Sue Freel, chairwoman of the Indiana Camp Board, and Galen Jay, the director of facilities at Camp Mack, celebrate the end of a $415,000 debt owed on the camp’s John Kline Welcome Center with a ceremonial burning of the mortgage.

WAUBEE LAKE — Two years ago, the weather in northern Indiana was much different than it was today. The same was true about the financial situation at Camp Alexander Mack, a Christian camp located on the eastern shore of Waubee Lake, just a few miles south of Milford. In 2014, the Church of the Brethren affiliated camp was saddled with a $415,000 mortgage on their main building, the John Kline Welcome Center. The newly constructed building was erected as a result of a devastating fire that destroyed its predecessor in July 2010.

According to  Gene Hollenberg, the camp’s current executive director, the financial stability of Camp Mack was in serious peril, as the burdensome debt owed to the bank was threatening the viability of its ability to continue to provide quality camps and programming for the foreseeable future. Since its beginnings in 1925, literally thousands of campers and visitors had passed through the camp’s main gate, but many feared that the financial commitment made to the new building’s construction had the possibility of leading to the camp’s ultimate demise.

Camp Alexander Mack Executive Director Gene Hollenberg quiets the gathered crowd prior to his opening remarks during the camp’s celebration of the end of a $415,000 mortgage on the camp’s John Kline Welcome Center.

However, the Indiana Camp Board, the group of directors which oversees Camp Mack, decided that they were going to take steps to ensure that the camp would continue to be around to provide quality programming and opportunities for generations of kids, and adults as well, to experience for years to come.

Through numerous financial appeals to churches, parishioners and friends of the camp, the Indiana Camp Board and the staff at Camp Mack managed to raise the funds to pay off the 20-year mortgage in 20 months. Unbelievably, the $415,000 owed to the bank was paid down to zero in under two years.

Nearly a hundred people gathered to celebrate the end of the mortgage on the John Kline Welcome Center, located on the grounds of Camp Alexander Mack.

On Sunday, Feb. 19, nearly 100 people gathered inside the John Kline Welcome Center to celebrate the end of the mortgage.

“Two years ago, the board made a decision to aggressively pay off the mortgage,” said a beaming Hollenberg. “This has made Camp Mack much more financially stable and we are ready to keep moving forward into the future.”

Those gathered on Sunday enjoyed cookies and other desserts, along with a variety of beverages. They also played witness to a short presentation, including remarks from Hollenberg, Director of Guest Services Mike Kauffman, Director of Food Services Wanda Gall, Chairwoman of the Indiana Camp Board Sue Freel and Director of Facilities Galen Jay.

During her remarks, Freel thanked the staff for their efforts to become more conservative with the camp’s resources. She noted that the board asked them to “cut way back and focus on the financial health of the camp,” which she noted was not an easy task.

Prior to Hollenberg’s closing remarks and a prayer offered by Program Director Jessica Kreider, Jay and Freel ceremoniously “burned the mortgage,” in a handcrafted ice bowl and witnessed by the cheering crowd.

The ceremonial burning of the mortgage took place inside the John Kline Welcome Center on Sunday, Feb. 19.