Welcome to Gasper River Retreat

Happy New Year everyone! Thank you so much for all of the prayers and support in 2011. It was our best and biggest year to date-more campers and more retreat guests than we've ever had. Please continue to pray for the camp and retreat center in 2012. God is doing some amazing things here and we really feel like this is the year that some BIG things are going to happen at Gasper River. We ended the year with our second Christmas/New Year's Camp and it was incredible! We had 59 total campers (biggest camp ever) and the Holy Spirit amazed all that attended. The theme was Where Do You See God and being restless until we rest in Him. Great talks, movies-Martin the Cobbler Rocks, and small group sharing! The year ends with Reconciliation and Adoration and after the ball drops, we celebrate the Eucharist to begin the New Year! What a way to end 2011 and welcome in 2012!!! Registration has already begun at camp so check out the dates on the CAMPS Link. If you know of any college aged students who would like to serve at Gasper as a part of the summer staff, please check out our JOBS POSTINGS link. If you can't give an entire summer please consider volunteering for a week as a counselor. Lastly, if you know of any nurses, doctors or EMT's that would like to serve for a week of camp as the camp health care provider, contact our office at 270-781-2466 for all the details. 2012 is already shaping up to be the best year we've ever had so please keep the prayers coming, that God will continue to provide for us and lead us in the direction He wants! If you are able to help us offset costs, please check out our wish list. We are a 501(c)3 non-profit so any donations are tax deductable. Thanks and God bless!

Camp Angels-sponsors who will help cover the cost of camp for deserving youth.
Haywagon-large enough to hold 40 young adults.
New or gently used sports equipment-basketballs, soccer balls, footballs, frisbees, volleyballs, etc.
Heavy Duty Chipper/shredder
Mulching Mower
Furniture ( in good condition): tables, lamps, sofas, etc.
Tools of any and all kinds from gardening equipment (rakes, shovels, etc.) to power tools
Microphone stands, music stands, etc.

Wow! This has been the busiest fall retreat season we've ever had here at Gasper River! Thank you so much to all the groups that have used the facility these past few months. We only have five days all of November that groups are not on site and registrations are coming in like crazy for our Christmas/New Year's Camp! It has been the best retreat season we've had yet. As the year comes to a close, please remember that any donations, financial or items off our wish list, are tax deductable. Many thanks to all of those people in our diocese who support us with their gifts of time, treasure and talent. You are contributing greatly to the many lives that are changed here at camp! Please be on the look out for next summers schedule and start planning soon! Also, now is the time to begin praying about your role here at camp this summer-working as summer staff, being a camper, volunteering as a counselor or helping out where ever you are needed. Information on all positions will be up on the Job Postings Link after the first of the year. Remember to be thankful for all the God has blessed you with this month and we are very grateful to be part of such a wonderful diocese and to have the prayers and support of so many incredible people.

October at Gasper River is absolutely beautiful! The colors, the river, God is an amazing artist. Retreats are happening almost constantly now, during the week days and at least one group on site each weekend. There are still some buildings open so call our office if you're planning a retreat this fall. The planning has begun on Christmas/New Year's Camp and registrations are coming in already. It would also make a wonderful Christmas present to give the gift of Camp!!! As the year draws to a close, we ask that you prayerfully consider a year end donation to camp. We are a 501(c)3 Non-profit and all donations are tax deductable. Please check out our wish list and help if you can. Thanks so much for all of you who pray for us and share your gifts of time, talent and treasure to help us reach out to so many. If you get a chance, come out and see us and see the beauty of camp in the fall!

Our fall retreat season is off and running and weekends are booking up quickly. If you're interested in having a retreat this fall, winter or spring, call Maria, our office manager and get things set up today. We recently were honored to speak to a group of wonderful people in Louisville on behalf of Catholic Extension. The event was wonderful and helped inform many people about the incredible ministry of Catholic Extension. If you don't know what they do, look them up and pray for them and support them if you are able. They are a wonderful ministry and we would not exist if not for their generosity. Please check out our wish list and help support Gasper River if you are able. Again, prayers are the most important gift that you can give us. Thanks so much to all of the people and organizations who support Gasper River and help us in our ministry. Thank you and God bless.

