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Grandparents, kids connect at camp

By Lilla Marigza
Sept. 3, 2025 | Arlington, S.D. (UM News)

Donnette Gering helps her granddaughter Amelia Polreis write a story as part of Grandparents and Me Camp at Lake Poinsett in Arlington, S.D. Photo by Lilla Marigza, UM News.

Retirees in South Dakota are going back to summer camp alongside their grandchildren. Grandparents and Me Camp includes days and nights of water sports, campfires, and worship. Participants say the camp allows quality time for bonding that doesn’t always happen during the hustle and bustle of holidays when families usually gather. The camp is hosted by Lake Poinsett Camp and Living Waters Retreat Center, a mission of The United Methodist Church’s Dakotas Conference. 

In addition to Grandparents and Me, Lake Poinsett hosts an abbreviated “Teddy Bear” overnight camp for grandparents and younger children. The retreat center also offers a variety of summer sessions, with special camps for foster children, campers who are Deaf, and kids with diabetes.

Contact Cynthia Nelson for more information on how to start a Grandparents and Me Camp in your annual conference.

Marigza is a multimedia producer for UM News. Contact her at (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umnews.org. To read more United Methodist news, subscribe to the free UM News Digest.

Libie Mills helps her granddaughter Jordyn Lathrop write a story as part of Grandparents and Me Camp at Lake Poinsett in Arlington, South Dakota. Photo by Lilla Marigza, UM News.
Libie Mills helps her granddaughter Jordyn Lathrop write a story as part of Grandparents and Me Camp at Lake Poinsett in Arlington, South Dakota. Photo by Lilla Marigza, UM News.

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