"A Better Home Than We Could Ever Imagine"

Our time with Jack was too, too short, but I’d like to tell you a story about some bonus time I got with Jack that I cherished. One summer I was driving Jack to camp in Pennsylvania. When we pulled up at the gates, there was no one there. NO ONE. I looked at Jack and I was about to cry, because I had gotten the day wrong! He gave me a HUGE smile—a cross between “my mom is a nutcase” and “hey, this is pretty cool!” We got to spend a day and ½ hanging out in a little Pennsylvania town together, having rare one on one time, and we even went to Frank Llyod Wright’s Fallingwater, a dream for Jack, the budding architect. Bonus time. Precious time.

You’ve heard that Jack was a deep thinker. He wondered about a lot of things. In fact, as a five year old he said the first thing he would ask God when he died was why the heck He created mosquitoes. I think he knows now. The rest of us will just have to wait.

I want to tell you that the concept of eternity scared Jack. It just seemed, well, a little too long to him. Then, 2 years ago at summer camp, he had a conversation with his counselor. They discussed heaven and eternity in a way that helped Jack to stop being afraid. In fact, he was excited about heaven! He didn’t understand why people were afraid to die because he truly believed that there was no better place.

Please read more of the beautiful eulogy at Jack's mother's blog.  We'll continue to keep this dear camp family in our hearts and prayers.

Our Community Mourns

We are grieving the loss of a camper, twelve year old Jack Donaldson, who was killed in flash flooding in Virginia on Thursday. He had just started seventh grade.

It's hard to find words at a time like this.  Please join us in prayer for comfort and peace for his family, classmates, and community.

Lamb of God
You take away the sins of the world
Have mercy on us.
Grant us peace.

For the toil of our sinful world,
We plead for remission.
For the absence from our beloved,
We plead for your comfort.
For the presence of death in your Creation,
We plead for the resurrection.

Lamb of God
You take away the sins of the world
Have mercy on us.
Grant us peace.

{Common Prayer}

His obituary appeared in the Washington Post:

Of Vienna, VA; passed away on Thursday, September 8, 2011. Beloved son of Timothy Donaldson and Anna C. Whiston-Donaldson; brother of Margaret Donaldson; grandson of Robert and Mary Donaldson, David and Julie Whiston and great-grandparents Charles and June Whiston. He is also survived by several aunts, uncles and cousins. He was predeceased by his grandmother Margaret Whiston. Jack loved God, LEGOS, baseball, acting, playing with friends, making people laugh and being with his family. 

Memorial Services will be held at Vienna Presbyterian Church, 124 Park Street, NE, Vienna, VA 22180 on Monday, September 12, at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Samaritan's Purse, P.O. Box 3000, Boone NC 28607. Please view and sign the family guestbook at:

www.moneyandking.com 

Flooding Claims Four Lives in D.C. Area

Calling All Golfers & Potential Sponsors: Ligonier Camp Golf Outing Monday October 3

Summer camp may be over, but the year round staff are busily readying for the 10th annual Ligonier Camp Golf Outing scheduled for Monday October 3 at the Ligonier Country Club.  We would love for you to join the fun.

There are four ways to be a part of this event:

1.) Golfer- $125 entry fee includes:

18 holes of golf and cart
Continental breakfast, lunch, and banquet dinner
Sunday night accommodation at LCCC if needed

2.) General Sponsor

Make a donation to help offset costs of the outing
Sponsor a golfer who cannot afford entry fee

3.) Business Sponsor

$150 per tee
$100 per green
Donations include sponsor sign with company name, phone number, and logo 

4.) Prize Sponsor

Recognition in program.

Gold Outing Event Schedule:

Sunday October 2, 2011

5:00 PM Check-in at Lamont Lodge, if spending the night.  No meals provided. 

Monday October 3, 2011

8:30-9:15 AM Registration at Ligonier Country Club.  Continental breakfast.

9:30-3:30 Golf Outing. Lunch.

3:45  Banquet and program at Country Club.

Ligonier Country Club

929 Fairway Lane

Ligonier PA 15658 

Click here for more information and to get registration forms.  We'll golf rain or shine--so let's pray for shine!

{photo source}

Support LC3 on October 4: Westmoreland Gives

The Community Foundation of Westmoreland County,
affiliated with The Pittsburgh Foundation, 

has made it even easier to help Ligonier Camp 

and other Westmoreland County non-profits.

Make an online donation (of at least $25) anytime between  
6am and 9pm on
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
and your donation will receive a portion of matching funds 

that the Foundation is making available.

Step 1: Go to www.westmorelandgives.org on October 4. 

Step 2: Click on the "DONATE NOW" button to make your gift. 

Step 3: Complete the form with your contact information. 

Step 4: Choose "Ligonier Camp and Conference Center" from the drop-down list of organizations. 

Step 5: Indicate your donation amount and your credit card information and then click "SUBMIT" to complete the transaction.

Questions? Contact Patrick Myers at pmyers@ligoniercamp.org
or at 724-238-6428.

Thank you for all the ways that you support Ligonier Camp and make our ministry possible.