April 2, 2025 • 11 mins
Our guest is Connie Dietz from Pine Valley Christian Church. She stops by to invite us to Camp Sunflower Spaghetti Night, which is Saturday, April 26th, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., at Calvary United Methodist, 2525 North Rock Road. Camp Sunflower believes that all young people deserve and need supportive and affirming communities. So they hold camps and retreats for LGBTQIA+ middle and high school youth. Show your support for Camp Sunflower by attending the spaghetti supper! Suggested donation is $15 ($7.50 for ages 10 and under) including dessert and beverage. Live music, Silent Auction, and a Raffle. Come for a GREAT cause and fun evening! Details online at campsunflower.org
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
This is the Wichita Weekend Podcast from iHeartRadio Stations ninety
seven point nine, B, ninety eight one two one, The
Bowl Channel nine six three and All one oh seven three.
I'm your host, Don Guidas, Thanks for joining us. And
our guest on the Wichita Weekend Podcast is Connie Deets
from Pine Valley Christian Church here in Wichita. Connie's a
(00:23):
good friend of the show. She's been in before and
we have talked about Camp Sunflower. That has been our
topic in the past, and that's our topic today is
Camp Sunflower. Connie. First off, welcome to Wichita Weekend. Secondly,
what is Camp Sunflower for those who don't know.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Well, Don, first off, thank you very much for having
us back again. I can't believe a year has gone.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
By already, right.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
And here we are ready for another camp season. Camp
Sunflower is a private camp and it is located the
ways outside of Wichita, and it is the only camp
in Kansas and possibly within this area that caters to
and is a safe place for lgbt q I A
(01:08):
plus youth, middle school and high schoolers.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Oh boy.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
And so the kids come there and they know that
they are safe there and that this entire camp and
all the staff, the counselors, the director, everybody is there
to support them and to give them a fabulous few
days of camping.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Kind of surprise, there's only one in the state.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
There is only one in the state, and as far
as we know, I do not know of any that
are in our contiguous states either. Because we do get
kid students from outside of Kansas come to.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
This, Okay, and I'm guessing, as it is the one
in the state, your attendance is probably going to be
pretty pretty significant come summer time.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
They actually have they maxed out last year, they did,
they did, they had a little They're supposed to only
have one hundred and I think that we had, like
I am, about one hundred and ten this past summer summer
of twenty four. So the Camp Sunflower board, which I
am not on, but I understand that they are in
the process of trying to figure out what they're going
(02:12):
to do because the demand far exceeds what they can serve.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
Now we're you in the unfortunate position of having to
turn some campers away.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
I honestly cannot answer that. I would have to ask
someone on the Camp Sunflower board. I have not heard
that they did, and I'm sure that they tried very
hard not to.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
Do that, right, right, right, Well, the important point being
this is a very popular place and a very wonderful
safe place and a unique program in all the state
of Kansas. And in order to because you were privately funded, correct, yes,
we are, in order to kind of help Camp Sunflower
(02:50):
do the work that they do. We've got a special
spaghetti night coming up.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
Yes we do. We have our third Camp Sunflower Spaghetti Night.
And our little tagline this year is serving up Queer Joy,
one plate at a time, okay, And so that's our tagline.
But we are very excited. It's our third time to
have it. It's April the twenty sixth, which is a Saturday, okay,
And it's from four thirty to seven thirty in the evening,
(03:17):
and we are doing it again at Calvary Methodist Church
on Rock Road, and we're hoping that people will turn
out for it this year again.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
All right. And what time of day is that? Is it?
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Late afternoon, late afternoon, four thirty seven thirty in late afternoon,
early evening.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
Okay, all right, and you know, come on out, have
a nice wonderful meal.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Fabulous meal because this is great Grandma's spaghetti sauce. This
is made from scratch. We cook all day on Friday
and then we will have everything warmed up and ready
to go on Saturday, and we serve it's a complete meal.
For your ticket, you get the spaghetti dinner. We have
gluten free, we have vegetarian, and we have regular spaghetti sauce.
(04:00):
We also have gluten free spaghetti too if people need that.
