TAMMY COAKLEY/FOR THE EXPRESS Newly constructed in 2023, pictured is the Children’s Lodge at Sylvan Hills Christian Service Camp in Marsh Creek.

TAMMY COAKLEY/FOR THE EXPRESS
With children holding the ribbon, Don Lomison, Jo Savits, Alice Lloyd and Janice Weaver are shown cutting the ribbon on May 7 to dedicate the new Children’s Lodge at Sylvan Hills Camp in Marsh Creek.

MARSH CREEK — From borrowed Grange Fair tents to cabins to a new lodge, the sleeping accommodations for campers at Sylvan Hills Christian Service Camp in Marsh Creek have changed quite a bit since the first camp season in 1947. On May 7, Sylvan Hills dedicated its new Children’s Lodge at the conclusion of the Camp Kickoff. The new all-seasons lodge, which replaced four aging cabins, is the product of an on-going capital campaign that began in late 2020 as a celebration of Sylvan Hills Camp’s 75th Anniversary.

Construction began soon after the end of last summer’s camp season with the removal of four Boys Cabins. Rather than knocking the cabins down, they were loaded onto trailers and hauled down the dirt lane to begin a second life at another location. After the site was cleared, construction quickly progressed — the mild winter weather was very helpful to stay on track and the biggest delays were from supply issues.

According to Liz Dechow, administrative assistant at Sylvan Hills, “Our building committee is led by Bob Fishburn, who has spent countless hours working with an architect, contractors and board members to make sure the Children’s Lodge is ready for this camp season.”

One of the biggest changes the new Children’s Lodge will bring to Sylvan Hills is the ability to use the space year-round. Outside of the summer camp season, Sylvan Hills rents its lodging and dining hall spaces to groups for retreats and reunions. “We are excited to start brainstorming ideas of how we can use the Children’s Lodge throughout the entire year to benefit the camp and the community,” said Dechow.

After 76 summer camp seasons, there have been many campers who have spent a camp weekend or a whole week at Sylvan Hills. This summer’s focus has been on the ‘Next Generation of Sylvan Hills,’ while celebrating previous generations of campers who return to volunteer as deans, staff or board members. The Camp Kickoff and Children’s Lodge dedication is both a family reunion and an opportunity to welcome new families to Sylvan Hills. The open house format is a chance for new and familiar faces to visit the buildings and grounds. Food and games were provided by local churches.

COVID restrictions altered the format of summer camps during 2020 and 2021 seasons, but 2023 will bring a welcome return to their regular full-time overnight camp experience. This summer, they have camps planned for all ages from 4-yrs old through 2023 high-school graduates, as well as an all-ages special-needs camp. Everyone involved with the church camp is looking forward to welcoming the ‘Next Generation of Sylvan Hills’ campers and celebrating their 77th camp season.

THE CAMP’S HISTORY

It was in 1946 that Roy Lomison and Oscar and Olive Weaver sent some of their children to a Christian camp in Stillwater, near Sunbury, Pa. Because the camp was so far away and in those days considered a long trip on a two lane roadway, Lomison and the Weavers began their quest for land to build a camp in the local area. Oscar knew of a tract of land a few miles from his farm in Marsh Creek that he had been pasturing cattle on. Roy Lomison and Oscar Weaver went to look at the property and to inquire about the possibility of buying the tract and building a church camp there. Lomison’s 12-year-old son, Don, tagged along on the hike.

“I didn’t have the same vision as those two men did,” recalled Lomison, “all I saw were cow patties, flies that would bite you, bees that would sting you, and a few snakes.” However, Roy and Oscar had visualized a wonderful spot for a new Christian camp.

The property was owned by Frances Miller Watkins, the widow of Fred Watkins who had died in 1939. Frances had raised six daughters and lived near the Summit Hill Wesleyan Church just a few miles away. Bill Haas, from Howard, had cut some timber off the lands so he introduced Lomison to Frances Watkins. She, with the encouragement of her daughters, Faye (married Chet Poorman, Jr.), Ethel (Dean Brungart) and Beulah (Dave Brungart), agreed to sell the 120 acres of land to the men. Lomison and Weaver each contributed $50 towards the purchase and Clyde Myers (from Mill Hall), Sherman Williams (from Blanchard) and Arlin Wagner (from Flemington) also provided $50. They were just $50 short of the needed $300.

