Patriot Camp 2023 Rockland, Maine Co-Sponsored by Camp Constitution
This year’s Patriot Camp was a great success. Big thanks to Life Church, Jake and Tanja
Barbour! This is the first year we did a three-day camp, with the first day covering the Declaration of
Independence, the second day covering the U.S. Constitution, and the third day covering our
Constitutional Republic. With eighteen kids in attendance, we had several twenty to forty minute
lessons on our nation’s founding history with games and activities following each lesson. Again, we
offered a quill pen demonstration where the students were able to sign a Declaration with a quill pen.
Other activities included three-headed eagle to demonstrate the three branches of government, rope
making, flint fire demonstrations, tug-a-war, root beer making, and flag folding. We played various
outdoor games. We ended the 3-day camp with a parade, singing “You’re a Grand Old Flag” and the
students carrying a live American flag.
We were blessed to have Mrs. Bonnie Wilder from Camp Constitution teach various songs: the
Constitution song, There are Many Flags, The Constitution’s Preamble, and You’re a Grand Old Flag.
To compliment these songs Bonnie taught the kids hand signs. We are looking forward to another great
camp next year! A huge thank you to all the generous sponsors who helped make this camp a success.
Camp Constitution’s Ladies’ Spring Advance
If you haven’t attended Camp Constitution, I highly recommend it! Camp Constitution is a Christian family camp for one week in this summer, where the attendees study the U.S. Constitution and have a great time together.
Camp Constitution’s Ladies’ Advance happens in the spring and fall and is an opportunity for women to be refreshed and renewed with amazing fellowship. I have been fortunate to attend two of the four retreats at Singing Hills Christian Camp. Twelve women attended this spring’s event, most old friends but always additional new members.
The Ladies’ Advance starts Friday evening with a potluck followed by an evening around the campfire (wood stove) to sing and share stories. This year, Kathy Mickle shared a thoughtful activity: one lit candle can make a difference. We each had an unlit candle, then one was lit, its little light piercing the darkness. That one candle lit another, then as each candle was lit, the light grew brighter and soon filled the room. Her message was that positive change can start with just one person in a community. A very powerful but subtle way to make a good point.
The weekend was filled with fun activities, starting with stretching (our bodies need to be ready), devotions, amazing speakers, marksman skill-building, patriotic crafts, praying, and did I mention amazing food!!! (Thank you, Singing Hills, for the scrumptious meals). Our special guests this year were Kathi Lear of Well of Living Water Christian Fellowship and Ministries and Camp Constitution’s Hal Shurtleff for the marksman skill-building. Two good combos, God and guns!
(Mrs. Kathi Lear) (Mrs. Edith Craft and Hal Shurtleff on the range)
Another highlight of our weekend, Roberta Stewart, the founder of the Ladies’ Advance, organized us to make care packages to send to Ukraine. God bless our packages as they make their way to Ukraine. We will continue to pray for those families and soldiers in the war. Our closing discussion was from Charmaine Rondon titled “Will You Trust God or Trust Man”! Thank You, Charmaine, we can all be reminded to Trust in God!
(Mrs. Charmaine Rondon)
One is bound to feel refreshed and ready to take on the world after attending Camp Constitution’s Ladies’ Advance. A big thank you goes to Roberta Stewart, Edith Craft, and Maura Shurtleff and Hal Shurtleff!!! Women are strong together and make a difference when we walk in Power with God. I can assure you, that each woman who attended will be making a difference in her community. God Bless America.
Patriot Camp in Maine by Jessica Whitworth
Liberty for ME (libertyforme.net) along with the Knox County Republicans offered a one day
Patriot Camp for kids ages 5-11 at Damariscotta Lake State Park in August 2021. For our first camp
sixteen children attended from about five families, a great start!
We began our camp with the Pledge of Allegiance and an Invocation given by Tanja Barbour.
We offered three lessons on our nation’s founding documents: the Declaration of Independence and the
U.S. Constitution with its Bill of Rights. We were blessed to have Camp Constitution’s
(campconstitution.net) junior camp teacher Mrs. Edith Craft. Roberta Stewart, a Camp Constitution
staffer helped to get Edith to teach the children at Liberty for Maine’s Patriot Camp and provide much
appreciated support and input. The successful lessons focused on the Preamble of the Declaration of
Independence, the Bill of Rights with emphasis on the 1st and 2nd Amendments, and the three branches
of government.
Activities included demonstrations offered by Maynard Stanley on starting a flint fire which we
related to the spark that started the fight for freedom, rope making which twisted three strands together
to make a strong and sturdy rope, and writing with a quill pen which allowed the children to sign their
own “copy” of the Declaration of Independence. One of the children’s favorite activities was making
three of them into a three-headed eagle with brown fabric, yellow beaks, and a white bib to show how
our government’s three branches need to work together to protect our rights. The children also learned
how to fold and care for our nation’s flag! Spunky, the clown, attended and made a number of
delightful balloon creations for the children that included puppies, bunnies, guns, swords, flowers, and
hats.
The children and parents enjoyed the day learning about our nation’s founding history. Liberty for
ME plans to offer camps for children each year and prays that our program can spread across our
beautiful nation. We encourage other states to offer camps or after school programs to teach the truth of
our amazing nation, the United States of America.
