Dennis and Glenda Rowan started Psalm 23 Camp in July 1985. It was not their intention to start a camp. Their objective was to simply take resources that they had at their disposal and give some local children “something to do”.
The first camp provided a three-day camp for 14 local children ages 8-11 without charge. The available resources included a 300 acre farm, some family pack tents, a pickup camper, two picnic tables, two outhouses and some part-time volunteers to help the Rowan’s. All meals were cooked over a open campfire and campers helped with fire building, dish washing, and other duties.
The first camp in 1985 was located in a mountain sheep pasture using tents.
1985 – Psalm 23 Camp began as “something to do” for young people
The camp is located on a 300-acre farm owned by Dennis and Glenda Rowan of Gap Mills, WV
The camp name, Psalm 23 Camp, was selected because of the Bible’s frequent reference to sheep, and the fact that sheep production is the only farm enterprise of the Rowans.
The accommodations for the early years consisted of tent camping on Peters Mountain (3/4 mile from present location), and cooking on open campfires.
1993 – Servants At Work (SAW) program was established as the primary emphasis of the camp. The emphasis is to direct young people 14 and older in work projects for needy individuals/families as a Christian witness.
Home Service Projects (HSP) have been the central focus at Psalm 23 Camp for the past 18 years.
Estimated service by volunteers to Monroe and surrounding counties
More than 4400 volunteers
More than 100,000 hours of volunteer service
The volunteer service is equivalent to more than 50 people working 40-hour weeks for an entire year, or one person volunteering 40 hours per week for 50 years
Other incidental facts
Teams arrive on Sunday evening and leave the following Saturday
Meal preparation, housekeeping, building maintenance and lawn care are completed by part-time camp staff
About 99 percent of all costs involved in the housing and feeding of volunteers, plus the setup and supervision of HSP, is covered by fees paid by the volunteers and their respective church congregations and/or Christian schools
Groups spend Monday of each week working on the camp facilities
Approximately 75 percent of the building construction at the camp was completed by volunteers
Approximately 250 groups have participated in SAW workcamps
Volunteer groups have come from 21 different states. More have come from Michigan than any other state.
One couple, John and Ellen Rendle, have lead youth teams from St. Marks Lutheran Church of Wilmington, Delaware every year for the past 15 years.
Three Bridges Reformed Church of Flemington, NJ has sent teams for the past 13 years
One group from California came two years
Approximately 75 percent of the groups attending each summer have participated in a SAW workcamp one or more previous years