Johnston Family

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Why, you ask, does our family support Fortune Lake as a Tenacious 200 member? After all, we live in Florida and there are 121 ELCA affiliated camps and retreat centers to support.

Well, first off, you have to experience camp. Experience joy and laughter together. A safe place of grace. Conversations over meals and in the shade of the afternoon or even in the sauna. Sharing and learning that happens. Intentional community that happens as we gather at camp–holy set apart places, as the community embodies the love of Jesus–in fun and play, as well as in bible study, skits, and silly & serious songs.

Why do we support Fortune Lake? I will admit that it took us a long time to get around to it. We support Fortune Lake because for 8 years it was the camp that the church I pastored sent kids to. For those 8 years it was a place where I went and was able to find a place of peace and time to re-set and renew. We support Fortune Lake because it is important to our family that camping remain strong in the Upper Peninsula and Northern Wisconsin. We know that Fortune Lake is small but mighty and our support is needed and necessary.

Maybe it is time for you too to consider joining the tenacious 200? Your support helps bring to life a vital ministry of the work we do together as God’s hands and feet in the world. A place of grace in which the love of Jesus is embodied, rest in God’s love is had, and joy in God’s love is sent out to spread to the world far and wide.

Thank you, Johnston family, for your generous monthly support of Fortune Lake through the T200!

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Heather Robitaille

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FLLC is forever part of my heart. Joining the Tenacious 200 was not something I thought I could afford on a single teacher salary, but when I viewed the many options, I realized I could! Now, giving back to the place that gave me so much makes my heart happy.

FLLC strengthened my faith, helped me build a closer relationship with God, and gave me a diverse extended family from across the country and around the world. One of my favorite camp songs has the lyrics, “Life should be people, all the people holding hands—forming a circle across the border of all the lands.” That is what FLLC means to me—love of others no matter our distance, likeness/differences, we are loved by God and each other.

Time and distance took me away from camp, but I was excited to visit it this past summer when camp hosted a prayer vigil for black lives. I loved that in this very rural area, there were people who understood the need for this and that touched my heart that FLLC was the venue. Due to COVID restrictions it was social distanced, but even getting to smile through a mask at FLLC family and others in attendance from a distance does a heart good. I hope to volunteer and/or make some things for this summer and summers to come.

FLLC became part of my life in 1993 when I was a camper before my freshman year of high school. God knew I needed that place of grace and the amazing accepting people there in my life after junior high and during those year to come. From 1995-2000 I was kitchen/maintenance, lifeguard, camp counselor, Arts-N-Crafts Director (ANC), and then the head cook. All of those jobs helped me along my career path, and would recommend a summer camp job to anyone! The place of grace and so many people are part of the FLLC extended family.

One day I hope for reunion time to have a beach party, campfire, chapel and/or outdoor worship time, and catching up time with the FLLC family and meeting those who work at and love FLLC whom I have not met yet.

Thank you, Heather, for your generous monthly support of Fortune Lake through the T200!

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Surrounded by the Spirit

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Written by Charlotte Strom, Camp Intern

Fortune Lake inspires faith for people like Nora Kirkpatrick. When Nora was a young teenager, she felt the urge to go to Fortune Lake because her friends had been going and she had heard about how fun it could be. When she finally made the decision to come for the week, it ended up impacting her faith journey in an inspiring way.

That particular summer, the last night of camp included a Prayer Walk complete with stations for all types of prayer. At one of the stops, the music station, Nora and her cabin mates sat down and listened intently to what the staff member had to say. As he continued to talk about the Word, Nora and her friends could sense the power of God through him and were brought to tears. They cried together in awe of a moment so filled with the presence of the Spirit. Unbeknownst to her, the sky had slowly transformed into one of the most beautiful sunsets Nora had ever seen. She was experiencing God not only through the staff member, but also through the creation around her.

After discussing later with her friends, Nora realized how important it is for young adults to have formative faith experiences like this one. She and her friends were in confirmation classes, and they agreed that that moment had affirmed their decision to get confirmed. This is a moment that she goes back to often in her faith journey and a time when she truly felt the presence of God.

Nora (4th from the right in a yellow tie dye shirt) at FLLC

Since this moment at camp, Nora has decided to come back as one of our Leaders in Training for Summer 2021 in order to help provide these experiences for other campers. Fortune Lake is a place of grace that fosters faith connections for all those who come here. There are endless opportunities amidst the beautiful surroundings and welcoming community to experience God in a unique and impactful way. Like Nora, we have the opportunity to meet God here at Fortune Lake.

