Camp CILCA History
Over Seventy Five Years of Outdoor Ministry
HOW IT STARTED
Organized camping in the Central Illinois District of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod originated under the leadership of the Walther League during the 1920s. The Junior and Senior Walther Leagues rented various facilities for weekly periods until the late 1940s. In using these camps, the Leaguers often encountered scheduling problems and other difficulties, so they began to talk and hope of creating their own Lutheran-Missouri Synod camp in central Illinois.
The growth of camping had been recognized at the 1944 Walther League District Convention, and a Camp Committee was formed to study the expansion of the camp program to better serve the needs of our District. The Central Illinois District of the Missouri Synod assigned three pastors to work on the project. At the 1945 convention, the committee reported the possibility of the Walther League owning and operating a camp. The 1946 Walther League Convention empowered the Camp Committee to make provisions for a 1947 camp, and also to investigate the possibility of acquiring camp facilities of their own for future years. With no camping facilities available for 1947, the Walther League Convention that year passed a resolution enabling the League to establish a Lutheran Camp and promote it in the church at large.
DISCOVERING and ACQUIRING THE LAND
In the fall of 1947, Otto Krueger, "Ott", member of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church of Springfield, a Walther Leaguer and heavy-construction contractor, located an isolated 180-acre tract of timberland twelve miles north of Springfield and the Sangamon River. He called together Walther Leaguers Arthur Woelfle, Alice Greive, Harold M. Olsen, Erwin Meierhans, Gerald Starck, and Rev. Lester Kuker and took them on a hike around the property. On this hike Otto urged the purchase of the land to expand the Walther League camping program. Otto’s enthusiasm was infectious, and on March 10, 1948, representatives of the Walther League tentatively purchased the 180 acres of land for $35 an acre with an earnest deposit of $500.
The Central Illinois District (CID) of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod was enlisted to help with the project. The CID officers did not think that the Walther League was mature enough to operate the camp, and the district board did not want to enter the camping business, so the Lutheran Laymen’s League (LLL) was enlisted to help with the project.
The district conventions of the CID, LLL, and Walther League endorsed the purchase and approved the proposed campsite. They also pledged their support for the solicitation of funds for the campsite's development. Since the north boundary road separated 20 acres from the rest of the land, they approved the sale of those 20 acres after the final purchase was made.
On January 3, 1949, its representatives Art Wolfle, Alice Greive, and Harold M. Olsen as trustees took title to the property in the name of the Walther League for $6,275.50. The separated 20-acre parcel was sold for $900. First known as the Sangamon Valley Camp, its official name became CILCA, an acronym of Central Illinois Lutheran Camp Association.
TIMELINE
1947 180 acre tract of timberland discovered by Otto Krueger
1948 Land tentatively purchased for $35 an acre with a $500 earnest deposit
1949 Representatives of Walther League took title of the property
Camp CILCA established.
Construction began in the spring; roads were cut through the land, a 36'x40’ kitchen, ladies and men's showers and pump house had been erected, and concrete floors for the hall and cottages had been poured.
