Here at camp, we spend a lot of time thinking about the moments people see and feel right away: summer camp memories, weekend retreats, family laughter, faith conversations, and all the ways God works through outdoor ministry at camp.
But behind every meaningful camp experience is something less visible and just as important: the long-term strength and stability that make those moments possible year after year.
The foundation of this ministry, so to speak.
It’s this foundation that the Board of Directors, the Lakeview Foundation, and David Vandercar, our Executive Director work to maintain and strengthen so that camp can continue serving faithfully, steadily, and strongly long into the future.
We’ve recently made several significant updates and changes to make this important – if unseen – foundation of camp even stronger.
So if talking about things like depreciation, governance structure, and board roles gets you excited, today’s your lucky day.
But if not, know that this is important stuff (even if it isn’t flashy) and we hope you enjoy this deep dive into some of the deeper level planning and shaping of camp as an organization that has happened recently.
Caring for camp beyond the day-to-day
Like any ministry with buildings, cabins, mattresses, roofs, and equipment, camp faces the ongoing reality of depreciation. Things wear out. Facilities age. Needed replacements and renovations are part of sustaining camp well over time.
While we have historically budgeted for depreciation, the amount covered each year has only been a fraction of the true need. In recent years, camp has typically only covered roughly $20,000 to $40,000 of that expense, relying on extra support from the Foundation and donors to meet needs such as broken equipment, worn out parts of our facilities, and other needs that naturally occur as buildings and, grounds, and equipment age.
This is where the Foundation can play a transformational role.
We are in the process of positioning the Foundation to help address camp’s long-term depreciation needs—the behind-the-scenes financial realities that keep camp healthy for the future. That means more help to fund needs such as building renovations, equipment and supply replacements, and capital upkeep, which in turn frees up the operating budget for the ministry work that directly serves campers, families, and guests.
A stronger Foundation also creates sustained capacity for the future. As we look ahead to projects such as the Rec Center and other new capital projects, this kind of long-term support helps ensure we can look to grow without creating strain on the day-to-day ministry budget. We want to be able to keep the lights on and camp running regardless of the inevitable ups and downs when it comes to income and donation support received in a given year.
A gift for the future
This shift has been made possible in part through an extraordinary blessing. Last year, a longtime supporter of Lakeview passed away and left a significant portion of their estate to camp. At the donor’s request, the gift will remain anonymous. This is a significant gift, and the impact of that generosity will be felt for years to come.
What a tremendous example of a supporter of camp leaving behind a legacy that will continue to bless camp for the future!
We plan to use dividends from that estate to help strengthen the budget’s depreciation line item and provide ongoing support for the ministry’s long-term financial health. It’s a gift that reflects deep trust in Lakeview’s mission—and a desire to help camp remain strong not only for today’s campers, but for generations still to come.
Building the right structure to steward the blessing
With increased resources comes increased responsibility, and we see a clear responsibility to build the strongest possible structure to steward those resources wisely. This has led to a renewed focus on the distinct roles of Lakeview’s two boards.
The Board of Directors is being sharpened in its governance role, providing oversight and policy direction for the ministry. At the same time, the Foundation board is being strengthened to focus on asset management, estates, and long-term financial sustainability.
That clarity matters.
It allows the Executive Director and camp staff to focus on running camp effectively while the boards focus on the work they are uniquely called to do. It also creates a more robust structure for receiving future estate gifts, managing long-term assets, and preparing Lakeview for the next 60 years of ministry.
As Tim Kurth, our capital campaign director and vice president of ministry solutions at the Lutheran Church Extension Fund, shared, “As a governance expert, I’m thrilled to have an engaged board that is taking seriously its mandate to be the fiduciary responsibility of camp. Lakeview is blessed with a board that stays in its lane, honors our executive director, and is doing the hard work on the governance side to build effective pieces to make that operational work effective. Our Executive Director shouldn’t be concerning himself with governance but operations. The more the board leans into the governance, the more he can lean into the operational side.”
Tim believes this work positions Lakeview not just for internal strength, but also for wider influence as well. In his words, Lakeview has the opportunity to become “a leader for governance excellence as a model for camps all over the country.”
Preparing Camp for the next 60 years
At first glance, governance structures and depreciation funding may not sound as exciting as campfires, zip lines, or life-changing worship moments. But they are deeply connected.
Strong governance helps us lead with clarity. Strong financial planning helps us serve with confidence. Strong long-term stewardship helps us stay focused on ministry.
In other words, this work is not separate from camp’s mission. It supports it. By strengthening the Foundation, clarifying board roles, and planning more intentionally for long-term needs, we are building the kind of structure that can sustain faithful ministry for decades to come.
And that is something worth celebrating.
If you made it this far, well done!
And the next time you meet a board member or camp staff, ask them to share more about the way God has been at work in this foundational level of the ministry of camp!