Join the Impact

There are many meaningful ways to engage in supporting Fortune Lake Lutheran Camp!

Life-Saving Community

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Today, Pastor Judy Kincaid serves two rural churches near Menomonie, Wisconsin. She was pastor to Immanuel Lutheran Church in Escanaba, Michigan for seven years prior. Her first experience with Lutheran outdoor ministry was as a high schooler, when she “vacuumed acres of red carpet at church” to help earn her way from Omaha, NE to Rainbow Trail Camp in Colorado. Later, she would attend family camp at Luther Park in Wisconsin, but wasn’t sure about the experience initially. She recalls telling her family, “I’m probably not going to like [this week at camp], and if I hate it, we’re leaving.”

They didn’t leave, and the Christian community Judy found at family camp that summer would foreshadow the critical community which would make all the difference in her family’s life years later, at Fortune Lake.

In 2009, after completing her seminary studies and internship, Pr. Judy was looking for a summer job that involved ministry. When then Executive Director, Pr. Art Weiss gave her a call to be on staff, she said it was an answer to prayer. Judy and her three children would pack up, living at camp during the week, returning home on the weekends. It really was a positive experience for her children, she recalls, whose current love of playing guitar she traces back to their time at camp.

But then, as Judy was tending hurts and mending cuts as the Health Officer that summer, her marriage unexpectedly collapsed from underneath her. Suddenly going through a separation, in the midst of the summer beauty, Judy found she and her children grieving the unforeseen change that was upon them. That’s when the Chrisitan community at Fortune Lake surrounded, uplifted, and cared for them in ways that went above and beyond. Recalling that time, Pr. Judy says, “We needed the Holy Spirit and a little extra help to get through. Fortune Lake got my little family through the worst part of our lives.”

The love of Christ works through the community of Fortune Lake to change the lives of people of every age, sometimes in unexpected ways.

The impact of that summer on staff continues to bear fruit in Pastor Judy’s life and family. This summer, while she serves as Bible study leader for one of our Intergenerational weeks — both of her daughters will be serving on staff as counselors, and her two grandchildren will join her as campers. (Her son, Eli, also served on staff in 2015.)

“I’m not outdoorsy, not really skilled at any of those kind of things…but I love camp,” Pr. Judy says, “There should always be places like this for people.”

Your generosity toward Fortune Lake makes community like this possible, in ways unexpected, and sometimes, even life-saving.

Join the Impact

There are many meaningful ways to engage in supporting Fortune Lake Lutheran Camp!

Here I Am, Lord

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Written by Amanda Rasner, Camp Director

Fortune Lake calls and equips people like George Olson for ministry. When George was a young man in seminary, he was approached by the pastor he was serving under, Pr. Granquist, about serving at Fortune Lake Lutheran Camp as a counselor. George’s first thought was, “I’m not going.” He had heard about all of the awful things that campers do to counselors–things like putting frogs or snakes in their bed, throwing them in the lake, and generally making life miserable through pranks–and George wanted nothing to do with it.

It seems as though the Holy Spirit had other plans, as George indeed ended up at Fortune Lake. He was in charge of a cabin in the woods, which housed 22 boys for the week. He recalls a profound moment when Mrs. Eskil Bostrom was teaching on the hillside overlooking the lake. She was sharing a Bible story from 1 Samuel 3:1-10. For George, the parallels between God’s call to Samuel and his own call into ministry were undeniable. In that moment, Fortune Lake became George’s “Holy Ground.” He never did get any frogs or snakes in his bed, but he felt affirmed in his call into ministry and to service of the church.

George went on to minister for decades, serving first in North Dakota before returning to his beloved northwoods where he served in Rapid River, Stonington, and Peshtigo. At the age of 95, he continues to study scripture each week with clergy in the Menominee Valley Conference.

When people of faith dedicated the land that would become Fortune Lake Lutheran Camp to the Lord’s service in 1930, no doubt they prayed for affirmations of God’s call to lives like George’s. This “Holy Ground” and the teachers who lift up God’s word are still having a profound impact. God was calling then; God is calling still. We give thanks to Pr. George Olson and the countless others who have responded!

Join the Impact

There are many meaningful ways to engage in supporting Fortune Lake Lutheran Camp!

