Registration for Summer 2023 will open on February 5th.
Our overnight sessions are the ultimate Camp Deer Run experience. During our one and two week overnight sessions, our campers experience God in the beautiful and rustic piney woods of East Texas. Too many kids associate a Christian life with “boring” church services and see their relationship with God as a chore. At Camp Deer Run, we believe that a real relationship with God is an adventure and that it should be FUN! You can have the most fun week of your life and be the closest to God you’ve ever been…at the same time. That’s the Deer Run experience.
If your family is new to Camp Deer Run and you’d like to sign up to receive informational emails about summer camp and retreat registration, create an account by clicking the button below!
Flagpole Devo
Every morning begins with Flagpole Devo. The whole Camp meets to start the day with a prayer, song and scripture. This shows our campers that from sun up till sun down, we are praising God!
Group Bible
One hour each morning, the Group Leader leads his group in a Bible lesson. We pray that God will grant our Group Leaders and campers a special time to learn about Him.
Canteen
Three times a day, each group will have the chance to rest, hang out and enjoy snacks together at the Canteen. Canteen provides a break during all the daily activities. Campers have the option of many snacks, healthy options are available.
Crafts
Once each day campers and Staff will go to our Crafts Hall. From birdhouses, wooden snakes, and lanyards, there are a lot of fun things happening at crafts.
Swim Time
Everyone enjoys cooling off in our camp pool twice a day, once for an hour in the afternoon as well as a 15-minute “Quick Dip” in the evening.
Horses
Once a week each cabin takes an hour-long ride on horseback. The campers see God in His creation as they ride through the piney woods of East Texas.
Group Activity
Each day at Camp has its own theme. During this hour and a half, each group will play games or participate in activities that reflect the theme of the day. Scroll down for more information about daily themes.
Cabin Bible
During Cabin Bible, each cabin has a 30-minute lesson led by their Counselor. Campers often open up and share from their hearts in this smaller group setting.
Cabin Activity
Each cabin has an hour and a half to enjoy activities together. Many times the cabins go on hikes or play games with other cabins. This is also the time cabins are scheduled to ride horses or enjoy the swing.
The Swing
Our swing is a great thrill ride! Hoche and Nashamie campers will have the opportunity to conquer the swing once each week during their session. When hoisted to the highest point a camper will be about 42 feet up in the air. This is a great team building activity for each cabin.
Quiet Time
After all the activities and fun, everyone in Camp stops and spends time alone with God for 15 minutes.
Hymn Time
Before dinner, the entire Camp comes together to sing praises to God. Many campers and Staff list this as their favorite time at Camp.
Night Games
Night Games are played beneath the ball field lights each night before Night Devo. Each group plays simple games together at the close of each day.
Night Devo
Each day ends with Night Devo led by the Group Leader on one of our ball fields. After a long day of fun, this is an awesome time of worship.
Theme Days
One Week Session Theme Days
Monday: Olympic Day
Bum bum ba dum dum dum dum… I can hear Olympic Day beginning as the Group Leaders sings the Olympic song at Flagpole Devo. This is an exciting day because it is the first full day of the session! Campers will attend their first Group Bible, they will go to Crafts for the first time, they’ll begin making friendships and having all kinds of adventures. During Group Activity the campers will compete in all kinds of fun and crazy Olympic events. What you could bring: No costumes are necessary for this day, but some people like to bring patriotic or international apparel. But really all you need is to be ready to run, play and make lots of new friends!
Tuesday: Cowboy Day
Get ready to relive the Alamo, hunt some critters, and wrangle your counselors, it’s Cowboy Day! Yee Haw!!! During Group Activity campers will enjoy exciting Cowboy games, like the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, defending the Alamo, or a good old-fashioned Horseshoe Tournament. Campers will round up their counselors and take them to Killi Creek for some belly flops and creek wrastlin! What you could bring: Anything western goes with this day. A pearl snap shirt, a Cowboy hat, and Cowboy Boots are all great. Just make sure you bring something to wear in the creek!
Wednesday: Capture The Flag Day
Put on your camo!!! Ask our campers what their favorite day at CDR is and many will say without hesitation, Capture The Flag Day! There is just something about sneaking through the woods, trying to go undetected as you make a run for the other teams flag, that can’t be beat. During Group Activity the campers square off in an epic game of Capture the Flag. When the game finally ends you can just sit at Canteen with the kids and listen to the amazing adventures unfold as the campers relive their favorite moments of the game. What you could bring: Camouflage, camouflage, camouflage! A long pair of pants is also not a bad idea. You may want some protection for your legs as you walk through the woods.
Thursday: Killi Day
Killi Day is a celebration of all things Camp Deer Run. The day will revolve around a giant scavenger hunt that leads up to the traditional group leader chase. Campers go searching into the woods, find where he is hiding, and dunk him into Killi Creek. What you could bring: All of your favorite Camp Deer Run shirts and hats!
Two Week Session Theme Days
Monday: Olympic Day
Bum bum ba dum dum dum dum… I can hear Olympic Day beginning as the Group Leaders sings the Olympic song at Flagpole Devo. This is an exciting day because it is the first full day of the session! Campers will attend their first Group Bible, they will go to Crafts for the first time, they’ll begin making friendships and having all kinds of adventures. During Group Activity the campers will compete in all kinds of fun and crazy Olympic events. What you could bring: No costumes are necessary for this day, but some people like to bring patriotic or international apparel. But really all you need is to be ready to run, play and make lots of new friends!
