Honoring Excellence at Camp Jubilee
The Jabe Wilhoit Award was established at Camp Jubilee in 2021 to honor the memory of Jabe Wilhoit, a beloved counselor who tragically passed away in a car accident in December 2020. Jabe had volunteered at the camp for three summers and left a lasting impact on the campers through his dedication and servants’ heart. The award recognizes a counselor who exemplifies the same Christ-like qualities Jabe displayed.
Choosing this year’s recipient was harder than ever, with an outstanding group of returning and first-time counselors all demonstrating the heart of service this award was created to celebrate. For the first time in the award’s history, two counselors were honored for one week of camp – one male and one female – a tradition Camp Jubilee is proud to carry forward in the years to come.
The 2026 male recipient is Parker Cross, youth pastor at Osborne Baptist Church in Eden, NC. Now in his second year at Camp Jubilee, Parker has brought members of his church with him each time he’s attended. As a head counselor, he consistently went above and beyond, stepping in to help campers outside his own cabin whenever he was needed.
The 2026 female recipient is Hailey Lorenz, who also serves in youth ministry and attended Camp Jubilee for the first time this year. Despite being new to camp, Hailey’s leadership, compassion, and warm personality stood out to multiple head counselors throughout the week.
Beyond this year’s two winners, more than five other counselors – both first-time and returning – were also recognized by multiple leaders throughout the week, a testament to the depth of servant-hearted leadership at Camp Jubilee this year.
Parker and Hailey were honored on the final night of camp during the Camp Jubilee campfire, where campers and counselors gather to share favorite moments, celebrations, and memories from the week. Jabe’s parents, Kevin and Amy Wilhoit, along with his sister Shelby, joined the team for the award presentation – continuing to celebrate and remember Jabe’s legacy alongside the Camp Jubilee family each year.
Congratulations, Parker and Hailey! Your hearts for service and dedication to the campers you serve make you truly deserving recipients of this honor. Thank you for embodying the spirit of Christ-like service that makes Camp Jubilee such a special place.