NeKaMo Camp, a Cedarbrook Camp in the Ozarks, logo

NeKaMo Camp is for youth going into second through twelfth grades.

To ensure age appropriate activities, campers are grouped into divisions according to grade levels. Cabins have six to eight campers of the same Division with one or two counselors.

  • Pathfinder Division: going into 2nd – 4th grades

  • Trailblazer Division: going into 5th – 7th grades

  • Challenger Division: going into 8th – 9th grades

  • Explorer Division: going into 10th – 12th grades

Campers enjoy a blend of time spent with their cabin, their age division, and the whole camp during special activities throughout the week.

NeKaMo Camp’s program emphasizes skill-building, creativity, respect for others, nature appreciation, and a recognition that Jesus Christ is our greatest treasure.

Campers live in a cabin of 6 to 8 with one or two counselors and participate in individually-chosen activities each morning and afternoon.

Exposure to God’s Word comes several times throughout the day, including a personal time in the morning (Morning Watch) and a cabin Bible study (Bible Exploration) led each day by the counselor.

After the evening activities, campers gather around the campfire for singing and a short devotion.

 

NeKaMo Camp is located at CAMP CUMCITO in the Ozarks near Warsaw Missouri. From Kansas City metro area: take Missouri HWY 13 South out of Harrisonville headed for Springfield. At Clinton, turn off of 13 and follow HWY 7 East toward Warsaw. After Clinton there aren’t many places to stop, so take advantage of Walmart and the typical fast food restaurants. You’ll come to camp before you get to Warsaw which has a historic downtown area, Truman Lake, and Visitors Center.

 

 

Camp, like life, is not without risks. We do our best to minimize and reduce hazards through our risk management program, which includes staff training and awareness, and safety rules at all activities. We have a registered nurse on site, and further medical assistance is available within five miles of our camp.

The NeKaMo Camp mission is to faithfully present the gospel of Jesus Christ and to provide unique opportunities for spiritual and personal growth for campers and staff in order to equip them to serve Christ and glorify His name.

NeKaMo Camp was founded in 1965 as a Christian camping ministry for girls utilizing City Union Mission’s Camp in the Ozarks. “Christ in every phase of a girl’s life” was the motto. We are grateful for the vision of those ladies and their faithfulness to create a camp where girls can grow in their knowledge of Christ and appreciation of His creation.

Although initially part of Camp Cherith, we are a member of the Association of Cedarbrook Camps. All of the Cedarbrook Camps share the same philosophy and work on mutual objectives to make our camps the best they can be for our campers.

The summer of 2021 brought the re-launch of Boys Camp with a core group of dedicated men and boys.

Spiritual Standard

All NeKaMo Camp board and staff members serving in any capacity shall be committed to Christ and His service and seek to manifest the kind of life expressed in Romans 12:10-12, “Be devoted to one another with brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

Doctrinal Position

Since many denominational groups are involved in NeKaMo Camp, staff members are asked not to promote or practice denominational distinctives which are not found in the NeKaMo Camp Statement of Faith. At camp we will focus on the unity we have in Christ and the basic beliefs we hold in common.

Statement of Faith

We believe:

  • in one God, eternally existent and coequal in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. John 14:16-17, Matthew 28:19, 2 Corinthians 13:14.

  • that Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, and is true God and true man. Matthew 1:18-23.

  • that the Scriptures of Old and New Testaments are verbally inspired by God and inerrant in the original writings, and are the final authority for faith and life. 2 Peter 1:20-21, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Hebrews 4:12.

  • that we were created in the image of God; that we have sinned, incurring both physical and spiritual death; and that all human beings are born in sin and that this sinful nature is the origin of all sinful acts in thought, word and deed. Genesis 1:26, Romans 5:12, Isaiah 59:2, Romans 6:23, Romans 3:23.

