Lost & Found

Lost & Found 

Hello all! After a VERY busy three weeks of Ortoha Youth Camp we are now finally get around to organizing and storing supplies for next year. It turns out we have a fair number of lost & found items this year, so we're hoping the website and Facebook page will help us connect with the 2016 alumni campers and their parents in order to return as many items as possible.

If you or your kiddo forgot something up at camp, please let us know!!

Send us an email or a message of Facebook describing the item you lost and we will check our inventory to see if we have it. 

Camping Season Isn't Over Yet! 

Although the three weeks of Ortoha Youth Camp are over, the camping season is still underway. Remember that Ortoha (it's buildings and facilities) can be rented out to groups looking for a great outdoor setting. If you are curious about renting Ortoha for an upcoming event, let us know right away! We will close Ortoha up in the fall so we'll want to get you on the schedule soon. 

We Can't Thank You Enough!

Last, but certainly not least, we cannot thank all our staff members, supporters, campers and camper parents enough for such an outstanding camp season. We made some incredible memories this year and plenty of new friendships were forged. A whole new generation of kids had the opportunity to fall in love with the Ortoha atmosphere and get to know God a little bit better. We could not pull this off without so much support from all over the PNW region.

Thanks to the parents for seeing how special camp is and for being willing to transport their kids to and from Ortoha. Thanks to the campers who made it so much fun! Thanks to the many volunteers who spend countless hours preparing, planning, coordinating and finalizing all the minute details for these very busy three weeks. And of course, thank you to all our staff 2016 staff members - that includes our incredible cooks, our outstanding speakers, our talented counselors and wonderful director! Your hard work, dedication and passion for all that Ortoha stands for is deeply appreciated! 

More Excitement in Store for Middle School Week!

A whopping 34 campers are up at Ortoha this week making new memories and meeting new friends! In addition to our director, Brian Bowes, they will also be lead by our two speakers, Rev. Alan Visser and Deaconess Ruth Ann Shimoi. 

Rev. Visser is an Ortoha alumni as a camper, counselor, speaker and dean! We are always so blessed to have him return to camp from British Columbia and inspire another group of youngsters. Deaconess Ruth Ann Shimoi is joining us from Bellevue, WA where she serves at Pilgrim Lutheran Church. We know the kids are going to love the enthusiasm she brings to leading and group activities. 

It looks like the forecast will be great for the campers this week. They will have a mix of some sunshine and clouds, but it looks like the last day of camp is expected to be very warm and bright. Perhaps an afternoon at the lake before picking up the campers at 7 p.m. might be called for! 

Lastly, we want to share a big Thank You message to all those who help out during the weekends between camps. There are groceries to deliver, counselor prep-work to complete, and many errands to run. We appreciate everyone's hard work and support! 

Humor of Olympic Proportions

A total of 15 kids are attending High School Week and our speakers are going all-out to bring them some hilarity! Kim & Jim Helleson are long-time Ortoha supporters and have been directly involved with ministry through Young Life for many years. They have joined forces with Rick Herzer this week to provide some Young Life-style comic relief.

Rick and Jim have been perfecting a body builder skit that ties in nicely to the Summer Olympics currently being held in South America. It sounds like their characters, "Hans" and "Franz," will make many appearances throughout the week when the kids least expect it! 

Knowing their audience, Kim and Jim have also worked a bit of technology into their program, as they plan to use a large projector in the Gazebo to show a short video during one of the bible study talks. We are looking forward to hearing more about how the kids like both the ongoing skit and the great lesson content. 

We want to take a moment to thank Dennis & Cheri Watson who came over from the west side of the state to speak at last Sunday's Mission Festival service. It was wonderful to hear about all the work and love being poured out in the Neah Bay area. As always, thanks to the many helping hands who contributed to the delicious potluck lunch that followed, as well! It never disappoints!

Please remember to lift up all the campers and leaders in your prayers this week and help us spread the word the Middle School Week is just around the corner. We appreciate it!  

Last Day of Grade School Week!

Some news came down the hill today from camp and we are excited to share it with you! 
On Wednesday the campers had a great hike up Strawberry Mt. (for those who haven't been, it provides an incredible view of Lost Lake from the top!). 

