Rockport-Fulton Citizen of the Year Nominees

We are so proud of Camp Aranzazu’s very own Bruce Baird and Betty Adams! We already knew that they are “Super-Stars” as employees here at Camp every day, with their unwavering commitment to our mission, the kids and overall excellence… But, last night they were both honored as “Rockport-Fulton Citizen of the Year Nominees” for their combined multiple accomplishments, their outstanding efforts and the insurmountable work they have done towards bettering our Rockport-Fulton community!
Betty and Bruce, we are so very proud of you! Congratulations! Thank You for All You Do!

http://www.camparanzazu.org/

Lab animals are off to summer camp at Aranzazu

Note from Martha Mcleod: This morning I dropped off quite a few of my lab animals for summer camp at Camp Aranzazu. Needless to say the guinea pig was squealing with excitement and the albino king snake was slithering around in anticipation. Notice that former FLC student Word Adkins is a camp counselor this summe...r out at Aranzazu. Way to go Word! We are so proud of you!! If things go well, Liz & Tammie of Aranzazu and I all hope to make this a yearly summer event!!! Community entities joining together for the benefit of children: Thanks Jeremy for being the initial liaison!!

http://camparanzazu.org/

LAC Class XlV - Session 8

Leadership Aransas County Class XlV held their session #8 at CampAranzazu today. Great job everyone..

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Play time at Camp Aranzazu

Camp Aranzazu would like to thank Dr. and Mrs. Marshio of M & M Medical Spa and Surgical Clinic and Sportcraft.com for their support of play through their generous donations. The balls, Frisbees and equipment they have shared with us will help to build a spirit of play and fun for our campers all year long. Their gifts also gave our camp staff a gentle reminder about how important play is for the mind, body and soul. Thank you Marshios & Sportcraft!

http://www.camparanzazu.org/

Aransas County EMS - Thank you! Lunch

Wednesday afternoon Camp Aranzazu held a luncheon for the Aransas County EMS personnel to thank them for all their hard work and commitment to the health and wellness of Camp Aranzazu campers and our community. Tours were given throughout the afternoon and delicious food was prepared by staff and volunteers and enjoyed by all. Thank you Aransas County EMS!

http://www.camparanzazu.org/

Live Oak Elementary

Last week the life skills class from Live Oak Elementary came to Camp Aranzazu for their annual camp field trip. Students were able to try the climbing wall, fly down the zipline, engage in a bubble extravaganza, and go swimming. Many of the students had success trying something new and challenging themselves. Everyone ended the day with smiles and hugs!

http://www.camparanzazu.org/

Scarlet Thread Quilters

The Scarlet Thread Quilters, Pam Goodwin, Gina McDaniel, Gloria Cruz, Sharon Ramsey and Gayle Strickland, are sewing furiously to provide each camper, that stays at Camp Aranzazu this summer, with a quilt to take home. When a camper receives a handmade quilt they cannot help but smile and feel the love that was put into each stitch. Thank you Scarlet Thread Quilters! Pictured are some of the completed quilts.

Become a Fan of Camp Aranzazu on Facebook
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Heritage 4-H

On the first Tuesday of every month Camp Aranzazu opens its doors to the Heritage 4-H Club for its monthly meeting. This month the participants discussed officer elections, upcoming events, and opportunities to show animals. After the formal meeting was adjourned the participants learned about hunting, and tracking wild hogs in south Texas.

Camp Aranzazu receives distinguished Safety 1st Award

Camp Aranzazu receives distinguished Safety 1st Award

(Rockport, Texas – April 2010) Markel Insurance Company announced Camp Aranzazu of Rockport, Texas is one of 64 camps across the nation to receive this distinguished award of “Safety 1st”.
Michael Swain, Senior Loss Control Specialist at Market stated, “Camp Aranzazu has met stringent criteria to qualify for this award.” They have had a proven safety record for at least three consecutive years, they have passed formal assessments and inspections and participate in continuing education and certification programs. The Camp needs to be recognized for keeping safety a top priority.”
Other entities receiving the honors include Boys and Girls Clubs, Boys Camps, Girls Camps, Day Camps, 4-H Camps, Learning Centers and other Camps across the nation. The complete list can be found at www.markelinsurance.com.
“We were selected based on our proven safety record, which demonstrates our superior commitment to keeping the children in our care safe at all times,” states Executive Director Tammie Shelton. “We are honored to receive this prestigious award,” explains Shelton.
ABOUT CAMP ARANZAZU
Camp Aranzazu (pronounced Ah ran' zah zoo) is dedicated to enriching the lives of children and adults with chronic illnesses and disabilities by providing unique camping, environmental studies, and retreat experiences to groups with special needs. This year-round, barrier-free facility features paved walkways to assist wheelchair travel as well as a medical facility for campers requiring daily medications. Camp Aranzazu welcomes organizations that sponsor camps for children and young adults with conditions such as cancer, muscular dystrophy, asthma, diabetes, kidney disease, head and spinal cord injuries, heart defects, and cerebral palsy to name a few. Adult special needs groups are included during the non-summer months.
Camp Aranzazu currently houses up to 74 campers and staff and has a phasing plan which will grow the facilities to accommodate up to 200. The facilities presently includes a dining and gathering hall, 4 camper cabins, medical center, ropes course, multi-purpose building, arts center, sanctuary, pool and nature lodge.
The camp is located on FM 1781 six miles from downtown Rockport, Texas, on Copano Bay. The camp comprises 86 acres, 25 of which are on the waterfront with wetlands, and 61 acres are elevated and wooded, capturing gently blowing Gulf breezes.
Strategically located just 30 miles from Corpus Christi, the camp can serve all types of children from as far north as Houston, extending west to San Antonio and south to the southernmost tip of the state, while keeping campers close to a major medical facility.
For more information about Camp Aranzazu, go to www.camparanzazu.org or call 727-0800.

