Faith, Peace, and Family
Christine (right) and her cousin during a hike to Horse Race Rapids at a Fall Wellness Retreat
While Christine Perry grew up in Crystal Falls, she never attended Fortune Lake as a camper. Her youth group at United Lutheran put on weekend retreats, where Christine heard about a sense of peace, time to bond with peers, and special moments apart from the busyness of regular life, but it never quite fit into her schedule. Little did she know, her relationship with Fortune Lake would eventually grow to impact not only her but her loved ones as well.
Christine recalls that her time spent at Fortune Lake has varied through the years. She was married at Fortune Lake by former director, Pastor Cy Warmanen, and her daughter worked at camp. Eventually, after all those years, Christine became a camper with her grandson during Grandparents and Kids Week in 2019. As it turns out, this time away spent at Fortune Lake became invaluable to her family. Now, her daughter and grandson come for Intergenerational Camp, and Chris stays back to take care of things at home while her daughter gets time away. She highlights that family camps are a true vacation for guardians. They’re weeks where parents can say “yes” while knowing that the staff will be there to keep kids safe while having fun. She speaks fondly of the relationships that have developed between her daughter and her grandson and the Fortune Lake Summer Staff. These bonds, she says, are part of what makes camp so special.
When Fortune Lake introduced our first Fall Wellness Retreat, Christine’s daughter suggested that she look into going with her sister and her cousin. The women hadn’t spent time together just the three of them in many years, and they decided to reunite at Fortune Lake. Now, years later, this has become a cherished tradition. Not everyone has made it every year, but those who do find peace and joy at camp and in being together.
By leaning into the opportunities that interested her, Christine has made Fortune Lake a regular part of her faith and family life. She speaks candidly of her renewed and strengthened faith when she leaves camp. Her experiences here inform the way she not only navigates the world, but shares her love of God with others.
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