After all that physical exertion, the campers were treated to the traditional Wednesday night camp feast of roast turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, coleslaw and carrot cake for dessert! (Kudos to our cooks, Millie and Georgia!)

A few campers go Polar Bearing in the morning, but this had to be cancelled Tuesday morning due to thunder. But all is well! The weather has otherwise been warm and clear. 
In arts/crafts, the campers have been creating tiles and sun catchers. Today they will "frame" their 2016 camp group photo.

The speakers this week, Jeanette and Sarah, have been outstanding. We appreciate all the love and planning they've put into their positions! 

Everyone is having a wonderful camp experience, but we are sure they will be happy to see you this evening at 7 p.m. after a full day of scheduled activities. We are all looking forward to hearing more hilarious and exciting stories about their week!
 

A Great Start to Grade School Week!

We had a total of 29 amazing kids sign up for Grade School camp and they enjoyed a great evening of fun, food and activities. They had a delicious dinner of hot dogs and chili, and were treated to an great variety of homemade cookies supplied by the members of Immanuel Havillah Lutheran Church.

The temperature up at camp was just perfect; not too hot, not too cold. The counselors were very welcoming and were already playing games with the kids well before 5 p.m. start of camp. And they sure looked spiffy in their new camp staff shirts!

Speaking of the new shirts, we'll try to get some pictures posted for you soon so you can see the new styles for sale. We also have hats available for purchase this year. They come in three styles: baseball, trucker and beanie. 

We'll keep sending you updates, so don't forget to check back for more camp news! 

A Special Message from Camp Director Brian Bowes!

Greetings Campers!

So here's the deal...Camp Ortoha Needs You!!

This your Camp Director, Brian, and I'm writing to tell you: if you're not already register & planning to attend Camp 2016 - it's not too late to do so. But don't dally too long, the first session starts July 24th (grade school camp). 

This is my 30th year as director and I'm extremely excited about the 2016 session. The theme this year is an Advent [awaiting the birth of the Messiah], Christmasy [the celebration of His birth] sorta thingy! 

The speakers for the various weeks are busy preparing and putting on the final touches of their tremendously informative, interactive studies as they take a look @ some Old Testament prophecies along with New Testament fulfillments. They will also be sharing thoughts on a variety of topics that will enable you to strengthen and perhaps introduce yourselves to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

In 30 years this ministry has been blessed with numerous speakers, all with varying gifts from God. This year is no exception.

For Grade School [July 24-28] we have Sarah Elliott and Jeanette Floyd - both with many years of experience in working with and positively reaching the needs of young people.

High School campers [July 31 - August 5] will have a simply "over-the-top" experience courtesy of long-time youth workers Jim & Kim Helleson. This amazing couple has been in the "trenches" of youth ministry serving for over 20 years has youth ministers with Young Life. Look forward to hearing God's Word shared in fresh, "outta-the-box" ways!

Our Middle School campers [August 7-11] will be experience a week lead by the familiar and the new. Rev. Alan Visser once again returns to camp bringing his many years as a camper, counselor, Camp Dean and speaker. This year he is joined by Deaconess Ruth Ann Shimoi from Pilgrim Lutheran Church, Bellevue. Deaconess Ruth Ann has spent many years working in a variety of youth situations and will be bringing a new level of enthusiasm and activity for this week.

If this group of speakers weren't enough - we are once again blessed and honored to have a great group of counselors the help guide the program and lead our campers.

Grade School - Michelle VanSlyke, Carmen Fonseca, Kerstin Ericksen and Crystal Grubler along with Dylan Roy, Connor Rosentrater and Cameron Roy

High School - Nate Linklater and Hannah Attridge

Middle School - Grace Clark, Jenna Bucsko and Netsenet Kimsey with Dylan Roy and Nate Linklater.

Other staffers - with crafts, Connie Kuhlmann & Jayne Bowes assisted by Camp Moms - Jesalyn Cole and Heather Melcher. And our camp cooks - Millie Leslie and Georgia McCoy.

The theme, the speakers, counselors and support staff, the setting...this year promises to be one of the best ever! So, please, don't miss out! Get signed up today!! Registration forms are available on the website, Facebook page or by calling 509.429.1567

Hope to you see you there!

