CARLINVILLE — Following a 22-year tradition, Elaine Vonderheide, with the assistance of several volunteers, welcomed over 50 individuals to Family Camp at Lake Williamson Christian Conference Center Sept. 24-25.
Vonderheide, who is the associate director for Special Needs in the Office for Social Concerns, said the camp was a big success. "The people with special needs who come are as young as 9 or 10 years old up to some who are in their 60s, but is just really works," she says.
Betty Buscher of St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Teutopolis, accompanied her two sons Tim and Steven — who are both in their 40s — to the Carlinville camp. "We've been to 18 or 19 camps and my sons really enjoy them," Buscher says. "Some of us went fishing. They also played miniature golf, did some arts and crafts, played basketball and went swimming. The highlight of the night is the square dancing and pizza."
Catherine Wolff from St. Alphonsus Parish in Brighton says she has taken her daughter Susan, 36, to Family Camp "every year — when it started she was a young girl." Susan, who has Down syndrome, was the 12th of 16 children born to John and Catherine Wolff. John Wolff has only missed two camps, in 2011 and 1997, because of illness, his wife said.
"Susan looks forward to that camp every year," Catherine says. "Her favorite thing is making necklaces. I think she has 20 of those necklaces hanging in her room."
"I remember the first time that the Wolff family came to camp," Vonderheide says. "They brought their daughter Susan and about seven or eight of their other children. This year they brought one of her brothers and one of her sisters and a friend. That was nice. That's the way it goes. As the campers get older, so do the parents. So, if the parents can't do it anymore, then usually a sister will begin coming with them."
Vonderheide says she believes the Holy Spirit helps her with preparing for the camp and how the weekend plays out. She is also grateful for people like Susan Vogt of Sigel, who brought her four children and a foreign exchange student to volunteer. She is especially thankful for her friend Rita Corde who took over helping with Family Camp when Vonderheide's husband, Jerry, passed away years ago.
Stability is the mainstay behind Family Camp, Vonderheide says. A clown group called The Sundancers tells parables and stories, Bo Semith calls for the square dance, and three guitarists from the Sigel area — Pete Althoff, Dave Kastl and Eric Thompson — provide the music. For many years, Father Sylvano Pera, OFM, has celebrated the closing Mass at camp, where students act out the Gospel, and participate as servers, gift-bearers and lectors.
When life takes a sad turn, Family Camp can help, Vonderheide ascertains. This year the campers remembered their friend and fellow camper Troy Waldhoff of Shumway, who was killed this summer in an auto accident.
"This camp is so good for the people who come here, but it is a lot of work," Vonderheide says. "It really is too much for one person to handle, but I get a lot of help. The people are wonderful."
Family Camp is held every year on the last weekend of September. Those who want to go to camp next year should plan on attending Sept. 29-30. For more information, call Elaine Vonderheide at (217) 342-2718.