WOW! Where has the last month and a half gone? This was, without a doubt, our best summer ever! We operated at 98% occupancy for the summer and the experience of the campers, volunteers and staff was incredible. The Holy Spirit moved and touched so many hearts here this summer and lots of lives were changed. We also just hosted out second World Youth Day Local Event and it was a huge success as well. Over 200 people came out to celebrate with the pilgrims in Madrid, Spain. Greg Walton emceed the weekend and did a wonderful job! The speakers and performers were wonderful and the closing Mass with Bishop Medley was inspiring! Since camp ended, we have moved right into retreat season. Groups are booking left and right so if you'd like to plan a retreat here for this fall or next spring, please don't wait. We have also added Jessy Hagan to our staff as program director to help with growing retreat season demands. Jessy has been a part of the summer staff at Gasper from the very beginning and has a great passion for this ministry and serving God. Keep on the lookout for new camps and programs that we will be offering and as always, please pray for the grounds. We're working on making some changes for the future, it's very exciting, so please pray for God to provide. Also, check out our updated Wish List and if you can help in any way, please let us know.

June 2011

Summer camp is going strong! This has been the biggest summer we've ever had here at Gasper River. Over 350 registered campers are in the books and we've got several more coming in the mail each day! There are still some spaces in several of the remaining camps so don't miss out! Contact our office at 270-781-2466 if you have any questions about camp availability. The summer is half way over and God has been doing amazing things here at camp! Several parents have asked, "What did you do to my kid?" I wish I had that kind of influence, but I don't. The Holy Spirit does and has been working like crazy here this summer. One mother told me that her son went home and started reading the Bible, something that he had never done before! One young camper had such a great time that she encouraged her sister to come and her sister had a life changing experience at camp! One mother sent an email that just said "thank you" over and over again about her childs experience at camp. When kids unplug (the average teenager spends almost 60 hours each week plugged in-on line, TV, texting, phone, movies, music, etc.) they are able to hear what God is saying to them and camp offers the perfect setting for that to happen. God does amazing things at camp. Thanks for all those who have helped make camp happen-donors, camp angels, parents and youth for being willing to come! Keep checking in for further updates about camp and be sure to check the Western Kentucky Catholic for articles and pictures of summer camp!

May was a crazy month! We only had four days the entire month when people weren't on site, very, very busy leading into camp. The New High Challenge-Jacob's Ladder is up and the staff are trained and ready to go. We're already over 300 campers registered for the summer and camps are filling up quickly-so get those registrations in so you don't miss out on camp this summer! Each afternoon at the mailbox is exciting, waiting to see how many registrations came in that day. Preparations are also under way for our second World Youth Day Local Event here at Gasper River on August 20-21, 2011. You must be pre-registered through the Office of Youth Ministry-here's some more info:

We're over half way there!!! We've passed 200 registered campers on our way to our goal of 400 campers this summer. No camps are completely full, so invite a friend and come to camp this summer! We just received confirmation that on May 25, we will be building the new high challenge activity for camp this summer! Want to know what it is??? Come to camp and find out! It's one of the greatest team building activities there is out there and we'll have it this summer at Gasper River. Please invite all those you can think of to come to camp this summer, help us meet our goal and help a whole bunch of young people have an amazing encounter with their faith!!! Please pray for the program as well-the campers, the staff, the volunteers, the parents, that God will have His hand over everything that happens here this summer.

Camp Angels-sponsors who will help cover the cost of camp for deserving youth.
Volunteer counselors for camp: must be safe environment certified, please contact our office for more information.
Work teams-many projects need to be completed here at camp and we need people to be involved and help out.
Haywagon-large enough to hold 40 young adults.
Electric, plumbing and carpentry supplies are always in need.
Tools of all kinds for maintenance-hammers, rakes, nails, screw drivers, wrenches, etc.
Major financial donors or sponsors for large projects at camp.
Batteries-D, AAA and AA.
Office supplies-copier paper, stamps, pens, envelopes, etc.
Sports equipment-basketballs, soccer balls, footballs, frisbees, volleyballs, etc.
Ping Pong tables (1)
Mulching Mower
Furniture ( in good condition): tables, lamps, sofas, etc.

