LISTEN, AND SAY YES!

The greatest gift that God has given us was his son Jesus Christ, An innocent child, that we can adore and learn from. In reflecting on this I thought of my son, who is two years old. Every night before he goes to sleep we say our prayers. These moments are some of the proudest that I have as a father, every night he folds his hands as we pray:

Dear God, GOD! (he says as intensely as a 2 year old could) we thank you for our day YES! (I might add that he prays like a preacher, everything I say he resounds with a convincing YES!). Thank you for all the fun we had today, YES! And the friends we made, YES! And we pray for Grammy, YES!, Nana, NANA! (and so on....) he prays with such passion that I am astounded and amazed. He makes me yearn for such passion. One of my favorite bible verses has always been Matthew 18:3, There Jesus encourages us to have faith like a child. I just liked it, it seemed to strike a chord with me, but I didn't fully understand it until I became a father, and I can see that God wants us to have such unquestioning, unadulterated, unflappable faith that we shout YES! to him and his will. In my life I always think that I know what is best for myself. But in reality that is far from the case. If I would simply turn off my thoughts, and listen to what the Father wants, and shout YES! I would be truly doing his will.

I pray this Christmas season we can say YES! To what God is asking of all of us. That is to say yes, to a calling to listen and follow him, To let him lead us and not try and over-think and interpret what he is saying to us. Let us just listen and say YES!

-Nick Balabanski, Director of Media

Extremes

If I were to sum up Catholic Heart Workcamp in one word, I would definitely have to say “Extremes”. I have been working for CHWC for the past 6 years either as a Staff member or a Musician and have been to almost 50 camps across this beautiful country of ours and the one thing that my stands out in my mind is how extreme my experiences have been.

There are many different aspects of Catholic Heart, all of which are important threads in the fabric that make the experience so wonderful. There are Tacos, camouflage, prayers, skits, dancing, sun, paint, floors, spotlights, ladders… I could go on, but I’m sure you have other things to do today. Every single one of these elements are things that CHWC and all those involved, from the campers to the office staff, go Full Tilt on. Nothing is held back and it is always all or nothing. For me, the parts that have kept me going all these years can be found on Tuesday and Wednesday nights at camp.

Dance Party. Even typing that word makes my heart beat a little faster and sweat bead on my forehead. I love to dance, and the Tuesday night dance party is a marathon of awesomeness that gets everyone up out of their seats and get their hearts a-bumpin’. I cannot think of anywhere else in the world that has such a high octane and energy driven event. For those 20+ minutes, I feel like nothing can touch me and I have gone to a different place where hip shaking and arm waving is the international language of love. When it’s all over, I just want to fall down and enter into hibernation. It is such a joyful and wonderful experience that takes me to my limits in my energy and ability to keep dancing.

The next night takes on a much different feel with Four Corners. This is a much different extreme than what we were feeling the night before. Instead of strobe lights, there are candles; instead of dancing, prayers; instead of sweat, there are tears. Four Corners, a night dedicated to prayer and healing, is an experience that can’t truly be described. It is moving and powerful. In the same way I feel the spirit of dance moving through me the night before, I feel the Holy Spirit moving through the room during Four Corners. I am always amazed by this experience. It is a reverent and faith focused time of prayer and reflection. People there have no inhibitions and leave their hearts on their sleeves, open for the Will of God. Everyone there comes from a different background and has had different experiences, but at Four Corners, we are all God’s children. I have talked to and prayed with students whose faiths have put mine to shame, who are struggling with the same things I did, who are so desperately in love with God it cannot be put into words. There in that space, God is present. And God is Extreme.

When we talk about experiences, we often talk about our highs and our lows. What are the great things in our lives and the things that are not so great? At Catholic Hearts, these extremes are my eternal High. I have seen amazing things that have changed me as a person and a Christian. I have met people who have affected my life and challenged me to do better. I have been called to live every day, my faith and my life to the extremes. To not leave anything behind in this world, to leave my cards on the table, so that when I get to heaven, I’m prepared for the dance party that I know it’s gonna be.

Jon Pressimone
Click here to listen to Jon's new CD, "My Father's Apple Tree"

Camp Update

We are so excited about what our 2012 summer has in store. Can you believe CHWC has 11 camps FULL? We have over 7000 campers registered for next summer. Did you know you can check the availability of our camps numbers are updated daily. Information on all of our camps, especially our newest location in Laurel, MD is available on our dates page.
Here are some reminders of some of our policies:

ADDING OR DELETING CAMPERS: If your group would like to add or delete campers please use our new Addition/Deletion form. If you are adding campers please be sure to check the availability of your camp on our website or for a more accurate number call the office at 407-678-0073.

12 & 15 PASSENGER VANS: Safety and liability issues are forcing churches to abandon 12 &15 passenger vans. In most dioceses they are no longer permitted. Therefore, CHWC will no longer permit 12 & 15 passenger vans. Mini-buses offer a viable replacement option for transportation.

