As we approach “the seasons of thankfulness and giving,” let us pause and remember our times spent at camp. Many of us gave our life or rededicated our life to Christ at camp, made an important decision, or met our best friend or future spouse at camp. As we celebrated 75 years of camping ministry, it was great to hear all of the stories and memories shared. These

milestones happened because someone believed in the power of a Christ centered camping ministry and continued its legacy by generously supporting the ministry. Now it is your turn to be a camping hero for the next generation.

Young people are searching and craving the purpose that only Christ can provide, but we need your help. The commitment to provide a safe environment to introduce people to Jesus and equipping people to grow in their faith and impact their world remains as true today as it was 75 years ago. While we are currently facing a shortfall in giving, the focused mission of camping still prevails.

Your gift is especially important this year. Sharp price inflation is impacting many areas including groceries, supplies and capital improvement costs. Because of these more challenging times, will you consider increasing your gift this year or turning your annual gift into a monthly recurring gift? Monthly gifts help us budget and see us through the lean months when camp registrations are not a source of income. Increasing your gift can provide the opportunity for more people to experience the joy of camp.

From now until December 31st, for any one-time donation of $250 (or more) OR a recurring gift of $20 (or more) per month, we will express our appreciation with a commemorative 75th Anniversary T-shirt.

Will you answer the call to become a camping hero? Will you help VPCC Ministries be a strong voice of God’s love, grace, and acceptance in the lives of those who want to experience the legacy of attending Camp Vick or Pathfinder Lodge?

On a personal note, I am excited to be back in a leadership role for our camping ministries and look forward to connecting with the children and most especially with all of you, supporters, and heroes! We thank God for your continued support and pray for God’s blessings upon you!

In Christ’s Service,

Marilyn Malone
Interim CEO, VPCC Ministries

And a special thanks to all our volunteers and staff this summer. 2022 was truly the year of the volunteer. You made our camping ministry possible and an incredible experience for each and every camper. It was especially wonderful to spend a weekend with so many of our donors, supporters, and volunteers at the 75th anniversary. For 75 years you have brought outdoor ministry to generations of campers in New York State. We can’t wait to continue the ministry in partnership with you for many more years to come.

Though the summer season has ended, and we are already planning for next year, the fall brings new opportunities to serve and celebrate our ministry.

Camp Vick will host a special Fall Day Celebration on October 15th. Learn more and register here.

Pathfinder Lodge will have a work weekend and water shut off day. It’s a great opportunity to see the camp in the fall, help get ready for the winter season, all while being in fellowship with great friends and partners. Please RSVP here.

Summer is always fast approaching. Start planning for next year now. We are already hiring for next summer and will continue to value your support.

We began our mission 75 years ago at Pathfinder Lodge. Throughout that time we have expanded our ministry at Camp Vick, and supported camping and youth programs all over the state. There have been marriages, careers, baptisms, and life-long friendships found through our camping programs. We invite you to join us as we celebrate 75 years of camping ministry in New York State, August 26-28th, 2022.

The weekend features both free and paid events. Tickets are available online. Click here for lodging and reservation information (space is limited).

Learn More

Find our full brochure and registration form on our Summer Camp Page.

This year’s theme is “Living Stones: More Precious than Diamonds”, as we will also be celebrating our 75th anniversary of Christian Camping in New York State (Our Diamond Jubilee).

Tickets are now on sale for our 75th Anniversary Celebration, August 26-28 at Pathfinder Lodge. Learn more on our 75th Anniversary Page.

Open Positions for Staff and Volunteers

Hiring is underway but we still have open positions for staff and volunteers. Please join us in making this an amazing summer for our campers. Job descriptions and links to apply are on our Employment and Volunteer pages.

Work Weekends

Every spring our camps host work weekends. It’s a great opportunity for groups, teams, and families to visit and help prepare the camps for the season. Bring your own tools, or use ours. There’s light work and heavy work. Tasks for novices and for experts. We have something for everyone!

Spring Work Weekends for Pathfinder Lodge and Camp Vick are May 7 & 14th.

This year’s theme is “Living Stones: More Precious than Diamonds”, as we will also be celebrating our 75th anniversary of Christian Camping in New York State (Our Diamond Jubilee). We are excited to share God’s love this summer with all our campers and friends.

We are now hiring for the summer. If you are interested or know someone interested in serving God this summer please check out our employment and volunteer pages.

