Portage Lake Covenant Bible Camp

Good times with friends.

Portage Lake Covenant Bible Camp in Onekama, Michigan has been a standing vacation for the last twelve summers.  It's a great family vacation!!  We are very fortunate to have such a place like this.  We stay in an air conditioned cabin overlooking a clear beautiful spring-fed lake.

Beach Day
We have full beach access and the use of water toys which include paddle boards, jet ski's, sailboats, canoes, paddle boats and kayaks.  Camp also has a speedboat for boat ride outings to Lake Michigan to view the dunes.

Land Activities
Daily activities available at camp are arts and crafts, bags or corn hole, shuffleboard, volleyball,

pickle ball, basketball, carpet ball, roller hockey and  high ropes course.  Sometimes the games are organized or pick up games pop up due to campers' interest.  There is a crazy relay race called the Portager Challenge, which involves running, climbing, swimming, canoeing, and building, with limited supplies, a fire hot enough to pop a Jiffy Pop.  The camp staff organizes big field games like soccer tag or Braveheart, which I think, from what I can tell, is Capture the Flag.  The camp staff also coordinates off site excursions such as horsebackriding, canoe trips, and hikes to the dunes or the natural water slide.  There is a golf outing and local shopping available as well.

New Activities Discovered at Camp
It seems like every year, there is something new to experience at camp and if I'm ever wondering where my kids are, that is where they will be.  They spend many hours every day playing these new games at camp.

Gaga ball
My daughter came back to the cabin absolutely excited and filthy because she was playing gaga ball.  Needless to say, I had to check this out.  An almost circular

Gaga ball in action.

structure, with 3 ft high walls was filled with kids of all ages, who were hunched over, shrieking and jumping out of the way, so as not to get hit.  Gaga ball originated in Israel.  It is similar to dodge ball, but not as out of control as regular dodge ball.  A volleyball is used and the object is to hit the opponents legs with the ball.  If the opponent catches it, they remain in the game and the other person gets out.  If the opponent gets hit, but doesn't catch it, then that person gets out.  We have noticed a few gaga pits in surrounding parks and school playgrounds in our area.  It is quite fun, but I figured I'd better get out of the pit and leave that game for the kids.

Crate stacking
A new use for milk crates.  Crate stacking is placing regular milk crates side-by-side and then stepping up on top of one of them and then taking another crate to stack on the adjacent crate. The participant continues to stack crates alternating from side-to-side, building higher and higher. You are building and moving up a level every time.  This is dangerous and a safety helmet, harness and spotters are required for this activity.  The higher one gets the more wobbly the stacks get.  It was fascinating to watch to see how high people could go.  Our daughter made it to the top of the gymnasium ceiling, about 22 rows of crates.

Nine square
Nine square is like four square's older brother.  This idea had to have originated from a volleyball camp.  The court is an elevated tic-tac-toe grid made out of PVC piping.  The person in the middle is king and they begin the volley.  Basically, the players volley the ball from one square to another and then if a person misses, they are out and everyone rotates a square forward.  The goal is to become king and stay in the center as long as possible.

Archery Tag
In a confined, protected area, participants are equipped with a face mask, similar to a catcher's mask,
with padded arrows.  I really don't know the object of the game, but the guys on the camp staff were playing this game with many kids on the tennis courts.  The kids had a ball!

Night Time
Gentle waves brushing the shore, Adirondack chairs around fire pits down by the lake, canteen offering popcorn, ice cream, soft, hot pretzels, candy bars and pure sugar for the kids right before bedtime.  Cappuccinos and ice coffee drinks to allow the adults to stay up a little later to participate in board games or conversation with friends.  Night time entertainment might be big games of Pictionary, game shows or skit night all organized by the camp staff.

The Time is Yours
There really is no schedule at camp except meals, which are provided, and chapel.  Everything is optional, I guess, but you'll find yourself not wanting to miss anything.

Chapel
The worship team sets the tone for chapel services.  In the morning, the kids go to Day Camp where they sing songs, memorize a Bible verse or make up a skit.  The adults have a Bible study session about living a life with Christ.  Night time chapel is more like a sermon that might be experienced at a Sunday morning church service.  The music and messages are uplifting, inspirational, and reflective.  Camp is a time to rejuvenate, refresh and push the reset button.

If you belong to a church, you should find out if there is a camp-like experience available for your own family.    It is a time to relax and reconnect with one another.  It gives you downtime to pause from the business of life and enjoy God's creation and hear His voice.   All are welcome at Portage Lake Bible Camp.  The Covenant Church has camps all over the United States similar to Portage Lake.  The Midwest Conference has two other camps Covenant Harbor, in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, and Covenant Point, in Iron River, Michigan.  These camps have kids camps for third grade up through high school, maybe even college, and then some have family camps.  Check out the links to find out more!  Whenever I ask my kids if we should go back to camp next year, it is a unanimous YES!!