Greetings of great joy to each of you from the north shore of the lower Neuse River or “the Place God has Blessed,” Camp Don Lee!

Camp Don Lee was founded in 1947 when Don E. Lee, Sr. gave a parcel of land to the Methodist Church to build a camp for boys and girls. Camp Don Lee has evolved now into Don Lee Center and hosts three main program areas.

They include the Coastal Communities program for school groups across the state and even the nation. Coastal Communities is an environmental education program known for its excellent work in coastal habitats and marine sciences. The second program area is the Retreat Ministries Program which partners with churches, youth groups, non-profits and several major program events to host over 7000 guests in 2007. The third program area is Camp Don Lee, the summer residential camp program for children, youth, and families. Camp Don Lee summer programs lead over 1400 campers in life adventures of building Christian community and celebrating the joys of summer activities in 2007.

Don Lee Center has answered the call to model Christian hospitality in a setting of great beauty and powerful creation vistas. Don Lee has found a powerful ministry niche for children and youth by celebrating communities of trust and challenge in a waterfront setting with activities that appeal to youth and adults alike. A fifty-year tradition of a mid-summer family camp has led to the successful formation of family retreat and event models in partnership with local churches. Family camps provide times for families to grow closer to each other and to gather in a community that takes on the role of extended family of care and giving across generations and geography. Don Lee is privileged to enjoy fourth generation family campers and even third generation summer campers. History and tradition can build a time and place of importance in the lives of children and families that carries on year after year.

Personally, I have been serving in ministry at Don Lee since 1977, and I feel blessed. God has been and continues to guide this work in powerful ways into the lives of so many children and youth. I have felt the history and importance of Camp and Retreat ministry expressed by many, many people. I have known the support of volunteers who have also recognized that something important and vital is going on here and they want to give their time and their resources. I invite each of you to visit in person or through story this center of Christian nurture.

Rev. John A. Farmer