The registrations for camp are well above last year's pace! There just seems to be a general excitement about camp this summer from all over the diocese. Again, our goal is 400 campers and it looks like we'll knock the figure out of the park at the rate we are going! Don't miss out! Make sure you're here to experience faith, fun and friends at Gasper River this summer. So many exciting things are happening here, including a new High Challenge for summer camp!!!! Want to know what it is??? Come to camp to find out!!! It's one of the greatest team building activities out there. We're drawing campers from all over the diocese and the state of Kentucky. We also have registrations from Ohio, Michigan, Tennessee, Indiana, Illinois, and Alabama! It's been amazing to see how the Holy Spirit has helped spread the word about camp. We are in need of Camp Angels, people who will sponsor a camper to attend a week of camp. Financial times are tough all around and if you are able, we ask that you prayerfully consider sponsoring a camper this summer. Donations can be for the total amount of camp ($250) or any amount that you are able. Also, thanks to so many people out there for their prayers and support. The camp is a great example of true church, people bringing their gifts to the table and sharing what they can! It's a blessing to be able to serve all of you. Again, please look at our Wish List and if you are able, please help in any way, especially prayers, please contact our office at 270-781-2466. We also ask that you share the word about camp and invite anyone you can think of to come. 480 is our maximum number of campers right now. How great would it be if that many young people were able to experience God like they never have before. Thanks again for everything you all do for us and we wish you Lenten Blessings during this special time of year!

February 2011

Wow!!! Registrations are flowing into camp at a amazing rate! Our goal for the summer is 400 campers, please help spread the word about camp and help us surpass that number. We've received applications from Tennessee, several from Ohio, Indiana and all over Kentucky. Invite a friend and come have an amazing adventure this summer! Our theme for the summer comes from Pope Benedict's letter to the young people for World Youth Day. It is from St. Paul saying "Planted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the faith." We are also accepting applications for summer staff and staff in training positions that can be found on the website under the Job Postings Link. Summer staff must be at least one out of high school and Staff in Training must be at least 17 years old. Please contact our office if you have any questions. Please continue to pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit and for all the staff and campers, that this summer will be one like none other! We are also being asked quite a bit about camper scholarships. If you are able, please sponsor a child to come to camp or give any money that you can to our camp scholarship fund. We never want money to be an issue when it comes to a child having an encounter with God at camp! Thanks for all you do and please help spread the word about Gasper River Catholic Youth Camp. God bless!

What a great way to start the New Year! The last week of December was very exciting at Gasper River. Fr. Nathan Cromly led a young adult retreat entitled "Finding God's Will in My Life." The feedback from this retreat has been amazing! Thank you Fr. Nathan and all those who attended this retreat. We also had our first ever Christmas/New Year's Camp. We had 37 campers register and it was an amazing camp! We celebrated the Sacrament of Reconciliation on New Year's Eve and then celebrated mass at midnight right after the ball dropped! What an amazing way to end one year and bring in 2011!!! Thanks to all the campers who came who helped us start a new tradition at Gasper River. Start planning for Camp this summer. The schedule is up on the Camps Link and get your registrations in. Our goal this summer is 400 campers! Please pray for the camp and the staff and all the campers who will be here this summer. If you're one year out of high school and would like to work at Gasper for the entire summer, click on the Job Postings Link and send in your application. We need you and we're always looking for people to put their faith into action! Come and make a difference! If you can't give an entire summer, please contact our office and volunteer as a counselor for a week. It's a great way to minister and have a huge impact on a young person's life. Also, please check out our wish list and if you can help out in any way, just let us know. Thanks so much for all that you do for us. The staff here is filled with so much Hope for the future of Gasper River Catholic Youth Camp & Retreat Center. So many things are happening and so many prayers are being answered! Please pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to lead us to help make this camp and retreat center all that God wants it to be. Prayers to you all for a wonderful and healthy 2011!!!

