Thornton retires
After leading the Retreat and Camping Ministry of the Baltimore-Washington Conference for more than 30 years, Andy Thornton will retire later this fall.
“Camp gives a young person the chance to be outside and away from the many distractions they see every day,” said Thornton. “At camp, caring adult counselors and mentors come alongside campers, helping them think through decisions and experiences in a way that will prepare them for their future.”
Last year, RCM saw more than 15,000 people on retreats, and camping saw a 2.7 percent increase in residential campers with an 11 percent increase in day camping, which includes initiatives in Baltimore and West Virginia.
Under Thornton’s leadership, hundreds of new
You might consider adding one of the blue “I Love Camp” ribbons to your name badge as a sign of your support for RCM... and as a way for us all to say, “Congratulations, Andy!”
I am a former camper of west river. I also was part of the junior counselors program as well. Seeing Andy retire is like seeing your best friend move far away. I will never forget the first time I met Andy, it was the 1st day and 1st time attending West River. I was both excited and nervous and shy. Andy was their to help me out and told me my week at West River would be fun and exciting.
When the week ended, I actually wanted to come back...if I am not mistaking I do believe I did come back the next year and the year after.
My fondest memories of West River are, the scary stories that we had in the woods along with the s'mores, TAG time(Time Alone With God) and canoeing. When I came the 1st year, I do believe I was assigned to Cabin 3 or 4...the next year I came back it was Cabin 3....lol....the memories of the Cabins....Andy if your reading this....I have some confessions....I had a crush on the life guard named Lauren...also when it was lights out in the cabins...me and my brothers and another camper toothpaste others...I also had a crush on another female camper that was in Cabin 2....