  • that the Lord Jesus Christ died as the atoning sacrifice for our sins, the just for the unjust, according to the Scriptures, and that all who believe in Him are justified by grace through His shed blood. Romans 5:8-9, Ephesians 2:8-9, 2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Peter 3:18.

  • that all who receive the Lord Jesus Christ by faith are born again of the Holy Spirit, becoming children of God. John 1:12, Galatians 3:26, John 3:16.

  • in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit in illuminating, regenerating, indwelling, and sanctifying the Christian. Romans 8:14-16, John 16:13, 2 Thessalonians 2:13.

  • that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female, and that these two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God.  Genesis 1:26-27.

  • that God created marriage to be exclusively the union of one man and one woman, and that intimate sexual activity is to occur exclusively within that union.  Genesis 2:18-25. Matthew 19:1-9. Ephesians 5:22-33. Romans 1:18-32. Hebrews 13:4.

  • in the bodily resurrection of the saved and the lost; the saved to everlasting life, and the lost to everlasting punishment. Acts 24:15, Revelation 20:15, Romans 6:23, 1 Corinthians 15:20-24.

  • in the bodily resurrection of Christ, His ascension to the right hand of the Father, His present work as High Priest and advocate, and His personal return in power and glory. I Corinthians 15:3-4, Hebrews 4:14-16, I Thessalonians 4:16-17.

Stay up to date with all things NeKaMo Camp by emailing us at: newsletter@nekamocamp.org

We understand that not everyone is well suited to be a counselor in a cabin; but your gifts of time, talent, cash, gifts in kind, reading our newsletters and praying, do make a difference.  Ask God to help you know how you can join with us.

Your financial donations are appreciated and have helped sustain our small camp since 1965.  You are an encouragement to our volunteer board of directors and volunteer staff.

NeKaMo Camp Inc. is a 501(c)3 public charity.  EIN # 48-0898155   We are pleased to provide a receipt of your tax deductible donations.

A growing number of families depend on scholarships. Please consider giving the gift of a camp scholarship; scroll down to learn more about our “camperships”.

Gifts in Kind

Focused gifts of tangible goods are always welcome.  Please confirm that your gift would fit well for NeKaMo Camp’s needs by emailing us at:  info@nekamocamp.org .

If your items are not a good match, please consider donating to City Thrift, a program through City Union Mission. 

Mail a Paper Check

We appreciate the faithful giving through paper checks made payable to “NeKaMo Camp Inc” and mailed to our financial secretary.

NeKaMo Camp
c/o Becky Groff
22801 W. 246 St.
Paola, KS 66071

Online Giving – Monthly

1) To learn more and to start giving an automatic monthly gift, please select this image which will open a new tab with the secure online form.

2) After you have filled out the form, you can access and manage your existing account, make changes, and download receipts.

 

Online Giving – One time Donation & Camperships that give the gift of camp

NeKaMo Camp scholarships are called “camperships” which help to offset $75 of the cost of camp for parents who apply during registration.  Please use the Online Giving Form below for a one time gift.

NeKaMo Camp volunteer leadership can be reached at: info@nekamocamp.org

Girls Camp contact Krista, “Kiskadee” at: girls-camp-director@nekamocamp.org

Boys Camp contact Corben, “Thorondor” at: boys-camp-director@nekamocamp.org

Registration related questions please email: registrar@nekamocamp.org

Website or tech related matters: webmaster@nekamocamp.org

The president of our volunteer board: board-of-directors@nekamocamp.org

Donation related questions, please contact Emily: treasurer@nekamocamp.org
  To manage and download receipts from online automatic monthly giving, click here.

NeKaMo Camp is a Christian youth camp in the Ozarks.

In June NeKaMo Camp offers two week-long camp sessions for girls and one week-long session for boys. Boys week and the second girls week run concurrently – at the same site, but operate as separate single-gender camp experiences. Each summer has a spiritual theme and each week has a distinct fun theme.

