Winter 2023 Building Leaders . . . Transforming Lives A place apart for building community Hope-filled Facilities Update by Rev. Charlie Zimmerman, Board President Thanks to the staff, our volunteer workers, the board of directors, and our many faithful supporters, there is a lot of good news to share about Agapé V Kure Beach Ministries. The following is a list of some of these important improvements. Kure Beach Faith Center: While it took nearly a year and a half, the sale of the Faith Center finally closed at the end of September 2023. The total sale was for $2,050,000, and included just the oceanfront property where the Faith Center is physically located. Agapé V Kure Beach Ministries does, however, still retain ownership of two empty lots across the street and plans to build there in the near future. The proceeds of the sale were disbursed as follows: $1,345,668.00 – Retained and invested for a new Kure Beach facility $21,500.00 – Repaid the line of credit at United Community Bank $150,000.00 – Subsidy for operations as a one-time cash infusion $75,000.00 – Additional staffing subsidy $50,000.00 – For capital projects and renovations $300,000.00 – For the Swimming Pool renovation or rebuild Once the new Executive Director is on board in the fall of 2024 and has an opportunity to assess our needs, they will begin a visioning process for the type of facility that will best serve our clientele over the next 10-20 years. This process will undoubtedly be followed by a capital fund drive. Timber Sale: At its August 2023 meeting, the Board of Directors made it a priority to be more proactive in the management of our forest. Consequently, Piedmont Timber has been hired to harvest existing timber on over 150 acres in the most northern part of our property. The harvesting will be followed in due time by a careful replanting. The Board of Directors was intentional about involving our Environment Education staff in assessing what timber could be harvested while minimizing the impact to our enjoyment of the remaining 450+ unharvested acres. The harvesting is underway and should be completed by the end of December, weather permitting. The estimated total proceeds from the timber sale will be between $250,000 and $300,000. The Gatehouse: Thanks to Volunteer Coordinator, Ray Prill and his very capable team of volunteers, the Gatehouse was recently refurbished inside and out. The work accomplished includes: Currently, our Interim Executive Director, Lee Lindeman and his wife, Karen, are residing there. A grant was secured from Augsburg Lutheran for pastors to use the very comfortable Gatehouse for retreat/Sabbaticals in the future. Handicap accessibility: Through additional volunteer efforts as well as funding grants from the Michael Peeler/Virginia Casey Fund, Lutheran Men in Mission, the Home Mission Fund, Christ the King - Cary, and Good Shepherd - Raleigh, we have made significant strides in improving handicap access to our facilities. A parking pad was added outside the Retreat House. We also have handicap doors being installed at the Retreat Lodge, Woodlands Center, and Retreat House as well as handicapped accessible bathrooms in the Lodge. This work will continue in the upcoming year as we want to be fully welcoming to all. • Drywall repair and replacement in the utility room • Rebuilt the utility closet and added a door • Repaired damaged vanities • Added continuous drain for dehumidifier • Updated lighting fixtures • Painted the entire exterior • Repaired, replaced and added new gutters • Added a French drain and updated landscaping • Replaced the water heater • Replaced much of the exterior siding • Painted the entire interior Hope-filled Facilities Update continued on page 2
Office: 919.552.9421 Interim Executive Director’s Notebook “Do Not Be Afraid” “Do not be afraid.” That short and seemingly simple encouragement is one of my favorite messages in the Bible. Believe it or not, “do not be afraid” is the most used phrase in the Bible. In fact, somebody took the time to count, and it actually occurs 365 times. I can’t help but wonder if the writers of the Bible knew that fear would always be an everyday reality. From the beginning of Biblical times, people have always had things to be afraid of in their lives. For Noah, it was a flood, for Moses it was a journey into the wilderness, for Mary and the Shepherds it was news that was too good to be true, and for the disciples it was the death and resurrection of Jesus. In all of these situations, we see a cycle of faith that is healthy for campers and people of all ages to be aware of. This mysterious cycle moves something like this: first, we find ourselves