About the Nonprofit
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In 1988, stemming from a desire to bring an authentically Catholic identity to summer camps that provide a life-changing experience, Founding Director, Bonni King, and a number of benefactors from the Dallas area purchased a campsite in Big Sandy, TX. That first summer, 446 campers came from thirty-seven parishes in four dioceses. Today, The Pines Catholic Camp has grown to over 2,500 summer campers who attend from all over the world, and over 5,100 who attend educational and faith building retreats throughout the school year.
To meet the needs of these young people, we engage a talented group of summer staff and school-year missionaries. They come from all walks of life with different backgrounds, personalities, and God-given talents that help create an environment of faith and fellowship. The experiences and personalities are unique, but the common thread is that they are all deeply invested in their love of Jesus and are eager to share that joy in a contagious, outward fashion. The unconditional love shown by these young adults resonates with our campers the most. Whether it’s in the community building through conversations about life and faith in the cabin at night, or the encouragement they receive to conquer the ropes course, campers witness Christ-like love from their counselors every day.
At The Pines, we take children out of the world and put them into the Kingdom…one that has no internet, no cell phones, no traffic jams, no peer pressure. This is what we think the Kingdom of Heaven will be like: trees, plants and flowers lining a placid lake surrounded by friends and family, perpetually praising God in every activity. We achieve this environment through faith focused counseling, mentoring, and spiritual guidance provided by dedicated counselors and directors whose own life walks grow as a result of the programming and interaction with campers. Many of our staff are former campers whose experience has led them to return and share the blessings they received during their time in Big Sandy.