PROCEDURE FOR PRIESTS AND DEACONS: Most diocese have in place a policy requesting a letter of suitability of all visiting priests & deacons. All priests and deacons that will be attending Catholic HEART Workcamp must inform the Chancellor of the Diocese in which they will be entering. If you have a priest or a deacon attending with your group please call the Workcamp Office. Attached you will find a PRIEST & DEACON INFORMATION FORM for you to complete and return to us in the office. CHWC will send a letter about the request and the procedure. Registration Fee for Priests - $75.00 (Excluding Jamaica)

CHWC STAFF: Catholic HEART Workcamp is committed to doing everything to ensure the safety of all those employed and attending a Catholic HEART Workcamp. CHWC does complete a National FBI Background Check on all employees. All CHWC Staff are also trained in the Virtus program “Protecting God’s Children” in order to be in compliance with the US Catholic Bishops Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.

PAYMENTS: CHWC can no longer accept individual personal checks. We ask that you send one check for all participants.

God Bless,

CHWC Office Team

CHWC Postcard 2012

Today our 2012 postcard went out with tentative dates for this summer. We have 48 camps scheduled for 2012.

More Than Just Service

WRITTEN BY: Kelly Naas, Public Relations Diva

It’s always incredible to stop and think about the BIGNESS that is Catholic HEART Workcamp. After all the planning, fundraising, preparation, and prayer that goes into arriving at camp...you quickly become a part of something BIGGER than yourself. Gathered together, you create a once in a lifetime team, and in a community, for people you don’t even know...you SERVE.  Joined with the multiplication of other cities, camps, teams, and teens around the country, lives are changed and hope is restored simply by the work of your hands. Who is serving through CHWC and how much of an impact does a summer of CHWC have on our world? Good question! We wondered the same things; check out some of these numbers for our 2011 summer!

11,712 campers
484 Groups
94 Priests
44 cities
1,563 Work teams
1,998 Residents and agencies were served

Catholic HEART Workcamp is much more than a week of service that simply ends when our participants depart home after camp. It is a sacrificial experience that has the power to strengthen faith and transform lives long beyond the bus ride home. Though we never know the exact way our campers are impacted, it is a testimony to our mission and ministry when we hear of stories where life and camp intertwine, coming full circle to prove that the CHWC experience is serving our participants as they too are serving.

In closing here is a letter we recieved from one of the residents that was served this summer.

In July this year, my husband and I were blessed to have a team from CHWC come to our home. We are elderly, living on a pension and unable to tackle the task of painting the outside of our house.  The team not only did that but also painted two rooms inside and weeded our large yard.  We are so grateful for CHWC and for the opportunity to meet young people and their chaperones who are willing to give time and effort into helping those in need.   We pray God’s blessing on these camps and those who take part in them and send our sincere thanks.
Sincerely, Cynthia & Ernie Seddon
P.S.-We have written to the Holy Father expressing our appreciation.

Story from a Camper.....

Growing up I had a cousin named Carolyn, who was just three months younger than me. She was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, a mild form of Autism. She had a lot of difficulty in school, making friends and staying out of trouble. Both of these things impacted her learning. She changed schools a lot and she was just always looking for her place in the world.

When I was a senior in high school, my youth group planned a trip to Nashville, TN to go to Catholic Heart Work Camp. My mom suggested that Carolyn drive down from Saint Louis, Missouri to go to camp with my youth group in Memphis. I hesitated selfishly as I weighed the options and what it would cost me personally. I agreed that it would be an excellent opportunity for her, and she ended up coming.

On the three hour bus ride, Carolyn had already started to make friends with other people in my youth group. By the time the camp started, she was fully involved in the camp.

From the opening song at the first program, when she was allowed (and encouraged!) to be silly and get into it, she found her niche. CHWC was a perfect catalyst for her to find a way to be herself and be accepted. She did work projects and helped others in a way she never would have been able to do without the CHWC setting. More importantly she built relationships with people who accepted her without question. She felt a connection with God that had never been present before.

Coincidently (or not so coincidently I guess) there was a youth group from Saint Louis that was at the same camp as us. The youth leader and several of the members of the youth group made an effort to welcome Carolyn and invite her to join them at their weekly youth group events. When school started again, her mom drove her 30 minutes away to go to the youth group events at that church. Like everyone else, her mom noticed a change that had taken place in Carolyn and wanted to allow her to build those relationships.

I always knew that Carolyn had been heavily impacted by the experience at Catholic Heart. Years later we were sitting at her kitchen counter just chit-chatting. She was telling me about a tattoo her friend was thinking about getting. I asked her if she had any new tattoos she hadn’t told me about. Then she showed me the “Shift 2 Degrees” symbol she had gotten tattooed on her side. It wasn’t a large area that was inked, but it spoke volumes to me.

It was then that I realized that sometimes it truly only takes 2 Degrees.

Merchandise added to Store

Due to its popularity at camp the Boo-Yah! shirt is now for sale in the CHWC Store!

