Sacred Heart Church is raising funds for two week-long camps for both high school and middle school students. This year the camp, known as Camp Spiritus, will cost a total of $3,000 to run.

According to the Sacred Heart Church’s Website, the camp will cost a total of $25 per person to attend.

Sacred Heart Church Pastor Father Tom Byrnes organizes the camp.

“The costs for the camp are well beyond the $25 fee,” said Byrnes. “We provide three meals a day, a number of trips, arts and crafts, sports, outdoor activities, spiritual enrichment, entertainment, and many other events. Participants also receive a t-shirt and hopefully this year a DVD of pictures and videos of the week.”

20-year-old college student Randy Bauernfeind is a camp counselor as well as the president of the church’s YouthBoard, which plans and orchestrates parish fundraisers.

“The Youthboard is a youth-run program that helps put together fundraisers for mission trips, raise money for different causes and plan different events in our parish community,” said Bauernfeind. “This upcoming summer BBQs, car washes, bake sales and basketball tournaments will take place to raise money.”

According to Bauernfeind, the Youthboard is already collecting donations and planning events due to a large number of attendees expected.

“A big event parishioners love are the coffee houses. They are a great way to raise money and get local entertainment,” said Bauernfeind.

Camp Spiritus Senior is a week filled with games, activities, home cooked meals and a day trip to a local park for high schoolers. Monroe-Woodbury high school junior Jason Samuel, an active member of the Youthboard, speaks about his experiences at the camp and why he feels it’s important to attend.

“I enjoyed being with my friends and having fun. Throughout the duration of the camp, I learned that the friends that you make over one summer will last you a lifetime,” said Samuel. “It’s important for high schoolers to know that they’re not alone in the tough situations they face. That’s why it’s so important that the camp is funded properly so that the participants can have the experiences that I had.”