Our Conference Camp & Retreat Centers have a long history of providing financial assistance (camperships) to families that are not otherwise able to send their children to summer camp. In 1972, the Myra Morris Campership Fund was established by persons in the Conference to provide financial assistance to families who could not afford to send their children to one of our Conference camps.

Myra Morris was the wife of Rev. C. P. Morris and served with him in the early days of camping ministry at the first Conference camp, Don Lee. David Morris, son of C. P. and Myra remembers,

Mom was at camp each year from 1957 through 1976 (year-round from early 1974 through late 1976). Her initial job was bookkeeper and registrar. She took in all the money, managed the bank deposits, and gave paychecks out to the staff. She took on any role asked of her by the summer program directors and ran the camp store almost from the very start.

David, a camp staff alumnus himself, also fondly recalls,

She also ran errands and bought supplies for the camp – not just the store, but also other aspects of the camp. She relayed messages from parents to children and vice-versa, and was camp mother, so to speak. She also kept the summer program directors organized – essentially a secretary to them. Remember, this was back when we had no permanent director – just summer program directors. This was remarkable, since she was also responsible for taking care of me during the early years.

In the past eight years alone, over 800 camperships have been provided to families in our Conference to enable a child to attend one of our summer camp programs, all in memory of this lady who was so instrumental in the establishment of those camps. Even so, the needs and the opportunities for increased ministry continue to grow.

The Board of Directors authorized several changes since 2000 that have enabled an increase in campership support from $8,000 per year to the record $33,040 in support for 2004. Support from the Myra Morris Campership Fund is now utilized to match support of up to $150 per child from sponsoring churches. By increasing the funding per child from $80 to $150 and by making them matching funds, the potential support per child has increased from $80 to over $300 (some churches provide more that $150 per child).

By involving churches in the identification of children who need support to attend camp, there is a point of contact for the child and family often before and after camp. Some churches have established an evangelistic outreach to families that are unchurched and who also need financial assistance. The current annual outlay of up to $15,000 per year from the Myra Morris Campership Fund is dependent on financial support from United Methodist congregations and groups such as United Methodist Men and United Methodist Women.

When the Myra Morris Fund was nearly depleted in the fall of 2006, a United Methodist couple stepped forward with an offer of a $10,000 challenge gift. The Conference United Methodist Men accepted the challenge and gave a matching $10,000. The combined gifts enabled the fund to assist families in need for the 2007 summer season.

As more churches adopt camperships as a means of evangelism and outreach, the need for additional funding will grow. A realistic short term goal is to increase the number of camperships available from 100 to 150, increasing the annual need for funds from the Myra Morris Campership Fund to $22,500. The long term goal is to begin a process of endowing the Fund so that the growing need for support will be assured and that the Christian summer camp experience will always be available for all children in our churches and communities. A small campership fund to honor Myra Morris continues to evolve into a powerful tool of ministry for families and children in our Conference, and remains a wonderful remembrance of Myra Morris who gave so selflessly to the camp ministry of our Conference.