Updates from ELEVATE: Harvest at Camp DeWolfe

Elevate Campers Running
Tags:Youth and Young Adult Ministries

What an incredible time we had at Camp Elevate: HARVEST! Campers spent four unforgettable days at Camp DeWolfe on the shores of the Long Island Sound, growing as leaders, trying new adventures, and deepening their understanding of God, themselves, and each other.

Under this year's theme, HARVEST, campers spent the weekend discovering and celebrating the unique gifts God has planted within them. From high ropes and paddleboarding to the annual pool boat race, open mic night, and daily Chaplain Chats, the grounds were filled with laughter, teamwork, and genuine community from start to finish.

Whether you're a parent reliving the memories or a friend checking out what made this weekend so special, explore the full recap and daily highlights below!

Elevate Campers having Marshmellows

Day 1 Highlights: Campers Have Arrived!

Day one of Camp Elevate is officially in the books! The energy was high from the moment the bus pulled up to Camp DeWolfe.

After kicking things off with some quick icebreaker games, campers headed to dinner for a delicious feast of Chicken Parmigiana and pasta (plus the traditional Superman Prayer). During orientation, Chelsy and the counselors walked campers through creating and signing this year's Camp Elevate Covenant to set a positive tone for their time together.

The evening was packed with action:

  • Capture the Flag: The traditional opening-night game ended in a competitive 1–1 tie between Team Alien and Team Cowboy!

  • Chaplain Chat: Father Thomas Becker introduced the theme, HARVEST, inviting campers to think about the unique gifts God has planted within them.

  • Campfire: Campers wrapped up the night around the fire with s'mores, a campfire "song-song" and some great conversation.

Everyone is settled in and excited for a full day tomorrow!

View the Day 1 Photo Gallery
Two kayaks at Elevate

Day 2 Highlights: Waterfront, High Ropes, and Scavenger Hunts!

Day two of Camp Elevate was packed with adventure, teamwork, and beautiful weather at Camp DeWolfe!

Campers began the morning together in prayer at Morning Chapel, taking time to reflect on the theme, HARVEST, and the many gifts God has planted within each of them. From there, it was straight into a action-packed day:

  • Waterfront Activities: Campers spent the morning out on the water kayaking, canoeing, and paddleboarding—trying new things, building confidence, and enjoying the outdoors.

  • Afternoon Adventures: The energy stayed high through an afternoon rotation of High Ropes, Archery, Mountain Biking, and Arts & Crafts, with campers cheering each other on as they stepped outside their comfort zones.

  • Evening Fun: After dinner, teams raced across the grounds for a campus-wide scavenger hunt, followed by an energetic game of Fishy Fishy that quickly became a camp favorite!

  • Evening Chapel & Campfire: The night ended with Evening Chapel, followed by s'mores, songs, and time around the campfire before heading off to bed.

Everyone is settled in and excited for another full day ahead!

View Photos from Day 2
Elevate Campers pose with the Boat Race Trophy

Day 3 Highlights: Boat Races, Open Mic, and Final Campfire!

It’s hard to believe today is the final full day at Camp Elevate! Yesterday was an incredible last full day together, packed with favorite camp traditions, plenty of laughter, and a few new memories.

Campers spent another day soaking in everything Camp DeWolfe has to offer before jumping into a full evening of events:

  • Annual Boat Race: After dinner, each cabin put their engineering skills to the test, racing custom-designed boats across the pool. Congratulations to Carman's River for claiming this year's Boat Race trophy! 

  • Final Chaplain Chat: The community gathered one last time to reflect on the theme, HARVEST, giving thanks for the unique gifts God has planted within each camper and celebrating all they've experienced together this weekend.

  • Open Mic Night: A brand-new Camp Elevate tradition was born! Campers (and Teddy!) took the stage to share their talents, filling the evening with music, encouragement, and plenty of laughs.

  • Campfire & S'mores: The night wrapped up around the campfire with songs, s'mores, and time together as the sun went down over the grounds.

Everyone is packing up and getting ready for the final morning together before heading home!

View the Day 3 Photo Gallery
Elevate Campers pose for Group Photo

Day 4 Highlights: Celebration, Worship, and Goodbyes!

It’s hard to believe Camp Elevate: HARVEST has come to an end! It was a bitter-sweet final morning as campers packed up their bags, snapped their official cabin photos, and gathered for one last big group picture on the grounds.

Before heading home, the entire camp community came together for a beautiful Celebration of the Holy Eucharist:

  • Sermon on "Thin Places": Bishop Provenzano presided and preached, introducing the concept of "thin places"—spaces like camp where it is easy to see and feel God's presence in our lives. He challenged campers to be that thin space for others back home, using their experiences from the weekend to show everyone what the love of Christ looks like.

  • Camper-Led Worship: Campers took an active role throughout the Eucharist, serving as vergers, acolytes, lectors, musicians, and choir members.

  • Final Song: The weekend concluded on a high note with one final, energetic rendition of "Lord of the Harvest."

View Photos from Day 4

 

A Heartfelt Thank You

None of this would be possible without the incredible team that brought Camp Elevate: HARVEST to life. A huge thanks goes out to Ryan Collins and the dedicated staff of Camp DeWolfe for not only ensuring the camp was in order but for your presence and spirit with our campers, to the clergy for helping to ground our days in faith and wisdom, and to our amazing volunteers and counselors who poured so much energy, love, and care into every single moment. Most of all, thank you to our campers—your joy, courage, kindness, and open hearts made this weekend truly unforgettable.

Save the date! Camp ELEVATE will return Thursday July 22nd to Sunday July 25th, 2027. Registration opens in early February. 

We can’t wait to be back together next summer!