Baptist Center's expansion well under way

An almost quadruple increase in the number of campers and retreaters since its opening means more dorms and more space are in the works for the Acadian Baptist Center.
“Our first full year in 1976, we had about 3,600 campers,” said James Newsom, camp manager at ABC, in a recent interview. “Now we average about 12,000 per year and are on course for 13,000 this year.”
“We had 3,000 people visit this summer. It was very busy. Even this weekend was busy. We had 70 men here for a Catholic men’s retreat.”
The center opened as a school in 1917, and when the Acadian Baptist Academy closed in the early 1970s, the facility became the Acadian Baptist Center.
Since 1975, the campus has been used to host retreats and conferences for seniors, men, ladies and couples as well as many youth and children’s retreats and camps.
The facility can currently accommodate 400 people in the dorms and about another 100 in the 32 motel-style rooms used for adult retreats.
“The fall and spring are busy with weekend retreats,” Newsom, who has been with center for 26 years, said. “We have high school football team camps, camps for children with heart defects and even retreats for other churches.”
Work on Phase I of the $6.7 million, Lighthouse for the New Century three-phase expansion is currently under way. The center began raising money about a year ago, and in that amount of time, the goal of $1.45 million needed to begin work on Phase I was surpassed. The goal for Phase I was then moved to $2,030,000 million, and the center is just $30,000 shy of the new benchmark. Funds for the work are garnered from pledges, fundraisers, donations and fees from camps.
According to Newsom, the majority of money comes in via donations.
“The Lord lays it on their (donors) hearts, and people donate,” he said. “They see how events here reach children.”
The center’s next fund raiser will be the Sportsman’s Wild Game Dinner Tuesday, Oct. 14.
The first phase of the upgrade project includes major renovations to the Elliot and Westburry dorms, including new bathrooms, showers and new heating and cooling systems, and the construction of a new dorm to house another 100 campers.
Funds from Phase I were also used to purchase land adjacent to the camp, expand and renovate the cafeteria and replace the roof around the gym complex
“We are hoping to complete renovations to the dorms and finish the new dorm soon,” Newsom said.
Phase II includes expanded ministry options for new retreats and group activities, a 10,000-square- foot new worship center with seating for 750 and counseling and Bible study rooms. The price tag for the second round of work is $2.78 million.
Phase III is projected to cost $2.85 million and will include the expansion of WN Prather Lodge and additional recreational options like a water park, high rope course, climbing wall, zip line, bike trail and Frisbee course. The plan also includes 10 family cabins and a new lake with fishing, boating and water inflatables.
“Fundraising is going well, and we are about to meet our second (Phase I) goal,” Newsom said. “It would be great to have all three phases completed in the next five years, but that’s being optimistic. If the Lord provides us with the money, we will keep going.”
If interested in contributing the campaign, contact Newsom at 457-9047, or go to abccamp.com.