The Story of Suttle Lake Methodist Camp

by Kellen (grade 6)

BBS kids at Suttle Lake Camp in 2015

The start of the story of Suttle Lake Methodist Camp was in the winter of 1921, when there was a group of young people from Redmond, Madres and Prineville Methodist churches who wanted a new camp. All of them met in Redmond thinking about making a new youth methodist camp. Soon they were led to Suttle Lake. In 1922 the young campers camped along the creek, to decide if they want to make it a new youth camp. Then in 1923 they started to work with the US Forest Service. In the beginning, the camp leaders would camp up by the ridge with tents, along with the campers.

In the 1940s they built a kitchen and a dining room with some beds below. The building's name is Pioneer Loge. Later, in 1947 the camp built cabins around Pioneer Lodge.

Since those events that have built many more cabins, and some shower houses in the area. They also made a challenge course near the ridge. Thy made a house for the directors and a welcome center. The present directors are Jane and Daniel Petke. They have been the directors for more than 12  years now. They are one of the longest directors to be working there. Pretty recently they have been on a low on staff, with only about five staff, who work to feed and house at most about one hundred and fifty people!

                           

The directors do not just help at the camp they also volunteer for Black Butte School! Daniel volunteers as the the Board Chair of the School Board and Jane volunteers for the Parent Teacher Organization. Black Butte School kids visit for a field trip at the beginning of the year. Some years they have done archery and now the tradition is do to team building activities on the challenge course This has been a fun tradition for about ten years. If you want to visit the camp or one of the others you can go to https://suttlelake.gocamping.org/. I hope I see you there!