This past Wednesday was the summer solstice, marking the official start to summer. With summer on the mind, we at The Babbling Brook would like to take a different approach to our blog this week. Today, The Babbling Brook makes its temporary debut as a travel blog! Last week, Willow Brook Christian Communities social media coordinator, Christina Dresdow, had the pleasure of accompanying a group of our Willow Brook Christian Village independent residents on their Mystery Bus Trip with Scott. Scott is one of our Willow Brook bus drivers and is also on the maintenance team at Willow Brook Christian Village (as well as volunteer pianist for Pizza Night and other events). He drove one bus of residents, and Cassie (life enrichment coordinator) drove the other bus. As implied in the title, the bus trip destination was a complete mystery to all aboard. So, without further ado, let’s take a look at some of the places they visited on the trip.
Woosh! Water crashes down around me, swirling in frenetic swirls and bubbles. The water pours down first from the left and then the right and I am engulfed. It comes down in sheets so intense I can see nothing but a gray-ish whiteness – whirling and churning around me like a great wave crashing down. Suddenly it clears to a crystal glaze broken by tendrils of water dribbling down, and then, just as quickly as it started, it fades to little water droplets flying left and right like diamonds settling in clumps around the corners as the windshield wipers swish back and forth and the bus emerges from the truck wash.
The mystery destination was a truck wash… Just kidding! Though, that was the first stop along the way. But maybe I’m getting a little ahead of myself. A group of our Willow Brook Christian Village residents boarded the buses Thursday morning, ready to set out around 10am. The buses were alive with excited chatter as each resident tried to guess what Scott’s mystery destination would be and where it might be located. About an hour later, after a north-bound drive on U.S. 23, the buses arrived at Kalmbach Truck Wash in Upper Sandusky, Ohio. Everyone laughed and joked about this being the mystery destination that Scott had planned, but no one expected what came next – the drive through the Truck Wash. It really was a part of the mystery trip! The buses emerged from the wash, sparkling like new on the outside and filled with laughter on the inside. “Where to next? The oil change?” residents joked, as we set off for our next stop.
Turns out the next stop was The Village. Now, I know what you’re thinking, “The Village? But they just came from the Village?” But as a matter of fact, the restaurant that we stopped at for lunch was The Village Restaurant. So the Village residents went to The Village! A quaint little mom and pop restaurant in Upper Sandusky, Ohio, The Village Restaurant has excellent service, delicious food, and a homey atmosphere. Scott particularly recommended the liver and onions, which he claims to be their best dish (I, myself, do not prefer liver and onions so I stuck with a classic burger instead, but to anyone who likes liver and onions, this is the place to go!). After eating there, resident Peggy says she would recommend the fried veggies to anyone who wants to have them done right, “crispy and not soggy at all!” Looking for a new restaurant to try this summer with great hometown cooking? The Willow Brook Christian Village mystery bus trip participants recommend The Village Restaurant – it’s well worth the drive.
After lunch, it was time to head to our final mystery destination. As we set out, the buses were once again filled with excitement as residents volleyed guesses back and forth. One resident on the bus I was in said jokingly, “Hey, I think there is a youth church camp up this way, maybe we’re headed to camp!” Turns out, he was right! Just five miles outside of Upper Sandusky is the Northwestern Ohio Christian Youth Camp (also known as NWOCYC). Scott has worked with the camp for years, and it has a special place in his heart, so he wanted to share it with our residents.
The camp grounds of NWOCYC have a rich history dating back to 1937, when the camp was founded as Camp Sandusky, along the Sandusky River. The property was purchased shortly after, in 1940, by Tiffin YMCA and named Camp Pittenger. Rented to the Ohio Easter Seals Society, the camp was used for various youth YMCA camps, 4-H camps, Girl Scout camps, and camps for disabled youth. The Churches of Christ purchased the 40-acre facility in 1979, and it became what is now known as NWOCYC.
Today, NWOCYC is still owned and operated by the Churches of Christ. The camp season is open from June through August, and they offer six separate weeks of camp. Campers ranging from the ages of 7-20 come from all over (and all different Christian denominations) to participate in camp. The NWOCYC property contains the following: 14 sleeping cabins, a chapel, an amphitheater, and an Olympic sized swimming pool, basketball courts, a fire circle, a recreation field, a nurse’s station, a canteen, an arts & crafts building, and housing for camp directors and cooks. The camp serves almost 400 campers over the course of the six weeks, with the goal to provide a screen free week, build friendships, and give praise to God while encouraging one another. The mission of the camp is “to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ and equip the youth to do the same.”
As we arrived at the camp, our buses stopped on the gravel driveway so our residents could enjoy watching (from the comfort and A/C of the bus) a group of campers participating in a game of Slip ‘N Slide Water Hockey. After the buses parked at the basketball courts, we had the opportunity to get out and explore the camp grounds, mingle with campers and counselors at different activities, and walk across the famous camp “swinging bridge.” Several residents even joined in a short game of tetherball. After a while, it was time to say goodbye to the campers and counselors and head back home. The bus ride home was abuzz with talk about the trip; and several residents shared stories of their own camp experiences growing up, but those are stories for another day.
So there you have it: our Mystery Bus Trip with Scott. What started out as a simple truck wash, quickly turned into delicious hometown food and a day at camp! We never tire of the energy and creativity of our staff at Willow Brook who provide such amazing activities and excursions for our residents. Shout out and thanks to Scott for coordinating this and driving the bus, and to Cassie for driving the second bus so more residents could join in the fun. Want to hear more stories of fun activities and bus trips at Willow Brook? Leave a comment below and/or check out our Facebook and Instagram pages for more content.
