Back to CrossRoads: A Personal Reflection by Bethany Hunter
Throughout my Virginia Baptist life, I’ve had the opportunity to spend time at CrossRoads Camp and Conference Center in Lowesville, Virginia. Back in the 1990s, when I attended as a camper and served as a counselor, it was Camp Little Cross Roads. Since then, a few things have changed. Now, we just say “CrossRoads” when we’re going to our mountain retreat.
My children stay in Baptist, Viewmont, Cedars, or Little Cross Roads instead of Unit I, II, III, or IV from the “old days.” The high ropes course, giant swing, pamper pole, and climbing walls are additions that have positively impacted the CrossRoads experience for campers and counselors. One of my favorite adjustments at CrossRoads has been the schedule: instead of six or eight weeks of summer camp, our facility now hosts groups year-round for events and retreats, giving our beautiful space a lot more exposure and use.
Some things at CrossRoads have not changed. The pool is still cold, even in the summer, but the diving board is the best one around. The Snail Trail is still the best way to get from Hunt Hall to “Unit III” (Little Cross Roads for you younger folks). The view of camp from The Rock is still just as exquisite, and campers hike there each week for that “mountaintop experience.”
This past week, as the summer staff started heading back to college, extra hands were needed in the kitchen, so I volunteered to help. I worked on prepping food for meals, helping clean up the dining area, running the dish pit, and generally trying to help wherever I was needed. Was it glamorous? Not especially. Was it rewarding? Absolutely! I got to serve a group of children and young adults that haven’t grown up going to CrossRoads their whole lives. This was a new experience for them, and they loved it!
CrossRoads has typically hosted one volunteer weekend each year to do maintenance and cleanup projects that don’t regularly get tackled. That’s not the only opportunity to volunteer! You can call CrossRoads anytime and see if they need help. You might be in the kitchen, doing laundry, helping clean cabins, mowing grass, or cleaning trails.
Perhaps you’re not up for that type of commitment. You can always donate money to support CrossRoads. There are so many parts of camp that are starting to show wear and tear after 40 years. What better way to show your support than to help make those physical improvements? What exciting opportunities will the next 40 years at CrossRoads bring?
