06/02/2026
Ivy grew up at Camp Lakewood, but her ability to be there began with the generosity of others. As a child, she attended camp with scholarship assistance from her local church and support from Impact 2818’s scholarship fund through the Indiana Conference of The United Methodist Church. Without that support, camp would not have been accessible for her.
From her earliest years as a camper, Lakewood became a place where faith felt real, personal, and alive. The counselors who poured into her left a lasting imprint. They helped her begin to understand who God is and how deeply He cares.
Without Camp Lakewood, Ivy feels her faith would be missing. Camp is where her heart was first drawn fully toward Jesus, where her love for God took root and grew.
Impact 2818, along with Ivy’s local church, made that experience possible. Through scholarship support, financial barriers were removed, allowing Ivy not only to attend but to return year after year.
Over time, Ivy felt a growing desire to come back, not just as a camper but to serve. The example set by her counselors stayed with her. She remembers by name many of the people who shaped her faith and showed her what it looks like to live it out.
Camp didn’t just teach Ivy about faith; it helped anchor her heart and inspired her to serve in that same role for others.
Today, Ivy volunteers as a counselor at Camp Lakewood, stepping into the same role once filled by the people who impacted her life.
“Serving at camp has transformed me in new ways,” Ivy shares. “I’ve watched God work through children in moments both small and powerful.” Watching children step forward bravely, trusting God in ways that inspire even the adults around them, “It’s beautiful to see.”
She has also seen remarkable changes over the course of a single week. Campers often arrive uncertain whether they have come to camp for the activities, the friendships, or for God at all. But by the end of the week, something changes. During worship, Ivy watches campers jump, sing, and shout the words with joy. “You can just see it in their hearts,” she says. “I love camp.”
Ivy’s story reflects the lasting impact of a single opportunity made possible again and again through the generosity of donors, an opportunity that continues to shape lives, now through her.
