views or policy of Point University and its board of trustees. Point Magazine welcomes reader responses to its content.

d’ann conroy (’14-’15)

I

t happened over the course of several summers as a young student who attended summer camp at a place you will read about in this issue, Lake Aurora. Being away from home and technology — which, in those days, was maybe a radio or stereo — and in the beauty of God’s creation with people who loved God and loved young people changed my life.

UNIVERSITY NEWS

WINTER 2020 | 5

HEADLINES

HEADLINES

Volleyball Team Makes First Trip to Nationals

SECOND ANNUAL TEDX POINT UNIVERSITY EVENT HELD THIS FALL I

6 | POINT MAGAZINE

To view more photos from the TEDx event, visit flickr.com/pointskyhawks

University News To read the latest Point news, visit our website at news.point.edu.

the visitors to regain it. The final set was a 25-17 Westmont victory, ending Point’s debut in the National Tournament.

“I’m so proud of this team and their hard work all season,” said Joe Herrera, head coach. “This team made history, and they went down fighting against a very good Westmont team.”

“This season was nothing short of amazing,” said Tessa Burns ’20, of Columbus, Georgia. “We went further than we ever have before by going to nationals, and we were even able to give back by taking a mission trip to Costa Rica this spring.

I’m so thankful for this season and the people and experiences it brought me!”

WHAT'S TRENDING

randall hamer; social media posts courtesy of users

cide if what I have knowledge of is worth sharing. However, I had to remind myself: People may grow, learn or be inspired by what you have to share,” said Shontell Stanford ’13, TEDxPointUniversity speaker (pictured above).

Through Stanford’s talk and those of the other speakers, the audience was deeply impacted and moved to view life through a different perspective, including Jonathan Herston, executive director of Circle of Care Center for Families in Valley, Alabama.

“I left challenged to think about cultural dynamics that impact our organization and how best to lead our organization amidst them,” Herston said.

d’ann conroy (’14-’15); infographic by kara johnson

t’s the ideas that live outside the norm that often grow and better our societies. When we give the space to think differently, we become more empathetic, compassionate and aware of the world around us.

This message was the theme of Point’s second annual TEDxPointUniversity event at the New Horizon Theater on September 13.

“We were so excited to be able to host another TEDxPointUniversity. I love that people in the community have a desire to talk about the perspectives and ideas of their neighbors,” said Natalie Brown ’17, ’20, MBA student and pracademics project manager.

TEDx events are independently hosted and self-organized events with live speakers, designed to spur deep discussion and connection in a small group. TED’s foundation is based on “ideas worth sharing,” and Point University believes these ideas involve asking the question, “how can I think outside the box?”

To achieve this unique experience, TEDxPointUniversity speakers covered a variety of topics, including breaking the rules, the value of different cultures, organizational culture, transformational leadership, the value of local art and overcoming fear.

“The challenge for me was trying to decide what to share and trying to de-

For the first time in the history of Point volleyball, the Skyhawks earned a bid to the national tournament this year.

After a tremendous regular season, culminating in a 24-10 overall record (19-2 conference), the Skyhawks went on to the Appalachian Athletic Conference tournament as the second seed.

During the conference tournament, the Skyhawks faced off against the Truett-McConnell Bears. Although Point lost 3-1, ending conference play early, the team still qualified for the national tournament.

In late November, the Skyhawks flew to Santa Barbara, California, to compete against the Westmont College Warriors. The Warriors took control early and went on to win the first set, 25-15.

Point and Westmont traded points at the beginning of the second set, but Westmont proved too strong and secured a 25-19 win to go up 2-0 in the match. The Skyhawks took their only lead of the match in the third set at 2-0 and 3-2, but Westmont grabbed the lead and would not allow

Assistance for Transfer Students Point is committed to transferring 100 percent of eligible courses for students from Cincinnati Christian University, which closed last semester, who are interested in completing their degrees at Point. For more information, visit point.edu/ccu.

gwenhenderson: I DID IT!!!

I really did it!!! This was not easy. If I could only articulate how hard I fought to finish...