Also all of the summary videos and pictures CD's are completed so they are available to purchase.

Spreading the Brotherly Love....

Every year Catholic HEART Workcamp grows, reaching new people and doing

work in communities across the country. Last week, CHWC took

Philadelphia by storm for the first time! And what better place than the

City of Brotherly Love to live life uncovered and spread the CHWC love.

Among the 35 work groups working in the city, three groups worked at Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (BVM) Parish in the Kensington neighborhood of the city. Clearing nearly a hundred bags of garbage from neighborhood streets, painting the Visitation BVM School cafeteria, and

renovating a local convent, these groups made a monumental difference.

In the process they also learned that This Place Matters.

Visitation is currently one of a hundred finalists in the national This

Place Matters competition run by the Historic Trust for Historic

Preservation. In order to win though, Visitation needs votes! Currently

ranked 7th in the nation, Visitation will use the prize to continue the

outreach efforts of the Parish, which sustain the neighborhood and are

estimated at a value of $22 million. To learn more about the work

Visitation does and to cast your vote visit:

http://www.preservationnation.org/take-action/this-place-matters/community-challenge/places/visitation-bvm-parish.html

Voting runs through the end of June. Each e-mail address can only vote

once, so vote with every address you have!

This is a great way to continue the work that begins at CHWC and allows

the agencies we work with to flourish! So take a minute- share it with

your friends- vote & spread the brotherly love!

What an Unbelievable 4 Days

What can 407 Catholic HEART Workcampers do in a community in 4 days?
At 117 different houses we scrapped and painted, 11 houses on the outside, 96 rooms inside, 3 sets of kitchen cabinets, 7 unattached garages, 14 sheds, 3 swing sets, cleaned and repaired 12 bathrooms, completely tore down and built a new deck, rototilled 3 yards, power washed 14 homes, removed 15 stumps, repaired or moved  4 electrical services, assisted 12 homeowners with their computers, removed and replaced carpet 2 homes, washed over 500 windows inside and out, scrubbed 20 houses inside entirely, reset or replace 15 toilets, repaired and painted 22 doors, totally vacuumed 18 houses, fixed 12 screens, hung 5 ceiling fans,  repaired 3 swamp coolers, 7 floors, 6 light fixtures, 5 leaky faucets, 12 drywall jobs, 2 garbage disposals,  repaired 12 decks, painted 24 decks,  repaired and painted 1000 foot of fence, cleaned and repaired 6000 foot of gutters, poured a concrete sidewalk, fixed 3 concrete steps, help plant and weed 18 gardens, pulled weeds at 46 different homes, trimmed and cut grass at 48 homes, varnished 5 staircases or tables, laid mulch at 36 homes, built one clothes line, repaired 5 sprinkler system, built 4 iron hand rails, moved and help build 12 stone gardens, help plant flowers at 9 houses, sorted 1000’s of books to be sent to library in Kenya, removed 7 old appliances, 50 old tires, cut down over 50 trees, cut and trimmed bushes at many houses, but more than that we removed over 350 compressed cubic yards of trash from our neighborhood.  But more important than all that.  These 407 campers brought excitement for life and Christ to the homeowners.
WHAT AN UNBELIEVABLE 4 DAYS.

-Roger Gudenkauf, CHWC Denver Manager

Staff Training #2

The first staff is on the road, and teams 2,5&6A are here for a week of training. Here are pictures of the teams.

TEAM 2

TEAM 5

 TEAM 6A

Introducing CHWC 2011 Staff

Well Staff Training is upon us and staff member from all over the country are here in Orlando for a week of training before they leave for an adventure of a lifetime. There are 3 teams here this week and three come next week. Here are pictures of the teams.

TEAM 1A

TEAM 3A

TEAM 4A

Introducing CHWC 2011 New Merchandise

There are many ingredients that make a week of CHWC a memorable one. Taco Tuesday is the most festive night of the week and this year we have revamped our design for the camper who just cannot get enough…TACOS!

What elements of CHWC make your experience an EPIC one? Chances are pretty good that you may find some of your responses to this question featured on the back of this shirt. Our super soft, tri-blend EPIC shirt encompasses tons of factors that make camp unlike anything else you will experience this summer!

Classic. Bold. Comfortable. This hoodie is ready to be worn all year long and is very likely to become your next favorite sweatshirt! Heather grey with maroon "CHWC" featured on the front.

The Catholic HEART Workcamp Family is growing...

Congratulations Wayne and Daisy on your new arrival!  God has blessed them with a beautiful, healthy little girl...Stella Daisy Nassis!   Born on March 2 at 1:03 am and weighing in at 7lbs. 14oz. The proud parents are enjoying their precious gift!  Welcome Stella to the CHWC family!

Manager's Meeting 2011

This weekend all of the managers for CHWC came to Orlando for a meeting. It was a great time and lots was accomplished. We are getting closer to the summer of 2011, only a couple short months away now and our managers are now beginning work on finding the work projects for this summers camps. Below is a picture of everyone from the meeting.