Saturday, June 13, the long-awaited groundbreaking was held for Camp Duncan, the new theraputic camping facility for girls. Go here to see my previous blog post when I attended an open house there in March.
Friends of the Baptist Children's Homes from all over North Carolina gathered for this momentous and festive occasion. A temporary but inviting sign welcomed the guests.
Vans and shuttle buses ran all afternoon to bring some 400 well-wishers from the parking area. Cars lined the entrance drive for a half mile as well.
Many families had come early and engaged in fun outdoor activites leading up to the actual ground breaking and dinner. In spite of the heat, there was a breeze and plenty of shade. Snowcones and water bottles were provided in abundance.
Special gospel music was popular as the crowd relaxed, fellowshipped, and waited for the groundbreaking ceremony.
Many folks engaged in fishing in Camp Duncan's sprawling spring-fed lake. Boys from Cameron Boys Camp won accolades for their prowess with rod and reel.
Those same boys shared some spirited songs with us. They take great pride in the teamwork and cooperative spirit they have learned as campers. They can take that home to help mend broken pieces in their family life and turn a new page in their lives.
Paul Daley, who deserves much credit for the Boys Camp's success over the last 30 years, welcomed the hillside of friends. Paul will now guide the new Girls Camp in its infancy. He and his daughter Kristy shared a beautiful song Paul had been inspired to write a short time ago.
He was joined on the platform by Dr. Michael "Mickey" Blackwell, president of N.C. Baptist Children's homes, and one of our state's premier advocates for children. Mickey's ties to Moore County go back more than two decades to his 7 year pastorate in Carthage.
It's sometimes hard to surprise event organizers, but only a couple of BCH officials were aware of what was about to take place: a Cary church presented a check for $200,000! This goes a long way toward meeting a goal that will earn another $250,000 in matching funds from the foundation that helped launch the camp.
As Paul, Mickey, and other key leaders shoveled the first symbolic piles of earth, it was hard not to look ahead to the possibilities of this camp changing lives in a radically positive way in the near future. And immediately upon the conclusion of this ceremony, we were all off to a tented area the size of a circus tent where we would do some more shoveling--of some delicious grilled chicken, hot dogs, fixings, and desserts prepared by the NC Baptist Men and Women's Missionary Union.
As we took the shuttle back to our car and headed toward home we could tell that everyone else shared the enthusiasm, hope, and anticipation of what would take place in this camp in the years to come. Please help undergird with prayer Camp Duncan, their staff, and the girls who will seek meaning, purpose, and stability here in the years to come. 
Those same boys shared some spirited songs with us. They take great pride in the teamwork and cooperative spirit they have learned as campers. They can take that home to help mend broken pieces in their family life and turn a new page in their lives.
Paul Daley, who deserves much credit for the Boys Camp's success over the last 30 years, welcomed the hillside of friends. Paul will now guide the new Girls Camp in its infancy. He and his daughter Kristy shared a beautiful song Paul had been inspired to write a short time ago.
He was joined on the platform by Dr. Michael "Mickey" Blackwell, president of N.C. Baptist Children's homes, and one of our state's premier advocates for children. Mickey's ties to Moore County go back more than two decades to his 7 year pastorate in Carthage.
It's sometimes hard to surprise event organizers, but only a couple of BCH officials were aware of what was about to take place: a Cary church presented a check for $200,000! This goes a long way toward meeting a goal that will earn another $250,000 in matching funds from the foundation that helped launch the camp.
As Paul, Mickey, and other key leaders shoveled the first symbolic piles of earth, it was hard not to look ahead to the possibilities of this camp changing lives in a radically positive way in the near future. And immediately upon the conclusion of this ceremony, we were all off to a tented area the size of a circus tent where we would do some more shoveling--of some delicious grilled chicken, hot dogs, fixings, and desserts prepared by the NC Baptist Men and Women's Missionary Union.
As we took the shuttle back to our car and headed toward home we could tell that everyone else shared the enthusiasm, hope, and anticipation of what would take place in this camp in the years to come. Please help undergird with prayer Camp Duncan, their staff, and the girls who will seek meaning, purpose, and stability here in the years to come. 
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