Meet our soon-to-be Assistant Director!

While we will miss Katie and know that God is leading her to teach in Mississippi, God is also leading someone else here to Crestridge.

We are excited to announce that Ashley “Sutherland” Genoble has accepted the Assistant Director position and will be starting in July! Ashley grew up in Greenville, SC and graduated from Clemson University. She served as a Cherokee counselor in 2009-2010 and Cherokee Village Director in 2011-2012. After her last summer at camp, she participated in a year long discipleship program in Memphis, TN then moved back to SC. She worked on staff with the youth ministry at First Baptist Simpsonville and most recently with First Baptist Spartanburg. Her time at both of those church involved discipling the girls in the youth ministries. Her mission is to disciple and see people fall more in love with the Lord! Ashley married Josh Genoble just over a year ago and Josh is currently working at First Baptist Spartanburg as well. We are so excited to have Ashley back at camp serving in this position and to see how God will use her to continue His work here at Crestridge!

Here’s a note from Ashley…

“It all started in the spring of 2009 when I was a sophomore at Clemson University. I had grown up going to summer camps and knew one day I wanted to be a counselor. I began searching for the right camp to apply to when my roommate introduced me to Camp Crestridge. It was love at first sight. I spent the next four summers at camp and loved every minute. However, each summer I had to reevaluate if going back was the right decision. And each time the Lord gave a resounding YES! But then the day came when I needed full-time, year round employment and I had to say “see ya later” to camp. Fast forward to the spring of 2017. I can hardly contain my excitement with the opportunity to be back at camp full-time. It honestly feels like a dream come true. Even though I did not grow up as a camper at Crestridge, I genuinely feel like part of the camp family. I have seen how Crestridge has changed not only my life but hundreds of others over the years. To think that the Lord would be so sweet and gracious to allow me to come back is incredible. And to top it all off, I now get to introduce camp to my wonderful husband. I can’t wait to reconnect with families I knew in the past, get to know more families in the future, and meet all the incredible summer staff that make camp possible. I without a doubt have huge shoes to fill but am excited about this new adventure. I firmly believe the Lord has huge plans for Camp Crestridge and I am so thankful that I get to be a part of it!” – Ashley

Welcome back, Ashley!

Posted in Girls, News | Tagged Ashley Genoble, Assistant Director, Crestridge, Discipling, Greenville | Leave a reply

Big Announcement – Please Read!

Crestridge has meant many things to many people over the years. It’s amazing to see how God has used this place and the staff here to impact many lives for His glory! I love seeing the friendships that are formed between our campers and staff and how those friendships continue through the years! One of those people that many staff and kids remember and love seeing each year is Katie Greenwell!

Posted in Girls, News | Tagged Campers, God's Glory, Impact, Katie Greenwell, MS, Teaching | Leave a reply

Spring Cleaning Birthday Party Bash!

Spring cleaning at camp means YOU are right around the corner! A few of our staff came up for a weekend to help get camp ready and to celebrate Grace’s Birthday!!!

Here is our checklist and a few pics of the fun we had…

• Fertilize and seed the upper green-CHECK
• Clean  out the beehive basement-CHECK
• Fertilze the plants and flowers with holy tone, rose tone, plant tone and osmocote (ask Grace our new horticulture specialist if you want to know what that stuff is)- CHECK
• Clean out and organize the Village Director closet of fun-CHECK
• Prime new cabin signs-CHECK
• Prime two infirmary bathrooms-CHECK
• Clean pool- CHECK
• Celebrate Grace’s birthday on the blue ridge parkway with a picnic- CHECK AND CHECK

Before…

During…

After…

Whistle while you work…

Picnic on the Parkway…

You can make chores fun anywhere! What does your Spring Cleaning look like?! 

Posted in Girls, News | Tagged birthday party, cc4g, spring cleaning, work weekend | Leave a reply

What a trip to Haiti taught me

I (Sharon) had the opportunity to join a team from my church to spend a week in Arcahaie, Haiti. We just got back and it has been quite the adjustment! I am so thankful for the opportunity to be there and serve alongside the people there. We joined 2 other teams to work with an organization called Poverty Resolutions. Poverty Resolutions has a compound in Arcahaie that helps equip the Haitians to learn valuable skills such as construction, agriculture, business, etc. They also are developing relationships with the families in the community around them to help provide clothes, food and schooling for the kids whose parents cannot provide the funds for those things. Many Haitians live off $1 a day. Think about that! Can you live off a $1 a day? I don’t know that I could. We got to see poverty in it’s truest form. It was a hard thing to see and grasp.

