Meet the Team

Elijah Wagers was born on March 31, 2001. Raised in the small town of Verona, KY the passionate young man loved life and was beloved by his peers. He grew up as a joy to his family and a true friend to his football teammates. But it was while a camper at Chautauqua that young Elijah made an enduring mark by way of a personal confession of faith in Christ.  As a growing teenage, Elijah was known for his dependability and kindness to the downtrodden -- even going out of his way to befreind other young people whom he felt were being bullied.

Elijah saw his faith as a fight for what was right in a world full of wrongs and in his writings he described the Christian’s fight as one specifically requiring the maintenance of a clear conscience. He also spoke of the scriptures as something to being taken literally and believed in wholeheartedly. He proudly proclaimed his belief in Christ’s redemptive work on the cross but lamented that the world had fallen away. Yet he still found hope because he believed that the offense of so many today was simply the conviction of sin. Elijah refused to believe that our cause was falling behind.  He believed that the offense of our culture towards the church and the scriptures was a sign that the Gospel’s message still cuts to the heart and calls mankind to repentance. One note of sadness for this young man was the apparent apathy of the church today. He once remarked shortly before his passing, “Too many Christians say they love God yet live their lives completely different than how He would want them to.”

One of the last acts of charity that Elijah completed while on this earth was to inform a friend that he would gladly share with him his summer earnings to ensure that the other young man was able to go to church camp.

This camp continues the legacy that men like Elijah have carried throughout the centuries. The propagation of the Christian faith is a sacred calling.  In this place where so many have surrendered their worldly citizenship for an eternal one, we call to memory the young man in whose honor countless young lives are now impacted through the charity that was founded in his name. The Remember Eli Foundation raises funds through sporting events, charity runs, and donations to allow other young people the opportunity to attend this camp and more importantly to surrender their hearts and lives to the same Lord that Eli did.

Psalm 55:22 - Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.