5 August 2020

Mackay kids find their ‘anchor’ in the storm

Posted in SU QLD


Day camps are a great way for young people to make new friends, have fun and safely explore questions of faith, meaning and purpose.

Each September, 12 chappies and some volunteers from North Queensland come together to run the Mackay Holiday Kidz – SU Fun Day Camp – and the kids have a blast!

The camp is held for students in Grades 3 – 9, and is a highlight of the year for many in the community. The students spend their time playing indoor and outdoor games and doing craft activities related to the year’s theme.

Last year, the one-legged and wheelchair races taught the kids about resilience, and they had a great time listening to live music, eating great food, and hearing a Bible story.

The theme changes every year. In 2019 it was “Resilience: Finding Your Anchor in the Storm”, which Camp Director Riki says was inspired by the biblical story of Jesus calming the storm.

Over two days campers – some of whom are home-schooled – develop a real sense of community and fun.

“There are not a lot of holiday camps like this in the Mackay area, and I wanted something fun for the kids to do during the holidays. I really enjoy drama, so we run a Talent Show which is lots of fun,” says Riki.

“In the last three years, we have chosen simple themes with a positive message: things like knowing your gifts and being kind to one another, looking out for one another and resilience.”

“I work with many kids who are in broken or blended homes, so I want to do something that helps build resilience and strength in our young people,” says Riki.

Fletcher, now in Grade 8, has been going to camp every year and loves it.

“Camp is really fun, and you get to make a lot of friends with kids in your area,” says Fletcher.

“My favourite camp theme was the “Resilience” one – I liked it because when we talked about problems we were facing, everyone had a different problem and we were able to talk through it together.”

“The chaplains are really nice. I was talking to one at the last camp who made me feel warm-hearted inside. I like that camp is about doing things all together.”

Fletcher thinks if you live too far away from Mackay to attend the 2020 Fun Day Camp (the theme is “My Family, My Place: Where Do I Belong?”) then other chaplains should run one for the young people in their area. Great idea, Fletcher!

Thanks to your support, young people like Fletcher have found community. To check out our upcoming camps, visit sucamps.org.au.



Sarah Moore

Media and Communications Administrator

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