Anyone who has attended a program at one of our 100+ PC(USA) camp and conference centers knows something about how meaningful it is to gather together in community. At camp, we can reconnect with God, one another, and even ourselves. We find some of our most important friends and mentors at camp. We learn something about our callings in life, in the church and beyond. These life-changing places are centers for renewal, encouragement, and growth. While most of us know these things best from our literal and metaphorical mountaintop experiences in summer programs and weekend retreats, the incredible work of these ministries continues throughout the year, even when we’re back home thinking about the next time we get to go.
This is true even now as many of our sites are reeling–and recovering– from recent hurricanes. With Hurricane Helene making landfall on September 26, and Hurricane Milton less than two weeks later on October 9, many communities are still in the early stages of disaster recovery. Amid chaos and heartache, camp communities have shown up in incredible ways.
At Camp Grier in McDowell County, North Carolina, (30 minutes east of Asheville), years of building up local relationships around outdoor recreation opportunities meant local people were familiar and comfortable with the camp. While Camp Grier itself didn’t sustain much damage following Helene, the nearby town of Old Fort, North Carolina, suffered widespread destruction. Power and water were restored to Camp Grier about a week after Hurricane Helene and the camp welcomed anyone to come for showers, meals, water, laundry and charging electronics. Camp Grier prepared for a group of about 300, so they were well-stocked to care for their community. Jason McDougald, who serves as executive director, estimated they were serving over 100 meals a day for the first few days, with dozens coming for showers and lodging.
“Being in an outdoor community helps you prepare for things like this – it teaches you resilience and adaptability. There’s rain, or the power’s out? Time for a new plan!” McDougald said. He acknowledged the fatigue of being in a disaster zone and was glad to provide an escape for his neighbors. “They feel comfortable coming up here. Camp is approachable,” he said.
Montreat Conference Center became a touchstone for many Presbyterians tracking Helene’s aftermath. The conference center in Montreat, North Carolina, quickly became a hub of communication and relief, as the community’s town hall was damaged in the flooding. Montreat was still hosting guests from a crafting retreat when the hurricane arrived, so the conference center remained open. Once those guests could safely leave, new ones arrived: relief workers from the Cajun Navy Relief and other disaster recovery organizations.
“This confirmed what we already knew: the staff and community of the conference center are special,” shared Tanner Pickett, Montreat Conference Center’s vice president for communications. “It’s incredible to see everyone in a different light, shifting from their normal roles into something else, being nimble enough to stop and say, ‘What needs to be done in this moment?’”
“It’s incredible to see everyone in a different light, shifting from their normal roles into something else, being nimble enough to stop and say, ‘What needs to be done in this moment?’” — Tanner Pickett
He noted that people not even immediately connected to Montreat have offered support and encouragement, sending funds and requested items. The conference center has partnered with local churches and organizations in nearby Black Mountain, Old Fort and Swannanoa to help distribute supplies as neighbors figure out the next steps for cleanup and recovery. Pickett lauded local public works employees for getting infrastructure back online as quickly as possible, making the area more accessible so they could help each other.
Currently, Montreat is working toward being ready to host its annual College Conference just after New Year’s Day, but registration for other programs in 2025 is open as well. “One of the best ways to support our programs and centers is to plan your next event now. The sooner you sign up, the more it helps us plan for it,” said Pickett.
While other regions are more accustomed to this kind of hurricane cleanup, there is still much work to be done. At Cedarkirk Camp and Conference Center in Lithia, Florida, executive director Matt Shick is no stranger to such storms. A lifelong resident of Florida who has served in leadership at Cedarkirk for more than 15 years, he has seen the site through several tropical storms and hurricanes. With Helene, they took on a lot of water; Milton brought down over 100 trees. Several program structures were destroyed, including a lifejacket shed and other recreation equipment, but no buildings sustained major damage. After a day or two of cleaning up around their own homes, volunteers showed up with chainsaws and began clearing camp.