And then we have a wonderful, wonderful salad that you
get and garlic bread, and then we have a plethora
of fabulous desserts that have been donated to us by
different bakeries here in town. And so, and plus your beverage,
you get the entire thing. Adults are fifteen dollars, and
(04:22):
kids who are twelve and under our seven dollars. And
if you're a little guy, little kid under three are
free of course. Okay, so it's fifteen dollars or seven
dollars depending on your age.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Connie, that sounds like a really good value.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
Well it really is, because I'm not so sure having
eaten out recently. For fifteen dollars, you can go anywhere
and get a complete meal of anything right, and with
beverage and dessert and bread and salad and the whole
and homemade spaghetti sauce.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
Oh man, not to mention all the great desserts that
you can.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Yes, yes we have. Oh we have some wonderful desserts
coming from some of our top bakeries here in town.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Okay, Saturday, April twenty sixth, four thirty tills.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Seven at Calvary United Methodist Church, which is twenty five
twenty five North Rock Road. It's on Rock Road between
twenty first Street and twenty ninth Street.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Got it, Okay?
Speaker 2 (05:17):
And I also want to mention we at that same
evening during the event, we will have information tables. These
are tables of organizations who either who support the LGBTQ
community and like the ACLU will be there and Loud
Light will be there, and Camp Sunflower will have a
table there, and Pride will be there and so organizations
(05:38):
like that. And then in addition, we have a phenomenal,
absolutely phenomenal silent auction that goes on at the same
time and one of our prize things this year. I
have to brag a little bit because we're so excited
about we have a signed Kansas City Chief helmet. Oh boy,
that's part of the silent auction that was donated by
the Chiefs to us. Oh man. Now, unfortunately it's not
(05:58):
signed by Patrick or I'll see, but it is signed
by Travis Smith, who is a I got to get
this right. My son's told me this. He's number sixty
five and he's offensive guard. Okay, so he's one of
the people that protects Patrick. Let's put it that way. So,
but this is a real helmet. This is not a
(06:19):
mock helmet. This is a real football helmet.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
So this has some game use on it.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Oh it's brandand new, but it is one that the
players would wear, and so we are really excited about that. Plus,
we have some local artists who have donated things. Babs Miller,
who's an icon here in witch Daw has donated a
beautiful sculpture for us, and we have some glasswork. We
have a wonderful quilted table runner that's handmade by one
(06:47):
of our members. So we just have some wonderful things
in our sign an auction. We really do well.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
Put it on your calendar, you know, just come on out.
Do we need to get advanced tickets or how does
that work.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
Come you can get him at the door, or if
you want to go to our link tree Camp Sunflower,
why there you can also buy them advanced. Okay, so
it's really whichever you want to do. And but we
will have tickets for sale at the door.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
That's excellent. Well, we're really looking forward to that. And
you know, it's it's kind of funny. We're recording this
around lunchtime and I'm going, man, I know.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
My stomach straight about that spaghetti.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
Beg in mind to be a little bit quiet too,
but in all good, all for a great cause. They're
at Camp Sunflower, And I.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Want to mention everything that we raise through the Silent
auction or through the meal tickets goes to Camp Sunflower.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
Okay, the meal itself.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
The ingredients for the spaghetti sauce and our salads and
our desserts and our everything has been donated or we
have received like from Villains and from Target. We have
received gift cards where we'll be buying food from there,
the ingredients from them. But we have some wonderful corporate
sponsors this year, and so that the meal is underwritten.
(08:01):
So everything that people spend there for their ticket or
for the sign and auction will go directly to the
camp and scholarships so that they give scholarships to their campers.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
All right, the food is fantastic, yes it is. The
cause is unique in a Kansas.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
As far as I know. This is the only fundraiser
that's held for this particular group of campers.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
Okay, and very worthy cause. And boy, we just we
hope that Camp Sunflower has the best summer ever.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Well, we certainly hope.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
So now, how does the camp work. Is it open
all summer long or just specific weekends during the summer.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
It's open for a week during the summer, okay, and
then during this during the rest of the year, they
do pull the campers together a couple of times for
some activities just to keep them connected. And they've even
started a parent group just recently.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
Very good, So they do.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
They do keep the campers involved through the year and
stay in touch with them. But the camp itself is
only one week during the summer.
