Our Story

In the fall of 1999, Dave was approached by his friend and mentor, Fred, and told him about a camp in Ohio called Summer Games. Dave and Fred volunteered at this camp in the summer of 2000, so they could see what everything was all about. Later that fall, Dave asked his wife, Brenda, to look for camps, so they could bring Summer Games to Michigan. After searching, Brenda found Albright Park Camp & Retreat Center in Reed City, Michigan and reserved a week for the summer in 2001.

Fred’s wife, Sharon, joined the team as Dave’s co-dean. Volunteers from Summer Games in Ohio aided Dave and Fred in preparing for their first year of Summer Games in Michigan. Many of them traveled to Reed City to volunteer and help get things kicked off. Dave, Brenda, Fred and Sharon assembled and trained the staff. The theme for Summer Games 2001 was Revival, using music from the Revival in Ireland.

In the fall of 2014, Summer Games became the non-profit organization as we know it as today: Summer Games Camp Inc. Many adult volunteers and huddle leaders stepped into new roles to form the camp’s new Board of Directors.

In early 2019, Albright Park Camp & Retreat Center had suspended its operations, which threw some obstacles at Summer Games Camp. We no longer had a campground and were searching for a new place to call “home” for camp. It had broken the hearts of many knowing that they wouldn’t be returning to a placed filled with so many memories, but everyone was ready to make new ones for many years to come no matter where we ended up. God had his plan and found Summer Games Camp a temporary home at Brethren Heights in Rodney, Michigan.

Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, Summer Games Camp had to postpone its 20th anniversary and canceled camp in 2020 to ensure the health and safety of our campers and volunteers. In 2021, camp was canceled again due to the pandemic creating a lack of interest in fear of all that was going on. Many thought that was the end of Summer Games Camp, but little did we know, God had a better plan in store and we had to be patient.

In the summer of 2021, God answered our prayers and blessed Summer Games Camp with something we thought wouldn’t be possible. The former home of Summer Games Camp had been restored and re-opened for business. In 2022, Summer Games Camp was revived at Camp Albright & Event Center, which celebrated with the theme of Revival. It was the first time Summer Games Camp ever repeated a theme at camp; however, it was fitting and was a great way to celebrate 20 years.