Blessings,

 

Your Director, Brian Bowes

Announcing This Year's Theme!

Grade School Week starts on July 24th! 

A new theme for camp is picked each year so there is a central message for campers to latch onto and bring home. It also creates cohesion between the various study lessons and even between the different age groups. 

We're very excited to announce that this year's theme will be "Promises Fulfilled." The kids will be discovering some of the Old Testament prophecies about The Messiah and how each was later fulfilled in Jesus in the New Testament. By examining how each promise was fulfilled we get a better glimpse at Jesus' characteristics, as well as the faithfulness of God. This is a great message for any age, full of hope and love! 

 

Mark your calendar for Mission Fest! 

Another big announcement to make is with regards to Mission Fest Sunday. We just got word that Pastor Winston Wilson from Makah Lutheran Church in Neah Bay will not be able to make the journey, but he has asked his friends and equally amazing speakers, Dennis & Cheri Watson, from Our Savior in Tacoma to take his place. We are very excited to meet Dennis & Cheri and learn about their involvement with the Lutheran Indian Ministries' mission and projects on the coast. Pastor Dan Kunkel is of course already pulling together all the other details for the service and is very excited to see you up there!  

Mission Fest Sunday is July 31 and the service will begin at 11 a.m. with our infamous community potluck to follow. We hope to see you there! 

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to call Billi: 509-485-3352.

Spreading the Word for Our 2016 Camp Ortoha Season

The planning board has been very busy putting all the final details on this year's program! We are so excited to see the registrations begin to come in and are looking forward to having each and every kid up at camp. 

Director Brian Bowes has been hard at work getting advertisements out to help spread the word about camp and open registration throughout the Okanogan community. In fact, you might have already heard him on Open Line! We could always use more avenues to reach more people, though, so if you have a connection or suggestion on how to reach more people, please let us know! We would love to collaborate with you.

Some of the most recent planning has focused on purchasing all the delicious meal ingredients for our hungry campers and getting those items delivered up to camp. Those who have a growing collection of camp buttons will be happy to hear that Kathy Teas already has this year's button color scheme picked out to add to your bright display! We don't have the official word yet on whether we'll be allowed to have real campfires this year, but we are staying optimistic and having some wood delivered to be well-prepared. 

Don't forget that Grade School week starts on July 24th this year and that Mission Fest Sunday will be held on Sunday, July 31st. Please help us spread the word so that families know the time to sign up is now! We hope to have a great turnout this year, as we always love sharing the experience of the great outdoors and fellowship with kids of all ages. 

2016 Camp Speakers Announced!

Director Brian Bowes and the Camp Ortoha planning board have been putting a lot of time and dedication toward the 2016 camp season and are very proud to announce the speakers who will be leading and serving our campers this year: 

 

Grade School Week: Jeanette Floyd and Sarah Elliott

High School Week: Jim & Kim Helleson

Middle School Week: Deaconess Ruth Ann Shimoi & Rev. Alan Visser

 

Jeanette is a Camp Ortoha alumni living in Wenatchee, Rev. Alan Visser has graced camp many-a time as a speaker, and the Hellesons are locals who have been long-time supporters of Ortoha and very active in ministry. We are excited to tell you more about each speaker in complete bios prior to the start of each week of camp. 

Counselor Update:

Counselor positions are also starting to fill up, but we do have a few openings so we hope you will help us in spreading the word to find dedicated, responsible individuals. Grade School week starts July 24th and Middle School camp starts August 7th. If you, or someone you know, is interested and available during one of those time frames, please contact Brian. 509-826-5750

More news is just around the corner! Keep checking back regularly to get the latest updates from the Ortoha planning board.

Camp Ortoha is Officially Open for 2016!

On sunny and mild Saturday, May 7, a dozen volunteers from Havillah and Tonasket gathered at Camp Ortoha to prepare it for the 2016 season. These generous and hard-working folks washed the Mess Hall and kitchen windows, inside and out, and scrubbed the kitchen counters, shelves, refrigerators, stoves, cookware and floors. The grounds were raked and the brush was piled. All buildings were thoroughly swept out. Three new medicine cabinets were installed, two in the speakers’ cabin and one in the cooks’ cabin. In the shower building, several shower heads were replaced and the floors bleached, and the hot water in the boy’s bathroom was repaired. The Maintenance and Facilities Team had the water up and running the day before.  Two professional loggers were up the previous week to remove some trees that posed a threat.