Odyssey Afterschool Program

Yesterday the 4th, 5th and 6th graders from the Odyssey afterschool program came out to experience our challenge course. The students learned some valuable lessons about team work and facing challenges and went home smiling and proud of their accomplishments!

This weekend Camp Aranzazu Welcomed Heart Sign!

This weekend Camp Aranzazu welcomed Heart Sign, a sign language ministry group of deaf and hearing adults. Their goal is to bridge the gap between the hearing and the deaf in their community. This weekend provided a forum for deaf and hearing adults to understand how they can better teach and mentor children who are deaf, children from families with deaf siblings or parents as well as hearing children who want to learn more about sign language and deaf culture. The weekend focused on team building, teaching, sharing and storytelling. Many laughs, smiles and jokes were exchanged as the group learned more about each other and their common purpose. Camp Aranzazu is excited to continue this new partnership and looks forward to seeing Heart Sign again!

http://www.camparanzazu.org/

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Think Summer 2010!

Think Summer 2010!
Camp Aranzazu is looking for several more, creative, high energy, and hard working individuals to work as activity leaders for its upcoming summer season. Over the course of the summer our activity staff has the opportunity to work with a variety of children and adults with special needs. Some of the groups we serve are individuals who are cancer survivors, have muscular dystrophy, cognitive disabilities or have a sensory impairment such as hearing or vision loss.

Applicants must have a high school diploma and we would prefer one year of college or post-high school work experience in a related field but we will consider college freshman as well. They also must have the ability to lead campers with special needs in a residential setting, including monitoring and managing behavior and providing for basic personal care (e.g., grooming).

Activity leaders will be expected to plan, organize, and carry out daily and special program activities as well as live on site, and work in a team environment. Experience in one or more of the following desired but not required: life guarding, kayaking instruction, challenge course facilitation, environmental education, visual/theatre arts and music. Camp Aranzazu may provide both ropes course training and lifeguard training. This is a great opportunity to give back to your community and have a blast doing it!

Please contact: Liz Hungerford at 361-727-0800 or lhungerford@camparanzazu.org
http://www.camparanzazu.org/

Bum Phillips joins Board of Directors of Camp Aranzazu in Rockport, Texas

Bum Phillips joins Board of Directors of Camp Aranzazu in Rockport, Texas


(Rockport, Texas – March 2010) Born Oail Andrew Phillips, he got his famous nickname from his older sister who stammered and could not say the word “brother”. The name Bum stuck, and he has always explained, “Bum’s just a nickname, not a description!” The name, dry sense of humor, laid-back demeanor, winning tradition, and ever-present cowboy hat and boots all became a part of the Bum Phillips legend.

Said fellow coaching legend and friend, Sid Gillman, “You could place him in a crowd of a million and ask a total stranger to pick out Bum Phillips, and I’m sure he’d walk right up to him.”

That distinctive persona, however, betrayed a shrewd football mind. When Gillman brought Bum to Houston as his defensive coordinator in 1974, it took Phillips only one season to cut the Oilers’ points-against total from 447 to 282. The team was just backing out of consecutive 1-13 seasons, but riding on the strength of Bum’s defense; the Oilers turned their fortunes around that year, finishing 7-7 with more victories than the previous seasons combined. When Gillman stepped down the following year, Phillips was the natural to take over the head-coaching job. He responded by leading the 1975 Oilers to a 10-4 season revealing an uncanny ability to maximize his players’ potentials.

“Coaching is not how much you know,” Phillips said, “It’s how much you can get your players to do.”