in a position where everything in life is good, under control, and as it should be. Then we’re faced with some sort of fear or struggle that challenges our faith and former ways of thinking and believing. This is followed by some sort of encounter with God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit which brings about a transformation and new life. Finally, this transformation makes us better able to face the next inevitable fear. So, this cycle of faith continues, again and again and again. Campers, staff, parents, even organizations such as Agapé V Kure Beach Ministries – we all face things that cause us to fear from time to time. It’s part of our human nature. This cycle of faith though, shows us that thanks to the resurrection of Jesus, even the ultimate fear of death is transformed into the assurance of life. Thanks to Jesus we now experience hope out of hopelessness; security out of insecurity; confidence out of fear; and life out of death. May knowing that help to ease your fears today and every day. As I live into my year as the Interim Executive Director, I am filled with hope, and not fear, for the future of Agapé V Kure Beach Ministries. As Psalm 16 says, “All that we have comes from God. Our future is in God’s hands.” I hope you join me in that confidence as we walk together into a bright and confident future. In Christ Lee Lindeman, Interim Executive Director Current Waves Interim Director’s Notebook & Facilities Update 2 Building Leaders through Christ-centered relationships Hope-filled Facilities Update (continued from page 1) High-Speed Internet: I.T. company, Cloudwyze, completed our high-speed internet connection in the fall of 2022. We now have reliable internet service to the Woodlands Center, Lodge and Retreat House, Bolick Health Center, the Office, Gatehouse, and Maintenance Building. Having reliable internet has been a real game-changer for staff and guests. As we all learned during the pandemic, Zoom meetings and access to internet resources are part of our daily lives. The final connections will include running cable to get connectivity to Gerhard Cabin, the pool, and the campsite areas. Pool: The camp pool limped through another summer with a lot of TLC. After almost 40 years of service, the facility and equipment that runs it are on their last legs. We definitely need a replacement, as the thought of a NC summer camp without water is hard to imagine! One unexpected result of the pandemic was an increase in construction costs as people made renovations to their homes and businesses. This affected our planned budget for replacing the camp pool. After the architectural drawings were submitted for bid, the price came back at sizable 1.2 million dollars. The current pool is 1,250 sq. ft., while the proposed pool was 2,458 sq. ft. with the capacity to serve 164 people. Work continues on a redesign and scaled back version. Currently we have $562,178 in cash, which includes an infusion of $300,000 from the sale of the Kure Beach property. We await the pool redesign plans so we can get a reliable cost estimate. Once the revised estimate is defined, additional fundraising will most likely follow.
www.agapekurebeach.org Staff Updates Farewell Chandler Carriker: This past August 21st, the Board of Agapé V Kure Beach Ministries, received the resignation of Executive Director Chandler Carriker, effective October 8th, 2023. In Chandler’s time with us, the ministry continued to rebound from the difficult times that resulted from the pandemic. We had a successful 2023 summer camping season, with an increase in campers from last year. The Board thanks Chandler for his new programming ideas, effective staff position realignments, developing a property management plan, and working diligently with us on other ongoing issues. Please join us in prayerfully wishing Chandler all the best on the next leg of his career journey. Welcome Lee Lindeman: This past September, the Board of Agapé V Kure Beach Ministries, voted to hire Lee Lindeman as the Interim Executive Director through September 2024. Lee brings a wealth of experience to this new role, after a career in Lutheran outdoor ministry, including nearly 18 years as Executive Director of Lake Chautauqua Lutheran Center in Bemus Point, NY. Please join us in welcoming Lee to the Agapé V Kure Beach Ministries community. Welcome Jamala Harrison: Jamala joins the AVKB team as our Registrar. She is a native of Virginia and holds a B.A. in English from Hampton University and a M.S. Ed. with an emphasis in Sports Management from Old Dominion University. Most of her professional career has been spent in the education and nonprofit sectors. Welcome