By Neisha Roberts
The Alabama Baptist
It’s become a yearly summer tradition for foster children and their foster parents and an experience they can’t find anywhere else — Camp of Champions. Sponsored by the Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes & Family Ministries (ABCH), Camp of Champions has welcomed hundreds of children and parents to camp for more than 20 years to “enable parents to be better foster parents during the year” and allow children to enjoy a fun camp experience while making relationships with other children.
Riley Green, vice president of administration for ABCH and known as “Ranger Riley” at camp, has directed Camp of Champions at Shocco Springs Baptist Conference Center in Talladega for 16 years.
“It’s one of the most fun things I get to do and be a part of,” Riley said. “Many of the campers (both children and adults) would not have this opportunity without us providing it.”
For both foster parents and ABCH house parents, different tracks of training are offered each year. This year’s camp, held June 14–16, included sessions like “Everything You Wanted to Know About Foster Care in Alabama,” led by Nancy Buckner, commissioner of the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR); Trey Woodrow, Shelby County DHR attorney; and Patti Tanner, counselor for Hoover City Schools. Other training sessions were: “Shifting Our Paradigms to Help the Least of These,” “Nonviolent Crisis Intervention,” “Trust-Based Relationship Intervention,” “Sibling Attachment Issues” and more.
Riley said he has heard a similar comment from parents every year — “Where would we get this type of training if you didn’t provide it?”
“I don’t know the answer to that,” Riley told The Alabama Baptist, “so I’m thankful we get to provide that incredible training.”
While the adults receive valuable training the children, from infants to high schoolers, get to play, swim, hike and enjoy camp. This year for first through eighth grade campers a special Bible curriculum was created by Chris Kinsley, communications director for The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham. The children studied the Bible together and the rest of the day’s activities then revolved around that lesson. A worship rally just for the kids also was held daily, something that hasn’t been done in several years, Riley said.
The 2015 Camp of Champions hosted 213 families (which included 349 children, 152 foster parents and 26 house parents).
For Michelle Drashman, director of communications at ABCH, this was her first Camp of Champions experience.
“There are a lot of moving parts and a lot of people that make camp happen,” she said.
More than 50 volunteers from Alabama Baptist churches and associations helped make this year’s camp a success by serving snacks, building campfires and visiting with families.
Riley said Alabama Baptists are vital to Camp of Champions. Many donate their time or money or collect and deliver items like snacks, bug spray, sunscreen or diapers.
“If it were not for the Church and volunteers, Camp of Champions would not be possible.”
For more information on Camp of Champions, visit www.alabamachild.org or email info@alabamachild.org.
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