VALPARAISO – Before the official start of the 2026 Northwest Indiana Catholic Youth Organization Summer Program at Camp Lawrence in Valparaiso, visitors old and new arrived to tour the grounds and participate in a “Mass on the Grass” on June 28.
Rebecca Slone of Crown Point arrived at the open house with members of her family. She shared that she used to work as a counselor during the CYO Summer Program, and that her children have attended the camp for the past two years.
“We don't usually pass up a chance to hang out at camp,” she said with a smile.
Slone served as a counselor for about five years and continued to return to visit. She explained that Camp Lawrence is “just a special place” where campers and counselors can come, be themselves, and make friends.
“I’ve been able to see my friends that I worked with here almost 20 years ago,” Slone said. “The camp creates long-term friendships.”
“We call it the magic of camp, is what the staff says,” she said. “It’s just a chance to let loose and a time for them to talk to each other, interact with each other. They're not on their devices, and I feel like it’s a non-judgment zone. They can be silly and not worry about what the other kids on the other side of the room are thinking.”
Slone’s son will be attending the CYO Summer Program for the third summer. When asked what his favorite part of the camp experience is, he responded with “the whole thing.” Thinking about it further, he shared that he enjoys nature – going on hikes and learning to identify trees.
“It's very fun!” he said. “There are fewer weeks now, so it's important to come earlier.”
He also pointed out the camp is for children ages 7-14 so the earlier they attend camp, the more years they will have to return.
Terry and Stacy Ruiz of East Chicago attended the open house event to meet with friends before the camp season begins. Their daughter Selena died three years ago, and the camp was a special place for her. The couple now hopes to financially assist several children to attend camp in the future.
“It was a place where she could be herself,” said Stacy Ruiz. “It shaped her… It really did.”
The parents still have all of their daughter’s old bags, shirts, beads and bracelets that she came home with from the CYO Summer Program.
Counselor Ainsley Hughes, known as “Shine” at camp, said she loves being with all the campers and meeting people from different walks of life with varied experiences. Originally from Texas, she returned to assist this summer.
“To me, it's just a great way to meet people and make new friends,” she said.
Hughes said she hopes the children who attend the camp experience a fun way to enter into a bubble outside their regular life. She also alluded to the “camp magic” that occurs there.
“It's a different world here than it is out there,” Hughes said. “I just hope they feel the magic that I do as I work here and make it some of their best summers so they always come back.”
After visitors spent time talking with staff and were given tours of the Camp Lawrence grounds, Father Ian “Channel” Williams led a “Mass in the Grass” to end the afternoon. The priest was proud to share that he was a camper in 1977 and 1978. He will be celebrating the Wednesday and Friday Masses with the staff and campers throughout this summer.
“We like to participate,” he explained. “We like to be loud in our participation at Mass here and just really put our whole selves into the Mass as we celebrate the Lord in this beautiful cathedral that he has made for us.”
With those remarks, Father Williams then turned to the staff who led music that encouraged standing and participation with movements that went along with the song to begin the service.
During the homily, Father Williams shared a story about three trees using volunteers to act it out. The three trees in the story prayed to God, asking him to be used for something great. One was made into a trough to feed animals, the second was made into a fishing boat and the third became a cross. The trees were sad and did not understand why they were turned into these objects. Later they realized it was so they could play an important part in the birth, preaching and death of Jesus.
“The three trees started out kind of selfish, wanting to be the biggest, the best, the most important, the most beautiful of all, but in God's plan, they became something else,” he said. “They became a sign of God's love.”
Father Williams explained those who organize the camp have learned that stories done with a little bit of acting “is a beautiful and wonderful way to convey the truths of Christ, to convey the truths of our faith.” He said Mass at camp is a balance between “being loud and obnoxious and being very reverent.”
Turning to the staff, Father Williams added, “And staff, that's kind of your job to help guide the campers along that path, right? Help guide the campers along that path of being loud and noisy when it's appropriate and being quiet and reverent when that’s appropriate.”
For more information about Northwest Indiana Catholic Youth Organization, visit https://www.nwicyo.org. For further details on summer camp, visit https://www.cyocamplawrence.com To view more photos, visit https://www.flickr.com/photos/dioceseofgary/albums/