Speaker 1 (08:59):
Well, well, if you're already a Camp Sunflower family, then
we know you're planning to come, and if you're curious
to learn more about Camp Sunflower, maybe it might fit
for your family, the kids at your house. You want
to come out and have a great meal and get
to know some folks and talk about the program and
all the good things that's going now. Pine Valley is
(09:20):
not the only church that's actually involved in this.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Project right now, excuse me, sorry, let me make clear.
The camp itself is not a religious camp, right. Everybody's
welcome there. There are no religious services, there's no prayer circles,
there's no Bible reading. It is it is. Everybody's welcome there, okay.
But in order to come together to plan this dinner,
(09:46):
there have been there's five of five churches that have
come together to put this dinner on because it's gotten
so big. We're anticipating four hundred people this year.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
And that's what our hope is. But you have you
have Pine Valley, of course, we have Calvary who is
hosting it their facility, and then you have Riverside Christian Church.
You have West Heights Christian Church, and you have Wichita
United Church of Christ church is in the south part
of whichitan fairly and I hope I haven't. I think
(10:17):
I got everybody. I don't want to leave anybody out
because we really appreciate these group of people coming together
to plan this.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
Absolutely, everyone's help is appreciated, and you know it's you've
got an undertaking this big.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
It really helps out, it really is, and we're hoping
to make I mean, this is our third one, so
our hope is next year we'll have another one and
another one the next year, and that this will just
continue to grow and be something that people will look
forward to every year.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
All right, Connie Beats, she's representing Camp Sunflower here in Wichita.
She's a member of Pine Valley Christian Church. And one
more time, Connie, let's give them the who, what, When, Where? Why? Why?
Speaker 2 (10:56):
The Camp Sunflower Spaghetti Night is on April twenty sixth,
which is a Saturday, is from four thirty to seven
thirty pm, and it's at Calvary United Methodist Church which
is at twenty five twenty five North Rock Road here
in Wichita.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
All right, please put it on your calendar, plan to
be there. And Connie, thanks again for being with us.
Sturday on Wichita Weekend. This has been the Wichita Weekend
podcast produced by iHeartRadio Wichita
This is the Wichita Weekend Podcast from iHeartRadio Stations ninety
seven point nine, B, ninety eight one two one, The
Bowl Channel nine six three and All one oh seven three.
I'm your host, Don Guidas, Thanks for joining us. And
our guest on the Wichita Weekend Podcast is Connie Deets
from Pine Valley Christian Church here in Wichita. Connie's a
(00:23):
good friend of the show. She's been in before and
we have talked about Camp Sunflower. That has been our
topic in the past, and that's our topic today is
Camp Sunflower. Connie. First off, welcome to Wichita Weekend. Secondly,
what is Camp Sunflower for those who don't know.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Well, Don, first off, thank you very much for having
us back again. I can't believe a year has gone.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
By already, right.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
And here we are ready for another camp season. Camp
Sunflower is a private camp and it is located the
ways outside of Wichita, and it is the only camp
in Kansas and possibly within this area that caters to
and is a safe place for lgbt q I A
(01:08):
plus youth, middle school and high schoolers.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Oh boy.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
And so the kids come there and they know that
they are safe there and that this entire camp and
all the staff, the counselors, the director, everybody is there
to support them and to give them a fabulous few
days of camping.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Kind of surprise, there's only one in the state.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
There is only one in the state, and as far
as we know, I do not know of any that
are in our contiguous states either. Because we do get
kid students from outside of Kansas come to.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
This, Okay, and I'm guessing, as it is the one
in the state, your attendance is probably going to be
pretty pretty significant come summer time.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
They actually have they maxed out last year, they did,
they did, they had a little They're supposed to only
have one hundred and I think that we had, like
I am, about one hundred and ten this past summer summer
of twenty four. So the Camp Sunflower board, which I
am not on, but I understand that they are in
the process of trying to figure out what they're going
(02:12):
to do because the demand far exceeds what they can serve.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
Now we're you in the unfortunate position of having to
turn some campers away.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
I honestly cannot answer that. I would have to ask
someone on the Camp Sunflower board. I have not heard
that they did, and I'm sure that they tried very
hard not to.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
Do that, right, right, right, Well, the important point being
this is a very popular place and a very wonderful
safe place and a unique program in all the state
of Kansas. And in order to because you were privately funded, correct, yes,
we are, in order to kind of help Camp Sunflower
(02:50):
do the work that they do. We've got a special
spaghetti night coming up.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
Yes we do. We have our third Camp Sunflower Spaghetti Night.