The first group of renters arrives May 23. Renters include schools, scout troops, arts and crafts clubs, youth groups and family gatherings.  Our own three weeks of Youth Camp begin with Grade School Camp on July 24, followed by High School and Middle School Camps.

Please join us for Havillah Immanuel Lutheran Church’s Annual Mission Festival at camp on July 31. You will find a warm welcome! The outdoor service begins at 11 a.m., followed by the renowned Mission Festival pot-luck! Mission Festival guest speaker will be Pastor Winston Wilson of Lutheran Indian Ministries, Makah Lutheran Church, Neah Bay, WA. In the afternoon you can plan a local hike to the Big Trees or Strawberry Mountain, or fish and swim at Lost Lake Campground or nearby Bonaparte Lake.

Camp Ortoha’s Wish List:

  • The kitchen floor could be repainted when the weather is warm and as the camp schedule allows. Contact Lenette Schuldheisz for scheduling and more information (509.485.2211)
  • Shelves in the kitchen and the KP cart could use a coat of paint.
  • One more medicine cabinet - $110
  • Donated large, nice scraps of vinyl to replace the old linoleum lining the open kettle shelves
  • $300 would buy a replacement mouse-proof cabinet for the kitchen
  • Some windows need re-calking

Many thanks to all our Camp Ortoha supporters! 

You're Invited! Come Visit Ortoha & Lost Lake in May to Help Open it Up for the Camping Season!

(Updated on 4/24/2016) Camp Ortoha went into hibernation last September and soon it will be time to get things ready for the new season! We can use lots of workers on Saturday, May 7 as we open camp for spring and summer. This date is now set since the Forest Service confirmed that the water has been turned on and the conditions of the road have greatly improved! We would love to see you there!

It is a fun day of raking, piling, washing, scrubbing, shining, repairing, sweeping, mopping and putting a shine on! Please mark your calendar so you don't miss this chance to enjoy the great outdoors and help camp get spruced up! Dress in layers (who knows what May 7 will bring?). Bring work gloves, your favorite rake, your picnic lunch or sack lunch, your enthusiasm and a little elbow grease. Work will start around 9am. With lots of helpers we have some years completed our work by early afternoon. You leave whenever you need to. Arrive later, leave earlier as needed. We will just be happy to see you!

If you have questions, call Billi at 509-485-3352.

Millie & Georgia Are Returning this Year as Camp Cooks!

We are so pleased to announce the return of Millie & Georgia, a long-time team of culinary perfection, as Ortoha's camp cooks this year. They have several decades of dishing out the best camp food you can imagine under their belts! As all camp cooks do, Millie and Georgia will stay in one of the cabins right across from the Mess Hall during the camp week. We appreciate all they do; they often have to rise very early to get breakfast started, and with three square meals for 20-40 campers to manage, they've signed on for some VERY full days! We are so lucky to have them! Millie and Georgia have a special place in the hearts of many of our alumni campers and we're very excited that the new campers this year will get to know this pair for the first time. Seriously, people, the food is beyond amazing. Mad skills.

As you might have already noticed, the 2016 registration forms have been released so please don't hesitate to get yours printed out and sent back in. A deposit of only $25 is required to reserve your spot and if you send it in early you'll qualify for the Early Polar Bear Special of $85! (Regular registration is $120.)

We'll be sending more updates soon, but until then, don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

Registration Forms Will Be Available Very Soon!

The Ortoha planning board has been working hard in preparation of the 2016 camping season! First up is getting the Registration Form updated and available online for download. (We plan on having the form available on both the website and the Facebook page within a week!) This year we will also be mailing out a form to each camper who attended Ortoha last summer, making registration very convenient for all those alumni campers and parents. The forms will be dropped in the mail next Monday, March 28th, so they should be delivered with plenty of time to return the form ahead of the Early Polar Bear Special deadline. Remember, those who postmark their registration forms by June 11 qualify the discounted price of $85! Of course, if you have a new camper this year, the registration is process is still very simple and straight forward. All you'll need to do is download the form, fill it out in pen and mail it in with a deposit. The return address is clearly listed on the form, and you can always contact us through the Facebook page with any concerns. We look forward to meeting all our new campers this year!