Tuesday: Cowboy Day
Get ready to relive the Alamo, hunt some critters, and wrangle your counselors, it’s Cowboy Day! Yee Haw!!! During Group Activity campers will enjoy exciting Cowboy games, like the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, defending the Alamo, or a good old-fashioned Horseshoe Tournament. Campers will round up their counselors and take them to Killi Creek for some belly flops and creek wrastlin! What you could bring: Anything western goes with this day. A pearl snap shirt, a Cowboy hat, and Cowboy Boots are all great. Just make sure you bring something to wear in the creek!
Wednesday: Hero Day
There’s nothing more exciting than a good super hero! On Hero Day, campers will enjoy Hero vs. Villain games with a CDR twist! What you could bring: T-Shirts or costumes of your favorite superhero are perfect for Hero Day. And don’t forget your cape!
Thursday – Lumberjack Day
You can leave your manners behind on Lumberjack Day! Exchange please and thank you for a grunt and a burp. Lumberjack Day is all about embracing our rugged side as we prepare for outcamping! What you could bring: Flannel shirts, fake beards, overalls, anything lumberjack-y! But please, leave your axe at home.
Thursday – Saturday AM: Outcamping
Outcamping is an incredible bonding experience that is a staple of our Two Week Sessions. Leaving the already rustic campgrounds behind and hiking into the woods, campers are sure to return with tons of stories and memories after an unforgettable time of growth and fun. Depending on the age group campers stay at Outcamping for one or two nights. Cooking over a campfire, exploring your new surroundings, and continually building relationships with new friends and our Heavenly Father make Outcamping an unforgettable few days. What you could bring: Bring clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty, some jeans to protect from thorns and bugs, and a sleeping bag or hammock to sleep in!
Saturday: Killi Kapers
By late Saturday morning all the groups of campers have returned from Outcamping. This means its now time to shower up and rest a little while before getting back into the swing of things. As the day begins to progress everyone begins to prepare for Killi Kapers! Each cabin develops a short skit or act to perform in front of the whole camp that evening. This too can be a bonding experience that really brings a cabin together. What you could bring: Any type of costume you could think of would probably be something funny for a skit.
Middle Sunday
Middle Sunday is our visiting day for two-week sessions. We’ll worship together, have lunch, sing at hymn time and just enjoy the fellowship. For more info about Middle Sunday, click here. What you could bring: Some campers like to bring some nicer clothes for worship, but it is not required.
Monday – Groovy Day
On Groovy Day, campers and staff spend the day chillin’ out. You’ll see retro costumes, lots of performing, and maybe even a color war! The main event comes in the evening with Mellow Night, a camp-wide talent show. What you could bring: Tie die, flower crowns, bell-bottoms, leisure suits, and any other hippy flower power you can find.
Monday PM – Mellow Night
Groovy Day culminates with a long-time Camp Deer Run tradition: Mellow Night. As the sun sets the whole camp will be getting ready to put their talents on display. You’ll see skits, songs, comedy, and any other kind of performance you could think of. So get ready to show off what you’ve got! (Performing on Mellow Night is completely optional). What you could bring: Bring your talent!
Tuesday: Hawaiian Day
Surfs Up! Everybody loves Hawaiian Day! Sand castles, water games, and of course the giant slip n slide are all a part of the fun. After a great day, the campers go on their second cookout of the session. Campers have plenty of time to just hang out around the campfire while they cook hot dogs. After the cookout, the campers head to Night Canteen, a.k.a. The Hawaiian Day Luau! During the Luau campers enjoy hanging out, eating fruit, and competing in the Limbo. What you could bring: Hawaiian patterned shirts or shorts make for a perfect Hawaiian Day costume. Grass skirts and straw hats are great too. This is a day of lots of water activities so you will need some to have some clothes you don’t mind getting wet.
Wednesday: Capture the Flag Day
Put on your camo!!! Ask many of our campers what their favorite day at CDR is and many will say without hesitation, Capture The Flag Day! Beginning on registration Sunday and continuing till the day arrives many of our young boy campers will ask several time, when is Capture The Flag Day? There is just something about sneaking through the woods, trying to go undetected as you make a run for the other teams flag, the kids just love it. During Group Activity the campers square off in an epic game of Capture the Flag. When the game finally ends you can just sit at Canteen with the kids and listen to the amazing adventures unfold as the campers relive their favorite moments of the game. What you could bring: Camouflage, camouflage, camouflage! A long pair of pants is also not a bad idea. You may want some protection for you legs as you walk through the woods.
Thursday: Killi Day
Killi Day is a celebration of all things Camp Deer Run. The day will revolve around a giant scavenger hunt that leads up to the traditional group leader chase. Campers go searching into the woods, find where he is hiding, and dunk him into Killi Creek. What you could bring: All of your favorite Camp Deer Run shirts and hats! Just remember, you might end up in the creek so bring a change of clothes.
Each summer Camp Deer Run offers six Overnight Camp sessions (three one-week sessions and three two-week sessions). Overnight Camp sessions are for campers ages 9 to 17. Camp Deer Run also provides eight Pee Wee Camp sessions. Pee Wee Camp sessions are for ages 5-8.
2023 PRICING:
One Week Sessions -$435
Two Week Sessions – $785
Pee Wee Camp – $185