The Georgia Baptist Mission Board and Friends of Kaleo, Inc., announced last week the formal signing of an agreement that both groups hope will keep Camp Kaleo operating for the foreseeable future. Friends of Kaleo is a non-profit group of former staff, campers, churches, pastors, missionaries, and families created last year to generate financial support for Camp Kaleo and support its ministry.
Tim Oliver, chairman of the GBMB Administration Committee, said, “I thank God for the Friends of Kaleo! Because of their love for our Lord, His Word, and His work, the gospel will continue to penetrate hearts and lives at Kaleo. I look forward to years of gospel partnership with them.”
“I am very thankful to have reached an agreement with GBMB on the future of Camp Kaleo,” said Jim Strickland, president of Friends of Kaleo. “Camp Kaleo has been impacting lives for 37 years and it is my prayer that God will continue to use camp for the next 37 plus years.”
The agreement is the next step in a process that began at a GBMB Executive Committee meeting on Sept. 10, where a recommendation was affirmed to proceed with closing the camp on or before Dec. 15. At the time, David Melber, Georgia Baptist Mission Board chief operating officer, said, “As you can imagine, this was a very difficult decision, but it was based on facts and challenges that are hard to ignore.”
Under the agreement, Friends of Kaleo will take over operations and liabilities for Camp Kaleo. The GBMB will still own the property, but there is an option for the board to sell it to Friends of Kaleo after that time. Strickland said, “We are thankful for the generous proposal from David Melber and GBMB to have this opportunity to take over for the next three years and then have the property sold to us for a nominal amount.”
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EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Henry Durand and originally published by the Christian Index.
