This is a story of restoration, victory, and tremendous leadership. Camp Hanes Executive Director Val Elliott faced maybe his greatest challenge in May of 2017. He accomplished what some will say was the impossible. However, they don’t know Val.
Setting the Stage
Here are a few things you should know before we get to the challenge. Val Elliott graduated from The Citadel. This is a significant fact in this story. If you are familiar with this institution, you’ll recognize and understand what I am talking about. According to the Citadel’s website “The Citadel strives to produce graduates who have insight into issues, ideas, and values that are of importance to society. It is equally important that Citadel graduates are capable of both critical and creative thinking, have effective communication skills, can apply abstract concepts to concrete situations, and possess the methodological skills needed to gather and analyze information.”
Val and his team work well together. They lead in a Godly way. They take burdens to the Lord’s altar, they seek His guidance for camp themes, and honor God through the many activities and elements of the camp’s life.
Camp Hanes has a rich history and one that dates back almost 92 years. So opening camp each and every summer is a big deal!! Camp was set to open on June 11.
Devastation in Less than 30 Minutes - May 24
On May 24, an EF-2 Tornado cut a half mile path of devastation and destruction through camp. There were 125mph winds and this lasted about 30 minutes. Every building and structure at camp was damaged. Thousands of trees were downed.
Restoration - Follow the Path
Bruce Boyer, a retired YMCA executive writes about the theme for summer 2017. “YMCA Camp Hanes sets the tone by adopting a theme for each summer. This year’s theme is Follow the Path. This theme was chosen well before the tornado touched down and became prophetic. It is based on a verse from Proverbs that says, ‘In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps’ —Proverbs 16:9.” You can read more about this challenge and the Christian emphasis at this camp in an article by my good friend Bruce Boyer here:
As the storm calmed and eventually stopped, Val and the staff stepped out into a scene they will never forget. Val’s Citadel training kicked in instantly. For two days, beginning immediately, they began to assess the damages. Critical thinking became a key. Special resources were called in to assist while ‘offers’ to assist started pouring in. Val and his team developed an effective communication plan. Everybody wanted to be able to speak to the director, but the team knew that was not going to be possible and was part of the communications plan. They set an overall plan in motion which utilized Val’s methodological skills.
I visited camp not too long ago and in several conversations Val explained how the team of contractors and other resources met every morning to review the plan of the day. They met again at lunch to pray and to continue to work as a team. They set a priority to open camp on time. When everyone first heard that priority, heads were shaking. That’s less than three weeks!!! Val’s leadership again kicked in. He reassured everyone that camp would open and Camp Hanes would be EVEN BETTER. They adopted #CampHanesEvenBetter for much of their communications plan. Local news began showing up and throughout multiple interviews, Val’s confidence and exceptional leadership was evident.
Support Poured In
There was a reason support was so intense. There is no doubt in my mind that God provided special gifts, talents, and resources to honor the good and faithful work of this staff team, and no doubt the prayers of many loyal camp friends and staff. Bruce Boyer wrote “The outpouring of support for this mission oriented camp was off the charts. God has blessed YMCA Camp Hanes bountifully.”
Camp Hanes opened for the summer on June 11, 2017, just less than three weeks after a terrible tornado ripped through camp!
Servant Leadership
Val Elliott was educated at an exceptional educational institution using a military lifestyle. He learned principled leadership from the day he stepped on campus. If you called Val a hero for his exceptional accomplishment, he would deflect that term just like some of his classmates would if they had accomplished a difficult mission serving their country in the military. Val would tell you that he was just ‘serving the Lord and others in the Camp Hanes community’, making it possible for kids lives to be impacted by a resident camp experience. That’s the kind of person he is - a true servant leader. He knows that a successful effort here brings Glory to God! There is no doubt that God guided the steps on this path of restoration for Camp Hanes for the summer of 2017!
Congratulations to Val and the staff at YMCA Camp Hanes!
"His faithful love endures forever."
Until next time...
Chaplain Gray
