My name is Laura, my sobriety date is May 31, 2009. This little story is about my experiences with the G.O.D. Campout! It is held every year in July at Defas Dude Ranch near Hannah, Utah. Mountains, meadows, forest, the river, and the heart on the mountainside make for a beautiful campout setting. If you haven’t been, I strongly urge you to go. Even better, get on any one of the committees that help make the campout happen. It’s an experience that shouldn’t be missed.

My first committee was the fishing derby, a pretty easy position. You just buy some prizes and measure fish. I think that was 2015. Not many fished that year and not many people showed up to the campout that year; it was cold and it rained a lot too. My next service position was secretary, just taking notes during each planning meeting – how could it be that hard? Have you heard that trying to control alcoholics is like herding cats? It felt that way. Trying to get it all down on paper quickly and trying to read my hand written notes and then type them up and send them out turned out to be quite the undertaking – at least it was for me. Last year I did sanitation. Not much to say about that one, only that it kept me busy and is a very important position.

So what? Well years before I ever got sober I went on a backpacking trip with some friends. We were going to the Grandaddy Lakes area of the High Uintas and our path happened to take us right past the entrance to Defas. We had plenty of beer and weed with us as we drove up to the turnoff on Highway 35. There by the side of the road was a sigh proclaiming GOD Campout! UGH! What a bunch of weirdos! We all expressed disgust and made faces as we sped past! Gotta get away from whatever that is! Looking back I am amazed at how my disdain has turned into such a deep affection for this weekend of camping, fellowship, fun and spiritual renewal. I look forward to it every year. Gotta have it! – Laura C.