Camp Manager hired, Martin Wallner
1950 Camp CILCA was dedicated and opened the first camping season
1952 Cook’s cabin constructed (Enoch - Registration)
Trading Post constructed
1956 Assembly Hall dedicated in the spring (Indoor Chapel).
1957 Baseball backstops added
1961 Art Spiegel is hired as Camp Manager
1964 Camp facilities designated for Lutheran use
Dam washed out and replaced
Schalk Craft Shelter constructed
1966 30 acres added to the property
Family camping instituted
Counselor restrooms constructed
Laundry facilities constructed
1967 Permanent 10.5 acre lake constructed
Walther League dissolved and the camp board is reorganized
1968 The levee holding back the Sangamon River broke and was repaired
1969 30 acres added to the property
1970 Full-time Camp Director called, Tom Eggold
Summer program expanded to include 11 weeks
1st newsletter published, The Whippoorwill
New programs added: Confirmation Camp & Outdoor Ed for Springfield schools
1971 Music camp began
1972 New programs added: Athletic & Cheerleading Camp
Arnold and Dorothea Wentzel were hired as caretaker and cook
A house trailer was moved in for the Wentzels (where Retreat Center is)
The caretaker’s residence was built (current Camp Director’s home)
Arnold Wentzel’s title changed to Resident Manager, remained until 1975
1973 Tom Eggold was called to Concordia Lutheran School
1975 Rev. Bruce Harrmann was hired as Camp Director
1978 Rev. David Bueltmann was hired as Camp Director
Charlotte Bueltmann was hired as head cook
The first vehicle was purchased, a “new” pickup truck
1979 The 1st Annual Memorial Day Hog Roast occurred
New camp offered - Handicamp
1980 Retreat Center was constructed
1984 Rev. David Bueltmann accepted a call to Immanuel Lutheran in Athens but
stayed on as Camp Director while hiring a Program Director
1500 channel catfish stocked in the lake
A district and synod sponsored servant event allowed for the building of a
trail for the blind by the youth servants
1985 Steve Wiederkehr was hired as Program Director
Family Camping restrooms and showers completed
1986 Trading Post remodeled
1987 Christian Growth Center was constructed
1988 Christian Growth Center was dedicated
1989 Gutted and remodeled boys and girls shower/restrooms
1990 Rev. David Bueltmann resigned as Camp Director
Richard Harkins was hired as Camp Director
1992 Derald Sasse (general contractor for the Retreat Center and CGC) was hired
as a full-time maintenance man
1995 New boat house built at the beach
1996 The first horse camp took place
1998 1st Annual Labor Day Chicken Dinner/Quilt Auction occured
1999 New garage for the Sasse apartment was constructed out of scrap lumber (made
from trees cut on premises)
New 4 bay lawn mower shed was made from scrap lumber
2000 50th Anniversary celebrated on July 2
2001 Installed 5 low elements installed in the Challenge Course
2002 Kevin Bueltmann was hired as the first FT Assistant Director
Purchased a house and 5 acres at 4109 Camp CILCA Road to be used as a
residence for additional staff (FT Assistant Director, Kevin Bueltmann)
Over the Thanksgiving holiday a small fire began in the northeast corner of pine
forest, with minimal damage.
2003 Camper shower and bathrooms were expanded
New Men’s Retreat was initiated with wood cutting and Bible Studies called “In
the Woods, In the Word”.
2004 New 36’ bridge was constructed with volunteers between CGC & Retreat Center
New canoe camp and volleyball camp was offered.
Camper bathrooms were expanded
New beach volleyball court built at Retreat Center
2007 Last year for horse camp
Sold land behind assistant director, Kevin Bueltmann’s home
2008 Cancelled all three canoe camps due to flood waters
Kevin Bueltmann resigned to attend seminary
Sold assistant director’s home
2016 Rev Joshua Theilen was hired to serve as camp director and was installed at
the Hog Roast, on May 29, 2016.
Camp CILCA joined NLOMA, National Lutheran Outdoors Ministry Association.
Established a scholarship fund for campers who cannot afford the full cost of camp in memory of Chelsea Schofield, a full-time counselor at Camp CILCA who passed away at the age of 18 in 2014.
2017 Purchased 10 acres west of camp
Connected to city water.
2018 New camps were Aqua Camp, Wonder Week (art camp), and Generations II.
Received two grants from LWML: $15,000 for updating the CGC and $12,000 for
cabin renovation. St. John’s Lutheran of Chatham also raised $2000 for cabin renovation on the cabin that they had been sponsoring for a few years.
2020 The COVID-19 Pandemic changed activities at Camp CILCA dramatically.
- All rentals were cancelled in March
- Camper registration was down to 60 with Camp only offering a Teen Day Camp and a Middle School Day Camp
- Sent out 115 Camp-From-Home Kits
- Camp received a $21,200 Paycheck Protection (PPP) loan to be able to continue to pay for the staff needs during the shut-down time.
- Staff continued to keep in touch with campers and friends at home through social media posts and videos.
2022 The Maintenance Shed was moved from Main Camp to the former picnic shelter
near the CGC.
2023 Lauren Rodgers was hired as the new full-time Program Director. She will be
residing in the Sasse apartment.
Plans began for a newly designed family campground
2024 Day camp began with an average 10-15 campers/day.
Cabin Enoch was converted to the registration cabin.
2025 Year-Long Celebration of the 75th Anniversary
- All camp fees reduced to $75
- 442 new campers attend
- Record breaking attendance for the summer = 1015 campers!
- Anniversary Celebration held on Saturday, August 2
- a volleyball tournament, hayrack camp tours, swimming and boating, live and silent auctions, a meal, outdoor worship, a mini history museum, an Echelon Concert (sponsored by Lutheran Legacy Foundation), and a wildly fun sing-a-long with smores. Those in attendance included many former campers, staff, and directors.