2024 spiritual theme:  “Anchored in Truth”

“Sanctify them by the truth; your Word is Truth.” John 17:17

Core Values of NeKaMo Camp, a Cedarbrook Camp

Cedarbrook Camps uphold four core values for youth camping.

Spiritual Formation

Campers’ growth in their personal relationship with God is encouraged by providing opportunities to apply Biblical principles to daily life and by participating in personal and group worship, devotional time, prayer and reflection.

Relationships and Community

Opportunities are provided for campers to experience and build successful, positive individual and community relationships that are consistent with Biblical principles.

Skill Building

Each camper chooses two skill building activities for the week providing opportunities to have fun, discover and celebrate their God-given value, uniqueness and abilities, develop increased competence and self-confidence, courage, and perseverance through learning and improving in challenging, skill-building activities.

Creation Appreciation

Campers are encouraged to develop a deeper appreciation of God’s creation and to enjoy and feel comfortable in the outdoors caring for it appropriately.

Select the Girls or Boys camp tabs to learn more.

2024

First Week Dates & Fun Theme:  June 9-15   NeKaMo State Fair

NeKaMo Camp fun theme 2024

2024

Second Week Dates & Fun Theme:   June 16-22  S.S. NeKaMo

Two daily skill building activities for the week are chosen individually by each camper.

Arts/Fine arts:

Crafts – What would camp be without a craft class?

  • A general craft class is open to all ages and skill levels.
  • Advanced crafts – This is a class that varies from year to year and is usually open to 7th-12th grade girls.

Some examples of classes offered are leather craft, knitting, painting, sketching, and scrapbooking.
Drama/Puppets/Creative Movement – We frequently have classes in the fine arts.

In the past these classes have included puppets, drama, or guitar.
These classes are offered to a variety of ages.

Campcraft:

We offer classes in camp skills covering a variety of topics such as: knot tying, fire building, outdoor cooking, trails and compass use, soap carving with jack knives, outdoor crafts, and learning to identify animals and insects native to our camp. These classes are offered to a variety of ages.

  • Pathfinders-nature recognition, hiking,
  • Trailblazers-knot tying, soap carving, fire building, outdoor cooking
  • Challenger/Explorer- outdoor cooking, outposting for CILTs (see CILT tab)

 

Outposting:

For three days the group sleeps in tents, cooks all their meals over a campfire or camp stove, and focuses on learning other campcraft skills. Outposting is required for high school campers in the CILT program.

Rockwall Climbing:

This class is offered for campers entering 7th-12th grades (Challengers and Explorers). Campers learn  auto and manual belay and work to achieve 3 varying skill levels of climbing.

Target sports:

  • Air Riflery – This class is offered for campers entering 5th and 6th grades (Trailblazers). The girls shoot at NRA targets on a safe shooting range. Pins can be achieved as skills improve.
  • 22 Riflery – This class is offered for girls in 7th-12th grades (Challengers and Explorers).  Safety and respect for firearms are stressed.  Two adults are present at all classes.
    Pins can be achieved as proficiency increases.
  • Archery – A camp favorite, campers use re-curve bows to shoot at targets 15-50 yards away.  The girls are provided with appropriate length arrows and arm guards. This class is open to girls in 7th-12th grades and pins can be achieved for all skill levels.

Water Sports:

The onsite five acre pond, provides the perfect setting for small classes.

  • Sailing:  classes use small Sunfish sailboats which are nimble and fun
  • Canoeing: classes are taught at the pond with advanced classes venturing to area waterways
  • Fishing: a morning class (before the afternoon heat) with lots of stories of crappie, small mouth bass and an occasional frog!
  • Swimming:  Classes for beginners thru advanced are taught at the onsite pool.

Camper In Leadership Training

What is CILT? 

It’s a two-year leadership training program for Explorers who are interested in learning the skills  needed to be a camp counselor. 