You really gotta trust God’s timing. #pointuniversity #momlife #ididit #finish #classof2019 #graduation #congratulations

pointutennis: Community service at @soles4souls! #giveback #compassion #serve #pointuniversity

4getthefork_:

#pointuniversity #graduation #blue #yellow #2tier #pastrychef #cakedecorator

#

jimmy_falen: Okay interns, now let’s get in {spiritual} formation. Your 2019-20 Spiritual Formation interns for #pointuniversity

Share your tweets, Facebook posts and Instagram photos with the Point community! Tag your posts with #pointuniversity or #togetherwefly.

WINTER 2020 | 7

In 2016, I went to camp.

What I learned

when I went

back to camp

BY BETHANY HUXFORD-DAVIS, PH.D.

Not for the first time, of course. I had been to my church camp, Woodland Christian Camp in Temple, Georgia, many times — first as a camper, always trying to avoid group games and hoping no one noticed my poor sporting abilities, and later as a teenage counselor, before realizing that corralling large numbers of tweens was not exactly my spiritual gift. More recently, I went to camp as a researcher, seeking to understand how employees at faith-based workplaces really integrate their faith into their work.

As an adult, my entire career has evolved in the world of nonprofits; with only a one-year exception right out of college, this work has been in faith-based nonprofits (at Point for more than 12 of those years). As is true for many of us working in faith-based nonprofits, part of the attraction to this vocation is being able to integrate my faith into my work. Faith integration, for me, doesn’t just mean that I can speak about faith and its impact on our thinking about leadership in my courses, but that I myself am spiritually fulfilled, faithfully connected, and find deep meaning in the work that I do for Point. This is what David W. Miller of Princeton University is talking about in his own research — the idea of bringing our whole selves to work, not having to keep work in one box entirely and our personal lives in another box, without overlap or understanding between the two.

I read Miller’s writing in my early doctoral coursework, and it changed everything for me. His work helped to shape my thinking, my understanding of my own research, and how I would find answers to lingering questions of faith and work issues. My big remaining question was, what does faith integration look like when the work itself is faith-based? My parents have a history of faith-based work, and so this question has been with me (though in various phases of knowledge and maturity) for many years. My work choices have led me to this question again and again. When I found myself at the point of having to choose a dissertation topic, this question still felt unanswered for me.

Thus, my dissertation became an exploration of how employees and organizations explore, examine and function within a faith-based nonprofit environment. As I worked through this process, it became evident my question could best be explored through a qualitative, grounded theory study.

Qualitative researchers are at the heart of scientific storytelling. My desire was to seek to understand how this worked and to share the stories of those who were willing to explain their own realities to me.

Healthy organizations focus on healthy cultures which can support healthy employees. being intentional about this effort has the potential to change an organization.

T

his is how, after a long break, I found myself back at camp as a tired, just-want-to-get-thisdissertation-done Ph.D. student in my mid-30s. This is how my life was changed — because when I sought to understand the camp story through the lens of faith integration, it became more than the storytelling, theory-building, conclusion-making requirements for a dissertation defense. I had to figure out how it all impacted me.

If you really want to know what I learned, you can find my dissertation and enjoy a leisurely afternoon with all the details. In case dissertation reading is not on your to-do list, let me share briefly some things I learned about faith integration at camp that both confirmed and changed the things I thought I knew. I spent months interviewing and listening to staff at five Christian camps in the southeastern United States (not including Woodland, which was a little too close to home for me). Here’s what I learned from their stories: • People who work at Christian camps are deeply committed to sharing the story of Christ with campers.

• Their commitment to that story — and willingness to work brutally long hours and full schedules all summer — is a far higher priority than any sense of fairness in time off, comp time or promotion.

• The staffers at these camps, at a minimum, felt called to work in a ministry setting; for some, the call was specifically to camp ministry.

• These staffers found a deep sense of meaning in fulfilling their callings.

10 | POINT MAGAZINE

• Camp employees largely ignored

— and in some cases willfully so — the idea of work-life balance. For many, there is no work in one box and life in the other — there is only fulfilling God’s call on life through faithful work.

