04/01/2026
Dear friends,
"So Blessed" was one of our summer themes quite a while ago, and it seems to capture my feelings for the moment. This week is my final week as the Executive Director of Camp Roger, as Wednesday will be my last day. There are so many thoughts swirling around in my head, and I think it's going to take some time to process them. I'm glad to be able to go on a camping trip with Bev next week.
I think I'm beginning to grasp why this feels so significant to me. It's not that my leadership was so significant or that things at Camp are going to change in dramatic ways. But for many of us, the impact that Camp has had on us has been life-changing, and this can bring that significance to the surface. At Camp, we can see the ways we've grown, the ways that our faith became real, the ways we became our best selves, and the way we saw God use our gifts in His work. That's what is so significant and, I think, what we hold so tightly.
The good news is that God is behind all of that, and He's not changing. Camp will continue to flourish. We have AMAZING program directors in place, enrollment is strong, the Board is faithfully seeking God's wisdom, and the future is bright.
Yes, a new leader will be different than Doug Vanderwell, and they might not love spreadsheets or chainsaws as much as I did. But they will bring new gifts, skills, and passions that God will use for the next chapter of Camp's story. I, for one, am excited to see what God will do next. I'm so blessed to have been part of the story in the most recent chapter.
God be with you 'til we meet again.
Sincerely,
Doug Vanderwell
PS Please read Bev's reflections on Camp Roger, she wrote in her blog Marginalia. I love her memories of Camp. Go to CampRoger.org/leadership for the link.