Another big preparation piece involves plans for a Camp Ortoha video. We hope to have enough footage taken during the 2016 season to compile a short but information video that can help prospective campers, their parents, as well as potential speakers learn more about Camp Ortoha's wonderful traditions and exciting program.

Stay tuned for more updates as we near the summer season! And don't forget to mark your calendars with the 2016 camp dates.

2016 Dates Have Been Set!

Save the date! We are excited to announce that the dates for Camp Ortoha's 2016 season have been confirmed: 

Grade School Camp (fall grades 4-6) July 24-28
High School Camp (fall grades 9-12) July 31- Aug 5
Middle School Camp (fall grades 6-9) Aug 7-11

The planning board is busy putting together all the details, including the theme, craft projects, speakers and meals. Please help us spread the word that we have open positions for Counselors, Head cook, Assistant cook and Speakers. If you are interested, please contact Director Brian Bowes right away. If you happen to know someone who would be a great fit for one of these positions, be sure to send them to our website to check us out! 

Thank you and happy planning! 

Brian's contact info: deacon@ncidata.com or 509.826.5750! 

Celebrate Christmas and Share a Part of Ortoha's Rich History

Still looking for gift ideas for Christmas? Well we still have plenty of Camp Ortoha's 70th Anniversary Cookbooks left to sell and these make an excellent present for anyone who enjoys new recipe ideas or walking down Ortoha's memory lane. 

All of the recipes were contributed by past Ortoha cooks, alumni and friends. Here are some of our favorites:

  • Millie Leslie's Big Trees Salad
  • Lost Lake Pudding Salad
  • Polar Bear Bag Omelet
  • Strawberry Mountain Balsamic Chicken
  • Mt. Bonaparte Cornflake Cookies

Not all recipes needed a camp theme in order to make the grade, though: 

  • Can't Beet a Simple Salad
  • Lucile Clinkenbeard's Ouick Peach Cobbler
  • Ruby Hoop's Regal Tomato Soup
  • Stan Simonik's Sauerkraut Soup
  • 7-Up Biscuits
  • Sitzmark Cinnamon Rolls
  • Coulee Dam Cake
  • And many, many more! 

There is even a "De-Skunking Remedy," should you ever need it (and we hope you never do)! Perhaps the oldest and most unusual recipe in the collection is from Rachel Brandt's Grandma Kriefall who lived to be 104 and the recipe was discovered 25 years after her death! Her Fish Soup recipe starts out, "Enough water to cover the fish and some onion and salt to taste. Cook until done, not long. When done, add a cup of cream or top milk..." 

In addition to many delicious recipes, there are also some fun history pages. If you'd like to order one, simply mail in a check for $13 made out to Camp Ortoha to PO Box 284 Tonakset, WA 98855. Be sure to also include your name, phone number and mailing address. We will send you the cookbook in return just as fast as possible so it can arrive it in time for Christmas! 

Cookbook.jpg

What Happens At Camp Ortoha During the Winter?

Winter has hit Washington State. We've been getting snow in the mountains for at least a week now, and it has even dusted the lower elevations a time or two. With the roads to Camp Ortoha impassable during the winter months there might not be as much happening up on the hill, but that certainly doesn't mean all activity ceases! There is still plenty to do, and plenty getting done! 

First off, the Ortoha planning board schedules a day in either late September or early October every year to officially close camp. It's a fairly straight forward process that just requires a small group of volunteers putting in one afternoon's worth of work. They do things like lock up all the doors, winterize all the windows and pipes, and stow away supplies. A locked gate gets placed over the entry road to bar any vehicles from trespassing. (The process of opening camp back up in the spring is actually the more grueling of the two tasks; we are always in need of volunteers for opening day, so please keep that in mind if you are interested in helping out! We will announce opening day well in advance so you can plan for it.) 

Once the camp is secure for the winter, the planning board starts to meet on a monthly basis to start planning for the next summer. They identify any improvements or changes they want to implement before the next camp season hits, and also begin to work on things like the speaker list, camp theme, and new program ideas (for example, arts and crafts activities, devotional resources, etc.). It takes a lot of coordination to make sure all the staff slots are filled for the upcoming season and to spread the word far and wide by the time registration opens again in the spring. At that point, the planning meetings tend to become even more frequent as final details get worked out. 

