One GENEVA | A campus united to connect us to Christ
It is with great excitement that we announce the One GENEVA Campaign!
Through this campaign, we are working to address both the increased demand for summer camp and retreats as well as the overall safety of kids and retreat guests while they are on campus. The campaign consists of four components:
1. Construct a bridge over Lakeshore Drive to connect Shores and Pines
2. Add a new cabin to replace two original cabins on Shores
3. Build a large multi-purpose gathering space on Pines
4. Create an operational endowment
Completion of this strategic capital plan for the overall GENEVA campus will bring greater unity to the camp through safe, barrier-free access to both campuses and provide additional capacity for summer camp and retreats. More campers will have the opportunity to connect with Christ and GENEVA will be able to serve a larger number of retreat guests and offer them vital space to renew their relationship with God and others. These projects are key to growing GENEVA’s mission of creating an environment where the presence of God is experienced, the love of Christ is demonstrated, and a Spirit-filled life is inspired.
Lakeshore Bridge | $1,200,000
A bridge over Lakeshore Drive will connect the Pines and Shores campuses. It will provide safe passage for campers and guests to move back and forth between the campuses, allowing easy access to Lake Michigan, winter recreating in the gymnasium, and the new Pines Gathering Space.
- Provides a safe route over the 72ft span of Lakeshore Drive, which sees 4,000 cars per day
- Protects pedestrians from the blind curve immediately adjacent to this crossing
- Serves as a landmark for passersby and effectively identifies GENEVA’s location with the beautiful wave-like design of the bridge
- Completely ADA compliant accessibility, enabling us to better serve all guests
- Opens the opportunity for program expansion to serve an additional 440 children per summer
Gathering Space on Pines | $3,200,000
A large, multipurpose space will allow all campers to fellowship for worship, meet the needs of a growing retreat ministry, and provide accessibility for those with special needs.
Currently, there is no place of worship on the campus that can house the entire camp. increasing our meeting capacity to 600 guests in a single space will allow us to fully utilize our 500-bed sleeping capacity. This creates the opportunity to serve an additional 4,000 guests over the course of the year.
Our retreat and rental revenue over the past 10 years has grown 65%. This new gathering center will help us increase our revenues to better serve our campers and set up GENEVA for long-term sustainability.
- Increase our largest meeting space capacity from 325 to 600
- Designed with a multipurpose flat floor and removable chairs for activities
- Provides enough space for campers of all ages to gather and worship, perform songs and skits, hold closing ceremonies and escape inclement weather
- Provides indoor worship/activity space for Day Camp growth
New Mission Point Cabin | $850,000
The newly constructed 36-bed cabin will replace the original cabins from 1948 with comfortable, welcoming, and convenient sleeping and gathering spaces. Currently, the old cabins are unusable for retreat guests as they have no heat or restrooms. this cabin will be located at the top of the oval and complete the Shores master plan.
- Allows all-season use of these facilities with the addition of heat and restrooms, changing rooms, and showers
- Adds 36 additional beds to be used by groups through the retreat season, an estimated annual increase of 400 guests
- Creates the opportunity to serve an additional 300 campers each summer
Operational Endowment | $500,000
The operational endowment will help keep the cost of camp affordable for families as it will offset some of the operational expenses of the new facilities.
TOTAL COST: $5.75 million
Completion of the One GENEVA campaign will bring greater unity to the camp through a safe, barrier-free link to both campuses. The ease and safety of crossing a bridge to get from one campus to the other will also offer us the opportunity to creatively expand our programming.
We ask you to prayerfully consider joining us in supporting our goal of raising 5.75 million to help us fulfill our mission of connecting kids and adults to Christ.
If you have any questions or would like to have a tour of the projects please reach out to Jessica Vander Kolk at jessica@campgeneva.org or 616.399.3150.