• Staffers understood they worked in faith-based environments, but did not largely see themselves as needing to be purposeful in faith integration (because the work itself was faith-focused).

• Staffers — nearly universally — were closely watching the example set by the executive director. No matter what the director said, the actions displayed were far more important for impacting employee behavior and setting expectations.

I

learned a lot in this process about organizational identity and structure, and how that impacts workplace faith integration. If nothing else, the clearest thing I learned through this experience is that for most employees, none of this is terribly intentional; rather, it is inherent, or “just how it is.” This matters for those of us in faith-based work, because we need to consider if a lack of intentionality is healthy for the organization and healthy for the people who make it work. If I work at a secular organization and want my faith to be deeply a part of who I am at work, I simply must be intentional about that. Even the top companies to work for — the kinds who provide support and funding for self-development and free Cokes in the break room — are not going to do the work for me. Thus, I must be intentional about

integrating my faith. This impacted me greatly, and has shifted the way I address my work as a Point professor.

In the faith-based workplace, it’s easy to assume I’m doing this because “my whole workday is about Jesus.”

For example, as a professor at Point, it’s easy to spend so much time working on integrating faith into online discussion forums that I let my own reading of Scripture start to slip. I might feel like I get “enough” worship with chapel attendance, leading a small group, or praying with faculty and staff that I can skip out on being engaged in the local church. As easily as I can fail to focus on my individual spiritual development, I saw that it is far too easy to allow my devotion to my calling to consume my whole life (at times, to the detriment of my responsibility to my own family).

Staffers I talked to varied from seeing no need to have a work-life balance (this work is about God, so who needs balance?) to feeling consumed at times by their work (unable to fully meet family needs, to rest, etc.). Many people engaged in the world of nonprofits, perhaps especially in ministry, feel committed to their work in a way that starts to ignore a reasonable approach to time off, rest and spiritual refilling. At most camps I visited, at least some staffers lived on site, meaning the separation between physical work and home life was non-existent. Lack of rest and rebuilding can be devastating to mental, physical and spiritual health ­— something of which organizations must be mindful.

This is especially challenging when there is a deep sense of calling and meaning at play, which was almost always true in the interviews I conducted.

Realistically, for many of us, our callings will change — we may be called to preaching ministry, but move churches, for example. We may be called to teach at a public school and find ourselves led to political action. We may be called to campus ministry and return home to try to figure out life as an accountant. These are natural changes in life, and camps

and other nonprofits need to be open to discussions with employees in a way that allows for new callings to be discovered and honored.

Additionally, those of us in leadership roles — especially when we tend to have staffs full of younger people learning how to be employees — must be mindful of the examples we are setting. Camp staffers talked of executive directors who said, “take your off day, spend time with your family, take care of yourself,” but rarely, if ever, exhibited such behavior. The dynamic of many camps was one in which the lines between friend and colleague often blurred. At times, staffers were unable to make healthy distinctions in relationship with their executive directors, especially in terms of pushing for more staff development, more understanding of their faith in terms of the organization’s expectations, and more time with their families.

Organizations must be mindful of staff development. Saying we care for staff and want them to be personally invested in their own faith journeys?

Those are mere words without developing strategies to help staffers do just that. Many camp staffers talked about wanting to be able to “pour into” campers, but when I asked about who was pouring into them, I often heard “that’s up to me,” “sometimes my director, but he’s busy,” and other similar sentiments.

Organizations need to set clear expectations and understanding around statements of faith and how those impact standards of employee behavior and organizational policy. Where is there room for disagreement on a matter, and where is there not? Many, many staffers expressed a lack of understanding of their organization’s expectations, a sense of there being no room for questions, or a sense of “if the board said it, God said it” followership. There were staffers who were not fully open about their own beliefs or questions for fear of being fired, while others simply assumed their stance was in agreement with the

camp’s policy. Being clearer about these expectations and setting guidelines for dialogue are important aspects of developing a healthy faith-based culture.

B

ased on what I learned during my time at camp, I want to provide some practical advice. While my study focused on camps specifically, I think this is advice we can all learn from individually, and that any faith-focused organization can use to consider next steps for their organization.