This winter, Gasper River Catholic Youth Camp & Retreat Center will begin a new tradition-our first ever Christmas/New Year's Camp! It will run from Dec. 31, 2010 until Jan. 2, 2011. If you're in high school, make sure to be there and help us lay the ground work for a new tradition at camp. We will also be hosting a young adult retreat (18+) from Dec. 28-30, 2010. Fr. Nathan Cromly will lead this retreat entitled "God's Will For My Life" here at Gasper River. Don't miss out on this wonderful opportuntity to see what God has in store for you. Also, if you're in Bowling Green on Novemeber 19-20, come by the Sloan Convention Center for the Owensboro Diocese Youth Conference (ODYC). Over 400 young people are registered so keep an eye out for the Gasper River Booth for lots of information about camp. School retreats, business retreats and youth group retreats have been wonderful this fall. Every weekend has been booked and many lives have been changed. We ask that please check out our wish list and if you are able, please help provide one of the items for camp. We receive so much support from so many people and this allows us to keep our rates for camp and during the retreat season very affordable. We are so very grateful for all that so many people have done to help make camp what it is and have given so generously of their time, treasure and talent. As alsways, please pray for God's guidance as camp moves forward and thanks again for all that you have done, all that you are doing now and all that you will do for us in the future. God's peace and blessings!

Whew!!! It has been a crazy fall retreat season for us out here at Gasper River. The summer camp program ended and retreats immediately began happening in August and September. We only had six days in August when there were no groups on site. September kept on rolling with two-thirds of the month booked. We ask that you continue to pray for the staff and our guests that God may be present to them while they are here on retreat. We are very excited about our new camps for the winter break. We will host a young adult (18 and over) retreat "Discerning God's Will in My Life" on December 28th through 30th. We will also have our first ever Christmas/New Year's Camp this year for high school aged youth. The camp will run from December 31st through January 2nd. Come, grow in your faith and the start the new year off in an amazing way! You do not have to have attended Camp LIFE to attend the Christmas Camp. More info on both camps are on the Camps Link above. Please check out our wish list below and if you are able to help in any way, especially the prayers-there is no greater gift, please feel free to do so. If you have any questions, please call the office at 270.781.2466. Thanks and God bless!

Wow! What an amazing summer! This summer at Gasper River almost 300 campers, 47 volunteers, and 18 staff had the most spiritually powerful summer in our history. The Holy Spirit touched the hearts of everyone who was on camp. Lives were changed and the feedback from campers and parents has really been overwhelming. "Last night at adoration was the best night of my life. I've never felt closer to God." "What did you do to my child? This is not the same girl that I dropped off on Sunday. Thank you so much for helping her grow in her faith." "This has been the best week of my life. I can't wait to go home and make a difference for God." These a just a few of the responses that we've had from this summer. Thank you all so much for all the thoughts, prayers and support that you have given to camp this summer. The power of the prayers was felt all during the summer camp program. Please continue to pray for the campers and staff to stand strong in what they learned this summer and put their faith into practice.

Summer Camp is here! Eucharistic Life Camp started this past week and it has been amazing. The day is spent working on service projects around camp and preparing for the summer camp program. The evenings are spent studying Pope John Paul's encyclical on the Church of the Eucharist. It is a powerful week! Next week, our Expedition Camp I begins on Sunday afternoon. Please pray that the Holy Spirit will bless the grounds, staff, volunteers and most importantly the campers. We still have space available and will take regisitrations up to the first day of camp. We've already surpassed last year's number of campers and are still getting registrations in the mail every day. If you haven't already, sign up for camp or encourage a young person to come! We'll post on the Camps Link when a camp is full. Come on out and have the time of your life while growing in your faith! Look for new pictures of camp each evening on the Camps Link.

We were hit pretty hard by the recent heavy rain. The camp received over 10 inches of rain in just over 24 hours. The river quickly rose to within 15 of the back deck of McRaith Lodge. We lost one canoe, two of our elements on the low elements course, our new Stations of the Cross along the river and the new trellis and plants at the Rosary Walk. Our road was washed out pretty good as well. On the positive side, none of our buildings were damaged. If you are able to help with a donation of treated lumber or a canoe, please contact our office at 270-781-2466. Please pray for the camp and for all those affected by the floods. We've already received several calls from groups willing to come and help us clean up and get ready for camp! God is good and we'll be ready for the summer in no time. Please get your registrations in to camp as well, there are still openings, but they are filling up quickly. Thanks so much for all of the prayers and support.