And our little tagline this year is serving up Queer Joy,
one plate at a time, okay, And so that's our tagline.
But we are very excited. It's our third time to
have it. It's April the twenty sixth, which is a Saturday, okay,
And it's from four thirty to seven thirty in the evening,
(03:17):
and we are doing it again at Calvary Methodist Church
on Rock Road, and we're hoping that people will turn
out for it this year again.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
All right. And what time of day is that? Is it?
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Late afternoon, late afternoon, four thirty seven thirty in late afternoon,
early evening.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
Okay, all right, and you know, come on out, have
a nice wonderful meal.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Fabulous meal because this is great Grandma's spaghetti sauce. This
is made from scratch. We cook all day on Friday
and then we will have everything warmed up and ready
to go on Saturday, and we serve it's a complete meal.
For your ticket, you get the spaghetti dinner. We have
gluten free, we have vegetarian, and we have regular spaghetti sauce.
(04:00):
We also have gluten free spaghetti too if people need that.
And then we have a wonderful, wonderful salad that you
get and garlic bread, and then we have a plethora
of fabulous desserts that have been donated to us by
different bakeries here in town. And so, and plus your beverage,
you get the entire thing. Adults are fifteen dollars, and
(04:22):
kids who are twelve and under our seven dollars. And
if you're a little guy, little kid under three are
free of course. Okay, so it's fifteen dollars or seven
dollars depending on your age.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Connie, that sounds like a really good value.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
Well it really is, because I'm not so sure having
eaten out recently. For fifteen dollars, you can go anywhere
and get a complete meal of anything right, and with
beverage and dessert and bread and salad and the whole
and homemade spaghetti sauce.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
Oh man, not to mention all the great desserts that
you can.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Yes, yes we have. Oh we have some wonderful desserts
coming from some of our top bakeries here in town.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Okay, Saturday, April twenty sixth, four thirty tills.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Seven at Calvary United Methodist Church, which is twenty five
twenty five North Rock Road. It's on Rock Road between
twenty first Street and twenty ninth Street.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Got it, Okay?
Speaker 2 (05:17):
And I also want to mention we at that same
evening during the event, we will have information tables. These
are tables of organizations who either who support the LGBTQ
community and like the ACLU will be there and Loud
Light will be there, and Camp Sunflower will have a
table there, and Pride will be there and so organizations
(05:38):
like that. And then in addition, we have a phenomenal,
absolutely phenomenal silent auction that goes on at the same
time and one of our prize things this year. I
have to brag a little bit because we're so excited
about we have a signed Kansas City Chief helmet. Oh boy,
that's part of the silent auction that was donated by
the Chiefs to us. Oh man. Now, unfortunately it's not
(05:58):
signed by Patrick or I'll see, but it is signed
by Travis Smith, who is a I got to get
this right. My son's told me this. He's number sixty
five and he's offensive guard. Okay, so he's one of
the people that protects Patrick. Let's put it that way. So,
but this is a real helmet. This is not a
(06:19):
mock helmet. This is a real football helmet.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
So this has some game use on it.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Oh it's brandand new, but it is one that the
players would wear, and so we are really excited about that. Plus,
we have some local artists who have donated things. Babs Miller,
who's an icon here in witch Daw has donated a
beautiful sculpture for us, and we have some glasswork. We
have a wonderful quilted table runner that's handmade by one
(06:47):
of our members. So we just have some wonderful things
in our sign an auction. We really do well.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
Put it on your calendar, you know, just come on out.