Develop a culture of faith beyond program development. Organizations must choose to be intentional about faith integration, rather than merely letting it happen around them. This might include regular staff devotions, one-onone coaching of employees, or providing an expectation of taking rest away from work.

Model Healthy Faith Integration. Leaders must be especially mindful of the behaviors modeled against expectations set for others. If you say you value staff finding balance, show them what that looks like.

If you expect staff to work 12-hour days during peak programming months, be there with them.

Rest and Rebuild. Work with staff to learn about the lack of clear boundaries between work and life in ministry, and insist employees take responsibility for finding rest amidst the work being done. Integrating one’s faith with one’s work should not mean pushing to dangerous levels of exhaustion.

Revisit Calling. Work with staff to revisit conversations about calling and how employees find meaning in their work as part of staff development, retention and succession planning conversations. This allows the employee and the organization to develop plans and feel comfortable exploring what life might look like beyond the busy seasons.

Be Clear about Expectations and Policy.

Outline a clear employee manual with a statement of faith. Have regular, open dialogue about what that means, how it frames workplace expectations, lifestyle expectations, and where there is and is not room for disagreement.

This list is not meant to be an equation that solves potential work-life imbalance, staff development, or policy-setting issues for nonprofits. Rather, this is a starting point for faith-based organizations to consider in developing their own intentional faith integration focus for employees. Healthy organizations focus on healthy cultures which can support healthy employees. Being intentional about this effort has the potential to change an organization.

F

inally, I want to encourage you to go to camp. There are camps all over the country. They are often in secluded acreage that seems unmarred by the busyness and pollution of normal life. I cannot imagine most would turn down your request to breathe the fresh air and sit by a lake and think for an afternoon. Some of my best dissertation thinking was done while I was at the camps I studied, away from bigger cities, lights, smog and my regular routine. I found moments of rest and recovery amidst my work at these camps. Whether you work in a nonprofit, minister at a church, trade stocks, counsel clients, or study cells under a microscope, God has called us all to work and rest. Don’t overlook the opportunity to find that rest in His glorious creation.

Bethany Huxford-Davis is assistant professor of business and leadership at Point. She also serves as director of the University’s Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning.

WINTER 2020 | 11

Stirring

waters & hearts

transforming

BY D’ANN CONROY (’14-’15)

Central Florida is well known

for its attractions: theme parks, beaches and a plethora of outdoor activities. However, many of these locations are not easily accessible by wheelchair and can be overstimulating, meaning they cannot be enjoyed by everyone. Stirring Waters, a new water park near Lake Wales, Florida, will break ground this year as the first full water park in the state to serve families and individuals with disabilities.

Bill Redmon ’62, founder of Stirring Waters, seeks to bring creative solutions to seemingly forgotten and ignored problems. His most recent project started as an initiative to create a barrier-free campus at Lake Aurora Christian Camp.

Redmon’s history is also rich with outdoor and ministry experience. The son of a Point University president, Jim Redmon, and an alumnus himself, Redmon went on to serve in many capacities in ministries in both Georgia and Florida.

At Lake Aurora Christian Camp, Redmon served as the first director for 34 years. During his time there, the camp grew exponentially.

“It went from a $6,000 a year operation to over $1 million a year operation while I was there,” Redmon says. “Not because of me, but because it did.”

Point President Dean Collins ’79 had the opportunity to not only attend this camp growing up, but to 12 | POINT MAGAZINEleader for Lake Aurora in college. serve as a worship

WINTER 2020 | 13

photo courtesy of bill redmon ’62

14 | POINT MAGAZINE

sitting on the deck and everyone can join in the fun.

“He never looks at the limitations of a person or a situation, it’s always the possibility of what God can do,” Collins says.

The plan is to build out the park in phases, beginning with the buildings and splash pad or “Oasis Adventure.” This portion of the project is expected to cost $3.5 million.

The next portion will be a lazy river that can be navigated with floating wheelchairs, specifically designed for this park, as well as a water slide approximately the length of a football field, designed by White Water West, for quadriplegics.