Robbie Sims

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Fortune Lake has been a part of my life for almost 40 years (YIKES!) and I look forward to 40 more! I started at Fortune Lake as a Villager, was a Venturer, High School Helper (now known as LIT), worked on staff, led and attended Synod Youth Council retreats…the list goes on and on.

I believe whole heartedly in the Fortune Lake experience and attribute much of who I am today to the experiences I had at camp. Is there one staff member who really touched your life at Fortune Lake? When you are facing a tough decision, do you stop and think “What would <insert superstar staffer name here> do?” I still do that today.

The reason I became part of the Tenacious 200 is to help a place that has helped me so much continue to help others. There aren’t many people that can say one place has been a constant in their life, helps guide their decisions today, gave them some of the best friends you could have asked for and a support system that is never ending…and is kind of everywhere you look!

I am so grateful for Fortune Lake, the opportunities it has offered me, the relationships I have created there and it gives me great joy to see OUR camp providing those opportunities for another 90 years due to my contributions to the Tenacious 200!

Thank you, Robbie, for your generous monthly support of Fortune Lake through the T200!

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Brittney Kemppainen

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My Name is Brittney, and I am camp lifer (A camp word for people who were a camper and former camp staff).

Fortune Lake has a special place in my heart; it is one of my favorite place to be since I was a little kid. I have been coming to camp since 2002. I started my camp journey as a mini camper and grew and went through all the camp programs. I met wonderful people at camp, campers I have know since I was little, continuing to come back each summer, excited to see each other. I even worked with some of them on staff. I spent 5 wonderful summers working at camp, it was my first and favorite job. Being a counselor and giving my cabins the best experience is my favorite memory. Seeing campers come back each summer fills my heart with joy.

Camp has always been a big highlight for the summer. Every time I head to camp and drive past the canoe sign, I literally shake because I am so excited to be back at camp to be home. I have made so many great memories at camp, playing my favorite game Inherent the Kingdom, playing big games in the field, and just sitting around a campfire worshiping together. What I love about camp is you are away from the world and you get to enjoy being outside connecting with God.

I am a Tenacious 200 donor because camp has done so much for me in my life. My first summer as a mini camper I knew camp was special. After that half week, I knew I was going to work at camp. I had the best time as a camp for 11 years. When I worked at camp it was the best 5 years of my life. I grew in my faith, made a bunch of friends, and grew in my confidence. Without camp I would not have came out of my shell.

I will always remember One Blue Sky Above Us.

Thank you, Brittney, for your generous monthly support of Fortune Lake through the T200!

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Stefanie Ehle

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T200 Member, FLLC Summer Staff Alumni 2002 & 2003, FLLC Board of Directors, Vice President

Fortune Lake Lutheran Camp holds a special place in the heart of my husband, Scott and I. We both started out as Venturer campers, then worked on summer staff during our college years. Now as adults, we eagerly return to FLLC with our children to participate in Family Camp.

After we got married, it was an easy decision to give back to the place of grace where our paths crossed and where much of our faith formation took place. We were annual givers, and when the Tenacious 200 program began, I didn’t think it mattered if FLLC continued to receive our donation once per year or if it was spread out monthly.

After being elected to the FLLC Board of Directors, I learned more about finances of camp and changed my mind. While the summer months bring busyness and excitement with energized campers and fun programming, they also bring large food bills and paychecks for summer staff. I learned that what campers pay to attend Fortune Lake covers only a portion of the expenses required to run a year-round camp. FLLC regularly relies on a line of credit to help get through the summer months, and then pays back that line of credit, with interest, during the winter months when end of the year donations come in from individuals and congregations.

The goal of the Tenacious 200 program is to provide FLLC with regular, monthly income from sustainable donors. Ministry at Fortune Lake does not happen by accident. Intentional giving is essential to keep FLLC active and relevant for future generations.

Please consider joining this program today. You don’t have to. You get to!

Thank you, Stefanie, for your generous monthly support of Fortune Lake through the T200!

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Dirk Manson

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T200 member, and former Board Member

I am a “johnny come lately” to the Fortune Lake Camp experience … It has been a wonderful experience to witness the dedication of other board members, staff and volunteers committed to sharing the Good News of Christ in this VERY special place…. Please consider joining the Tenacious 200 or increasing your support.  Fortune Lake is a unique, one-of-a-kind oasis of grace and joy.  Thank you for your heart and hands!!

Thank you, Dirk, for your generous monthly support of Fortune Lake through the T200!

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