Our History

The following is the 'Welcome Speech' from the Sixtieth Anniversary banquet for Camp Clear held in 1986. It speaks beautifully to the loving hand of God over Camp Clear and also shares the camp's history and the generosity of the countless volunteers who have made Camp Clear what it is today. BIBLE CAMP The history of our Bible Camp spans sixty years. The beginning was the year 1926, the location, Wyman Pond, in Westminister. The idea of a bible camp was the joint venture of Quincy and Fitchburg churches. The original founders were: Rev. Adrew Groop of Fitchburg, Revl George Koponen, his wife Esther (Kokkinen) of Quincy, and Rev. Edwin Kyllonen. The location of camp at Wyman's was a natural, as Fitchburg owed a beautiful waterfront and two buildings or housing. The original camp consisted of a large building used for cooking, holding classes and two rooms for sleeping campers. the additional building housed staff quarters. And old fashioned out-house was shared by both camps. All water was obtained by a hand pump from a well. The camping season was two weeks in duration and no age limit. The average day was similar to our present camp. Classes in the morning, free time after lunch, and evening services. Some of our first teachers were:  Rev. Andrew Harju, of Ashtabula, Ohio, (He was the first Finnish ordained minister in this area.) a Rev. Nilio Tuomenoksa of Finland, Rev. William Sumner of Fitchburg, and Miss Ester Flinkman, formerly a missionary to China. This information was supplied to us by Rev. Sumner. The Bible Camp met yearly at Wyman's until 1945, when we received the property at South Carver. Bible Camp was held in 1946 at the rented facilities of the Finnish Temperance camp in Pembroke, Massachusetts. CAMP CLEAR Although the first camp season at Camp Clear was held in 1947, we must return to the year 1945. It was the year in which Rev. John Haverinen, the pastor of the West Quincy Congregational Church went to Wareham with the intention of holding a Finnish worship service. When he arrived at the home where meetings were sometimes held, he was told "we are busy today with the arm, but you much go to South carver, Ralph Koski is visiting there with Mary Aho." Rev. John drove to south carver, Clear Pond. As his car ame into the yard, Ralph Koski came out of the house and said to Rev. John, "Don't say a word until I have told you what God has been doing. God has laid it in my heart to buy this property for a Bible camp for our young people. You are standing on holy ground I asked God to send a minister here today as a sign that this was in His will. You are that sign." Rev. John and Ralph knelt at the shore near the sauna and prayed and sealed it with God. Ralph and Helmi Kiski purchased the property from Mary Aho and gave it to the young people of our conference to be used as a Bible Camp. The property consisted of the main building with three rooms, plus a kitchen on the first floor and three rooms on the second floor. A sauna and a two story storage barn and two out-houses also existed on the property. There was a hand pump for water from the well outside, a black wood burning stove for cooking. The pioneer days preparation for meals meant, chop wood, make fire, draw water from the well, etc. There was no plumbing, the sauna and lake were the bathing facilities. This was, and still is, God's relaxation, away from the noise of the world, for each one of us. Praise God for His handiwork and leading. The first camp session was held in July of 1947 with Martha Meadows and Tyyne Peterson Aho as directors and teachers. This two week camping period began the work of Bible Camp at South Carver. Since then, we have expanded to eight to ten weeks of Bible camp each summer. In the following years many improvements were made. Raymod Jarvio of Quincy engineered and did all the early working with our plumbing and renovations. He led the young people in all phases of the work. The storage barn became our chapel with the boys dorm upstairs. soon a dining room was added to the main building and bedrooms upstairs, then a screened porch, and later bedrooms upstairs over the porch. This became the girls dormitory. Much of this work was done by two of our outstanding alumni, Seppo Laitinen and Mike Roland. These men would faithfully travel from Brooklyn, NY to camp week after week, using vacation time from work to extend their weekends. A new building was purchased from the U.S. Army Airforce Base, which was brought up in sections and reassembled at Camp Clear to be our present Chapel. Gert and Alfred Huckins gave unselfishly of their time and energies to get this and to make many other improvements to camp Clear through the years. As time passed, regulations required more space between campers, more bathrooms, more lights, etc. It then became necessary to either build a dormitory to meet these regulations or close the camp. In 1970 it was decided that we would attempt the impossible. We would build a dormitory to house sixty campers, plus a recreation room with a fire place. All this with virtually no money available, but with a God who can, and does, supply all that we need. A fund raising and building committee was selected. Our first prayer to be answered was John Russell, who volunteered to head the construction part of the dormitory. God sent this most talented man to meet our need on this job. His planning and ability to get the most out of all of us in an eight hour work day was sensational. In thirteen weeks of only \Saturday work we were ready to move into the dorms. The finance committee continued to work exceptionally hard with Arthur Riihimaki as the Treasurer. The money came in and we were able to pay all the bills and complete the building. Truly, this was a miracle. Many improvements continue to be made, Some, by new camp regulations of the state and local boards of health, and others for geeral maintenance, Paul and Kenny Matson rebuilt the stairs to the second floor dormitory building in 1985. This year, 1986, we drilled a new well for more water, installed two new showers., a new hot water heater, and new toilets with new plumbing. We also built a new ceiling in the fireplace room and walls newly painted by Don Freiter. New ceilings in guest quarters, new entryways to the chapel and office area, new sitting room in the main building by Paul and Keny Matson. We continue to put on new vinyl siding on the chapel and main buildings. We thank God for everyone who has given of their time, money, and talents for this important work of God at Camp Clear. The complete list of workers is recorded in God's books and your investment in the work of spreading the gospel will be rewarded into your eternal account in heaven. Praise God with us for the privilege of keeping Camp Clear open these many years. Our aim is to lead children and adults alike to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and to help them grow in the grace and knowledge of God. We are here to inspire, uplift, encourage, and enrich lives through Christ. Rejoice with us - Rejoice in the Lord always! Next >