Meet Laura Lee!
In April we are adding a new staff member to the Camp Daniel team, Laura Lee! Read about her story with Camp Daniel below. She shares about her past experience with Camp Daniel and her future plans!
Laura Lee & Resident Chalsee at Formal Night
“When I first walked on to the Little Newton Lake Campus, more than 10 years ago, things were much different; the team was cutting down hundreds of trees and Hartley House was not yet being built. That night, when I slept in an old cabin that no longer exists, I knew that I would someday work with Camp Daniel. For the next several years, I grew closer to Little Tony and Camp Daniel, I came to summer camp when I could, and in the off season talked with Tony and dreamed of ministry!
In 2015, I joined the Camp Daniel staff as a missionary and moved into one of the family homes at camp. For the next year, I learned much more about how Camp Daniel runs and ALL that needs to be done during the off-season. I spent time developing the beginnings of the 20/20 campaign, and worked with summer interns. My favorite thing during that year was being roommates with Chelsee, a young woman with a disability! I learned that I had a lot to learn from Chalsee and my other roommates. I discovered that I truly enjoyed helping Chalsee grow into the person God intends her to be!
In the midst of finally finding my place…life happened! During the four years of living in the Midwest, a huge part of my heart was always back among my beloved community in Florida. My finances never stabilized, effects of isolation set in, and then my dad, who was living in Florida, had a surgery that he would never recover from. I had been with him a few months, when he went to heaven on my birthday in 2017. My world stopped, I had nothing to give, and the thought of selling our home was just too much! In haste, and out of grief, I officially left Camp Daniel and relocated back to Florida. I grieved, soaked up the sun, played in the garden and looked for employment. Few things during this time were life giving EXCEPT…. I took in a young lady with an intellectual disability, who lived in my home….and she not only gave me life, but gave me PURPOSE. I watched as God grew, changed, and loved her.
Ever since I was a missionary in England many years ago, I have wanted to be apart of, and grow an authentic Christian community; Camp Daniel’s community strives to be that community through camps, The Able Church, Special Olympics teams, and adult family homes in Athelstane. Camp Daniel wants to continue growing the community with adult family/group homes in Green Bay. This December, as I was again at a crossroads, I felt the prompting to join Camp Daniel again, move to Green Bay, and begin growing that community.
So, I have jumped off the cliff again, and in April I will be moving back to Wisconsin. God
Laura Lee & Camper Tom at Summer Camp
has already provided temporary housing. I am currently looking into opening and running a group/adult family home, as well as working part-time at a job involving people with disabilities. There are 25,000 people with a disability in the greater Green Bay community, with very few people trying to reach them, so the need for followers of Christ to bring HOPE is huge! I will also be working to connect churches and organizations back to Camp Daniel. When the current goal of summer camps on the Camp Daniel campus becomes a reality, there will be an increase of campers and programs, thus creating a need to expand the volunteer base. With the success of the 2020 Vision Campaign, the goal of “camp at camp” will soon be reached, and I plan to help with the transition. Historically, connecting people has been a gift of mine and I am grateful to be able to use this gift through Camp Daniel.
My move is coming quick! I joyfully anticipating working with many of you beginning in April, and reconnecting with you throughout the summer! And I’m looking forward to sharing the journey with you…” – Laura Lee
To support Laura Lee in her journey at Camp Daniel visit her missionary page;
