LAKE GENEVA, WI (January 25, 2010) – Junior and senior high students attending the “Deep Freeze” weekend retreat held January 15-17 at Covenant Harbor Bible Camp & Retreat Center donated more than $850 to help with relief work in Haiti.

The theme for the retreat was “Escape to Paradise,” but the students were eager to help a country that is anything but paradise, says Executive Director Ray Warren.

Warren said the response was in keeping with the talks given by Judy Peterson, campus pastor at North Park University and the weekend speaker. Peterson (accompanying photo) challenged to students to move from being tourists to pilgrims on their life journey.

The students donated the money during a special offering on Saturday night. Just prior to the offering, Ben Calhoun of the weekend’s worship band, The Least of These, told the campers to give money to the Haiti offering rather than purchase the group’s CDs.

The money will be distributed through Covenant World Relief.

The sold-out retreat was held in the Jackson Family Activity Center, which was constructed last year. Warren says the new facility enables 250 students to attend the conference – far more than the previous 160 capacity that was possible when it was held in the Carriage House.

Three more Deep Freeze winter camps are scheduled for February.