If you are interested in helping us during the 2016 season, now is the time to let us know! We are always eager to have more volunteer help, as well as fresh ideas and creative changes to consider.  

Cheers! And remember to keep the Ortoha planning board in mind and in your prayers as the snow begins to fall and their work load amps up. 

The Future Holds Great Things

As summer plans come to a close and our schedules all begin to look either more studious or organized, we hope you’ll take the following words to heart. This piece was first crafted for Mission Fest in July, where we celebrated both Ortoha’s rich past and exciting future. While it’s been reworked a bit to be better suited as an online post, the message still rings loud and clear. We encourage you to read it, and as you settle back in to the routines of work or school, consider how you can contribute making the Camp Ortoha season of 2016 even more epic than the one before!

You probably already know that there are a lot of reasons to love Camp Ortoha. What I discovered during the 70th Anniversary Celebration this summer up at camp, though, was that many of those reasons haven’t changed with time; they were the same for campers 70 years ago.

For one, it requires a long drive to get here – no matter where you're coming from. The means you have time to unwind and enjoy the transition to a slower pace. It's out in the middle of nowhere, which is also a big treat, and I mean that! I love that I don't get cell service up there. Getting closer to nature is always a great adventure and leaves me feeling good. And because of those first two reasons to love Ortoha, many more come tumbling in after; there is more time and space for bonds of friendship to be forged; hilarious inside jokes seem to grow as the week lengthens; there is excitement in doing ridiculous things, like elbow tag, skits and doing the “singing in the rain” dance at campfire. We start to realize that our world is bigger than we thought, as we learn from our peers who live in other places in the Pacific Northwest, but we also realize we all share similar struggles.

It is truly amazing that from such humble beginnings camp has stayed open for so long, and that its traditions have been able to remain unchanged. But unfortunately I think it's easy to fall into the mind frame that we are either at or nearing the destination. After all, Camp Ortoha has been open for 70 years! That's a long time for a camp to remain operational. We've worked very hard, so why not settle in a bit and relax? Why not celebrate how successful we've been and enjoy the moment? Surely the hard work is behind us. Surely we can pause for a breather and pat ourselves on the back.

Well, there is another thing that hasn’t changed about camp despite the passing years: the fact that it's God's. He inspired the idea in minds years ago, he gave us a beautiful place to enjoy, he has instilled a passion for the work in many dedicated servants, and he has impacted the lives of countless kids throughout the years. The God who has moved mountains to bring kids to camp to get closer to Him; the God that has led us through all these years of success – HE’S STILL HERE! He is still at work and He still desperately wants to connect with the young people who attend camp. He's still ready to love! He's still ready to change lives!

70 years is nothing to God. So we aren't nearing the finish line and we there's no reason to slow down. There are still so many kids that need the bright spot of camp in their lives!

God's plan for Camp Orotha started with 2 pastors and a group of kids with a vision, and has grown to thousands of camp alumni, lives saved for Christ, and lifelong friendships forged. He has created an army of counselors, deans, directors, cooks and speakers for all over this region. If God could do all that with one small group of youngsters, how much more could he do in the next 70 years with all of us?! I think God's plan is BIG, so big that it might take all of us to make it happen. Let's not put God's plan in our own worldly box of limitations and expectations. 

I know you'll agree that camp is awesome, but there is still room for improvement and work to be done.  Let's not assume someone else is going to do it all. Each of us has different resources and talents, so let's share the weight and pitch in together! Camp can only be better with dedicated people encouraging and supporting one another, striving for improvement. He can do SO MUCH through us if join his team and his mission.

If we do that, we'll be celebrating another 70 years, no problem. So I challenge you, think about the way camp has impacted your life and the ways you can help God with the mission of Camp Ortoha. Let's celebrate camp's incredible history and honor all those who have built it by making it even better – reaching more kids, changing more lives, spreading God's love to more people. I can't wait to see what he has in store. If you're interested in helping Camp Ortoha in any way, I hope you'll contact us today. Help us make Camp Ortoha even better for the generations to come after us.