A loan was necessary to complete the purchase and begin construction, so J. A. Haugh, the (then) president of the bank in Beech Creek was visited. Haugh would become the sixth man to provide $50 for the land purchase, but he wanted to remain anonymous at the time. On April 28, 1947 the property was purchased for $300 – about $2.50 an acre in those days.

There was a tremendous amount of work to be done but people were really excited about the prospect of a new church camp right here in the Marsh Creek valley. Many people came to help with clearing the land, planning and building. Many donated money, materials and their labor for the vision to become a reality.

FIRST CAMP IN 1947

Tents were borrowed from the Grange Fair in Centre Hall. It was a crude first year. According to (the late) Shirley DeArment, there was a thunderstorm during the night and the water came through the tents and ran right under the cots.

George Vartenesian was the dean for the boy’s that year. A former missionary and bugler, Vartenesian woke them up each morning at 6 a.m. with Reveille. Sponge baths from the cold spring water, Bible classes, lunch, recreation time, camp fire and singing, then lights out with George playing Taps on his bugle. Vespers were held in the woods and baptisms were done down in the stream. Sometimes they’d go down the lane to the (Little) Marsh Creek stream for an afternoon swim. At the camp store you could buy a candy bar and a bottle of soda for a dime back in 1947.

“One morning George realized his bugle wasn’t blowing… it was because “someone” had dumped a box of Corn Flakes down the end of it,” Don Lomison shared the memory during the Children’s Lodge dedication with a mischievous smile.

The camp cook for many years was Mae Strunk. Three of her grandsons, Will, Casey and Phil Strunk, had attended summer camps at Sylvan Hills. The same three young boys would grow up, go to Bible College and all became ministers.

By 1986 the camp board made the decision to hire a full time camp manager, Jake Lomison. A new house was built on the camp property where Jake and his wife, Carol, lived for several years. The home was built by Thomas Galbraith, the same contractor who had built the chapel and recreation hall that are still used frequently today. The current camp manager is David Sowers.

2023 AND INTO THE NEXT GENERATION

During the dedication ceremony on May 7, John Rougeux, of Howard, gave a short devotional. John has been involved with church camp for many years. He has volunteered for various duties over the years and has seen his children and some of his grandchildren attend activities at the church camp. Scott Gettig, just one of many who attended camp as a youngster and who has volunteered as a dean for summer camps, introduced four campers from the inaugural camping season to do the ribbon cutting to dedicate the new Children’s Lodge. Don Lomison, Jo Savits, Alice Lloyd and Janice Weaver each shared briefly of their first years of camping there and how the church camp has progressed over the years.

The Children’s Lodge comes with a large dorm room for both boys and girls, shower rooms, restrooms and a kitchenette on the inside. The frames of 24 bunk beds were waiting to be assembled before the start of camping season. The bunk beds will be ready for campers to use for their overnight stays. On the outside, there is a front balcony that overlooks the camping grounds below. One can only imagine the beautiful views, from sunrises to sunsets and especially in the fall months when the leaves are in full splendor.

“God has worked miracles through the years through those that have committed their time, money and prayers to Sylvan Hills Camp,” Don Lomison said. “And, Lord willing, with children attending church camp to learn about and to experience God’s love, with adults volunteering their time and money, and through the continued prayers and efforts on behalf of the work being performed here, Sylvan Hills Camp will continue to thrive for our next generation and those generations yet to come.”

The dedication service was concluded with Jenn Moore leading everyone in the singing of the camp song.

Sylvan Hills is supported by 13 member churches spread over Centre and Clinton counties. Each summer about 250 campers attend during the seven camp weeks that are offered. Campers come from both counties and other surrounding counties — including some out of state attendees. Sylvan Hills also hosts a Men’s Night Out and a Ladies Retreat during the year.

To learn more about Sylvan Hills Christian Service Camp, you may visit their website at www.sylvanhills.org. Their Facebook link is: www.facebook.com/SylvanHillsChristianServiceCamp