The final phase will include a swimming pool and deep springs for scuba diving, snorkeling and diving. The springs will be designed so that someone in a wheelchair can vault into the water,

photos courtesy of bill redmon ’62

In order to better serve families, Redmon’s team hosted a focus group during a conference in Orlando, The Family Café. Family members of individuals with disabilities were able to give suggestions and explain what doesn’t work for their situations. Through this, Redmon was able to develop a plan for Stirring Waters.

“Everybody that’s anybody in the amusement park industry is at this conference. So we have been able to get the big boys interested in our project, and that’s a God thing,” Redmon says.

Some partnerships include Lighthouse for the Blind, White Water West, Florida Disabled Outdoor Association, Access Life, Conductive Education Center of Orlando and many others. With these partnerships, Redmon discovered ways to create a barrier-free campus — an environment where no one is left

photos courtesy of bill redmon ’62

“Bill Redmon was a sort of national leader of Christian camping in the United States. Anybody in Christian camping for decades would have known his name, and that’s across the landscape of various denominations,” Collins says. “But he was really humble and debasing of any kind of fame.”

After retiring from Lake Aurora, Redmon joined the board for a special-needs ministry in Lake Wales that primarily worked with individuals with developmental disabilities. He quickly realized that Lake Aurora as it was couldn’t serve this community, so he started Camp Friendship.

Around this time, several other camps began to rent Lake Aurora to serve adults with special needs. Through this experience, Redmon started partnering with them to find out how to best help.

“We started to make the campus fit and became a barrier-free campus,” Redmon says.

However, there was still work to do; they needed a swimming pool for easier water access than at the lake. Unfortunately, Lake Aurora didn’t have the funding to take on the project. In order to continue his work, Redmon created a 501(c)3 called Removing the Barriers Initiative.

The project continued to expand.

Redmon realized many individuals needed a raft to enjoy the water, so the organization would need a lazy river around the pool. However, it was also apparent that some would need to stay in their wheelchairs, meaning a splash pad was also needed.

Polk State College’s Physical Therapy program initially partnered with Removing the Barriers Initiative to develop a plan for the splash pad. However, the school decided to take it a step further.

For their senior thesis, the physical therapy class split into two groups and each designed a water park for individuals with disabilities.

About a year later, the organization began to brand the park as Stirring Waters. When asked who came up with the idea for Stirring Waters, Redmon says, “Well, God did!”

similar to jumping off of a diving board into a pool.

Other unique experiences include quiet gardens and rooms to be enjoyed by families of individuals with autism, as well as a heated therapy pool. The goal is to create enjoyable experiences that facilitate stretching mental, physical and spiritual “muscles,” otherwise known as “adventure therapy.”

“Therapy in general is not fun, it’s stretching a muscle. So our idea is, let’s make it fun! Individuals are participating in therapy as they move from activity to activity; the adventure entices the therapy,” Redmon explains.

In order to enjoy this water park fully, families can sign up online, allowing the Stirring Waters staff to understand each family’s needs before they even arrive.

“There’s almost nothing we aren’t trying to accommodate, even if some-

one cannot be fully submerged but still would like to have a water experience,” Redmon says. “ We are partnered with so many organizations in order to develop solutions for each situation.”

Redmon’s energy and love for others spurs heart transformation as he points them closer to Christ, sometimes even surprising the person impacted.

“Every time Bill Redmon comes to mind, I am energized and refreshed with a flood of crystal-clear memories of being motivated, challenged, and at times even ‘tricked’ into becoming a better person with every moment I was blessed to be under his guidance,” says Faith Simpson ’76, educator and Point trustee.

These gifts of empathy, creativity and natural leadership serve Redmon well as Stirring Waters encounters a variety of challenges.

“My formal experience with the church is that it tends to focus on evangelism and that evangelism is targeted towards growth. But demographically it [evangelism efforts] doesn’t focus on needs, but what is the population that’s going to allow us to grow the most.

While that is valid for church growth, it’s not necessarily valid for ministry,” Redmon says.

Through conversations with many families over the years, Redmon has gained an understanding of how many disabled individuals are treated by the church.

