IN THIS ISSUE - McQuaid Jesuit High School

Students Volunteer
at Camp Koinonia
By Chris Hood
Shortly after school let out for the summer in June,
McQuaid Jesuit students and adult leaders, most of
whom are faculty and staff of McQuaid, volunteered
their time at Camp Koinonia, a Catholic family camp in
Italy Valley, NY. Opened in 1957, Camp Koinonia
provides an environment for family and personal
renewal. Chris Hood, McQuaid’s Director of Christian
Service, attended the camp in the summer of 2010.
Following his visit, he contacted the board of directors,
proposing that the school embrace two service retreats at
the camp to improve the facilities.
The goals of the service retreats were to give the
students an experience that would be a combination of
work, prayer, and fun. For many of the students, this
would be their first service trip and retreat experience.
The participation goal was to have 30-40 students
involved between the two retreats, one for the high school
and one for the middle school. More than 120 students
were involved between the two retreats, far surpassing
the initial goal. For the second service retreat, June 22-24,
there were 60 middle school student participants, 12 high
school student leaders, and 12 adult leaders and helpers,
making it the largest overnight retreat and service trip
experience McQuaid had ever created!
The high school service retreat was June 19-21. The
students took off two layers of shingles and put a new
roof on the craft lodge, painted the outside of four
cabins in the upper camp, and began the painting of the
main lodge, among other projects. The middle school
students completed the painting of the main lodge,
scoured the chapel clean, painted the outdoor pavilion,
and helped split and stack a ton of firewood. It was not
all work, however. There was plenty of time for ultimate
Frisbee games, hikes up a creek to a waterfall, and night
games of manhunt and capture the flag. Brian Frain, S.J.
came to celebrate Mass in the chapel for each service
retreat. There also was evening prayer and group
reflection to give the service retreats a reflective
component.
Overall, the retreats were a great success. One unique
wrinkle that was added to the retreats is that a few faculty
members brought their kids on the retreats with them.
This gave the opportunity for the kids of the faculty
members to work alongside the students. In total there
were 17 adults who made the retreats possible by
volunteering their time. The service retreats were
popular and successful enough that they will be an
annual offering. If you would like to get involved, please
contact Chris Hood at chood@mcquaid.org.
The Camp Koinonia Board
of Directors named the
McQuaid Jesuit service
retreat participants "camp
heroes" for all their work.
It was a great way for the
students to start their
summer: with service,
prayer, and fun.
Service Project 3