Do we need to get advanced tickets or how does
that work.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
Come you can get him at the door, or if
you want to go to our link tree Camp Sunflower,
why there you can also buy them advanced. Okay, so
it's really whichever you want to do. And but we
will have tickets for sale at the door.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
That's excellent. Well, we're really looking forward to that. And
you know, it's it's kind of funny. We're recording this
around lunchtime and I'm going, man, I know.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
My stomach straight about that spaghetti.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
Beg in mind to be a little bit quiet too,
but in all good, all for a great cause. They're
at Camp Sunflower, And I.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Want to mention everything that we raise through the Silent
auction or through the meal tickets goes to Camp Sunflower.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
Okay, the meal itself.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
The ingredients for the spaghetti sauce and our salads and
our desserts and our everything has been donated or we
have received like from Villains and from Target. We have
received gift cards where we'll be buying food from there,
the ingredients from them. But we have some wonderful corporate
sponsors this year, and so that the meal is underwritten.
(08:01):
So everything that people spend there for their ticket or
for the sign and auction will go directly to the
camp and scholarships so that they give scholarships to their campers.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
All right, the food is fantastic, yes it is. The
cause is unique in a Kansas.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
As far as I know. This is the only fundraiser
that's held for this particular group of campers.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
Okay, and very worthy cause. And boy, we just we
hope that Camp Sunflower has the best summer ever.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Well, we certainly hope.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
So now, how does the camp work. Is it open
all summer long or just specific weekends during the summer.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
It's open for a week during the summer, okay, and
then during this during the rest of the year, they
do pull the campers together a couple of times for
some activities just to keep them connected. And they've even
started a parent group just recently.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
Very good, So they do.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
They do keep the campers involved through the year and
stay in touch with them. But the camp itself is
only one week during the summer.
Speaker 1 (08:59):
Well, well, if you're already a Camp Sunflower family, then
we know you're planning to come, and if you're curious
to learn more about Camp Sunflower, maybe it might fit
for your family, the kids at your house. You want
to come out and have a great meal and get
to know some folks and talk about the program and
all the good things that's going now. Pine Valley is
(09:20):
not the only church that's actually involved in this.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Project right now, excuse me, sorry, let me make clear.
The camp itself is not a religious camp, right. Everybody's
welcome there. There are no religious services, there's no prayer circles,
there's no Bible reading. It is it is. Everybody's welcome there, okay.
But in order to come together to plan this dinner,
(09:46):
there have been there's five of five churches that have
come together to put this dinner on because it's gotten
so big. We're anticipating four hundred people this year.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
And that's what our hope is. But you have you
have Pine Valley, of course, we have Calvary who is
hosting it their facility, and then you have Riverside Christian Church.
You have West Heights Christian Church, and you have Wichita
United Church of Christ church is in the south part
of whichitan fairly and I hope I haven't. I think
(10:17):
I got everybody. I don't want to leave anybody out
because we really appreciate these group of people coming together
to plan this.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
Absolutely, everyone's help is appreciated, and you know it's you've
got an undertaking this big.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
It really helps out, it really is, and we're hoping
to make I mean, this is our third one, so
our hope is next year we'll have another one and
another one the next year, and that this will just
continue to grow and be something that people will look
forward to every year.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
All right, Connie Beats, she's representing Camp Sunflower here in Wichita.
She's a member of Pine Valley Christian Church. And one
more time, Connie, let's give them the who, what, When, Where? Why? Why?
Speaker 2 (10:56):
The Camp Sunflower Spaghetti Night is on April twenty sixth,
which is a Saturday, is from four thirty to seven
thirty pm, and it's at Calvary United Methodist Church which
is at twenty five twenty five North Rock Road here
in Wichita.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
All right, please put it on your calendar, plan to
be there. And Connie, thanks again for being with us.
Sturday on Wichita Weekend. This has been the Wichita Weekend
podcast produced by iHeartRadio Wichita
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