The CILT experience prepares young women to learn and apply principles of leadership and  discipleship that they can use throughout their lives. It will also deepen their knowledge of  Scripture and increase their skills in camp activity areas. 

How much work is involved? 

  • At camp one activity period will be the CILT class. Homework will be assigned each day.
  •  At home between summers: 1) Monthly online video meetings about 30-45 minutes  2) Essentials of Salvation module done altogether one Saturday 3) Individual Bible study on  Philippians done online with the CILT instructor 4) Resource file to be completed by the following summer 

 

What is expected of CILTs? 

CILTs are held in great esteem by younger campers. Therefore, CILTs are expected to exhibit a  servant attitude and set a good example in cooperation and discipline. 

CILTs are expected to be in regular attendance at a Bible-teaching church. 

What does it cost? 

CILT 1 costs the normal fees for weeks 1 and 2 (weekend stayover is free) plus $15 for materials. All  CILT 1 applicants are eligible to apply for a CILT campership covering the cost of one week of camp. 

CILT 2 costs the normal fee for one week of camp (weekend stayover and one week are free) plus  $15 for materials. After May 1, the fee increases by $25. 

Who can apply? 

Explorers who have finished 10th grade and have attended NeKaMo Camp for at least two summers.

Documents to be submitted – due by May 1 (No applications will be accepted after May 1): 

  • Application which will include your testimony of knowing Jesus 
  • NeKaMo Camp Statement of Faith – signed 
  • A NeKaMo staff member’s recommendation 
  • Parental reference and permission 
  • Pastor’s (or other church leader’s) reference 

 

If you would like an application (which will include links to the above forms) or if you have any  questions, send Debbie Morris “Tross” an email at CILT@nekamocamp.org.

Staff members play a key role in making camp a safe and fun place to be. We look for godly women who  love Christ, love kids, serve with a cheerful heart, and like to have fun!

Our staff members are college students, moms and teachers who often simply want to give to others what they themselves received at a camp or outdoor adventure.

Pre-camp training is mandatory and provides education in safety procedures, counseling and teaching methods, evangelism, and camping skills.

If you would like to be considered for a position as volunteer staff, please use the registration link here.  Fill in your information to create an account, then scroll down past the grade levels as illustrated below.

The girls camp director, Krista Crank, also known at camp as “Kiskadee”, can be reached at: girls-camp-director@nekamocamp.org

2024 Dates & Fun theme: June 16-22    S.S. NeKaMo

NeKaMo Camp fun theme 2024

Two daily skill building activities for the week are chosen individually by each camper.

Options include:

  • Air Riflery & Slingshots
  • 22’s
  • Archery
  • Fishing
  • Rocketry
  • Swimming
  • Orienteering

Staff members play a key role in making camp a safe and fun place to be. We look for godly men who love Christ, love kids, serve with a cheerful heart, and like to have fun!

Our staff members are college students, dads and teachers who often simply want to give to others what they themselves received at a camp or outdoor adventure.

Pre-camp training is mandatory and provides education in safety procedures, counseling and teaching methods, evangelism, and camping skills.

If you would like to be considered for a position as a volunteer new or returning staff, please use this form link here

The boys camp director, Corben Tannahill, also known at camp as “Thorondor”, can be reached at: boys-camp-director@nekamocamp.org

REGISTRATION IS OPEN
Come to NeKaMo Camp... since 1965 dedicated volunteers swimming sailing canoeing kayaks target sports arts & crafts rockwall climbing rocketry fishing orienteering grow in faith make new friends learn about God campfires s'mores hiking ...it's fun

REGISTER TODAY

Secure your child’s NeKaMo Camp experience with a $50 deposit today. 

Pathfinders/Trailblazers $330 if you register before May 1 ($355 for late registrations after 5/1)
Challengers/Explorers $335 if you register before May 1 ($360 for late registrations after 5/1)

Please consider donating to our campership fund in the Donations tab.

REGISTRATION IS OPEN