Welcome to DIY Camp!
What is it?
DIY Camp is an at home camp experience! We’re bringing the REAL fun and REAL faith of Portage Lake Bible Camp to you! Each week will be catered to a different camp session, but feel free to participate in any/all of the activities! There will be fun, daily videos, challenges, crafts, recipes, and chapel sessions featuring some awesome speakers. Oh, and of course there are Portage Points! There are lots of ways to earn Portage Points, and there are some pretty sweet prizes for reaching different tiers! (See below for details!)
When is it?
Here’s the DIY Camp Summer Schedule:
Trailblazer 1: June 15-19
Senior High: June 22-26
Family Camp 1: June 29-July 3
Family Camp 2: July 6-10
Junior High 1: July 13-17
Family Camp 3: July 20-24
Junior High 2: July 27-31
Trailblazer 2: August 3-7
Pathfinder: August 10-14
How do I participate?
Check our social media accounts daily for new content! We will be posting Monday – Friday. Check out the tabs below for more information on the daily themes, Portage Points, prizes, and FAQs!
Click here for the updated leaderboard!
Please send all entries in an email to madison@portagelake.org with your DIY camp activity in the subject line, with the names of all competitors in the body, along with your picture.
Daily Themes for DIY Camp
Monday: DIY Camp Recipes you can make at home and share with family and friends!
Tuesday: Fun and goofy video content for your enjoyment!
Wednesday: Games and Challenges you can try at home to earn Portage Points!
Thursday: DIY Craft that you can make on the kitchen table!
Friday: Chapel and Devotion time, featuring sermons from awesome speakers!
Devotional Packets for Each Session
Each link will direct you to a PDF document that you can print!
This Week: Junior High 2!
Check out what we do each day! Click here to head to our social media pages for fun content!
Wednesday: Fun Video Content!
We put together a compilation of TikTok videos our staff created! Check them out on our social media accounts, and follow us on TikTok!
Friday: Chapel/Devotions
Click here to watch the chapel session! It features a verse song and worship from our summer staff and a message from our Junior High 2 speaker, Kris Johns!
Discussion Question: Kris talked about the common saying “God won’t give you more than you can handle.” He thinks it should say “God doesn’t give you more than HE can handle.” How do you feel about these two phrases? When was a time in your life you were faced with something difficult and you called on God?
Please send all entries in an email to madison@portagelake.org with your DIY camp activity in the subject line, with the names of all competitors in the body, along with your picture.
Please send all entries in an email to madison@portagelake.org with your DIY camp activity in the subject line, with the names of all competitors in the body, along with your picture.
Please send all entries in an email to madison@portagelake.org with your DIY camp activity in the subject line, with the names of all competitors in the body, along with your picture!
Sorry, but I’m still confused. What is DIY camp and why is Portage Lake doing it?
We completely understand that this is not ‘normal’ camp. But, since we are unable to have camp normally, we have built a version of camp that can be done from your very own home! We understand that it is not a full substitute for a week at camp, but we do hope you enjoy it.
As for what it is, DIY camp is simply camp activities and fun content that you can participate in even from afar! A typical week of DIY camp includes a camp recipe that you can do at home, a fun camp video, a Portage Points activity, a craft for you to do at home, and a virtual ‘Chapel’ experience. For Portage Lake, DIY camp is the best way to bring camp to you, since this summer we are unable to bring you to camp.
How much does DIY Camp cost?
The best part about DIY camp is that it comes with no registration fee. Yes, you read that correctly, DIY camp is FREE!
Each Saturday, we will release a list of supplies for the week that may require purchase, but since all DIY camp activities are optional, the expense is also completely optional. And, we are doing our best to make DIY camp activities able to be done with supplies that you would already have at home!
Even though DIY camp is free, camp has a limited revenue stream this summer due to our decision to cancel programmed camps. Instead of a fee for DIY camp, we would encourage you to donate to camp if you are able.
What are Portage Points and why do they matter?
Great question! Portage Points are your incentive for completing DIY camp. Instead of being able to compete in real time big games here at camp this summer, we are allowing you the opportunity to compete with each other at home through our Portage Points Competition. Even better, Portage Points can earn you special prizes!
How do you keep track of my Portage Points and how do I get my DIY camp activities to count towards my point total?
We are keeping track of points on two separate leaderboards that will be updated each Tuesday starting June 23rd. These leaderboards will be found on our website, and linked to our social media pages so you can check back often and keep track of your competition!
In order to receive points for your DIY camp activities, we ask that you send in a picture of your camper or your family along with your completed camp activity. Please send all entries in an email to madison@portagelake.org with your DIY camp activity in the subject line, with the names of all competitors in the body, along with your picture.
Can only my camper participate? Can my whole family participate? If I am a youth camper and a family camper, can I be on two leaderboards?
All are welcome to participate! Campers, please ask for your parents permission and supervision for DIY camp activities. While camps are geared towards youth or family camps specifically, any family can participate in any youth camp activities, and vice versa. Come one, come all for a socially distant summer of Portage Lake fun!
Yes, you can be on two leaderboards! If you usually attend any of our youth camps but also attend family camp with your family, you can enter twice. You can enter yourself individually as a youth camper, and you can participate with your family on the family camp leaderboard. If this is the case, when sending in your completed DIY camp activities, be sure to include all of your youth campers’ names and along with your family’s name so that the leaderboards accurately represent point values.
Why are specific weeks designated for specific camp sessions? Does this mean I can only participate in the week of camp that I was originally registered for?
Each week is oriented toward a specific age group, because we want DIY camp to reach all of Portage Lake campers with a camp experience this summer that provides them with real fun and real faith! Additionally, we wanted DIY camp to have structure and variety, to keep this summer fun and upbeat for all participants. While all can enjoy Uncle Jerry’s songs and Bible stories, Trailblazers and Pathfinders will especially love to sing the Robot Song along with Elmer. We have themed the weeks accordingly to best serve and love all of our campers.
Not at all! In fact, we encourage you to participate in as much DIY camp as you want to! Additionally, the more DIY camp you participate in, the more Portage Points you can earn and the more prizes you will be awarded! For the first time in Portage Lake history, everyone is invited to all of the camp sessions! We hope you enjoy this special opportunity, and take advantage of all the fun that you will be able to have at home.
I still have more questions.
Please feel free to message us on Facebook or Instagram, or email our Interim Program Director, Madison, at madison@portagelake.org.