For generations, leaders at NLOM have taken great care to steward our facilities in order to continue to serve children, families, and groups, not only from across Nebraska but also from around the world in order to help them know that they are welcome.
In recent years, we’ve paid attention to the big picture, and have built facilities that comfortably welcome people of all ages year-round. Through the generosity of many, most of our facilities are among the best in the country.
Now we have a plan to protect and sustain the sacred spaces of creation and the historic gathering spaces entrusted to us. We have the call and opportunity to bring faith alive for generations to come.
How you can join us:
Pledge
Complete the Letter of Intent (linked below) to make a pledge of up to three years.
You can mail your gift to:
Nebraska Lutheran Outdoor Ministries
27416 Ranch Road
Ashland, NE 68003
Please indicate that your gift is for the Sustaining Sacred Spaces Campaign.
Call
Give us a call at 402-944-2544, and ask for Jacob Spilker, Trish Haniszewski, or Dennis Remington, and we’ll come see you!
The Grove
THE LOCATION
Carol Joy Holling Camp, Conference & Retreat Center
THE OPPORTUNITY
The Grove is a unique site for 4th-6th grade campers focused on caring for God’s creation and bearing the fruits of the Spirit. Campers focus on outdoor living, worship around campfires, take care of and ride horses, and tend to their very own garden. The Grove is the smallest site at Carol Joy Holling Camp, so campers become close friends with everyone and grow into a strong community of believers.
THE PLAN
The goal of the proposed site improvements is to remain a small and rustic site for older elementary campers and, at the same time, enhance safety and extend usage from summer only to year-round.
The improvements will include the replacement of the facility that has been used for the shower house, kitchen, and shelter for more than 30 years. The new facility will include a gathering space, serving kitchen, emergency shelter, restrooms and showers, and a staff lounge.
Four yurts will replace the eight tipis, improving the sleeping areas for the campers and lowering the number of staff it takes to run this site.
THE COST
$1,400,000
Crystal Springs Lake Reclamation
THE LOCATION
Carol Joy Holling Camp, Conference & Retreat Center
THE OPPORTUNITY
Crystal Springs Lake, fed by more than 100 springs, was constructed in 1982 and has provided a connection to God’s creation through a variety of activities and education, as well as its eye-inspiring beauty.
Due to the accumulation of silt over the last 40 years, the lake has lost a significant amount of depth and size. Already, the portion of the lake behind the Swanson Retreat Center has almost entirely filled in. If not reclaimed, the lake will be unusable within a few years.
THE PLAN
Our vision is to reclaim the lake to its original boundaries and depth. We want to ensure that it remains this way for many years to come by dealing with the erosion and silt accumulation before it reaches the lake.
Returning the lake to its original size and depth will renew its beauty and usability.
THE COST
$2,700,000
Campground Improvements
THE LOCATION
Carol Joy Holling Camp, Conference & Retreat Center
THE OPPORTUNITY
The current campground provides affordable outdoor lodging for groups and individuals to experience Carol Joy Holling Camp, Conference & Retreat Center. Designed more than 30 years ago, the Family Campground was intended to accommodate smaller RVs with lower utility needs.
Today’s campers expect stronger supporting facilities than what are currently offered. Through steps such as the addition of the Together in Joy Campside Pavilion, we have already made the Family Campground a more attractive place for our guests and internal programs.
THE PLAN
The campground improvements will include increasing the number of RV pads and adding a few pull-through pads, leveling and hard-surfacing the pads, increasing the electrical service to 50 AMPs, creating a separate entrance to provide a one-way road, and providing a picnic table and fire pit at each pad.
THE COST
$850,000
Accessibility Improvements
THE LOCATION
Carol Joy Holling Camp, Conference & Retreat Center
THE OPPORTUNITY
One of the largest accessibility challenges for Carol Joy Holling Camp is the parking lots. Two of the most popular areas for summer camp and retreat groups, Western Town and The Springs, have gravel or crushed rock parking lots. These surfaces are challenging for our guests who use mobility aids.
THE PLAN
NLOM will add concrete parking lots at Western Town and The Springs to improve accessibility to programs for people with special needs and people who have mobility issues.
THE COST
$450,000
Filsinger Pond Reclamation
THE LOCATION
Sullivan Hills Camp
THE OPPORTUNITY
Since its addition to Sullivan Hills Camp in the early 2000s, Filsinger Pond has provided vital activities for campers and retreat guests and added beauty to this sacred space.