While there, our teams built 2 roofs, started a garden, hosted 4 medical clinics in 3 different communities, visited an orphanage, children’s hospital and provided encouragement to the Poverty Resolutions staff who live on the compound. I mostly helped with the medical clinics but was able to help a little in the other areas as well. I loved playing with the kids in the community and watching them play soccer. The main language there is Creole. I have never spoken Creole before so the language barrier provided it’s own set of challenges. On the last full day, we spent a couple hours at Mother Teresa’s Children’s Hospital in Port au Prince. These children rarely had visitors. They were extremely malnourished and had illnesses that will be hard to recover from. Our goal while we were there was to hold as many of the babies and toddlers as possible. They don’t get the physical touch and attention they need so they were literally crying out for it. Several of us were in tears because we wanted to spend more time there to be able to give more attention to the kids. That was the hardest day, emotionally, to see those kids cry out for attention but also to see those sweet ladies who have given their life to take care of hundreds of kids.

Things I’m still processing:
1. Our younger generations are losing the ability to be creative. These kids have no toys, no electronics, nothing and they laughed, played with each other and love life!
2. I have so much stuff that I don’t need-clothing, books, electronics, kitchen utensils, living space, etc. It makes me appreciate what I have but I also question what I actually need to live.
3 (and the most important). JESUS IS ALL I NEED! If all I had was Jesus and His death and resurrection, I need to be ok with that. That’s all that matters! Silly arguments and disagreements, comparing myself to others, wanting more of something…all that doesn’t matter. What matters is that I accept the gift of Jesus that God has given me and live a life that serves God. Am I using the gifts and abilities He’s given me for His glory or my own? I pray that it will be for His glory!

Another thing I learned is that it’s not realistic for me to come back and expect to sell everything I have and move back to Haiti. Or try to live off a $1 a day here in America. The U.S. is different than Haiti. But I do need to look for opportunities to serve those around me each day and live a life of humility.

I am so thankful for the week I spent there and I hope and pray that I’ll be able to go back! Here are a few pictures from the trip!

When we were in the church service, they sang a campfire song! Can you tell which one it is?!

Campfire Song-Haiti-720

Posted in Girls, News | Tagged $1, Arcahaie, Compound, construction, Creole, Gardening, Haiti, Haitians, Hospital, Medical Clinic, Poverty Resolutions | Leave a reply

INSIDE SCOOP on YOUR 2017 STAFFERS!!!

Batch 2 of 2017 Staffers is UP! 2017 Staff Bios

Hang on. Wait a minute. Keep reading!

We just wanted to let you in on a little something about this summer’s staff. We have a top secret, staff facebook group, and we are already talking about this summer! We are getting to know each other. And let us tell YOU! They are FUN. They are EXCITED. And GOD is getting them ready for an incredible summer with you! They are looking forward to being silly with you. They are looking forward to sitting and talking about life with you. They are looking forward to sharing God’s word and Jesus with you. But that isn’t the best part…

Do you know what all of that means? That means that GOD is looking forward to making all of this happen because He loves you. Not because you’ve done anything to make Him love you, but because He just loves you because He loves you. Before He planned out this summer and got all of these counselors and staff to get ready for you this summer, He sent HIS ONLY SON for YOU so that you could KNOW HIM NOW!

Moms, Dads, and Campers. Camp and all of the things here and even your amazing counselors do not compare to how great Jesus is and how much He loves you and has sacrificed (If you don’t know what this word means, ask someone! It’s a beautiful word!) to love you. He loves you more than you know. And we can’t wait to share more of that with you! Sometimes life is great fun, and sometimes it’s pretty rough, but one thing is always true. If you know Jesus as your savior, HE IS ALWAYS WITH YOU.

Romans 5:8 “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

See you so so so soon! Only 94 more days till Session 1!!

Posted in Devotions, Girls, News | Tagged Camp, cc4g, count down, Crestridge, Staff Bios, Summer | Leave a reply

WillPower 5K (aka…the best race ever!)

For the past 4 years, Ridgecrest Summer Camps has sponsored the WillPower 5K race. The race was started to raise awareness for HHT. One of our very own camp family members, Will NeSmith, discovered he had this genetic condition by suffering from a spontaneous brain hemorrhage. Here’s a little more about Will’s story (which can also be found at www.willpower5k.com)…

Posted in Girls, News | Tagged Hemorrhage, HHT, Race, Running, Stroke, Will NeSmith, Willpower, WillPower 5K | Leave a reply

Evolving Traditions for Belles and Trekkers

The Belle test and Ranks of Trekkers and Belles have been a long standing tradition at Camp Crestridge for years and years. We love the experience this provides for our campers. The lessons that come from the challenge, the test, and the outcome of it don’t stop at the lifting of the silence ban. Many times those lessons are just beginning. We love how God uses this experience in each of our lives (whether we are in the test or not) in very different ways. For some it is a once in a lifetime unique experience that challenges them in fun ways that can only be experienced at camp, for others it is a pivotal point in their walks with the Lord, for others it is a time they discover things about who God has made them to be, for some it is an experience of discipline and dedication and dependence. Whatever the impact, we love that there always IS an impact. It is an opportunity for us all to see challenges, tests and experiences as coming from the Lord and being FOR the Lord.