Summer camp will be here before you know it! Our theme for this summer is the Rich Servant-"Master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" We've completed interviews for summer staff and we have several registrations coming in the mail every day. It's going to be a great summer so make sure you get your forms in as soon as possible. Several big events have happened out here at Gasper since our last posting. Bishop Medley had his first visit to the camp. He was very impressed with all that we have going on and is very excited about the future. We greatly look forward to having the Holy Spirit and Bishop Bill lead us into the future. Also, the five young men from Quincy University came and did an amazing job helping us get ready for camp. They came during their spring break and by Tuesday, they had completed most of the items on the "to do" list. They were outstanding witnesses of faith in action. Thank you gentlemen for your work, your faith and your friendship. Also, touching back to last summer (our theme was "Hope" and "Hope in Action,") we received a letter in the mail last week that greatly touched all the staff. Three young ladies from Fancy Farm took to heart the challenge from last summer. These young ladies learned how to make bracelets at camp. They sold them at St. Jerome and sent the money in to camp. Their gift will help other young kids come to camp. What a great witness of hope in action and it fits in so well with our goal at camp-have kids come, learn and grown in their faith and take it home to put into action. Thank you ladies and we can't wait to see you this summer! Many people have asked about financial aid for camp. If you are able to help, we ask that you prayerfully discern this opportunity to help make a difference in a young person's life. As always, we ask that you continue to pray for the camp, staff and campers that will visit this summer, that God will touch their hearts in new and amazing ways. Easter blessings to you all!

It's been an exciting last few weeks here at Gasper River. We found out that the camp will be featured in a magazine article by the National Catholic Extension Society. Look for it soon. Also, five students from Quincy University will be at Gasper River for their spring break to help work on several projects. In honor of Quincy's 150th anniversity, they are doing 50 States, 50 Service Projects. We were lucky enough to be a part of this incredible mission and are very excited about hosting these young men and all they will do to help us prepare for camp. Registrations are flowing into camp at a great rate! We are hoping to have over 400 campers this summer and we'll need your help. Please pray for the summer and please encourage any young person you can to see what God has in store for them at camp. If you have any questions about this summer, please contact our office. It will be an experience they will never forget. Also, please don't forget to check out our wish list and help in any way you can. Thank you all so much for the support and prayers, please keep them coming! Have a blessed Lenten Season.

Registrations are starting to flow into camp! Go to our Camps Link above to find information on all the camps, dates, costs and all the forms that you'll need to come to camp this summer. If you have any questions about camp, please contact our office and let us know. This summer is going to be great, make sure you don't miss out on an encounter with God. Also, if you are on Facebook, become a fan of Gasper River Catholic Youth Camp & Retreat Center to get any additional information or updates on camp. We can't wait to see you this summer.

The New Year is off to a wonderful start at Gasper River! The snow was beautiful and added greatly to the peace and stillness of the camp. The Summer Camp Schedule for 2010 is now available on the Camps Link above. Our first summer, we had 118 campers. That number climbed to over 200 last summer and this summer we hope to surpass 400 campers. We need your help in spreading the word about camp, so please encourage any young people to come to camp and any others to come help out. If you have any questions about the program, please contact our office and we'll be glad to help in any way we can. As our numbers increase, we will need more help from young adults and adults as counselors. A counselor volunteers for a week, gets a camp t-shirt, gets 3 meals a day, gets to do all the camp activities and most importantly, they can help make a difference in the life of a young person. Please pray about your role here this summer. We need your help and we need you to be involved. If you would be interested in spending the summer at Gasper River as a paid summer staff, please click on the Jobs Link above for more information. Please contact our office to step out in faith and join the team here. Our rates are not increasing for this summer and we offer one of the best camp experiences you can imagine for the money. If you are able, please check out our Wish List below and help in any way you can to help keep camp affordable for so many. Don't forget, this place is yours. If you'd like to come for a visit to see the camp in person and see what happens here, contact our office and set up a date for a visit. We can't wait to see you!!!

The entire staff at Gasper River Catholic Youth Camp & Retreat Center would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a blessed and wonderful New Year! Looking back, this has been an incredible year for us here at Gasper River. So many people have helped with their time, treasure and talents to help others have an encounter with God while at camp. Thank you so much for all who have given their gifts to serve God. Special thanks to the Murphy family from Scott & Murphy Construction for all they have done for us. Also, special thanks to the Embry family with Embry Medical Supply in Caneyville for ensuring that our guests have a comfortable place to sleep. And there are so many others who have given of themselves, thank you so very much. It is the true meaning of church when people are willing to share their gifts for God, that others may come to a deeper understanding of their faith. Thank you very, very much, we could not do it without you!.

