Londonderry News

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Fr. Bob Couto of St. Jude had many compliments on last weeks Vacation Bible School story in in the Union Leader at Mass this weekend, it was not one of the stories selected to be online, so we asked and were given permission to reprint it as published by the Union Leader.

By Alec O’Meara
Union Leader Correspondent

LONDONDERRY – St. Jude Parish was as hot as the desert sun at noon, but considering the theme for this year’s Vacation Bible School day camp is supposed to be a Grand Canyon adventure, camp coordinator Trish Woodward found the steamy weather a perfect fit for the day. “Thank God we live in New Hampshire and not the Grand Canyon, and don’t have to deal with this heat but for a few weeks of the year,” Woodward said.

While many of the camp’s 52 participants were well on the way to sweating through their orange “Adventure Canyon” t-shirts, spirits at the camp remained high as the children, all in grades one through six, moved through each of the half-hour units.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the church bible camp, which has roughly 40 volunteers.

St. Jude’s Parish Vacation Bible Camp junior volunteers Katy Nelson (left) and Leah Vigliotta participate in an outdoor dance contest while supervising camp goers Wednesday. Photo by Alec O’Meara

“It’s been wonderful to see the program grow over the years,” Woodward said. “We have more than a few junior helpers who are 17 and 18 who have been with us since the beginning, and we’ve watched them grow.” In keeping with the canyon theme, whole rooms of the church’s lower level have been decorated to create a Southwestern atmosphere. For the Bible-study unit, children sit outside a tent and listen to Christian fables from Jeannine Curro as if they were listening to a campfire tale.

Outside, Londonderry High School teacher and parish member Tony Cariello taught the young students about various types of terrain by building mountains with clay. As the newest edition to the week-long camp, Cariello’s science unit strives to find harmony between science and religion.

As a nine-year veteran of the program, Ave Maria University sophomore Maria Landry said she returns to the program as a helper year after year because she enjoys making the experience special for the younger campers. Landry is the eldest of seven, and many of her younger siblings are enrolled at the camp.

“You really to feel like, as a helper, you make a difference with the experience,” Landry said. “The camp is what you make of it, and if you come to make the experience unique for yourself, it becomes a lot of fun.”

Vacation Bible Camp concludes at the church this Friday with a special performance by camp goers at Mass this Sunday, Woodward said. “It’s amazing to think about how this program has grown, and how the children have grown with it,” she said.

For exclusive shots of the Camp by Alec O’Meara read the rest of the story!

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