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Summer Camps at Mississippi College Attract Over 6,000 Kids


Pictured are several Purple School members at the 2014 Super Summer camp at Mississippi College: Jonathan Hancock of Baldwyn, Mackenzie Smith of Tupelo, team leader Allie Martin of Tupelo, Leah Bowlin of Mendenhall and Michael Pace of Madison.

Laura VanHorn first experienced life at Mississippi College as a fifth grader at a summer camp on the Clinton campus.

“It was really fun worshiping with kids my own age,” says Laura, 20, an MC junior from Winona and member of the Lady Choctaws tennis team. “And I enjoyed the fun games.”

As a 10-year-old Winona Elementary School youngster, the time to build her faith, and make new friends as a Centri-Kid camper proved life-changing. It convinced VanHorn to return to the 5,000-student university a couple more times and ultimately make Baptist-affiliated Mississippi College her college choice.

Starting June 1, the kinesiology major joins the MC staff working with more than 6,000 kids to make their stay as enjoyable as possible, rain or shine.

In June and July, campers from 14 states like Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Missouri, Florida and Arkansas will travel aboard vans and buses for the journey to America’s second oldest Baptist college. Last summer, campers made the journey from as far away as Crestview Baptist Church in Clayton, Ohio.

Last year, Mississippi College attracted 6,547 summer campers. It’s not only a valuable way to help the kids strengthen their Christian faith, build friendships and have a blast. It’s a vehicle to spread the name Mississippi College throughout the South and bordering states. In addition, summer camps bring a pretty nice economic return.

“Last year we grossed $986,528 and we expect to go over $1 million this year,” says MC continuing education director Ken Gilliam. It’s also an investment to benefit MC’s hometown of Clinton. “The buses go to Wendy’s, the church vans fill up on gas,” and many parents call Clinton home as chaperones for up to a week, says Gilliam, who oversees the summer camps.

No longer is Mississippi College a quiet place during June and July. Years before summer camps became so popular, university dining halls remained closed. Now, Campus Dining employees can work year-round and relish the experience even though kids in the Caf can get noisy at times.

For Mississippi College coaches, whether it’s football, soccer, volleyball, softball, or basketball, there’s always plenty on their to-do list as camps roll in.

Second-year MC football coach John Bland expects another big blitz of kids for two football camps starting June 9 and June 15. About 300 youngsters attended the Choctaws football camps last summer.

“With the combination of NCAA Division II and the location of Mississippi College, the summer camps were definitely a huge success in 2014,” Bland said. “This year being No. 2 in the process, I believe that the camps will be bigger and better.”

Whether it’s coach Paul Duke keeping tabs on the Lady Choctaws hoops team camps for high school girls or coach Don Lofton organizing things for the boys at the A.E. Wood Coliseum, their summer figures to be busy.

It’s the same way for the Christian camps. Affiliated with Baptist churches across the Magnolia State, MC is gearing up for its annual Super Summer invasion from July 13-17. About 1,300 Super Summer campers will take part in worship services, games, Bible study and enhance their leadership skills.

This summer, MC will welcome 900 campers from the Birmingham, Alabama-based Student Life group and 3,300 Fuge campers from Nashville-based LifeWay.

Always a big hit on the Clinton campus: the Department of Music sponsors its music camp for up to 60 children from schools around the region. It runs from June 28-July 3.

Affordability is always a plus for parents when it comes to paying for Mississippi College summer camps. Prices range from $210 for sports camps to $315 for a five-day Fuge camp (and that amount includes 5 nights in residence halls and 14 meals).

Mississippi College campers also invest in their community. Kids with Mission Fuge camps leave the Clinton campus to volunteer with service projects throughout metro Jackson. All good things must come to an end. MC’s final day of the 2015 summer camp season will be July 24.

For more information, contact Ken Gilliam at 601-925-3264 or gilliam@mc.edu