LAURA EDWARDS

Laura Edwards was working as a paraprofessional in a special education classroom when she first learned of Camp Barnabas. She was intrigued by the concept of the camp and came her first summer as a lead counselor then an office assistant. The following summer she was placed in charge of the volunteer team. She found the work she did at camp fulfilling and joined the staff year-round three years ago as Volunteer Coordinator. This role puts her at the forefront of recruiting the almost 1,800 volunteers who serve in the summer ministry of Camp Barnabas. “I love that we get to provide life-changing opportunities for our campers and our volunteers,” she says. “Barnabas has changed my life. I don’t have any idea what I would be doing now if I wasn’t at Barnabas. I am confident that Barnabas will have an impact on every aspect of my future.” When she’s not singing the praises of camp to potential volunteers, she’s cheering on her husband, Isaac, who heads a Christian sports ministry in Joplin and serves as a youth pastor in Mount Vernon, Missouri.