“We have a hurricane plan. We know what to do. It’s the price we pay for being in a place where we can do outdoor ministry year-round,” Shick said. “So much faith formation is happening in these places – it’s hard to see them take a hit, but it’s heartening to see the community rallying around them.” Cedarkirk was actually able to welcome a guest group the weekend after Milton’s landfall.
“So much faith formation is happening in these places – it’s hard to see them take a hit, but it’s heartening to see the community rallying around them.” — Cedarkirk Camp and Conference Center Executive Director Matt Shick
Even without sustaining damage themselves, Montgomery Center in Starke, Florida, was involved in storm relief work. John Raimer, who serves as maintenance director, had prior experience in disaster relief work, which has helped Montgomery Center lean into partnerships with Florida Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Network and local utility companies. After both Helene and Milton, they housed dozens of powerline workers from out of state who came to the region to help. They also received and coordinated the distribution of 300 flood buckets, kits full of cleaning and safety supplies organized by Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and other disaster response groups.
“There’s a culture of community in camps,” Montgomery Center Executive Director Rebekah Rodgers reflected. “It’s incredible to know that so many sites are serving in their own way, responding to the needs of the communities in which they serve. That’s what we’re called to do.”
When Fellowship Camp and Conference Center in Waterloo, South Carolina, was affected by Helene, it was not the first time in recent years they had to abruptly pivot and figure out how to respond to something big and unexpected. In early 2020, the camp was scheduled to welcome Imani Milele Choir, a group of children and chaperones from Uganda, for two nights as part of a tour through the United States. The COVID-19 pandemic quickly turned those two nights into 281 days. With great support from the Fellowship community as well as many who didn’t have a previous connection, the camp was able to serve three meals a day and house and help the group, including teachers, social workers, pastors, and health staff traveling with the children’s choir.
Fast forward to 2024: Hurricane Helene knocked down hundreds of trees, and Fellowship had to cancel all programs and events for October, one of the busiest months of the year for guest groups. Once the storm passed, and the staff recognized they were ok and so were the people closest to them, they immediately shifted to cleaning up the site and sharing all they could with their neighbors. The camp is not particularly secluded, so volunteers showed up quickly, even before water and power were restored, to help those who needed it.
“I’m thinking a lot about chosen community,” Fellowship Camp and Conference Center’s Assistant Director for Programs Katie Henderson shared. “Teenagers showed up to help while school was closed. We had former staff and neighbors [show up] – people with clear connections to camp, some without any connections. It was cool to witness.”
When utilities were restored after ten days, Fellowship opened safe and clear areas on site for people to charge electronics, get water and ice, use the internet, and be in community.
Rev. Kevin Cartee, the executive director of Fellowship, was moved by the immediate support of the community. “We are very thankful for the community we are part of,” he said. “We have a role not only to the churches, but we know we are part of the larger community here. To receive, in return, the love of that community … it’s a reminder of the connectedness between us all.”
“We have a role not only to the churches, but we know we are part of the larger community here. To receive, in return, the love of that community … it’s a reminder of the connectedness between us all.” — Kevin Cartee
“Camps are places connected to their communities in a lot of ways– summer programs for kids is one way, but in situations like this, it’s important we recover as quickly as possible so we can continue to find ways to support those around us.”
At Camp Fellowship, that connectedness and support goes far beyond the immediate presbytery or even state lines – in a few weeks, they are scheduled to welcome back Imani Milele as their first guests post-hurricane. Cartee reflected on the importance of these relationships to our strength. “Our resilience grows when we grow closer to God!”
As these sites continue to recover, relational and geographic communities are critical for healing. A natural disaster brings far more than physical destruction; the disconnect from routines and one another can take just as much a toll on the community’s well-being. There are many ways to be a helper in this season: volunteering time to help restore these places, making a gift and holding them in prayer. With such support, our Presbyterian camp and conference centers can continue to be spaces for people to connect with their faith and the world around them, establishing the foundations for resilience no matter what may come.