We are very excited about our new bishop, Rev. William Medley. Please pray for him during his transition and we look forward to many years of service and guidance under Bishop-elect Medley as we move forward into the future. We are excited to have the Bishop-elect come down and see what a treasure the diocese has in the camp and retreat center.

One of the ways we are able to keep our costs so affordable is the generosity and support of so many people. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. If you are able to make a donation or contribution from our wish list below, please know that it is a tax deductable gift. We are not raising our rates for the summer camp season so we do need help for anyone who can offer it. If you have any questions or would just like to schedule a visit to see the camp grounds, please contact our office at 270-781-2466. Thank you all again for a wonderful year and for all you do for us. Please pray for us here and know that we pray for you as well. Merry Christmas and remember the purpose of this wonderful season. May God bless you.

Wow, what a Fall season!. Every weekend was booked this Fall from the end of summer on, including Thanksgiving. And all senior classes from all three Catholic High Schools in our diocese held their senior retreats here for the first time. We're catching our breath, deep cleaning and getting ready for the spring retreat season and next summer. As we do, we focus on the Advent season. We are preparing camp for the groups that will come while also preparing our hearts for the Christ Child. This time of year is a wonderful opportunity to clean out all the junk from our lives and fall more deeply in love with Jesus. Campers remember to put your Hope into Action from this past summer and please let us know what you do to show Christ to others; we'd love to hear from you. Please check out our website at the end of January for the finalized summer camp schedule for 2010. If you are interested in working here during the summer, the info for summer staff positions will be posted after the first of the year. Also, please check out our wish list below and, if you are able, see how you can help us keep our costs down so camp will be affordable to all. Have a blessed Advent Season, a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year!

We have just completed our second summer camp season here at Gasper River and each week was absolutely amazing. We operated at 90% occupancy for seven weeks of camp and our theme for the summer was from 1Tim. 4:10 "We have put our hope in the living God." Each age group, from 3rd and 4th graders through young adult, experienced God in new and incredible ways here at camp. If you haven't seen some of the pictures from this summer, please go to the Camps Link above and click on pictures of camp to see all that happened here this summer. On the camper evaluations, some of the comments were: "I've never felt God so strongly in my life ever before." "Camp was such a great time and I learned so much." "I never knew what Heaven was like, I couldn't even imagine what it would be like. After being here for a week, I have a feeling of what Heaven is like." "This experience has helped me grow so much in my faith." "I wish it was next summer already so I could come back!" It really was an excellent summer of faith, fun and friends!

On Saturday, June 20th, the Bowling Green Deanery celebrated the 26 years of service to our diocese by Bishop John McRaith. About 200 people came out to Gasper River Catholic Youth Camp & Retreat Center to celebrate this humble servant to the people of the Catholic Church of Western Kentucky. The prayer service and picnic were a wonderful way to say thanks to Bishop John for all he has done for all of us. In addition, the Main Lodge was renamed Bishop John McRaith Lodge as a way to honor the man whose vision and passion for the young people of this diocese led to the creation of this facility. Bishop John, thank you for your leadership, your love, your passion, your dedication, your devotion, and your service for all these years.

In other news, the 2009 summer camp season is underway. The Eucharisitc Life camp again was an amazing experience for those who attended. The campers worked in Bowling Green at a day camp for youth, painted and sealed the roofs of the newly remodeled cabins, upgraded the bath house in the cabin area and did all manner of landscaping around the site. It was a wonderful example of leading a Eucharistic Life-pouring yourself out in service, taking time to rest and allow God to fill you back up to do it all again. There are still a few spaces left for most of the camps so if you are interested, please download any forms and send them in as soon as possible. Check out the camps link for daily pictures of camp happenings and please continue to pray for us this summer.