Due to wind erosion, the soil sealant that keeps the water from draining into the ground has been compromised, and we are currently at risk of losing the pond.
THE PLAN
The pond will be drained, the edges redefined, bottom resurfaced, and then refilled to protect the pond for years to come.
THE COST
$75,000
Guest Comfort, Accessibility, and Safety
THE LOCATION
Sullivan Hills Camp
THE OPPORTUNITY
One of the challenges of attracting retreat guests to use the Buckley Center has been the bunk bed lodging and the quality of mattresses. This limitation to usage is a challenge for the long-term sustainability of this ministry.
Additionally, our ability to comfortably welcome guests is limited by the tools and vehicles available on the site for regular maintenance and guest support.
THE PLAN
We will replace the mattresses to dramatically improve the guest comfort and welcome at Sullivan Hills Camp. Additionally, we will purchase a Utility Terrain Vehicle (UTV) to ensure our ability to respond to emergency situations across the entirety of the 640-acre site.
THE COST
$65,000
Staffing For Growth
THE LOCATION
Sullivan Hills Camp
THE OPPORTUNITY
Growing and developing Sullivna Hills Camp requires us to expand our staffing. Our current model includes one lead staff person who works part-time only when building or site maintenance is needed, or when we are preparing the buildings for guest groups.
The rest of the staff who help operate Sullivan Hills Camp travel from Carol Joy Holling Camp in Ashland. This distance has limited our ability to create new programs or attract additional guest groups.
THE PLAN
Through the campaign, we will fund an additional part-time staff position that is responsible to attract guest groups, as well as run year-round NLOM programs at Sullivan Hills Camp. The campaign funding will allow up to three years for this staff position to develop relationships and programs needed to increase the usage of Sullivan Hills Camp and thereby self-sustain the position.
THE COST
$70,000
Lake/Pool Day Program
THE LOCATION
Sullivan Hills Camp
THE OPPORTUNITY
With the cattle tank being the only “pool” for campers at Sullivan Hills Camp, ways to cool off during the summer are limited. It’s been a while since programming has changed, and Sullivan Hills Camp could use something new to attract campers.
THE PLAN
Through this campaign, we will create an off-site pool or lake day as an added adventure for Sullivan Hills campers. Elementary campers will travel to a local pool for their adventure day. Middle school and high school campers will travel to a nearby lake. To make this possible, a 15-passenger van and program supplies will be purchased.
THE COST
$70,000
Growth Projects
THE OPPORTUNITY
To stay on the cutting edge of ministry, NLOM needs funding to address program, staffing, and equipment needs.
THE PLAN
Funds through the Sustaining Sacred Spaces Campaign will help NLOM remain innovative to capitalize on the opportunities God presents.
THE COST
$575,000
Legacy of Faith Leadership
THE OPPORTUNITY
Through the efforts of the TrailHead: Shaping Faithful Leaders campaign, the NLOM Seminary Scholarship Endowment Fund was established. The goal of this fund is to raise up future church leaders by providing scholarships to participants of NLOM’s programs and encourage seminary attendance.
To date, the fund has received $155,000 and distributed its first two grants in 2021 to Evan and Hillary Christensen.
The Christensens–our first Seminary Scholarship Fund recipients–were ordained in 2022, and have returned to their home synod to serve churches in Swedehome, Rising City, and Genoa, Nebraska.
THE PLAN
Our goal is to grow this endowment to $500,000 to forever sustain the work of preparing the future leaders of the Church in the sacred spaces of NLOM.
THE COST
$345,000
Carol Joy Holling Camp, Conference & Retreat Center Projects |
|
| The Grove | $1,400,000 |
| Crystal Springs Lake Reclamation | 2,700,000 |
| Campground Improvements | 850,000 |
| Accessibility Improvements | 450,000 |
Sullivan Hills Camp Projects |
|
| Filsinger Pond Reclamation | $75,000 |
| Guest Comfort, Accessibility, & Safety | 65,000 |
| Staffing for Growth | 70,000 |
| Lake/Pool Day Program | 70,000 |
| Leadership Projects | |
| Growth Projects | $575,000 |
Legacy of Faith Leadership |
345,000 |
Total Cost |
$6,600,000 |
Join us
With the generous support of many individuals, families, foundations, and congregations across Nebraska and beyond, these bold initiatives of the Sustaining Sacred Spaces Campaign are achievable.
Please prayerfully consider the impact of such sacred spaces in your own life and join us as we continue to live out faith in ways that show everyone they belong and are unconditionally loved by God.