Cruising on the lake, conquering the climbing tower, inspiring Bible talks and late-night campfire chats… these might come to mind when choosing your fondest camp memories. But there’s an essential part of camp which is often taken for granted. Meals!
Meal times are an integral part of camp – not just for the campers, but for those leading camps on the frontline, as well as staff working behind the scenes. At the forefront, meals at our campsites are times when tired bodies are nourished and refuelled with delicious food and tasty snacks so that campers can enjoy more activities and learning. But more importantly, they are a time of making connections, creating memories and sharing lives with one another.
The catering teams at CRU Lake Mac and Galston Gorge have always been a crucial part of camps running well.
In the 1980s, Helen Bywater began cooking on weekend camps at CRU Lake Mac and occasionally helped with the catering at Galston. She and her husband, Max, were the first residential managers at the Lake Mac site in 1987. When CRU Educational Camps (previously known as Summit Camps) were introduced in 1988, Helen began cooking for these camps full-time and served in this way for over two decades.
Back then, Helen prepared meals in the classic site kitchen that was connected to the main meeting hall – a very different experience to what is currently in use in the new Dining Hall. She recalls her experience of cooking in the classic site over 28 years of service:
“The old gas stoves were probably the biggest problem in that kitchen because you never knew whether they were going to function. We had no dishwasher for most of that time, and you’d wash up with a bowl or a tray on the dining room table. Max was always there to wash up the big pots and pans! We had little freezers but no cool room, and that made it difficult, especially when you had a very big group.”
For a while, Helen single-handedly managed the catering of camps. She would be the sole cook for groups of up to 50 guests! However, as the size of guest groups increased, she was very thankful to have the opportunity to work alongside a couple of ladies from her church and then daughter Katrina and granddaughter Lisa in later years.
Helen recognises that she was sustained by God throughout her time at CRU. She reflects, “There were highs, lows and various challenges, but the experiences were always encouraging and rewarding. The Lord has been good throughout it all, and we always managed to get through!”
Fast forward a few decades and the catering team, led by Rachel Billington, is now preparing meals in a brandnew commercial kitchen. Rachel has worked the last four years or so as CRU Lake Mac’s Catering Manager. She first joined the team as a casual member of staff around six years ago when camps at Lake Mac reached a maximum of 120 guests at the classic site.
When Stage 1 of the Lake Mac redevelopment was completed in mid-2020, Rachel and her team transitioned from the classic site kitchen at Hilltop Hall to the brand-new kitchen in the new Dining Hall. The move has been a big adjustment, but the joys definitely outweigh the challenges.
“Initially, it was overwhelming. We were so used to how things were done at the classic site. Going from six catering staff to a team of 22 has been an adjustment, but I think the biggest challenge for me was only ever doing one camp at a time at the classic site, to now managing three or four camps at a time. Having to do all the admin side of things, paperwork, menus, and ordering for three camps at one time is a lot to manage,” shares Rachel.
““Sometimes, the younger campers would
come up and tell you, ‘I just asked Jesus
into my heart.’ That was what I enjoyed
more than anything.””
“However, God enables and equips me and I feel totally privileged to work in a beautiful kitchen like this. To walk out to the dining room and experience that amazing view of the lake is a real joy. There’s also a real joy in growing as a team – it really does feel like a big family. Everybody works really well together and cares for each other, both at work and outside of work.”
Similarly, Helen shares that cooking on Summit Camps was like cooking for family. She recalls, “Seeing the leaders growing was a great joy. The Summit leaders would all come up to you with a big hug, say ‘Hello’ and share the excitement they had for the week ahead. And then, when a child had shown interest in or had put their faith in the Lord, the leaders would come running in to tell you. They couldn’t wait to share their news with you!”
Rachel is also thankful for the support from the wider CRU team. She finds encouragement from the managers and is thankful for the opportunities to collaborate with the CRU Galston catering team. She particularly valued the experience and wisdom shared by Tania Hawkins, CRU Galston Gorge’s Catering Manager. Rachel recalls, “When we were coming from the old site to here, it meant dealing with larger numbers. I sought some advice, and Tania was more than happy to share how Galston managed the larger groups. I’m thankful we are all one big team.”
Both Helen and Rachel are delighted that they have been able to use the skills that God has given them for His glory. “I love coming to work at CRU. Even though we serve in the background, we are very much supporting the team that is on the frontline,” explains Rachel. “We are here to serve others and God before ourselves, and that certainly motivates me to get out of bed every day!”
From the stories shared, it is evident that meals are a time and place for campers to have those “golden moments” with each other and with leaders. Both Helen and Rachel share how the dining room is a place where connections are strengthened, experiences from the day are shared with excitement, and meaningful conversations take place.
Helen says, “The best thing was seeing little children come to know the Lord. Sometimes, the younger campers would come up and tell you, ‘I just asked Jesus into my heart.’ That was what I enjoyed more than anything.”
Rachel shares, “I see God at work here every single day. It’s a really exciting thing to watch the conversations happening among the campers and leaders. It could be about the content of the talk that day, what the Bible says about something, or a camper might come up to me and share that they just received their first Bible.”
“During COVID, we lost a little bit of that connection, so I’m excited to see that that is now able to come to the forefront again,” she continues. “When these conversations happen, it really sinks in that this is the ministry that we are doing. It really warms my heartthis is what it’s all about!”
For those thinking about joining CRU’s catering team Rachel says, “Come and give it a try. Not only is it a great job, but it’s also a place where you can grow and develop skills in a nurturing, supportive environment. It’s a beautiful environment, not only physically, but spiritually as well!”
We give great thanks to God for our catering teams at CRU Lake Mac and CRU Galston Gorge and look forward to hearing of more encouraging stories of God’s work for many years to come.