GBMB and Friends of Kaleo sign agreement to keep Camp Kaleo operating By HENRY DURAND, The Christian Index Thursday, December 19, 2024 SUWANEE, Ga. — The Georgia Baptist Mission Board and Friends of Kaleo, Inc., announced last week the formal signing of an agreement that both groups hope will keep Camp Kaleo operating for the foreseeable future. Friends of Kaleo is a non-profit group of former staff, campers, churches, pastors, missionaries, and families created to generate financial support for Camp Kaleo and support its ministry. Tim Oliver, chairman of the GBMB Administration Committee, said, “I thank God for the Friends of Kaleo! Because of their love for our Lord, His Word, and His work, the gospel will continue to penetrate hearts and lives at Kaleo. I look forward to years of gospel partnership with them.” “I am very thankful to have reached an agreement with GBMB on the future of Camp Kaleo,” said Jim Strickland, president of Friends of Kaleo. “Camp Kaleo has been impacting lives for 37 years and it is my prayer that God will continue to use camp for the next 37 plus years.” The agreement is the next step in a process that began at a GBMB Executive Committee meeting on Sept. 10, where a recommendation was affirmed to proceed with closing the camp on or before Dec. 15. At the time, David Melber, Georgia Baptist Mission Board chief operating officer, said, “As you can imagine, this was a very difficult decision, but it was based on facts and challenges that are hard to ignore.” Under the agreement, Friends of Kaleo will take over operations and liabilities for Camp Kaleo. The GBMB will still own the property, but there is an option for the board to sell it to Friends of Kaleo after that time. Strickland said, “We are thankful for the generous proposal from David Melber and GBMB to have this opportunity to take over for the next three years and then have the property sold to us for a nominal amount.” Hope Castillo, Friends of Kaleo vice president, concurs. “We are grateful to the GBMB for working with us to straighten out all the details and the generosity they gave us,” she said. “We have seen the Lord work in this process, and can't wait to see how lives will be changed in the future. We believe that Jesus changes lives at Camp Kaleo, because we have seen Him do it." During the three-year period, all camp operations such as hosting summer camps and retreats, staffing, making capital improvements, etc., will be the responsibility of Friends of Kaleo. In an email, Friends of Kaleo said, “So it's official. Friends of Kaleo is running camp. We will have retreats in 2025. We will have summer camp in 2025. We will continue the mission that started 37 years ago.” Strickland added that the group has already been in communication with Luke Foster, the current camp director, to ensure a smooth transition of leadership and plans to retain him in that role. Foster said, “Over the last three decades I have been a camper, a staffer, a trainer, and now the camp director. I have met many wonderful friends at Kaleo over the past three decades or so. I don’t just work here; Kaleo has gone from my second home to my actual home where my family and I reside year-round.” Though the uncertainty of the process has been difficult for him, Foster is excited about the future, “God has allowed me to see Him move more than I could have anticipated. Jesus is truly amazing and He really does change lives at camp.”   --- PHOTOS --- File: 20230808-122329-Bridge 2s.jpg Caption: Campers enjoy jumping from a bridge into the lake at Camp Kaleo, July 18, 2023. (Index/Henry Durand, File)