Fort Hill Christian Youth Camp prepares for its 61st season

Nestled in the heart of Brush Creek Township in southeast Highland County, is the bucolic, 110-acre Fort Hill Christian Youth Camp.

Now in its 61st year of service, the camp and its staff are busy preparing for another summer of youth campers.

A number of recent improvements and additions have been added to the Fort Hill Christian Youth Camp. One of the more popular additions this year is the 540-foot zip line.

Board member Jack Jennings of Wheelersburg explains that the zip line installation and staff training must meet certain safety standards and all youths under the age of 18 must have signed permission from their respective parents or guardians.

The low ropes challenge course is another popular feature at Fort Hill Christian Youth Camp.

This course is designed to be both a physical and mental challenge for all participants. By intent, the course requires that youth teams work together at each station, or challenge.

During a recent afternoon tour of the camp, Jennings explained some of the "tricks" that can be applied to solve the low ropes course.

"The campers don't get these instructions, though," he laughed. "They have to work together to figure it out. Usually, the girls are the first ones to figure it out."

Among the camp's facilities are a spacious dining hall and full-service kitchen, an administrative building, assembly hall, six pavilions, two shower facilities, and 10 20-bed cabins – one set for boys and the other for girls. The camp has a large outdoor swimming pool, athletic fields, an indoor basketball court, and outdoor basketball and volleyball courts.

Adjacent to the camp, just off Fort Hill Road near Carmel, is the Fort Hill State Memorial, a nature preserve containing one of the best preserved Indian hilltop enclosures in North America. The Hopewell Indians (100 B.C.-A.D. 500) constructed the 1 1/2-mile-long earthwork hilltop enclosure as well as at least two ceremonial buildings and a village in the Brush Creek valley.

The regular camping season at Fort Hill Christian Youth Camp runs from June through August and is intended for campers aged 7-18 years old. The fee is $130 per camper, per week and camps are scheduled Sundays through Saturdays.

"We can hold up to 204 kids, plus 60 adult volunteers," Jennings said.

According to Jennings, campers attend from Cincinnati to Columbus to West Virginia. Many campers return for a second or third visit, he said.

The camp also hosts several weekend retreats — especially designed for men, women, singles, teens, and senior citizens — in the spring and fall months.

Three weeks are set aside each summer, typically in August, for high school band camps.

For a small fee, Fort Hill Christian Youth Camp also is available for private retreats and congregational outings.

According to its website, www.forthillcamp.org, "Thanks to private donations and fund-raising activities, the cost of a week’s stay is very inexpensive compared to other, similar camps. However, a limited number of scholarships are available.

"An excellent staff of teachers and counselors work under the oversight of a camp director. Other staff includes a camp nurse, athletic director, Bible teachers, a night watchman, and two permanent certified lifeguards. A well-trained staff assures safe and healthy conditions, as well as activities to develop young people physically, mentally, socially and spiritually."

Membership in the American Camping Association

Fort Hill Christian Youth Camp is pleased to have met the criteria for accreditation in the American Camping Association. This nationally recognized organization focuses on program quality and health and safety issues. It requires Fort Hill to review every facet of its operation: Site and Food Service, Health and Wellness, Operational Management, Human Resources, Program Design, and Activities and Aquatics. Fort Hill has voluntarily submitted to this independent appraisal performed by camp experts and has earned this mark of distinction.

ACA membership gives parents and campers assurance that the Fort Hill environment is safe, healthy and professional. Fort Hill board members are committed to meeting and exceeding the requirements of the American Camping Association while giving utmost priority to the spiritual development of its campers and staff.

Fort Hill Christian Youth Camp is located at 13500 Fort Hill Road, just off Route 41 near Carmel.

For more information, visit http://www.forthillcamp.org or call (937) 588-2266.