This year we want to share how an element of the Belle and Trekker Tradition will be evolving. In the past we have had girls who have, or will be receiving the rank of Trekker or Belle sit in the spotlight on the stage during our Council of Progress Ceremony. This year we will have the Trekkers and Belles sit in the audience with their fellow cabin mates out of the spotlight. We will still have them walk across the stage to receive their honor bands and ranks, but we hope that this will allow them to simply enjoy the ceremony and message as we all do, without having the eyes of camp on them. Our desire is to provide a setting for all of our girls to both celebrate like crazy with those who have had a unique experience AND to easily focus on Christ and the growth He is working in us through the encouraging illustrations and His word spoken through our camp leadership.

Chippewa, Chickasaw, Creek, Cheyenne, Catawba, Choctaw, Cherokee, and Chehoapek, WE CAN’T WAIT FOR YOU TO GET HERE!

So many things to look forward to!

Posted in Girls, News | Tagged Belle, Belles n Trekkers, cc4g, Council of Progress, CP, Evolving Traditions, Girls, Trekker | Leave a reply

Our Florida Adventures

One of the great things about our job is that we get to dream about summer all year long. We get to think of new activities, new skills, how to improve our current activities, look for incredible staff, keep in touch with our camp family and much more! One of the most exciting things we get to do is travel around and visit our camp family and tell their friends about camp. Our most recent excursion has been in Florida. We are on our last day of a two week trip. Our travels have taken us to Orlando, Jupiter, Miami, Bradenton, Tampa, Gainesville, Tallahassee and Jacksonville. We have seen lots and lots of campers and staff! We even got to see two of our camp staff get married! Seeing our camp family is encouraging and just good for the soul! We love hearing from our campers and staff about what God has been teaching them over the year and how they are applying that in their lives. It’s a good motivator to get back to camp and continue getting ready for the summer. We have lots to do but we are excited to see campers running around camp again and growing deeper in their relationship with Christ! Summer 2017, here we come!

Posted in Girls, News | Tagged Animal Kingdom, Bradenton, Camp family, Campers, Chick-fil-a, Disney, Florida, FSU, Gainesville, Jacksonville, Jupiter, Magic Kingdom, Miami, Orlando, Staff, Tallahassee, Tampa, UF, UNF, Wedding | Leave a reply

Remembering Past Christmas’ at Camp

You may have noticed that we love to make videos here at camp, especially around the holidays! Take a look at our past Christmas videos and let us know which one you enjoyed watching the most!

2016

2015

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

Posted in Girls, News | Tagged Christmas, Elf, Holidays, Norman Rockwell, Training | Leave a reply

What Makes Crestridge Special

What makes Crestridge so special? Who remembers the impactful poem Sharon always reads before the silence ban is lifted for the Belles? Ever wondered what that poem means or why we read it? Here is the poem incase you forgot:

Hold high the torch!
You did not light its glow –
‘Twas given you by other hands, you know.
‘Tis yours to keep it burning bright,
Yours to pass on when you no more need light;

For there are other feet that we must guide,
And other forms go marching by our side;
Their eyes are watching every smile and tear
And efforts which we think are not worthwhile,
Are sometimes just the very helps they need,
Actions to which their souls would give most heed;

So that in turn they’ll hold it high and say,
“I watched someone else carry it this way.”
If brighter paths should beckon you to choose,
Would your small gain compare with all you’d lose?

Hold high the torch!
You did not light its glow –
‘Twas given you by other hands, you know.

I think it started down its pathway bright,
The day the Maker said, “Let there be light.”
And He once said, who hung on Calvary’s tree –
“Ye are the light of the world.
Go! Shine – for me.”

This is such a cool poem! And if you look really closely, you will see that Crestridge really lives up to these words. Our mission statement at Crestridge is, “Impacting Lives for God’s Glory through Discipleship and Adventure.” I think we can all think of someone at Crestridge who has impacted us. And those people don’t do it to seek our approval or get our attention, but to give God the glory. It’s not actually about Crestridge at all- it’s about God! Discipleship. Man, this is a really cool thing I have found at Crestridge. The poem says, “Hold high the torch! You did not light its glow- ’twas given you by other hands you know,” and I think this is a lot like the discipleship that happens at Crestridge. Whether you are a camper, counselor, central staffer, director, scout… someone is passing on the “torch” (light of Christ) to you. You don’t come to Crestridge and leave without hearing about Jesus and how much He loves you. Lastly, adventure. Crestridge is FUN! Having a relationship with Jesus is an ADVENTURE! The poem references the Bible and says, “I think it started down its pathway bright, the day the Maker said, “Let there be light.” Jesus said, “let there be light,” and there it was.

What makes Crestridge special is not Crestridge itself. It’s Christ. It’s that at Crestridge we each learn how to carry the torch and adventure with the God who made us. And for that, I am thankful.

Posted in Girls, News | Tagged adventure, Crestridge, discipleship, Fun, God's Glory, hold high the torch, torch | Leave a reply