A multipurpose building with a higher purpose
“It’s His camp.”
Ever since the old farmstead was donated in 2001, those who run Camp Machasay have relied on God to be the provider of and reason for everything they do. As Youth Challenge director Rick Cleaver explained, the addition of their new multipurpose building is no different.
As the structure is taking shape, an open house has been planned for Saturday, July 21, so people can see its progress. Texas barbecue will be served, games played and tours given, and everyone is invited to go out any time from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at 61360 County Road 40, Amherst, Colorado.
The multipurpose building will be the first structure on the grounds built specifically for the camp’s purposes. To date, existing buildings have been used creatively to meet the camp’s needs. The home on the farmstead, for example, has been used as the kitchen and dining hall. Chapel is held upstairs in the old barn. A Quonset on-site contains the camp’s gym, game room and some offices.
As the organization that runs Camp Machasay, Youth Challenge makes it a habit of utilizing what’s already available and being good stewards of what’s been given to them, but the plan for a new multipurpose building has been in place for over a decade. It will add about 10,000 square feet of usable indoor space, eventually nearly doubling the number of campers that can be accomodated.
On the main floor of the building will be the new kitchen and dining hall. The old house will then be put to use as the “trading post.” The added bathrooms in the multipurpose building mean more showers for campers. Upstairs, there will be two large meeting rooms.
Finishing the basement isn’t an immediate priority, but it will be used for additional bunk rooms and an apartment in the future.
The project is costing Youth Challenge about $750,000, but Cleaver pointed out that they’re “building it right.” It will be much more energy-efficient than the other buildings they’ve been using, and it’s designed to withstand the high winds of northeast Colorado. It’s something they want to be there for years to come.
Plenty of thought has gone into the building’s design, and Cleaver said there will be no wasted space. Whether it’s for storage, sleeping, eating or meeting, they’re making the most of every last inch.
Youth Challenge COO Amanda LaGrange said their hope is to see people put the new building — and the whole campgrounds — to use. “We want to serve the community; that’s what we’re here to do.” Youth Challenge hosts its own summer camps, with options for everyone from kindergarten to high school. They also have girls-only and guys-only camps, as well as horse camps.
Campers enjoy such things as swimming, riding ATVs and horses, climbing the rock wall, playing disc golf and sitting around the campfire. The current season is expected to see 1,400 campers total. Each year, camps rely on about 40 adult volunteers who step up to help at various points throughout the summer. Between volunteers and staff, a typical camp has a 1-3 ratio of adults and students, making Camp Machasay unique in the world of summer camps.
The campgrounds aren’t limited to Youth Challenge use, though. Churches, 4-H clubs, men’s groups, women’s groups and family reunions are just some of the groups that can make a reservation to use the facilities. There have even been a few weddings there.
Once the new multipurpose building is finished, Cleaver and LaGrange envision new programs being added to the schedule, both by Youth Challenge and other organizations. With everything in one central location, a group on a weekend retreat could spend the night in the bunk rooms downstairs, eat all their meals and take showers on the main level, and hold meetings upstairs. The gym will be right next door, too.
When the basement apartment is finished, they expect it to be used for things like a getaway for a minister’s family. One of the greatest advantages of the new building will be the option to host events during the colder winter months — something that hasn’t been an option with the older buildings.
The basement of the multipurpose building was dug in February, and Youth Challenge hopes that the building will be usable by October for another one of their ministries, Bible Quizzing. As the facility is completed, they’ll be thinking outside the box to add even more programs and make the most of it.
For more information, visit https://youthchallenge.us/. All the most current Camp Machasay updates are posted on Youth Challenge’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/YouthChallengeInc/.