Carolyn Beears Shares Her Memories of Reach Out

Note: Carolyn participated in the Reach Out camp program in Lakeside for 26 years in the 1980’s and 1990’s.  She served in many roles across those years, including Dean, Assistant Dean for Staff and the Study and Mission Projects Coordinator.

There is a special part of Lakeside at Fifth St. and Central Avenue that is dedicated to and has been used for youth programming for many years. The United Methodist Church camp program called “Reach Out” takes place in this spot in Lakeside during the third week of July each year.

This youth led and mission-focused camp program began as The Girls School of Mission in the 1950’s.  When the program became co-ed in 1971, the name “Reach Out” was adopted.   

One of the guiding principles of the Reach Out program is that youth can be missionaries here at home, without traveling to China, India or Africa.  The Lord has commissioned us to share this love and message throughout the world, and we can live up to that commission with those who live right in our own neighborhoods and hometowns.

Reach Out sends campers out on mission projects on Tuesday and Wednesday of their camp week.  Mission projects have included working with Habitat for Humanity in Port Clinton, visiting patients at the Veterans Home in Sandusky, assisting with a Vacation Bible School for kids in Port Clinton, assisting disabled patients from Edgewood Manor on trips to the Ottawa County Fair, etc.  One familiar Lakeside mission project was the restoration of the Chapel in the Woods.

In the words of Diana Ross, at camp Reach Out campers learn to:

Reach out and touch

Somebody’s hand

Make this world a better place

Yes, you can!