Campers ages 2 to seventy came to Rainbow Camp this year, and all had a great time. The fourth incarnation of this annual event set a new record for participants and included all the classic camp activities, like canoeing, fishing, archery and horseback riding. There was a special presentation by Master Naturalist Kathleen Gaare-Wiese on amphibians and reptiles, which was followed by making toad houses during craft time. Another special activity this year was a nature hike led by Marty Kemper, DuBois volunteer and also a Master Naturalist. Marty shared his vast knowledge of the plant and animal life at camp during the hike, including finding a tiny, rare orchid.

It’s hard to capture what Rainbow Camp means to participants, but one high school camper put it this way, “You often think you have to be OR. You’re either LGBT or you’re Christian. Here you can be AND. You can be both.”

When participants spoke at the closing circle about what they got from the day, words like community, love, authentic, family, understanding, and peace all freely bubbled up. This camp is a special place where everyone can be their authentic selves and all are seen as children of God.

Rainbow Camp is for LGBTQ singles, couples and families, as well as straight allies. It will be held again next August at DuBois Center.