CLAYTON, Ga. — In her first year as camp director, Allison Harvey led Camp Pinnacle through a summer of life-changing decisions for Christ. Eighteen campers made professions of faith, nine sensed a call to missions, and three expressed a desire to return in the future as cabin leaders.
The camp, owned and operated by the Baptist Woman’s Missionary Union of Georgia, hosted 565 campers for a program built around sharing the gospel and inspiring missions involvement. Over the summer, offerings totaling more than $4,150 were collected for two church plants in New Orleans — Iglesia Lugar Seguro, led by David Speed, and Safe Place Church, led by Josue Gomez. Both church planters and their families spent a week on campus as missionaries, describing their work and the needs of their city.
Campers also packed 627 hygiene and snack bags for the New Orleans Baptist Friendship House, which serves unhoused and trafficked individuals.
“I could not have asked for a better staff my first year as camp director,” Harvey said. “The job is overwhelming and cannot be done alone. Having young women surrounding me who are dedicated to making God known to the campers and the nations brought such joy and peace.”
She added, “I am thankful for the opportunity to pour into, pray for, and be loved on by these amazing ladies.”
Harvey and her husband, Johnny, live in Valrico, Florida, where he serves as pastor of Covenant Grace Church. She homeschools their four daughters and has been part of Camp Pinnacle in various roles for the past 16 years. She holds a Master of Arts in Communication from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
The Younger Girl Session theme, Love Moves (Luke 10:27), taught that we love because God first loved us. The Teen Week theme, Next Degree (2 Corinthians 3:18), focused on transformation into Christlikeness as we behold His glory.
Teen Week seniors rolled up their sleeves to serve at First Impressions in Clayton, sorting clothing, cleaning, and preparing the space for the ministry’s free clothing outreach. Harvey called the project an “overwhelming success” and said the seniors were eager to do it again.
Stephanie Wells, who has attended with her daughters for more than a decade, said Camp Pinnacle “fueled [my daughter’s] passion for missions and her love for various people groups. It was at Camp Pinnacle that she found her love for the deaf community.”
Virginia Summers said she appreciated “the professionalism of the staff, the safety that we felt, being around like-minded Christians.”
Kristy Burton said both of her daughters have enjoyed Camp Pinnacle for many years. " Our household has been able to attend 'Mom n' me' camp, younger girls camp, and now teen camp. My girls love meeting the missionaries, learning about other cultures, and finding out ways we can pray for these missionaries and for salvation for those they are living around and witnessing to each day. She added, "My girls come home from a week of camp completely exhausted, full of joy, and ready to sign up for the next year!"
Before the season began, Harvey faced a shortage of cabin leaders. “My youngest daughter, Skylar, made sticky notes representing the open slots we still needed to fill. We put them on the wall at our house and prayed over them every day at 10:02 pm. When God filled a slot, we moved it to the other side of the wall.”
Not all were filled before opening week. “I would have loved to say that all were filled before the start of camp, but that was not the case. God had something better in mind,” she said. “Each week, God filled the slots needed for the next week. In His timing, every single sticky note was filled in and we were never without! My faith grew, but greater than that to me, my daughter’s faith grew. She was able to see the faithfulness of God. He is always at work for our good and His glory.”
This year’s work was carried out by 19 full-time staff members, 32 volunteers and helpers, nine nurses, and seven missionary families.
“Outside of my role as wife and mom, I have never felt more fulfilled than I did this summer as camp director,” Harvey said. “There is joy in seeing your gifts, talents, abilities, and experiences over the years be used by God to do Kingdom work. I woke up every morning breathing thanks to God and in anticipation of what He would accomplish.”
And with the foundation laid in her first season, she’s already looking toward what God might do next summer.
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