what to expect

You can expect lots of smiles and excitement! Our team of volunteers will be ready to greet you with open arms! When you pull into the community of WindMark Beach just follow the signs to BLUE SKIES.

If you can, have the whole family join you at check-in so we can grab a quick picture of your family and meet everyone. You will also meet your Family Host Team once you finish checking in. Throughout the retreat, your Family Hosts will greet you at activities and will be available to answer questions, point you in the right direction, and help you have an amazing week with your family!

Each day begins with fun and togetherness! We start with a wall of donuts and coffee followed by Chapel. Afterward, parents gather to get to know each other and share their journeys while the kids play and have fun! Afternoons are spent lounging at the beach and pool - and there’s plenty of time for naps or sightseeing, too, if you like. After dinner, get ready for lots of laughs and fun family time at each of our evening activities! One night, we will have a Red, White, and Blue Skies parade. (You may want to throw in something red, white, and blue to wear that night.) Finally, after watching a glorious sunset, you can grab some milk and cookies from the lullaby cart before climbing into bed. It's gonna be a great time!

And hopefully, exactly what you and your family need!!

We ask every guest family to attend our welcome dinner and participate in our first Kindred Journey session. We encourage guest families to participate in all camp activities, but, take from this week what your family needs and participate in what you choose.

MEALS

At check-in, you’ll receive some money to help you with groceries. We serve donuts, breakfast bars, and coffee at Good Morning Blue Skies. If you want a hot breakfast or something else, each house has a fully equipped kitchen (or there’s a McDonald’s in town).

We will serve lunch and eat together apart from snorkel day. After Pizza at our welcome dinner, you’ll be back on your own for dinner to cook or go out before our evening activities.

There is a Piggly Wiggly in town about 3 miles from camp. There is a Walmart about 30 minutes away and a Sam’s Club about an hour away. We will have snacks and bottled water, juice boxes, and canned drinks at the pool and beach.

travel

We wish we could blink you down to camp, but each family must provide their own transportation. If you need to fly, the closest airport to Windmark Beach in Florida is the Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport in Panama City, Florida. The airport is located in the Central Time Zone (camp is on Eastern Time). It takes about an hour to get to the airport. You will need a car at camp to go to the grocery store, to get to snorkeling, beach day at Cape San Blas, etc.

guidelines

To help keep everyone safe, please review our guidelines for camp by clicking HERE. We ask all campers to abide by these guidelines to ensure we all have an incredible week together!

podcast

Click here to hear Melinda’s heart behind the ministry and the hope Blue Skies brought to the Dryden family as they join Christy Nockels on her podcast!

a letter from melinda

Click here to read a welcome from Melinda!

COST

Thanks to the fundraising that our volunteers participate in and the generous donations of others, this retreat is provided at no cost to you and your family. You will have to provide your own transportation to and from camp.

additional info

Windmark Beach is the ideal place for biking, skating, walking, running, etc.  There are boardwalks throughout the community and a path that runs along the water!