ATLAS Celebrates a Joy-Filled Summer of Camp and Community Support
ATLAS Ministry recently completed three weeks of summer camp, hosting 120 campers each week and celebrating a season filled with faith, friendship, growth, and meaningful community support.
ATLAS Camp serves rising Kindergarten through sixth-grade students in a gospel-centered environment designed to help campers grow in their faith while building relationships and life skills. Students participated in team-building activities through a low-ropes course and sports activities like basketball, swimming, fishing, and archery. They also enjoyed daily devotions, music, and specialty tracks such as culinary, agriculture, woodworking, cheerleading, and wilderness survival.
The camp theme, “Marching Home,” centered on Hebrews 13:14, reminded students that this world is not our permanent home and that we are looking ahead to the home God has prepared for us. Through small group conversations, worship, and time spent with their camp counselors, campers were encouraged to live with that truth in mind.
While camp brought plenty of summer fun, its purpose reached far beyond the activities themselves. Each day gave ATLAS staff, volunteers, and high school student leaders the opportunity to pour into younger students, build trust, and remind them of who they are in Christ.
Throughout the summer, high school student leaders participated in ATLAS’s six-week Leadership Summit, which equipped 60 students to serve as camp counselors while growing in responsibility, discipleship, and service. Through hands-on training and daily interaction with campers, they helped guide activities, encourage participation, and model servant-hearted leadership for the younger students they served.
ATLAS is grateful to the many sponsors who provided food for campers throughout the summer, including HSBC Open Hearts, BP SAV-A-LOT, Greer Force Marketing, Pastor and Lady Pete, Surcheros Fresh Mex, Ray and Beverly Mullins, Matt and Macy Green, Zaxby’s, The Yesterday Café, Lake Oconee Area Builders Association, Calvin and Cari Borisuk, The Greens, Lakepoint Community Church, Growing in Grace Small Group, and Mike Dawkins Small Group.
In addition, ATLAS wants to thank ALL the volunteers who served breakfast and lunch each day. They were a key part of helping camp days run smoothly. Volunteers grilled hot dogs on lake days, picked up and delivered food, washed and cut fruit, plated all food for each meal, and cleaned up when everyone finished eating. “I loved seeing all of the children and their camp counselors having so much fun,” said volunteer Laurie Head. Many other volunteers commented that serving during ATLAS’ Summer Camp was the highlight of their week.
Because of the generosity of camp sponsors and donors, every child was able to attend ATLAS Camp free of charge. That is a tremendous gift for students and families, removing a financial barrier while opening the door for children to experience a summer filled with encouragement, friendship, biblical truth, and lasting memories. Thank you for your support; you were a blessing to so many children in the community.
“ATLAS Camp is about so much more than summer fun,” said CEO Ryan Gibadlo. “It is an opportunity to build relationships, speak truth into the lives of students, and help equip the next generation for God’s purpose. We are incredibly thankful for every sponsor, donor, volunteer, and family who helped make this summer possible.”
To learn more about ATLAS, its programs, partnerships, and how to support their mission, please visit ATLASministry.org.
