Every so often, a testimonial arrives that grabs everyone’s attention, as well as tugs on heart strings.

Such was the case recently when Mia Flores wrote a letter of praise to Episcopal Church leaders after her recent participation in a Camp Wingmann summer camp session. Flores, a middle-schooler, received a financial scholarship to attend one of the six one-week sessions at the Avon Park outpost, and was completely overjoyed.

The following letter was shared by the Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida:

“Thank you for my trip to Camp Wingmann. Where the oaks provide shade, where the anhingas glide across the lake, where the trails come to an end, where the hollowed trees are sleepy, where you wake up to the sound of the whip-poor-wills, and where you can hear the pines whisper.

“Where you can get delicious, homemade food, sit and talk to your new friends, and where you hear about the exciting upcoming events. Where you can hear the people harmonize, where you can hear the beautiful music being played, where you can learn about God, and where you can grow in Christ.

“Where you can have fun with your friends, where you can play challenging games, where you can get souvenirs at Canteen, and where you can have bonding time with everyone.

“Where you can challenge yourself, where you can remember ‘You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you,’ where you can struggle, but get back up again by the help of your friends, and where you can set a goal for yourself.

“Where you can talk and discuss your ideas to other people, where you can express your thoughts and yourself with poems, where you have wonderful leaders, and where you can share your emotions for people writing without being judged.

“Where you have all of your stuff, where you sleep peacefully, where you play little games with your friends, and where you have wonderful counselors that care about you.

“This is my home away from home, I want to stay there every day, yet I can’t. Thank you for providing money for me to go to camp. I can’t wait to go again next year. I am already home away from homesick, but happy to be home.” – Mia Flores

Flores was one of 306 children in third through 12th grade who participated in this year’s summer camps. Sponsored by the Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida, Camp Wingmann summer camps have been held for more than 60 years.

“The summer went great,” said Camp Wingmann director, the Rev. Deke Miller.

Children from around the state of Florida, but mostly from the Diocese of Central Florida, participated in this year’s camp. This year’s camps featured characters from Disney movies; the theme Bible verse was John 8:12: “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’”

“We had a great staff of 30 full-time counselors as well a number of priests who volunteered as chaplains at each of the sessions,” Miller said. “We also had six different program leaders who led an hour of program each day at each camp.”