“Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world. For, indeed, that’s all who ever have.” – Margaret Mead
The warmth and crackle of a bonfire outdoors. Flying along a zip line. Capsizing a sailboat while howling with laughter. Participating in Battle of the Bands. Experiencing God’s presence during Eucharist overlooking the cross and river on the bluff. With trepidation, trying a high ropes element for the first time and succeeding. Sharing feelings and thoughts about friendship and faith in Chaplain program. Hitting your first bull’s eye in archery. Circling up at the end of a busy, fun day arm in arm with new friends singing the Chanco Song. For any camper, these can be transformative experiences. And Chanco’s mission is to provide these experiences to all young people who desire this experience. We are not the horseback riding or sailing camp for the wealthy. We are a traditional camp experience providing unplugged, healthy, active fun in Christian community for hundreds of campers each year. As one 2017 parent of scholarship recipients wrote to Chanco, “I cannot express my true thankfulness to you and your staff. (Our children) truly look forward to camp and being able to tell them that they will be able to come to camp will make them over and beyond excited. They have learned so much from the time that they have been with Chanco and I could never express my gratitude for what (your donor) has done. When I am back on the right path I would love to be able to pay it forward to a family in need. The Lord does indeed know when to pick someone up and hold them tight just when they need it and this has shown me that I can keep going as hard as things can get.”
Without your generosity, 75 young people may not have had a camp experience last summer, including multiple campers from 
both Boy’s Home and ForKids organizations helping children in need.
Last year, donations to the Annual Fund made many Chanco needs a reality including:
- $44,854 awarded in scholarships and financial assistance to camper families in 2017 including full and partial scholarships to multiple children from Boy’s Home and ForKids, organizations for children in need
- Awarded 75 kids scholarships this year to youth within and outside of our diocese!
- Partnered with the Virginia United Methodist Conference to bring campers with incarcerated parents to Chanco for All God’s Children Camp
- New retreat programming including a Women’s Lenten Retreat with over 60 participants in March 2017 and upcoming Women’s Advent and Recharge young adult retreats in December
- A new “Choose Your Own Adventure” programming with exclusive programming geared to older campers, such as a day-long sailing trip.
- Installed the Superman Swing, a new high element to our ropes course
- New website complete with photo galleries
- Hired Nathan Hoyt as full-time, year-round Director of Programs
- Hired five British camp staff members through Camp America
- Upgraded from T1 internet to 3xT1
- Perhaps most importantly, your gift means we offer camp and retreat programs to everyone, not just those that request a scholarship, but everyone at a discounted rate
Chanco strives to be a place for both camp and retreats that is affordable to everyone. Your gift means that we keep costs low to our guests thus making a Chanco transformative experience a reality for more and more people every year. Thank you.
Chanco depends upon $85,000 in its Annual Fund to sustain its ministry. We are currently at 78 percent of our goal. Therefore, we need you! You can help us make this possible. Your donation makes the difference.
Please prayerfully consider your gift to Chanco this year and give as generously as you are able. Help us keep costs low, offer extensive financial assistance to camper families and continue to make the improvements to our property and programs that makes Chanco on the James the best camp in Virginia (as voted by Virginia Living magazine)!
Don’t wait! Make a difference today by donating to Chanco’s Annual Fund. You may mail a check to Chanco on the James with “Annual Fund’ in the memo line and mail to Chanco at 394 Floods Drive, Surry, VA 23881 or make an easy on line donation by clicking here.
