Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
NORTH WEBSTER - Director Dean Hunsucker took a deep breath and sent a mental message "upstairs" when he learned one of the two Camp Good News septic fields had failed. A new tank and field has to be moved 2,000 feet down the road to be in compliance with state regulations. The price tag just to install a new system for the summer season was $50,000.
Camp Good News is operated by Good News Ministries of Indianapolis. Located off Backwater Road, the cabin area is on a narrow isthmus bordered by the shores of Backwater Lake to the west and a protected wetlands to the east. A road past an open field and forest precedes the camping area. That's where the new septic system will be. Soil tests near the cabins show the ground to be too coarse to support another system.
"At the end of November we had $1,000 to spend on improvements," said Hunsucker this week. "My questions were, 'Do we hire counselors? Do we send brochures to campers?
'Do we have camp?'"
The camp is free to low-income, intercity or disadvantaged children. Last year, 212 kids spent a week or two there. Youth organizations, like Boys and Girls clubs and Crossroads Children's Home in Fort Wayne, and churches recommend campers for the 42-acre site.
The kids participate in activities organized on the grounds, the lake, the pool, the facilities and off-site tours. The children are not charged for snack shop or craft shop items.
Five months and many phone calls and prayers later, Hunsucker has $38,000 toward the project. In addition to donations from churches and individuals, the Biomet Foundation gave the camp $5,000 and Taylor Tire of Indianapolis gave the camp another $10,000.
"A group of teens from the Bible Baptist Church of Wakarusa raised $1,333," said a grateful Hunsucker. "The first campers will arrive in June. We've really been blessed."
American Consulting Engineers of Indianapolis is donating all the plans for the new system, a long-term solution to the problem, and plans to appear before state boards for approval.
Eventually two lift stations and two mound systems will replace the old septic system.
As if a failing septic system weren't enough, just preparing for the upcoming season - the general business of repair and upkeep of the grounds and buildings - keeps Hunsucker busy.
"Full-color camp brochures were provided by Grace Bible Baptist Church in Syracuse - they operate Grace Printing Press," he said. "The North Webster Community Center has donated more than 500 ceiling lights, speakers, tons of wiring and just about anything else they've pulled from that building. It is allowing us to renovate the kitchen and guest cabins. Members from three area churches will be reroofing all the guest cabins in May."
For more information, call Hunsucker at 574-834-1200 or Dan Evans, executive director of Good News Ministries, 317-638-2862.
