Memories and God's Word: Adventurer Fun in Wisconsin

In the Fall of 2022, we brought back Adventurer Fun Day to the Wisconsin Conference. The event was at Camp Wakonda, in the basement of Red Pine Lodge, and we focused on the Delightful Sabbath Award. There was such an enthusiastic response from Adventurers leaders and parents that we scheduled another Adventurer Fun Day in the Spring of 2023, this time at The Shepherd's House Church in Wausau. We earned the Tin Can Award and the Feathered Friends Award, and the turnout was again enthusiastic. The next Spring in 2024, we earned the Magnet Fun Award, and this time the response was so great we almost couldn't fit everyone into the basement Commons Room of Wisconsin Academy. It was at this time that we decided to split Adventurer Fun Day into two separate events.

Adventurers at Fun Day South (not pictured are dozens of parents, siblings, and club leaders off to the side)

In 2025, we did just that. Adventurer Fun Day North took place on April 12 at the Chippewa Valley Church. Wisconsin is a large state, and we'd had clubs travelling close to four hours (a nearly eight-hour round trip) just to attend the one-day event, and so this was a great location for further-distant clubs to get to. We explored a few locations for the Adventurer Fun Day South, which was to take place on May 17. Ultimately, Camp Wakonda worked the best for the needs and size of the group.

Adventurer Fun Day North (again, lots of people off to the side, helping make this picture possible)

For this year's fun day events, we focused on the Photo Fun and My Picture Book Awards. We invited Adventurers to bring their own photos that they wanted to put in a scrapbook, and we provided the supplies to make the scrapbook. We learned about how cameras work, how to use them responsibly, and talked about the power pictures have to capture memories. We then connected that to what the Bible says about remembering the great things the Lord has done for us. We bear His image, and we have a responsibility to represent Him to the world, but even when we don't quite do the best job of reflecting that image, He doesn't crumple us up, but He loves us just the same.

There were also games outdoors, some time for free play, and brief promos for Camp Wakonda's Summer Camp program, including lots of singing, videos, and visits from animal friends. Lunch was included in the event, and every Adventurer went home with a snack bag for the road and their very own handmade scrapbook of their photo memories. The event went from 10:00am to 4:00pm, so that there was sufficient travel time for clubs both before and after the event. From the feedback and response we continue to get from attendees, this is an event we expect to continue to grow in the future, and we are already getting excited about Adventurer Fun Day North and South in 2026.

While Pathfinders is the most popular Club Ministry for young people to participate in, a strong Pathfinder program is fed by a strong Adventurer program. We believe in Club Ministries and want to see Pathfinders become an even bigger and healthier ministry in the future. Supporting our local church Adventurers clubs with these events (along with our Fall Adventurer Family Camporees), we believe, is part of the key to achieving that goal.

Picture from Family Camporee at Camp Wakonda

For parents of young children in our conference: if you are not involved in a local Adventurers club yet, we want to encourage you to get involved in the coming year. Raising young kids in the church can sometimes be a challenge to navigate, but this ministry exists to assist you in that goal. Club registration generally happens late in the Summer, and the ministry is generally active until May each year. If you want more info about clubs that are currently operating, please visit wakonda.org/adventurers. If your church doesn't currently have an Adventurer Club, but you'd like to see one get started, please talk with Pastor Zack and your local church board to come up with a strategy for making that happen. If you are considering leading a new club yourself, please visit wakonda.org/leadership-resources for a helpful FAQ and lots of links to programs and documents that will help you on this journey. Again, starting by connecting with Pastor Zack and your local church board are key as you begin planning.

"Because Jesus loves me, I will always do my best." - Adventurer Pledge