Pathfinder Lodge Schedule

Camp Vick Schedule

The theme of our 2021 camp season was “Renewal.”  After enduring a year of illness, isolation, and uncertainty, I felt it an important reminder that our strength and our ability to keep shining as a light to the world comes from our loving Savior.  We focused on two key verses, Isaiah 40:31 and Isaiah 43:19, as well as other scriptures that focused on specific renewal areas such as body, mind, spirit, and the reasons that renewal is vital to our Christian health.  There were many great conversations among campers, counselors, and pastoral staff during Bible studies, devotions, and Chapel services.

Although we only had two weeks of camp, we reached 57 campers.  Among those, about 60% were first-time campers.  We also ministered to 6 families by providing 12 campers with $2,402 in scholarships.  It was a joy to see so many new campers become immersed in our camp community, making new friends and memories and learning about Jesus.

While our staff was small, we had a stellar group of individuals, some of whom were seasoned but most who were brand new!  I look forward to many of them returning in 2021.  There are a few camp staff positions that are absolutely necessary in order to open camp and provide our typical programming.  These include Camp Director, Camp Nurse, Aquatics Director, and Lifeguards.  If you aware of anyone who might be interested in serving as camp staff, please direct them to our Employment page, which will be updated in October.

In the next couple of months, we will have some exciting announcements regarding Pathfinder Lodge.  My hope and prayer for 2022 is that we will be able to offer a complete summer of camping between the two camps.  We have many needs, both financial and physical, and it is vital that we meet these needs in order to continue the Vick-Pathfinder camp legacy.  Please prayerfully consider how you can be part of the ministry efforts- whether through financial support, volunteering, or simply adding us to your prayer list.  Be sure to check out our Volunteer page, the Wish Lists for both Vick and Pathfinder, and our Donation Page.  As always, please keep VPCCM in your prayers for God’s blessing and the continued success of the camps.

God Bless and Happy Trails!

Mandy Simons, CEO

Planning a summer camping season in our ever changing environment has been challenging. We are so excited that the state has opened up overnight camping for the 2021 season and we are working hard to bring that programming to you. While it was our hope to open both camps this summer one of our camps, Camp Vick, needs some more time to recover. We will be dedicating this summer to making much needed repairs and improvements. Meanwhile we will condense our summer program to Pathfinder Lodge. We will be moving some our of Camp Vick camps to our sister camp and merging other camps together. See our new full schedule and brochure.

Camp Vick needs a number of critical repairs especially to the water system. We are writing in part to ask our dedicated families and volunteers to consider donating time and resources where you are able to. All summer there are opportunities to visit the camp, work on a list of projects and enjoy the camp with family or work groups. It is also our hope to create a list of volunteers (who we are calling the Vick Crew) who can learn the ins and outs of Camp Vick, be available for future projects and advocate for the camp’s needs.

Campers will not be without a camping program this year. Instead we are looking into options to transport campers to Pathfinder Lodge this summer. Campers will still experience summer fun activities in a safe environment all while growing in faith and learning about God’s love.

This was not an easy decision for the board to make. We love our camps and want them to be enjoyed now and for years to come which is why we are dedicated to getting them, with your help, in the best condition possible. We are inviting you, our friends, families, volunteers, and donors to a town hall style meeting to talk about this decision and answer any questions you may have. Join us at Camp Vick on June 5th, 2021, at 10AM an online option may also be available TBA at a later date.

For updates sent directly to your email inbox, sign up to be added to our mailing list here.

In Christ’s Service,

Vick Pathfinder Camp and Conference Ministries Board

You can now register for the 2021 camping season online. There are two ways to register. We have a new online form, or you can download the PDF and mail in your registration. We are excited to offer a full schedule of summer programming this year. There are also family camping weekends (at Vick and Pathfinder) and work weekends perfect for groups to volunteer and bond together. It’s been a tough year for all of us but now we are looking to RENEW our spirits by getting outside with fellowship, worship, and fun in a safe and loving environment.

This means we are hiring! We have many staff and volunteer positions available. Find the 2021 camping application and job descriptions here.

There are also other opportunities at each of our camps including family camp, bookings for groups, and volunteer projects.

Keep stopping by our website for more updates and details over the next several weeks.

Like so many other camps we have been hit hard by the financial effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. We are asking for your help to ensure our camping program can continue for generations to come. We know that you, like us, believe in the power of camping to help our youth grow in confidence, love, respect, and faith. Read the full letter from our Board of Directors and learn how you can help and become a Camping Ministry Hero.