The Promised Land: The Incredible Story of Camp Akita
- Illinois Conference Communications
- 20 hours ago
- 6 min read
Matthew Lucio
ILC Assistant to the President for Communication
“I admire the great traditional values of the scouting program,” Illinois Conference youth director, Larry Schneider, wrote to the Illowa Council of the Boy Scouts of America. “We have a very similar coed program called Pathfinders and this camp would be a perfect place for them to learn values that will make them leaders of tomorrow.”
When Schneider joined the Illinois Conference in 1999, he was tasked with finding property for a new summer camp—what would eventually be known as “Camp Akita.” But the journey to that promised land would first take the Conference through the wilderness.
THE WILDERNESS
Illinois Adventists had been without a camp of their own since 1986, when the Conference Executive Committee made the difficult decision to end operations at Little Grassy. That camp, which had served hundreds, if not thousands, of youth since opening in 1955, remains a cherished memory for many. A Facebook group of proud alumni—nearly four decades later—still testifies to its enduring impact.
Although Little Grassy was leased from the government, the Conference had been permitted to build improvements on the property. However, in the 1980s, the Conference faced “lease restrictions that made continuing the camp prohibitive.”[1] Financial pressures forced the Conference to consolidate church districts and reduce staff in 1987, making it impossible to purchase and build a new camp. In the years that followed, the Conference could only offer a small subsidy to its members wanting to attend Adventist summer camps in other conferences.
In the early 1990s, the dream of reviving camp ministry stirred again. In 1992, ILC Camping Director Ken Veal led a task force—known as CAMPTAK—that explored renting Adventist-owned camps in nearby states. The dream of owning a camp was still a bridge too far. While many members cherished their experiences at Little Grassy, Conference leaders weren’t certain if there was enough support to invest in camp ministry.
They decided to ask. In 1995, delegates to a Conference constituency meeting were asked to set the priorities for the Conference. “Evangelism” received the most votes, followed closely by “Youth.” With this mandate, the Conference began offering summer camp at rented properties, first at Camp Shawbonee in Port Byron and then at Camp Tuckabatchee (or “Camp Tuck”) near Ottawa from 1995-1997. Though all camp staff were volunteers, attendance was strong—about 150 people per week. Still, Camp Tuck was too small for long-term use. In 1996, the Conference reported that “it was only through considerable negotiation and earnest prayer that we were able to secure its use for another year. Continued use of Camp Tuck is tenuous at best.”
The “problem” of having too many kids wanting to attend summer camp put the Conference at a crossroads: Either the Conference limits the number of kids who can attend summer camp or else the conference needed to find and purchase their promised land.
SEARCHING FOR A PROMISED LAND
The search seemed to meet with instant success. In 1996, the Willey-Moushon family generously offered to donate 130 acres west of Peoria. At a special constituency session, 83% of delegates voted to accept the offered land. The dream was ambitious: two cabin villages, fields for soccer and softball, an indoor gym, and a “superlodge”—all centered around an 18-acre lake created by a new dam.
The cost of the dream was another matter. The dam project was subject to slow-moving government approvals. Nevertheless, construction began on an entrance road, and 20 acres of trees were cleared to make room for the lake. A Pathfinder named Laura Gomoll won a contest to name the new camp “Akita,” supposedly a Sioux word for “discovery.” On June 11, 1997, the name was officially adopted by the Conference Executive Committee. On November 23, Laura joined leaders for a groundbreaking ceremony. Camping director Ken Veal announced in the Lake Union Herald that “the quest to ‘Build Our Dream’ has now officially begun.”
Despite the enthusiasm, the “painfully slow” permitting process—and the projected cost of over $1 million for the dam alone—ultimately made the project financially unfeasible. A final decision would need to be made at a future constituency session.
So, in 2000, the Conference once again rented a camp—this time, Buffalo Prairie Gang Camp in Washburn. Founded as part of actor Paul Newman’s “Hole in the Wall” network for children with special needs, the 300-acre camp seemed like an answer to prayer. It had cabins, infrastructure, and even a pool. A constituency session was held on-site to consider whether the Conference should continue developing the donated land or pivot to pursue Buffalo Prairie. Seventy-six percent voted to go after Buffalo Prairie.
The owners were open to selling, and things looked promising. The camp had to go to auction, but no other interested buyers had emerged. Conference leaders—including Executive Secretary Ken Denslow and Larry Schneider—attended the auction confident they would walk away with the property.
But at the last minute the Salvation Army joined the bidding, having outgrown their current camp. The price quickly soared past the Conference’s $1.5 million limit. Once again, Illinois Adventists were left without a summer camp.
CROSSING THE JORDAN
Back at square one, Larry Schneider pressed on. Amidst several tips arriving at the office, a lead from a Hinsdale church member pointed him toward a Boy Scout camp in Gilson called Camp Fellheimer in the autumn of 2000. In December 2000, Schneider called scouting leader William “Buzz” Barron and asked to be notified if the property was ever for sale.
In early 2001, Schneider toured Camp Fellheimer again. “The caretaker showed me around, and I said, ‘You know, I think this is it.’” In March, Conference leaders—including President J. Wayne Coulter—visited the property. As they stood around the flag poles in front of the visitors center, Coulter said, “Gentlemen, we need to pray about this.” Schneider, feeling the urgency, responded: “Wayne, we can’t wait. If we like this property, we can pray that we get it, but we need to move ahead.” Reflecting later, he admitted, “That probably wasn’t the smartest thing to say, but I felt we would lose it because it was such a beautiful piece of property.”
With input from Ron Whitehead, Associate Youth Director for the North American Division, Schneider wrote to the Illowa Council of the Boy Scouts of America, pledging to honor Camp Fellheimer’s ministry and expressing that the Illinois Conference was “very anxious to purchase this property.”
The Conference Executive Committee voted to offer $750,000, with a ceiling of $819,000. The two parties reached an agreement at $783,000—pending final approval at a special constituency session on May 20.
It passed with 93% support.
After fifteen years, the Illinois Conference had a summer camp once again. When the papers were signed, Ken Denslow and Larry Schneider jumped into the camp’s waterfront lake in celebration—only to later discover it was home to snapping turtles.
CLAIMING THE PROMISE
Camp Akita came with just three buildings: the ABC, Pine Lodge, and Butler. Staff member Greg Creek, who served from 2002 to 2004, recalled that some staff slept in a construction trailer. “It felt like there was something really cool about it, at least for me, because we were literally building this thing from the ground up.”
Securing Camp Akita marked the start of a new era for Illinois Adventists. It ensured that the Conference could once again offer its youth the life-changing experience of camp ministry and provide a dedicated retreat space for all its members.
NEXT STEPS
On June 5–8, the Illinois Conference will celebrate 25 years of Camp Akita ministry, while honoring the other major campgrounds that shaped this legacy: Little Grassy and Camp Reynoldswood.
We will be showing pictures and videos from past camps at Homecoming 2025, as well as providing time for past campers and staff to share their stories.
📅 Register at CampAkita.com/homecoming
📸 Share your camp stories, photos, and videos by emailing them to communication@ilcsda.org.
Please send any news items of what God is doing around the Illinois Conference to communication@ilcsda.org.
