Many changes were seen over the next decade. The board wrestled growing pains. Buildings that were on the original site-plan became a reality. There were changes in camper demographics, roles and responsibilities of full-time staff, and changes to the board (by-laws, the size of the board, etc.).
1980-1982
In 1980 the last payment was made on the property (4/1/1980) and the Staff Lodge was completed. It became home to the first on-site staff to follow Ted and Karen. Jack and Mike Nelson lived there as did Bob and Mary-Ann.
Jim Hislop served at Hiawassa Bible Chapel and was the summer director from 1979-1981. Jack Nelson was the food service manager from 1978-1981. Others that served in various capacities include Archie Townsend, Don Furguson, and Phil Diener.
1982-1986
The duplex was completed by Summer of 1982 in time for Mike and Carolyn Nelson.
Harry and Charlotte Buchanan lived there next. Harry was called home to be with the Lord in December 1983 after serving for the summers of 1983-1984. Charlotte served alone until Summer and helped for the next summers as well. Her son in law Tom Chesnutt directed for the summers of 1985- two weeks of 1986.
1986-1991
Caroll VanRyn and Bill Bradford directed the remaining weeks in 1986 with Billy Skelton and Peter Vigil as their all-summer Assistant Program Directors . Ralph and Lucy VanDemark served from 1986-1987 with Joel and Joanna Sasscer joing them in 1987). Ralph and Lucy were replaced by Rahlyn and Betty Ramsaran in 1988. Both families left during the 1991.
It was during these years that the Aluminum Canoes (still in service) were purchased, master bedrooms were added to the duplex, and the gym was built over the tennis courts.
The concept of weekly directors arose out of the summer of 1986. In 1987 there there was a different director each week. Billy Skelton (and possibly Dan Lawson) served all summer. This change continues to this day.
- V1 Tom Chesnutt
- V2 Mike Livingston
- T1 Bill Bradford
- T2 Randy Beers
- J1/J2 Bob McLaren
1987 is also the year the Charlie Widboom build the Woody, enjoyed for more than a generation of camp staff.
They playground swingset (telephone poles), gym porch, office extension of the gym and the move of the walk-in cooler/freezer to a new back porch on the Dining Hall came in the Sasscer/Ramsaran years.
1989
Six-Day camps begin. Sessions are back-to-back so two week campers stay over Saturday and go out for laundry and McDonalds. The Sailboat Logo (designed by Lucy VanDemark) replaces the train about this time. The dormitory is completed in 1989.
1990
Junior Camps are both full (90-98 campers). The report to the board is that a camper was saved almost every day of camp.