Angie Dement: Angie joins the AVKB team as our Bookkeeper. A native of Fuquay-Varina, she holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Campbell University. Most of her career has been spent working for churches and nonprofits. Who’s that in the kitchen? It’s Kyle Hassler, our former Registrar and Guest Services Manager. Since taking on the role of Food Service Director, Kyle has served up a variety of delicious meals for our guests. Bon Appétit everyone! Notes from the Naturalist & Staff Updates Current Waves Building Leaders through Christ-centered relationships 3 A Winter Beauty to Behold The American Holly is an evergreen tree that blends into the forest until wintertime. Then its dense, spiny, glossy leaves and bright red berries decorate the landscape. The tree is planted as an ornamental because of these pretty leaves and berries, but we have them naturally occurring throughout the Agapé landscape. The branches of the American Holly are popular to gather for decorative purposes during the Christmas season. American Holly trees are slow-growing and longlived. They are an important food source for over 20 species of songbirds and gamebirds including thrushes, mockingbirds, robins, catbirds, grouse, quail, and wild turkey. We can thank these birds for spreading the seeds for more holly trees to grow. The nearly white wood turns brown with age and exposure to air. It is tough and dense and has been used in making various scientific and musical instruments, furniture inlays, sporting and athletic goods, and toys and other wooden wares. The bright red berries form on the female trees. That’s right – hollies have separate male & female trees. (Plants are way more complicated than people! Some trees have both on the same plant.) Trees with female flowers bear fruit; trees with male flowers supply the pollen. The trees flower in spring with the fruits maturing by fall. When you visit Agapé in the winter (or anytime, really), be sure to take a look through the forest for these beauties to behold. Mir Youngquist-Thurow Environmental Education Director HAS YOUR ADDRESS CHANGED? New address? Please update us! E-mail camp at: [email protected], call the camp office at 919.552.9421 or send your new address to: Camp Agapé, 1369 Tyler Dewar Lane, Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526. Woodlands Center Brick Patio What a great way to make a gift to our ministry and leave a lasting tribute to someone you love. Leave a lasting legacy gift at the entrance to the Woodlands Center at Camp Agapé. 4” X 8” bricks can be purchased for $150.00, an 8” x 8” brick for $300.00, or a 16”x16” brick for $500.00. Have your brick inscribed with your name, or customize a message to honor or memorialize someone else. Leave a lifetime legacy with this special gift to your camp. Contact camp or visit our website for details. Notes from the Naturalist
Thank You to our Camp Nurses! We genuinely appreciate each and every one of our camp nurses! They are a vital part of our summer as they ensure everyone’s wellness! With deep gratitude to Dr. Jes Sloan, Erin Darnell, Melinda Menz, Katy Johnson, and team leader, Amy Rogers. We are so grateful to all of you for your time and talents! Are you in the medical field? Housing, meals, and the chance to register your own youngster for free are all provided for medical professionals who would like to volunteer for a week at summer camp in 2024! If you would like to know more, get in touch with Lee! Call 919.552.9421 or email [email protected]. Thank You to our 2023 Summer Staff! This summer was full of happiness, love, faith, and learning! Our amazing summer staff shared with each camper the unfathomable love and grace of God by providing them with unwavering care! The campers this summer experienced growth in both their faith and their leadership skills as a result of the tremendous effort and commitment of these remarkable young people. Are you curious about joining our summer staff team for 2024? Reach out to Lee at 919.552.9421 or at [email protected]. Current Waves Thank You to our 2023 Summer Staff and Nurses! 4 Building Leaders through Christ-centered relationships Office: 919.552.9421 “The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindnThere is no law against such “Coming into camp I thought I wouldn’t have a great time but in the end I had a perfect time & I felt I could connect with God more & make new friends.” “I’ll miss my counselor . . . “ “This summer has meant more to me than I could ever express.” “Agapé is awesome and fun and I am coming back!” “ “Camp Agape is the best!” “Thank you for all the work you put into camp for us to have fun.”