Redmon shared the story of one man’s experience at a church in Central Florida: “He attended a church, but the bathroom was too small to navigate in his wheelchair. When he talked to the church about it, it was a fixable issue, but would cost money and a little effort. The church told him since he was the only one who really needed this, it just wasn’t worth the money for them to complete it.”

Overall, the majority of this population are underserved and often ignored.

Part of the problem, Redmon learned, is that there is a disconnect between church structure and the actual members of the church.

“The people in the pew really care about people with disabilities. They are

family members, they are connected to them. Given the opportunity, they are very generous in trying to help meet the needs of people with disabilities. So there is just something systemic about our church organization that doesn’t allow people to help. People will go outside of the church to find organizations to serve,” Redmon says.

As this field is largely both ignored and unexplored, it creates a combination of both opportunity and challenges. It provides the church an opportunity to step into the gap and provide services; but it also means there are few people currently working in the space, and that means there is no proven method for success.

“I always enjoy tackling a problem, but it’s gone a lot slower than I thought it would. That’s basically because we are having to learn as we go. If I knew what I was doing, it would be a lot easier,” Redmon says, laughing.

Redmon learned from trial and error while developing a strategic plan and solution, as well as through education from, and networking with, families and communities on the problems they face.

He seeks to continually grow and learn in all things, which allows him to better serve others.

“Networking with the world’s largest company that builds water parks, that’s not in my arena. But realizing they will come and play in the sandbox with me is very encouraging. It helps me, motivates me to move farther,” Redmon says.

As Stirring Waters continues to grow, Redmon expresses the joy he has found in the successes of the nonprofit Removing the Barriers and this project.

“We are becoming known in the state of Florida as the go-to place for communities who want to make their events accessible to people with disabilities,” Redmon says. “We just mobilize the church, we don’t charge them anything.

It’s just simple things, but we have found some ways to make it so people with disabilities can get engaged.”

To learn more about Stirring Waters and how you can help, visit stirringh2o.com.

WINTER 2020 | 15

A PAT H

T OWA R D

BY SARAH HUXFORD

I

t’s a warm summer night by the lake at Woodland Christian Camp in Temple, Georgia. The campfire is crackling as a group of campers and volunteers gathers by the shore. One by one, the campers step forward, gently placing handmade luminaries on the surface of the water. The luminaries are decorated with messages written to loved ones who’ve died – loved ones to whom the campers, in many cases, never got to say goodbye. Everyone watches as the luminaries float across the calm, quiet lake. This is no ordinary summer camp; this is Camp Cairn, Woodland’s grief camp for bereaved children.

Camp Cairn began in 2017, an outgrowth of the camp leadership’s desire to meet needs in the community that cannot be met by the local school system.

Woodland is a busy place year-round, offering summer camps, camp and retreat rentals, and ropes course sessions. But executive director Joey Westbrook ’76 wanted to do more.

He met with educational professionals who explained the difficulties that grieving children often have in school, especially since school counselors have limited time and resources to work with them. “Being a grieving child is a lonely experience,” Westbrook says. “Often, he 16 | POINT M AGAZINE

courtesy of woodland christian camp

or she is the only one in class who has lost a mom or dad, a brother or sister. At a time in a child’s life when it feels very important to fit in, grief can make him or her feel different, isolated.”

Westbrook started researching how Woodland could help, and discovered the Moyer Foundation, which was working with a national grief camp organization to offer resources and training for camps providing such programs.

“Of the thousands of camps in the nation, very few offer a grief camp for children,” Westbrook says. “There are a few in Georgia, but none located in this area of the state. Some grief camps focus on fellowship and the camp experience.

We wanted Camp Cairn to be a clinical program, and to use the natural setting alongside the camp experience.”

Westbrook quickly called on his longtime friend and colleague, Dr. Greg Moffatt ’88, who is dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Point.

“I knew his clinical and leadership skills were vital in helping me build the model we needed to produce the clinical results of the program,” Westbrook says.

“I’ve been involved with Woodland as long as I’ve lived in Georgia, 36 years,” Moffatt says. “When Joey approached me with the concept, I realized it was an

intersection of my passions – children, trauma and therapy.”

