Laughter, joyful conversation, and shouts of “Yay” filled the Camp Kulaqua cafeteria during the Young at Heart camp. A group of eight strangers sat around a table with as much excitement as the young campers who had filled those same seats during summer camp.
“I never thought about taking the time to come,” said Lillie Gaskins of White Oak, Ga. For several months, her husband, Harold Gaskins, had been working on their new home. “We need a good break, and I’m sure it’s going to be fun,” she told him.
Fun is exactly what the Gaskins experienced, including horseback riding, bumper cars, and pickleball. They even made some activities more challenging than originally planned. During chair volleyball, several players felt the chairs held them back. “I kept telling the coaches we need to get rid of these chairs because we’re not getting enough exercise. And so we did, and we had more fun,” she said with an energetic chuckle.
“We love our Young at Heart camp,” said Phil Younts, Camp Kulaqua executive director. “Camp is no longer just for the youth. We like to joke and say that camp is for those 9 to 99, but truthfully, older generations are enjoying the amenities of camp. It’s a great place to walk with God.”
For Charlene Mitchell, another attendee seated at the self-described “newbie” table, being away from the chaos of the world was a blessing. “I didn’t hear the news, I didn’t see the news: I took a mental break.” Mitchell originally planned to rest at home after many days of travel, but when her sister, Carlene Moody, mentioned Young at Heart, her plans changed. “If I can get her out of the house,” said Mitchell, referring to Moody, “Yeah, let’s go. I didn’t know I was doing this for me, too.”
Moody said she appreciated the wholistic approach of the programming, enjoying morning walks that engaged her physically, presentations that challenged her mentally, and devotionals that encouraged her spiritually. One of her highlights was the zip line, which she had never experienced before. As she was harnessed and climbed the steps, she said the staff made her feel secure. “The process was encouraging, and I loved it,” she said. “And I’m gonna do it again! Oh, yeah, and at 60,” she added with another gleeful laugh.
Sitting in a different area of the cafeteria were what some might call camp veterans. Courtney and Sheila Pindling have been coming to camp for years. They come to see friends, participate in crafts, and dress up for the banquet. When the banquet’s Kentucky Derby theme was announced, “we started planning what we were going to wear, what color it was going to be, how big the hat was going to be,” said Sheila Pindling. “This is real excitement for us!”
Camp also serves a deeper purpose for the Pindlings. They are active in youth initiatives across the country, including a school in New York, a youth church in Valdosta, Ga., and their local church in Ocala, Fla., where Courtney Pindling, known to youth as “Dr. P,” leads the youth ministry program. Young at Heart “is an opportunity to rejuvenate and be inspired,” he said.
“When we come here, all the folks that we engage with inspire us, minister to us. We laugh, and you meet new friends.” It’s similar to summer camp for the youth, he said, where youth minister to other young people. “Summer camp, with the youth, is a peer-to-peer ministry. Young at Heart is peer-to-peer.”
Theresa Stride, year-round programming director at Camp Kulaqua, recognized the impact camp has on people in all stages of life. “Whether you’re an elementary kid here for learning outdoor education or 80 years old here for spiritual renewal, people find community at Camp Kulaqua.”
For Moody, the sister who rarely leaves her comfort zone, it’s this community that motivates her. “We’re all coming back, God willing,” she said, as others sitting around the table cheer with enthusiasm.
Florida | January 2026
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