It is with heavy hearts and after much prayer by the Kirkwood Board of Directors along with the Presbytery of Philadelphia that the decision has been made to close Kirkwood Camp. Through 60 years of Christian camping experiences, Kirkwood has provided opportunities for children and youth to build their faith in God, to make friends, to learn more about themselves, to enjoy God’s beautiful creation—and more.
Our APC church family has been part of Kirkwood Camp since its early days. I can testify to this, as I was one of the many APC youth who attended retreats at Kirkwood—who sat under the trees during times of private devotion, who played games in the large Kirkwood Camp lodge where we ate delicious food (sometimes prepared by my father, Shel Rainey). And it was after a Kirkwood Retreat that Sturge Poorman first asked me out on a date. Yes, there are lots of good Kirkwood memories—not just for me, but for many at APC.
More recently (and after the lodge burned), Kirkwood’s newly rebuilt lodge and cabins were the venue for the APC Youth Annual Snow Conference for both Bible activities and skiing. Adult parent chaperones and youth have stories they can tell of time spent at Kirkwood—or ask Anne Foote, as she chaperoned many a Snow Conference.
Even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Kirkwood was beginning to struggle financially. During covid isolation restrictions, two camping seasons were lost, and key contributors were not as much able to help financially. After much introspection and prayer, the decision was made to close Kirkwood Camp. However, the growth in faith that so many have experienced through the years will always stay with them and be a blessing.
Above are some photos of APC youth and adults at Kirkwood Camp. See how many of them you can name, and please give thanks to God for all the blessings that have come to our church family through Kirkwood Camp!
by Joanne Poorman, for the Mission Awareness Committee