There are still some spaces available for camp this summer. Each week is filling up quickly so get your registrations in while you still can. It's going to be an amazing summer! Our theme for this summer is "Our Hope is in the Living God." 1 Tim 4:10. Come to camp this summer to see who God is calling you to be and how to be the people that God created us to be. The Cabin Area is complete! All five cabins are brand new inside and out and the bath house for the area will be getting a make over during the Eucharistic Life Camp the first week of June. New bunk beds are also completed for the Cabin Lodge which will provide more beds for the area. A very special thanks goes to Mike Murphy at Scott Murphy Daniel Construction for the supplies and workers to make all of this happen. Also a very special thank you to the Embry family with Embry Medical Supply in Caneyville for donating the new mattresses for all the bunks. We could not operate without the generosity of so many wonderful families. Thank you for your support, please know that you are appreciated and prayed for and your gifts will help make a difference in the lives of so many children and adults. We'd also like to thank Phil Haire with Hannan Supply Company for a wonderful donation of lightbulbs for all our buildings. We'd also like to thank all those who have given their time, talent and treasure to help us here at Gasper River. We ask for you to please pray for the upcoming summer, that God's will is done and the Holy Spirit is abundant at camp. Also, if you are able, please check out our wish list and help in any way you can. The camp reflects true church in so many ways, especially the Church being universal. This place belongs to you! If you can be involved, please contact our office at 270-781-2466.

The Cabin Area is getting a make over! Thanks to the generous support of so many people, we will have five completly rennovated cabins, an updated, health code approved kitchen in the Main Lodge, two new showers in the Main Lodge and a new floor in the bathroom in the Cabin Lodge. When the projects are completed we will post new photos. These upgrades will greatly increase the quality of the camp experience here at Gasper River and will serve us for many, many years to come. Come check out the new work and be amazed by the generosity and support of so many wonderful, caring people. Camps are filling up quickly so get those registrations in as soon as you can. Special thanks to all those who have helped to make this such a wonderful place for people to spend time with God. Have a blessed Easter season!

The Gasper River Catholic Youth Camp & Retreat Center is proud to be partnering with the Knights of Columbus Kentucky Association for the Mentally Disabled to put on a camp the last week of July this summer! This is a wonderful opportunity for the campers, our diocese and the camp. We will need volunteers to help with this week, and our other weeks of camp as well, to make this week all it can be. For more information on this camp or for registration forms please contact our office at 270-781-2466. The camp will run from Sunday, July 26th through Friday, July 31st. If you are looking for an opportunity to serve God, to help others and to receive more blessings than you can count, then please be involved with wonderful week of camp.

With financial times tough all over, are you looking for a cost effective alternate to your summer plans? How about sending your child to summer camp at Gasper River Catholic Youth Camp & Retreat Center. Our price for a week long camp experience includes three well-balanced meals per day, tons of activities, the chance to make friends for a lifetime and most importantly, it will give your child the chance to experience God like they never have before. Our children are exposed to over 5,000 advertisements per day, spend more and more time with technology and the media is now the number one influence in our children's lives. The camp setting-were cell phones don't work and you can't access television or the internet-is ideal for young people. All the junk is filtered out and young people have a chance to hear what God is saying to them in this wonderful, loving environment. Our costs at Gasper River are less than half the national average for a weeklong camp experience. It makes no sense to have this wonderful facility if people can't afford to use it. Also, where else can you spend so little money, yet have results that will last for a lifetime? Please come visit our camp or give us a call at 270-781-2466 if you have any questions. Also, please check out our wish list to see if there is anything you could contribute to Gasper River (tax deductable, of course) to help us keep our costs down.

As you may know, Bishop John McRaith retired this past Monday. Bishop John is such a kind and caring man and he will be greatly missed. Gasper River would not exist if not for his vision and passion for the youth of our diocese. Several years ago we visited with all the bishops of Kentucky to see if we should try to create a camp centrally located around Elizabethtown or Bardstown to serve the entire state or to see if each diocese should do their own thing. Bishop John was a strong supporter of the idea and when it was decided that each diocese should do their own thing, Bishop gave us his blessing to continue to see where the Holy Spirit would lead us. His trust in the people of his diocese and his ministry of "letting" are the significant reasons of why we are here today. I had the honor of working for Bishop John for three years and in that time I was astounded by his love for the people he worked for, the people of the Catholic Church of Western Kentucky. We will continue to try to model our service here at camp after that of the service of Bishop John. Thank you for all that you have done and will continue to do for us Bishop John. Our prayers for you are for a long, healthy and happy retirement!

