2001 - 2005 Era

When you think of the “best years of camp”, you think of 2001 – 2005, no question.  Cabins were still actually rustic, the pavilion went up, the blob and slide were added to Lake LouAnn, OIX was formed in the back of an Italian restaurant, Farm was an actual activity, Father Hank (Spanky) ran the show and Steve Angrisano (Bongos) ruled the entertainment scene for teen weeks.  There was no fancy PAC, adventure park, chapel, or massive dining hall. (Yes half of camp had to eat outside and it only had one bathroom.)  While it might not make the newer groups of counselors better for having those things, we can all agree it makes camp better to have safer and more accommodating spaces.

Did you know that The Pines welcomed over 3,100 campers this summer? This is an incredible increase from 25 years ago.  Unfortunately our infrastructure has not kept up the same pace.  Yes, we’ve added some great spaces.  However, until you witness closing ceremonies or mass these days when we are busting at the seams for even the pavilion or the cathedral, you might not understand.  Can you imagine showers at night taking hours due to limited bathhouse space (let’s be real these  were difficult to schedule even then with fewer campers all those years ago).  How about trying to schedule 300 campers a week to get time in the pool or on the blob?  There are now shifts for Paradise/Canteen! We’ve simply outgrown our current facilities and we need your support to ensure camp continues to be a place of faith, fun, and friendship for eras to come.

So let’s not fret over the loss of stuff, rather let’s celebrate the glow up that camp so desperately needs.  Afterall, our Traditions are all still there. Bonfire, cabin calls, Winner’s Circle, Power Club, CITs, prayer service, counselors being silly, kids letting loose, everyone growing in their faith, and building friendships that will last a lifetime.  Join us as we work to keep this legacy alive by supporting The Pines on North Texas Giving Day.   There will be prizes for the era that brings in the most…but as this era knows, the only thing that matters besides giving camp what it needs, are the bragging rights!

-Erin "Ariel" LaPointe Murawski

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Here are the prizes for this year's competition:

MOST MONEY RAISED: A limited-edition t-shirt with a design specific to your era, sold in the camp store. All donations over $50 receive a complimentary t-shirt.

MOST DONOR PARTICIPATION: A limited-edition sticker with a design specific to that era. All gifts over $25 receive a sticker.

ALL: Anyone who donates above $19.88 gets a special NTXGD Pines sticker.

May the best era win!