Pre-camp: Canyonview starts preschool program

By Brenna Wiegand

“It’s the T-ball of summer camp,” Lance Kamstra says of Canyonview’s new program for preschoolers.

“I didn’t like having to tell so many kids they had to wait until first grade to come to camp,” said Kamstra, who volunteers his time promoting the Christian-based camp, fund raising and bringing in other needed resources.

“With Pre-Camp a parent or guardian stays with their child the whole time – and they both benefit from it.”

Canyonview’s Pre-Camp is open to children age 3-6 with sessions in July, August and September. Each camp consists of five 90-minute sessions – four consecutive Friday mornings and a mid-month evening potluck for the whole family.

“I am not aware of another camp doing this,” Kamstra said. “I’ve had this idea in my head for three years but I was waiting to find the right person to do it.”

Enter Katelan Roth, recently hired part-time office help for Canyonview’s summer season. Kamstra knew her family and upon seeing her at camp realized she was the perfect one for the job.

“I grew up the oldest on my mom’s side of the family so I watched all my little cousins be born, babysat them and helped change diapers and things and when I was 9-and-a-half we adopted my little brother,” Roth said. “Once the moms realized that I could babysit and be responsible for this little boy at 10 years old, word got around and I’ve been babysitting anywhere from one to six kids at a time since I was 11.”

What Kamstra suggested was right in line with her passion.

“I didn’t realize it but it is a bigger deal than I thought,” said the 19-year-old. She asked God for direction.

“He put people in my life who kept saying, ‘You would be perfect for this; don’t even think about saying no,’ so I said, ‘God I’ll try this … This is a very scary thing but if you’re leading me in this way I’m sure you’ll provide the wisdom and the knowledge to be able to go ahead and do this.’”

Job one was creating the program from scratch, with Bible-based stories, games and crafts and timeframes for each. It was a big deal and awaits board approval, but Roth loved the process, benefitting greatly from help furnished by Mindy Myers, director of children’s ministries at Emmanuel Bible Church in Pratum.

“Ten dollars a session – that’s cheaper than going to a movie with your child or grandchild,” Kamstra said. And now when parents dropping off a camper are trying to cajole little brothers or sisters back into the family vehicle, Lance tells them they need to wait – not until first grade, though – ’til Friday morning.