“The Amanda” Pavilion

Once upon a time there was a young girl who loved CYE. She was a camper and worker every summer from ages 7 to 18. Her senior year of high school she hung out with the wrong crowd, made bad choices, and stepped off the graduation stage as an expecting, unwed mother. In her shame, she was not going to camp that summer in fear of rejection by all those she had been friends with every summer at CYE.

The Sunday came for Sr. week and she sat at home thinking about all the fun and remembering the guys who played their guitars and Sang the Song "Amanda" in the little pavilion down the hill. Because of the song she had heard them sing and play years before, bringing back good memories of camp, she decided to name her baby Amanda, if it was a girl. Sunday came and went, Monday morning started like just another day until a car drove up at her parents house and a very special friend from camp, along with the preacher stepped out and said" pack your suitcase you're going to camp."

Reluctantly, she packed and upon arriving at camp she was not judged nor stoned, but showered with love. As a Christian, she had ask forgiveness and knew Jesus had forgiven her but to see the love of Jesus through the friends at camp was something she would cherish forever. It's one of the many reasons she still walks by faith today. She also returns with grandchildren every Jr. Week to allow them to make life long camp friends who will be there for them when times get tough. She also sits in the Pavilion down the hill where little did she know would now be called " The Amanda"

• Young girl was (Me) Cindy Johnson Curtis

• BABY Girl, Amanda Marie Curtis Shipp, my daughter.

• Friend: Valerie Floyd McGee

• Preacher: Bro. Jerry Samples

• The guys who sang and played guitars: Duane Jolibois, Bryan McGee, Danny Broussard , and many others.