Christian Camp Evolves From Summer Facility to a Year-Round Ministry
By Andrew Cutler
When Chip Shetler first arrived at Camp Morrow in 1993, he was a single man stepping into the role of camp director with little more than a Bible college education and a passion for youth ministry.
30 years later, the once-unobtrusive Christian camp on the shores of Pine Hollow Reservoir has expanded into a year-round facility serving churches, outdoor schools, children, and families.
Faith, Friends & Family
Chip grew up in a rural Western Oregon logging town, where his father drove a log truck and his older brothers were active in the timber industry. After working a few years in the forestry industry, Chip moved to Wasco County searching for agriculture and less rainfall.
“I fell in love with the area, and I just never moved on,” he says.
Not long after he arrived, a local pastor linked Chip with Camp Morrow’s board, and Chip’s journey at the camp began.
In 1997, Chip married his wife, Brenda, and she is now the camp’s office administrator. They raised 4 children, with 2 of them landing in camp ministry as well.
“My son manages all our lawn care, landscape, and forestry work,” Chip says.
“My daughter is the program director for another youth camp in Washington. It’s really rewarding to raise them in the camp setting and then see them invest their lives in people as well.”
What keeps Chip committed after more than 3 decades? For this self-described “reserved and behind-the-scenes kind of guy,” it’s about purpose.
“If I wasn’t doing this, I’d probably be farming or ranching full time,” he says. “But for me personally, camp has a much broader purpose. Knowing that what I do here helps all these fun program guys on our team do what they do well—offering kids the best week of their summer. I love being part of something bigger than myself.”
Modest Beginnings to Global Reach
Camp Morrow’s story begins in 1958, when the Morrow family donated about 40 acres of farmland to establish the camp.
A missionary couple, Francis and Esther Sutton, worked with Loyd and Betty Morrow to create a faith-based summer camp that now includes nearly 80 acres and 2 separate facilities that can host about 210 people.
“Our motto is, ‘Faith, Friends and Fun,’” Chip says. “We believe that as kids get immersed in God’s word, while being in an outdoor setting away from electronics and the normal home routine, it changes their perspective and lives. The Bible lays a solid foundation that helps people discover the God of all creation, hope, and meaning in life.”
When Chip was first asked to fill the executive director role at Camp Morrow, he was largely a 1-man operation. He now leads a small team of employees. Hundreds of volunteers cycle through to support the camp’s 19 different programs.
The camp’s growth has been significant. When it launched in-house programming in 2001, the camp served 328 campers in 3 programs. By 2023, that number had tripled to more than 1,000 campers at the lake camps alone. A horse camp facility started in 2004 and expanded from 16 initial campers to 175 in 2023.
Camp Morrow Program Administrator Jason Birman leads the lake camps. Greg Gill leads Morrow Ranch camps, where he works with youth and horses.
“Jason and Greg are kind of the upfront camp guys, working with the youth,” Chip says. “I am more behind the scenes, working with donors and planning facilities to make it all come together. We work well together.”
New Horizons: The Gap Year Program
1 of the most significant recent developments is the Morrow Gap Year program. The program began in 2021 for high school graduates looking to develop a solid biblical foundation before moving on to higher education or the workforce.
The program advances an agenda of intensive discipleship training and includes international missionary experiences in such countries as Latvia, Norway, Mexico, India, and Canada. The program, led by Dustin and Kristine Peterson, serves a variety of purposes, including helping young adults develop leadership skills while addressing the camp’s staffing needs.
“Our summer camp programs were being hindered in their growth because of a lack of volunteer staff,” Chip says. “When Morrow Gap students come back from their overseas experience, we’ve already worked with them for 5 months, so they are a really great team to help us staff our summer camps. Our camps are really growing because of our investment into discipling and mentoring these young adults through the gap year.”
Building for the Future
As Camp Morrow approaches its 70th anniversary, Chip and his team are focused on renewal. Many of the original structures are reaching the end of their useful life.
“Most of them are 60 years old and were originally built with donated, used materials,” Chip says. “It is time for them to be replaced so we can go into the next 70 years.”
The nonprofit organization is already busy with upgrades, including a recently completed $1 million septic system improvement project. This was made possible in part due to a grant through the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust and many generous donors.
The camp has partnered with Wasco Electric Cooperative to move and upgrade power underground to allow for continued expansion. WEC has also provided grant funding to help with other projects.
Camp Morrow recently built five cabins with 60 beds. 6 additional replacement cabins are next on the agenda.
Capital projects are paid for by donations and grants.
“Today, the current upgrades are all paid for and functioning as they should and allowing for growth,” Chip says. “We are excited to continue replacing the cabins and making other improvements. I am thankful for so many people who have given their time and funds to complete these projects. People who believe in investing in the lives of the youth in our communities are helping to make these improvements.”
For Chip, what stands out in his 3-decade-long career is the lasting impression Camp Morrow has on generations of campers.
“I am privileged to work alongside volunteers who were campers at Camp Morrow 30-plus years ago,” he says. “This is a place of purpose—a place youth come to strengthen their faith, experience new, fun adventures, and build friendships that last a lifetime.”