To get started, Moffatt and Westbrook attended the Moyer Foundation’s National Bereavement Camp Conference in Washington, D.C., where they received both clinical and administrative training for managing a grief camp. After the conference, both began recruiting staff and preparing for the first Camp Cairn.

The camp’s mission is to provide campers with a place to grieve the loss of a parent or loved one in a safe environment with trained helpers and to provide them with skills to manage their grief when they return home.

The weekend camp offers a rotation of typical summer camp activities, such as canoeing or zip lining and a carnival, with clinical sessions, which tend to be more emotional. “Some events are tense and challenging for some campers, but there are lots of times to breathe,” says Moffatt.

“Our first big activity is on Friday night, where campers introduce the group to the person they lost, show the person’s picture, and put it on the ‘memory board,’ where it stays for the weekend,” he adds. “Some campers can’t even say it themselves, and I help them. Others talk about very tragic situations in very calm terms. It is good modeling for the WINTER 2020 | 17

weekend for campers to see the many ways we express our grief.”

The second night of camp brings the luminary session, where campers write messages to their lost loved ones. “Seeing children who were never able to say goodbye to their loved ones participate in the luminary service is so powerful,” says Westbrook. “To read the words they write on their luminaries to their mom, dad, brother or sister will move in your heart for years. At the end of that memorial service, we are blessed to watch each child let go of their luminary and see it float away on the lake. It is one of the most powerful images I see at Woodland.”

On the last day of camp, a meeting is scheduled with parents or caregivers and clinical staff, so that the staff can provide families with an overview of anything they might need to know about the child’s progress over the weekend.

“The goal for campers at Camp Cairn is to learn that grief is normal, there are many ways to grieve, and that grief is a process,” says Moffatt. “We do not do crisis intervention, but we help children on this journey.”

The inaugural Camp Cairn, in summer 2017, was a huge success, with 25 campers between six and 17 years of age. Fifteen staff members participated, as well. Throughout the weekend, Westbrook explains, staff can see the children building relationships and trust. But it isn’t just the campers whose emotions go through ups and downs.

“When you follow this program model, the staff and volunteers walk with the campers through the events,” says Westbrook. “You experience intense emotions and experience their highs and lows. It was most rewarding to see these campers opening up their hearts to new friends and just being ‘kids’ again.”

Since the launch of Camp Cairn, Woodland has also begun offering Camp Discovery, a weekend respite camp for children with intellectual disabilities.

18 | POINT M AGAZINE

Both focus camps are free for campers to attend, thanks to support from churches and individual donors, as well as the volunteers who donate their time. One Camp Cairn camper, who attended in 2017 and 2018, returned as a Camp Discovery volunteer in 2019.

Caroline Stinson ’17, a Point graduate who went on to earn a master’s in clinical mental health counseling at LaGrange College, has served as a Camp Cairn volunteer since the beginning. She says that Camp Cairn has been beneficial for her own experience of grief, as well.

“Almost none of the campers know each other before this camp, unless they are returning campers,” Stinson says. “But watching those groups of kids from different backgrounds economically, racially, politically, all come together to have the one goal of bettering themselves through their grief is one of the more impactful experiences that I’ve gotten to witness as a mental health professional and as a Christian.”

Westbrook sees Camp Cairn and Camp Discovery as a natural progression of Woodland’s vision. “Our mission priority is our summer camp programming,” he says. “But our new focus camps have opened new doors of ministry opportunity. These two programs help us show God’s love to those in the community we may not otherwise be able to reach.”

“One of the beautiful things about Camp Cairn, and there are many, is how it helps complete the Woodland puzzle,” adds Ron Lewis ’82, chair of the Woodland board. “Woodland has always existed to nurture Christian growth in a natural setting. What we know about the human experience is that we can’t truly move forward, or grow, until we do business with our past. Camp Cairn provides safe space for the most vulnerable of our culture to navigate the losses in their lives, thus opening the door to their futures.”

CAM P CAI R N

is free for the campers who attend. Individuals and churches can donate to provide scholarships ($500), as well as to give specific supplies and gifts for campers.