2024 Summer Staff Search Current Waves www.agapekurebeach.org Building Leaders through Christ-centered relationships 5 ness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. things." - Galatians 5:22-23 2024 Summer Staff Search The search is on for the 2024 summer staff and we need your help! In order to ensure our ability to provide the level of program, service, and ministry that you’ve come to expect, we need to fill the following positions: *Support Staff also serve in the kitchen. For more information or to apply, please visit the following link. https://agapekurebeach.org/about/employment. • 2 Team Leaders • 4 Female Counselors • 4 Male Counselors Support Staff* consisting of: • 1 Lifeguard • 1 Packout Coordinator • 1 Arts & Crafts Director • 1 Store Manager Agapé is such a beautiful place to be!” I really enjoyed getting to know everyone in my cabin . . . “ Thanks so much for being so supportive and caring! “You guys run this place really well and I hope I’ll be back.” “God truly walked in these woods this summer.” “My counselor made me feel loved beyond measure.”
ACE Education celebrates 25 years! April 22, 1998, the first field trip to the Agapé Center for Environmental Education arrived to experience the wonders of God’s creation. Since that day, ACE Education has expanded to include so many educational events for North Carolinians of all ages! Driven by “Goal #4: Creation Stewardship,” ACE Education recognizes the need for children and adults to be outside exploring, learning, and developing an appreciation for the wonders of nature. For that reason, our program is focused on an experiential model based on meeting the state educational guidelines. All of this helps us fulfill a passion-driven mission of inspiring connections with creation. We’ve come a long way since then. For the first 11 years, ACE Ed was headquartered at the Lodge. Trail signage was accomplished in 1999 – very helpful to the educators! Study sites were improved with benches, boardwalks, bridges, collecting docks at the pond; many of which were accomplished with the help of Eagle Scouts and generous volunteers. When the Woodlands Center was built (2009), ACE Ed shifted operation to the lower level which was designed with EE program needs in mind. The “Prep Room” storage area is the envy of other environmental educators statewide. (We’ve given multiple tours!) Typically, we serve 5,000-6,000 students along with teachers and chaperones a year with day and overnight field trips. We have been pleased to welcome schools back to Agapé after the lean pandemic years, and are looking at a return to our typical usage. ACE Ed – What’s Happening? For school groups (public, private, homeschools) • Day field trips • Overnight field trips • Extended day field trips For homeschools • ACE Ed-Ventures Weekly (homeschool drop-off program) • ACE Ed-Ventures Beyond (homeschool family camping weekends with programming) For other groups • ACE Ed-Ventures Silver (guided hikes and seminars with special guest speakers) • ACE Ed-Ventures Pre-K Summer • Summer Camp nature activities • Nature Camp week • Summer ACE (for day cares & track-outs) For formal and non-formal educators • Educator Workshops: Project Learning Tree, Project WET, Project WILD and some specialty topics by guest naturalists For families, youth groups, scout troops • Saturday Safaris • Adopt an Agapé Trail Special Fund Raisers/Events over the past 25 years • Race for ACE – 5 years and “running” again in 2024 (2018-2022) • Enviro-Venture – a festival event held for two years (2016-2017) • Hike-a-Thon – 14 years of hiking the trails in fall color glory (2004-2017) ACE Ed by the numbers: • 131,000+ students and adults served • 122 ACE Education Educators – sharing their expertise and enthusiasm since 1998. Their dedication to our mission and core values is what has contributed to the success of ACE Education. I can’t thank them enough! We look forward to continuing to provide top quality environmental education opportunities for years to come! Maybe you could be part of the ACE Ed experience! Join the educational staff, volunteer, help maintain trails, write grants… contact Mir to get involved: [email protected]. 919-552-9421 x 210. 6 Building Leaders through Christ-centered relationships Office: 919.552.9421 Current Waves Congrats to ACE Education!