Bum proved his adeptness at getting his players to perform at their highest levels when he took the Oilers to the 1978 AFC championship game with 21 free agents on his roster. Playing in the NFL’s toughest division, Phillips returned to the AFC championship the following year. Unfortunately, the Oilers fell for the second consecutive year to their division rivals, the dynasty-building Pittsburgh Steelers.

“Football is a game of failure,” Phillips said. “You fail all the time, but you aren’t a failure until you start blaming someone else.” That willingness to shoulder responsibility made Bum a fan and player favorite wherever he went. He was an instant hit when he took over as head coach of the New Orleans Saints in 1980. He transformed the Saint’s NFL-worst defense into a unit that finished among the top-five defenses in the league over the next five years. Having rebuilt the Saints franchise through innovative scouting techniques and astute drafting, Bum retired from coaching in 1985 and returned to his first love, ranching. His son, Wade, who is the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, and Wade’s son Wesley, who is the offensive quality control coach for the Cowboys, carry on Bum’s coaching legacy.

Although Bum has retired from football, he hasn’t quit working. He and his wife Debbie operate a horse and cattle ranch at their home in Goliad County, Texas. He does advertising and motivational speaking and works in literally hundreds of charity events with his main focus being the Mike Barber Ministries and Coaches Outreach ministries.

Bum's daughters and their families are a source of great pride and joy as they love the Lord and walk in His way. They all have great families that include 23 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Debbie and Bum joined the Camp Aranzazu board in September, 2009, after watching campers’ lives being changed during a tour of the facilities. With tears in her eyes, Debbie shared, “we are just so humbled to be asked to join your board and pitch in to help you grow your vision and mission.” Bum continually asks to be “put to work”. Executive Director Tammie Shelton shares, “We are thrilled to have Debbie and Bum join our board. Their commitment to children and adults with special needs through their ministries is inspiring, and we feel fortunate to have them on our team!”

Camp Aranzazu is dedicated to enriching the lives of children and adults with chronic illnesses and disabilities by providing unique camping, environmental studies, and retreat experiences to groups with special needs. For more information, call 361.727.0800 or go to www.camparanzazu.org.
(Pictured in the Photo is Tammie Shelton, Executive Director of Camp Aranzazu and Bum Phillips)

Camp Aranzazu is buzzing with volunteer opportunities and “Smore” fun

Camp Aranzazu is buzzing with volunteer opportunities and “Smore” fun!

(Rockport, Texas – January 2010) There is a buzz going on at Camp Aranzazu! It is all about volunteers! Since the camp officially opened in 2006, hundreds of volunteers have graced the premises helping with remarkable tasks. Those volunteers will be honored at a “Smore Gathering” from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 10th out at Camp Aranzazu.
Volunteers have assisted the camp in so many ways. It is now time for the Camp to show a little “camper style” appreciation. Volunteers have helped the camp by being an activity leader, ropes course assistant, assistant with food services, assistant with maintenance and landscaping, office work, quilting, knitting, woodworking or event sewing blankets! Volunteers have also helped with artist demonstrations, being a magician, musician and storytelling.
“The outpouring of help and support for the Camp has been amazing,” states Executive Director Tammie Shelton. “It all starts at the top as we have an all volunteer Board of Directors, and filters through every aspect of camp from facilities and office assistance to camp counselors” explains Shelton.
Camp Aranzazu (pronounced Ah ran' zah zoo) is dedicated to enriching the lives of children and adults with chronic illnesses and disabilities by providing unique camping, environmental studies, and retreat experiences to groups with special needs. This year-round, barrier-free facility features paved walkways to assist wheelchair travel as well as a medical facility for campers requiring daily medications. Camp Aranzazu welcomes organizations that sponsor camps for children and young adults ages 5-21 with conditions such as cancer, muscular dystrophy, asthma, diabetes, kidney disease, head and spinal cord injuries, heart defects, and cerebral palsy to name a few. Adult special needs groups are also included during the non-summer months.
Camp Aranzazu houses up to 74 campers and staff and includes a dining and gathering hall, 4 camper cabins, medical center, ropes course, multi-purpose building, sanctuary, pool and nature lodge.
The camp is located on FM 1781 six miles from downtown Rockport, Texas, on Copano Bay. The camp comprises 86 acres, 25 of which are on the waterfront with wetlands, and 61 acres are elevated and wooded, capturing gently blowing Gulf breezes.
Strategically located just 30 miles from Corpus Christi, the camp can serve all types of children from as far north as Houston, extending west to San Antonio and south to the southernmost tip of the state, while keeping campers close to a major medical facility, Driscoll Children’s Hospital.
For more information about Camp Aranzazu, go to www.camparanzazu.org or call 727-0800.