A Piece of Heaven on Earth

Dale and Beth Durfey first came to Camp because of an invitation of friends from church (Trinity Lutheran – Lisle, IL) over 30 years ago.

Beth recalls, “The moment we walked up the sidewalk in front of the Inn, we ran into another couple who had attended our church, but moved Ohio a few years back.”

But it wasn’t just the fun connections with friends that led to the Durfeys’ love for Camp Arcadia – it was an interaction with a few families that otherwise would have been considered strangers.

The First Year

The story goes that, on “Day Out of Camp,” the Durfeys were getting ready for an afternoon at Sleeping Bear Dunes, when they noticed another family. The wife had taken a tumble and broken her leg (yikes!) – and the husband was trying to get their three children ready to go with them to the hospital.

Without thinking, along with another family nearby, the Durfeys went into action-mode, figuring out how they could help.

“The family had two boys – about 6 and 8 – and a new baby… We offered to take the oldest two (who were right around the ages of our three kids!) with us to Sleeping Bear – what kid doesn’t like running up and down the dunes?!”

The other family also had a baby and offered to keep the littlest while the parents drove to the ER.

“We had a grand day, lots of fun had by all the kids. When we got back to Camp for dinner, we found the couple sitting on the Patio, the mom in a cast with her leg propped up, so glad to have had the afternoon off.”

Beth muses, “Where else could you find such trust for other parents besides Camp Arcadia? This day truly sealed our love for RKD and the kind of people that you meet while you’re there.”

Beth explains that, for their family, Camp Arcadia is “a piece of heaven on earth” – where else can you find Bible classes, activities for children and families, great food and all in a beautiful location?

A Vacation Priority

“We have been back to Camp almost every year since – our children are grown with families of their own. In fact, our daughter (Erin Reichle) met her husband (Ryan) on staff, and they were engaged, married and baptized their first son at Camp. This place is so special to us. It is the first place on our vacation agenda each year.”

And if you were wondering about the family the Durfeys met that first year…

“Fast forward to a handful of years back (20+ years later) — we were enjoying wine tasting on the Front Porch, and as we met our fellow guests for the week, we mentioned our first year story. Lo and behold, the people we were talking to were THAT FAMILY!”

What made you fall in love with Camp Arcadia? We’d love to hear from you! Send your story to Sarah (sarah@camp-arcadia.com) and you might see it in a future ENews!