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Presbyterian Camps is a spiritual place where all are welcome to…
Celebrate creation – Renew the spirit – Nurture faith – Build community
Life, nature, and art exist in a careful balance. Notions of what is precious and precarious often lie side by side – every now and then they converge in something memorable and celebratory as in the Saugatuck Dunes.
Native Americans settled the dunes along the shores of Lake Michigan and the Kalamazoo River, building birch bark canoes and trading from the prime location. Early European traders and, later, American lumbermen moved to the area, establishing year-round settlements in the 1830s that would become the towns of Saugatuck and Douglas. Writer James Fennimore Cooper was one such settler and would later immortalize his experience with the Native Americans in his book Oak Openings (1848). Mills were set up to process the region’s harvested lumber, but, by 1880, clear-cutting decimated the abundant timberlands.
To all of the supporters of the Camps in Saugatuck:
The Board of Directors of Lakeshore Christian Camping (Lakeshore) would like to express our sincere appreciation for all of the support given to our efforts to preserve and develop this important ministry in Saugatuck. We have been engaged in this process for the past three years, and we intend to continue in our efforts to save the Camps and believe that we will ultimately be successful.
We believe that it is important for you to understand many of the challenges that have been a part of this effort, and that you understand why we believe that the preservation of the Camps is not only the right course of action but really the only logical one. Lakeshore was under contract with the Presbytery of Chicago to purchase the Camps in May of 2010. We were unable to raise adequate donations to obtain the loan to make the purchase possible. Since that time, the Presbytery’s deal with a developer in the Holland area of Michigan has also fallen through.
After the October Assembly meeting, the Presbytery listed the Camps with a real estate agent in Michigan for a price of $14.5 million. The perception created by the Presbytery that the property has a value of $14 – $15 million has unnecessarily protracted the decision on the future of the Camps. The appraisal presented by the Presbytery specifically disregards the local zoning restrictions and the state of Michigan restrictions related to the protected dunes. Based on our conversations with the local municipalities, regulatory bodies, and real estate professionals, the property is valued much lower for several reasons. Under the Michigan regulations, dunes in excess of a 30 degree grade are unbuildable and the dunes cannot be leveled. In addition, waterfront set-back regulations prohibit any new development along the lake front. There are also restrictions concerning how much development can be done per acre. Not only are the local and state restrictions formidable, but the development of the property would require the delivery of underground utilities to the property (water and sewer) at a potential cost in the millions of dollars prior to any construction taking place.
The point is that there is the impression that the property has a high value and that the financial difficulties of the Presbytery will be solved by the sale of the Camps. In the three years the Camps have been on the market, no one to our knowledge has stepped forward with a successful offer.
Citizens of Saugatuck endorse the Lakeshore plan to retain and grow the camping ministry in Saugatuck, as do thousands of people whose lives have been touched by the Camps. We believe that the ultimate price for the property will be far less than the $14.5 million asking price, and the more time that passes makes the realization of this reality more and more expensive for everyone. We believe that raising $4 million in donations coupled with loan opportunities from people we have already identified will result in a reasonable offer, one far below the $14.5 million it is currently listed for.
We have raised over $1.5 million in pledges, and with major support we can reach the required $4 million. We need your support to not only raise the remaining funds but to encourage the Presbytery of Chicago to be realistic about their options.
The Board of Directors, Lakeshore Christian Camping
- Rev. Dr. Stewart Pattison, Pastor, Community Presbyterian Church, Lombard
- Jennifer Schuham, Elder Commissioner, Elmhurst Presbyterian Church
- Lisa Doak, Elder, Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago
- Don Gilliard, Elder Commissioner, Community Presbyterian Church, Lombard
- Annette Shoemaker, Elder, First Presbyterian Church of Wheaton
- Janet Hyde, Elder, Knox Presbyterian Church, Naperville
- Bob Zinkel, Elder Commissioner, Calvary United Protestant Church, Park Forest
Visit the American Camp Association Website
At camp, when children make new friends, explore the world around them, and learn that “I can” is much more powerful than “I can’t”, magic happens. In an environment created just for them, children learn real life skills, develop self-esteem, and gain a sense of independence and community. Whether children are playing, exploring nature, conquering new heights, or becoming part of a camp family, they are creating memories that will last a lifetime.
Camp provides children with the opportunity to connect with nature, to participate in human powered activities, and to benefit from personal and primary relationships. Because of Camp…® so much is possible.
About Presbyterian Camps
Presbyterian Camps sits on 125 acres of pristine dunes in western Michigan with a half mile of Lake Michigan beachfront. The camp land has been carefully preserved and largely untouched since the camp was founded in 1899. Three separate campgrounds, each with dining facilities and cabins or platform tents, are available for children’s camps, youth camps, and family or adult group camps and retreats.
Visitors find their spirits are renewed, whether enjoying a swim in the waves, a hike in the peace of the wooded trails or the serenity of a brilliant sunset viewed from the outdoor Chapel. Lakeshore is in negotiations with several banks for financing. However, we need donations, financing and long-term donor commitments in order to preserve the Camp.
Thank you to all of the supporters of the efforts of Lakeshore Christian Camping to preserve this important ministry.