Summer camp will be here soon and all of the updates will be posted on our Camps link on January 20, 2009. Everything you need for camp-schedule, fees, lists, etc. will be on line to print off and send in. Please get your forms filled out and sent in as quickly as possible as space tends to fill up very quickly.

As you and your family begin making plans for next summer I challenge you to think about attending summer camp. You may think, “I never went to camp, I’m not sure if I want to send my child.” If that is the case, please call our office at 270-781-2466 and come for a visit to see what the camp experience at Gasper River Catholic Youth Camp will be like. Last summer, 150 youth were involved with our diocese’s summer camp program. For many, it was a first time camp experience; however, it won’t be their last. Some of the evaluations from the campers stated “this was the best time of life,” “I never knew that learning about God could be so much fun,” “I didn’t want to come at first and then I didn’t want to leave,” “I made new friends, learned about God and had the time of my life,” “I finally understand what the Eucharist is all about. I understand that it is the real presence of Jesus Christ.” As I travel around the diocese for events, I encounter many young people who all tell me about their experience last summer at Gasper River and how they can’t wait for next summer to get here. A parent even called several months after camp and told us that they don’t know what we did but his child was still talking about God. It isn’t anything we did; it is what God does to people’s hearts while at camp. All of the distractions of everyday life are removed as youth find themselves in an unconditionally loving environment. Kids from all backgrounds come together as one body of Christ for their week at camp. The shared experiences at camp, the faith learning and sharing, the experiencing the Sacraments all in God’s creation help everyone to see God at work in their lives. Kids are accepted and loved. They participate in activities that help them grow personally, grow as a group and most importantly grow in their faith. Please check out our website, www.gasperriverretreatcenter.org for pictures of the activities and to see all that happens at camp. If you are still not sure, come and see for yourself. We need adult volunteers as well and you’re never too old for camp. In fact, it almost seemed as if the adults who were involved got as much if not more out of the camp experience as the campers. Be open to allowing God to work in your life. Come to camp and see what God has for you this summer. What better way to spend a summer than growing closer to Jesus Christ.

The diocese has such a wonderful gift in the Gasper River Catholic Youth Camp & Retreat Center. In the year that we have owned the property, every person who has come out has been impressed with what the camp has to offer. This summer many lives were changed by God in this beautiful setting and so many people have been involved with the camp on the front lines and behind the scenes. This is the beginning of a wonderful new ministry for our diocese that will only continue to grow. For many years I filled out a stewardship survey at my old parish in another diocese. I never heard from anyone and just assumed that my help was not needed. That is not the case with Gasper River-we need your help! This facility belongs to you and we need you to be involved with all that is going on here. We need work teams to help with landscaping, painting, staining, clearing, building, and many more of the extensive work project list. To give you a few examples, Adam Keyser has created a Stations of the Cross trail for his Eagle Scout Project. Nick Miller has completed a safe and beautiful set of steps up from the river for his Eagle Scout Project. Alex O’Keefe is working on some incredible, reflective murals for her Gold Award for Girl Scouts. The Squires group from Our Lady of Lourdes has created a scenic Rosary Walk by the river. Prayer areas, a Saint’s Trail, hiking and biking trails, landscaping around all the buildings and grounds and Adirondack chairs or other outdoor seating are just a few of projects on our wish list. Also, so many other youth groups and schools have collected additional items-pictures, statues, crucifixes and other items to help give us a Catholic Identity-a true celebration of who we are as the Catholic Church.

We also need people to be involved with next summer’s camp program. To be in compliance with the American Camp Association (our safety and governing body for summer camp and retreats) we need to have a nurse, doctor or EMT on site when camp is in session. If you volunteer in this role as camp health care provider, you will receive a week’s free camp registration for a camper. Also, we need volunteer lead counselors for week long sessions for all age groups. These volunteers will help keep the camps on schedule and be responsible for bringing in additional, qualified volunteers for the benefit of the campers. The lead counselor will also receive a free registration for a camper. There are so many ways to be involved and we need you. I’ve often heard that we only get out of our faith what we put into it. This is a wonderful opportunity to give of your time and talents for a wonderful need and help bring others closer to God and the Catholic Church. If you’ve never been here, please call our office (270)-781-2466, come out here and see what we have to offer and how you can be involved. Please begin praying about your role here at Gasper River for next summer and beyond. Like I said before, this is your facility, come be a part of it.