Camp Agapé Work Day March 16, 2024 Save the date and keep your work gloves handy! March 16th is a day for us to work together as a community to care for God’s creation. Summer camp will be right around the corner and Agapé will be in need of some serious tidying up! As always, there will be plenty of jobs for everyone! Work starts at 8:30 AM. Make sure to have a hearty breakfast before you leave home! For more information or to register, contact Mir at [email protected] or (919) 552-9421. For students, Work Day offers a great opportunity to complete some community service hours! www.agapekurebeach.org Building Leaders through Christ-centered relationships 7 Upcoming Events Current Waves Book a Retreat at Camp Agapé Today! Camp Agapé, a beautiful place apart, is a natural retreat where the everyday demands of life can be set aside and your spirit be refreshed and renewed. Wander the woods. Pause and live life at a slower pace for a few days. With 12 miles of hiking trails, Camp Agapé offers a unique secluded place apart to escape the hustle of everyday life. Our three lodging facilities are ideal for families, youth groups, church groups, and business groups to use for family reunions, team building, birthday and graduation celebrations, etc. Call the office at 919.552.9421 or email [email protected] to get started on creating your perfect day, weekend, or mid-week event! Building Youth Groups BYG Camp Agapé Tentative Year-round Program Schedule Keep an eye on our website, Facebook and Instagram pages for more info on our year-round retreats and events! 2024 is going to be a great year! March 16, 2024................. Work Day May 10-12, 2024 ............... Building Youth Groups (BYG & BYG-ers) Grades 3-5 & Grades 6-8 Aug. 30-Sept. 2, 2024 ....... Labor Day Family Camp TBD ................................... Mother Daughter Retreat TBD ................................... Father Son Retreat October 19, 2024.............. Work Day December 13 & 14, 2024 .. O' Holy Night For more info contact our Program Director at 919.552.9421 or [email protected] 2024 BYGs: May 10-12 Camp doesn’t have to be a place that is only enjoyed by your youth in the summer! We have incredible programs for both you and your youth group that will support you and help lay the groundwork for their continued involvement in the church throughout their childhood. Our Building Youth Groups program has two age ranges: BYG for 3-5th graders, and BYG-er for 6-8th graders. During a BYG or BYG-er, leaders and youth participate in all the fun of camp, while growing in community and fellowship with one another. You’ll play games, make crafts, worship, and do all the things that make camp so much fun . . . together. This is an incredible opportunity for building and strengthening the relationships between the youth in your group as well as their relationship with you as their youth leader or mentor. Come to camp for BYG! We welcome all people and youth groups to join us for a weekend of fun and spiritual fulfillment.
Agapé † Kure Beach Ministries 1369 Tyler Dewar Lane Fuquay-Varina NC 27526 River of Hope Town Hall Meeting Generates Input For Executive Director Search While the search process will get underway in the New Year, work has already begun to identify the ideal traits of an Executive Director. At the Town Hall Meeting of the River of Hope Giving Club, held this past October, an extensive list of Kure Beach V traits was generated which will guide the Agapé Ministries’ Board of Directors in the search process. If you are interested in reading over this list of traits, please visit: https://bit.ly/3MSePmB. If you would like to fill out the survey used to compile these traits, follow this link: https://bit.ly/47AMpWk. We will do our best to keep you informed as new information on the hunt for an executive director becomes available. As we all await for this position to be Kure Beach Ministries’ V filled, please remember the Agapé Board of Directors, the Interim Executive Director, and all of the staff in your prayers. 2024 Camp Agapé Summer Camp Schedule Registration opens 1/1/2024! Scan the QR code to be directed to our Summer Camp webpage. Scan for info June 16 -21 S.I.T. Leaders $820.00 June 16 -21 Confirmation Camp $645.00 June 23-28 Prime $645.00 June 23-28 Classic $645.00 June 30 - July 2 Young Folks $360.00 July 3 - July 5 To Be Announced July 7 -12 Classic $645.00 July 14 -19 High School $695.00 July 14 -19 Nature Camp $670.00 July 21-26 Prime $645.00 July 21-26 Classic $645.00 July 28 - Aug. 2 Night Owls $680.00 For information about registering for a week of camp, contact our Registrar at [email protected]. Day Camps remain on hold until we meet the on-site staffing needs of our residential programs.