Interested in volunteering, or referring a camper to Camp Cairn?

Visit ccgriefcamp.org.

courtesy of woodland christian camp

WINTER 2020 | 19

HOMECOMING November 7-9 was a great weekend of celebration, as alumni and students enjoyed a weekend full of Homecoming festivities. Congratulations to Dennis ’70 and Lynn Manning Free ’74, Alumni of the Year, and Anthony Nasser ’10, inaugural recipient of the Huxford Young Alumnus award. To see more photos from the weekend, visit flickr.com/pointskyhawks.

Hope to see you at Homecoming 2020!

20 | POINT MAGAZINE

WINTER 2020 | 21

POINT LEGACY Sisters Jasmine Marquez ’20 and Sabria Marquez ’21

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22 | POINT MAGAZINE

“I believe this program is vitally important. These students benefit so much from having someone who is a little further along than them reaching back and speaking into their lives. If it weren’t for someone being willing to just listen, counsel and provide guidance, I wouldn’t be the man I am today. I hope that more alumni answer the call to show up for these students.”

—Josh Sells ’04 Owner/Operator, Chick-fil-A LaGrange, Georgia

d’ann conroy (’14-’15)

n the Skyhawks women’s soccer team, Point student-athletes share a lot of close relationships — but probably none as close as sisters Jasmine and Sabria Marquez, from Richmond Hill, Georgia.

Jasmine was the first to enroll at Point, in fall 2015. She was initially hesitant about playing college soccer, having felt burned out on it after her senior year of high school. “Some trustworthy people in my life convinced to play for one year,” she says. “So I gave it a shot here at Point and loved it so much. It was the best decision I could have made.”

A year later, Sabria was feeling the same way — uncertain as to whether she wanted to play at the collegiate level. But Jasmine, a middle grades education major, wouldn’t let her sister off the hook that easily. “I didn’t want her to miss out on what I almost missed out on,” Jasmine says. “I knew she would excel at Point, on the field and in the classroom.” Thanks to the recruiting efforts of her sister and Coach Randy Douglas, Sabria decided to join Jasmine at Point.

Both sisters have loved their Point experiences, citing the friendships they’ve made as one of the best aspects. They’ve also enjoyed sharing the college experience with each other. “It’s nice going to school together, having some of the same friends and being able to help each other out with classes, and it’s fun on the field,” says Sabria, an elementary education major.

“Occasionally we still get in fights and get annoyed with each other, but that just comes with being around your sister so often, I think.”

Sabria and Jasmine both value the in-classroom teaching experiences they’ve had in their degree programs. “It has helped me get a foot in the door at the schools I have been working in and helped me realize more specifically what I want to do,” Jasmine explains. “These experiences that Point offers has confirmed my confidence and assurance in this profession.”

Point University’s mentorship program partners current students with alumni in year-long, dedicated mentoring relationships. Mentors build relationships with current Point students and obtain a deeper connection to Point through those relationships. Student mentees learn from their mentors’ coaching, communication and leadership skills, all while experiencing professional and personal growth. In addition, mentors gain personal satisfaction through their contribution to the Point community. You don’t have to live near campus to volunteer — mentoring can take place via phone, email or videoconference. Visit our website today to learn more or to sign up!

point.edu/mentorship

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507 WEST 10TH STREET | WEST POINT, GA 31833

POINT UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF FINE ARTS PRESENTS

From Bach to Rock SPRING 2020 CONCERT SERIES

Friday, March 6

Sunday, March 29

Thursday, April 30

Concert Choir Presents Sacred Masterworks by Bach, Vivaldi, Haydn, Fauré and More

Point Winds and Strings Present Classic and Contemporary Band and Orchestral Works

Concert Choir Presents Classic Hits of the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s

WEST POINT FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH SANCTUARY

WEST POINT FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH ZACHRY CENTER

SCOTT FINE ARTS CENTER PERFORMANCE HALL

7:30 p.m.

6:00 p.m.

706 -38 5 -100 0 | F I N EARTS @ PO I N T. EDU

7:30 p.m.