Entiat Valley Family Camp

A Sketch of 1938-1978
from the 50th Anniversary Celebration (1978)

by Margret Kellogg

As found in the original document

In some of the years between 1938-1969 Mrs. Alice Hadley was the efficent secretary of the Holiness Association. After her death and that of her husband, Harry Hadley, the secretarial records were lost. We were left with no records. Mrs. Loma Cooper Yeager graciously accepted themonumental task of scanning Micro Film Files at the Wenatchee World for information in adds and articles about the campmeeting. Some of the findings are included in this collection as well as in more detailed account.

From 1938-1969 the Entiat Campmeeting expanded its influence by purchasing the Knapps Grove in 1936 for its permanent camp site. In 1942 the tabernacle was completed with Hans Peterson making the plans and doing the bulk of the work, along with the helpd of many others. In the years that followed a kitchen, dining hall, cabins dormitory and bathrooms were constructed.

In 1948 the Entiat River overflowed its banks and cut its way through where the tabernacle stood. Campmeeting went on uninterrupted and many days of reconstruction followed.

Until the time when Wilber Brown became president (1960-1961) the "old sawdust trail" was familiar to campers. More than one barefoot boy kicked sawdust through his toes as he took up the offering. In 1960 the wooden floor was constructed and the rostrum changed to the side as it is not in 1978. This was a much better use of space.

Under the leadership of Ralph Kellogg, president, 1970 marked the beginning of a series of camp improvements. Mr. A. Eickmeyer was engaged to push over and remove stumps and do extensive leveling where the Entiat River had ravaged through the grounds in the 1948 flood. This year a new men's room was constructed thus giving room for the ladies room to be expanded. Many workers on these projects but noteworthy were the women such as Freda Davis and Shirley Schick who did carpenter work.

In 1971 yards and yards of topsoil were hawled in to cover the rocky areas. Grass was planted and a new sprinkling system was installed.

In 1972, to house workers, a triplex was reconstructed from a donated building, Rev. Glen Tombaugh headed this project with right helpers in Freda Davis, Tessie Collins and Nellie King. Aluminum roofing was Installed on the tabernacle dorms and new cabins. All the trees were topped eliminating the hazard of falling limbs. This year alone, Paul Kellogg traveled over 5,000 miles in 100 trips to the campgrounds to care for it.

In 1973 extensive rip-rapping, rocks pushed out of the middle of the river and other rocks hauled was done to prevent the possibility of the river eroding the land. The total bill was $2,714,24 contracted to Goodfellow Brothers, $1,200 of which was loaned and forgiven by the Small Business Bureau.

In 1974 Don Larson, contractor, hauled in 980 yards of dirt and 135 yards of rock to prepare the old river bed for the new dining hall.

In 1975 construction of the new cement block dining hall and kitchen began during campmeeting. Sylvan Davis drew up the blue print and was the head brick layer. Art Hoppel was the head carpenter and Allen Harmen did all the wiring. Electrical hook-ups for travel trailers were wired by Gordon Itrich.

The new dining hall was ready for the 1976 camp as a result of house of donated labor, consting in the neighorhood of $5000. The old dining hall was converted into a children's talbernacle.

In 1977 the fire place in the dining hall was faced and dedicated in a special service in honor of Freda Davis (deceased in 1976) and Edna Kellogg (deceased in 1977). Also this year a new well was dug to supplement the existing well preparatory to the new automatic sprinkling system in the planning stages. Rev. Glen Tombaugh and Sylvan Davis built a sound room this year.

In 1978 we look forward to the completion of the automatic sprinling system thus cuggin the man-hours to care for the grounds that have painstakingly been made so beautiful. One of the next projects is the purchase of new tables and chairs for the dining hall. To secure the camp property as well as making it available for more frequent use we are looking for a caretaker for the grounds.

All of the projects from 1970 to 1978 have been necessary to make available to the people of North Central Washington a campmeeting at their very doorstep with the message,"Be ye holy for I am Holy!"

These 50 years have been years of working together with the Lord and His people--people who support their own churches and go beyond this by backing the work of Central Washington Holiness Association for the sake of propagating Scriptural Holiness--securing the conversion of sinners, the entire sanctification of believers and the edifying of the body of Christ.

Respectfully,
Margret Kellogg