Thy Kingdom Come!
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Camp River Ridge, with her rustic environment and updated amenities have all been made possible by the constant dedication of volunteers, benefactors, donors, and prayers since 2003!
The seed of what would become “Camp River Ridge” was planted during the first boys’ summer campout at Tom and Barb Weisbrod’s residence and ranch in Milan, IN, in June of 1997. Fr Matthew Von Smoorenburg LC and ensuing Legionaries would host countless retreats and summer camps out of the Weisbrod’s home from 1997 through the next two decades. Fr Matthew would host one, sometimes two, weekend retreats a month for boys. Among these were the original “ski retreats” that are still held today. Soon after, he organized one or two boys’ annual summer camps. Those retreats highlighted traditional sports and camp games like capture the flag, moments of prayer such as morning prayers, Mass, and adoration, as well as talks by Legionary brothers and Fr Matthew. The boys were organized into teams and they competed for points awarded for discipline and virtue. Barb Weisbrod developed a reputation for providing great meals for all the camps. Youth came from all over the three states of Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky. Most of the kids were sons of the growing Regnum Christi presence in the area, or their friends. (Some videos of the camps during the 2000s still exist uploaded on to the camp’s youtube channel.) Lastly, it should be noted that there were a few girls’ retreats run by the RC Consecrated Women at the Weisbrod’s in the past.
It was not long after that original summer camp that the name “River Ridge” took hold and a search for a permanent property started. Fr Matthew’s dream was for River Ridge to have all the necessary facilities for youth camps, sports camps, and even retreats for adults, specifically couples. After a couple of Providential signs from the Blessed Mother, the Legion officially signed for the current property in the vicinity of Oldenburg on the feast of the martyr St Thomas Becket, Dec. 29, 2003, and the St Joseph Lodge a few years after that. A few summer camps and father and son campouts began to be held on the rustic property as early as 2005. Overall, this period of the camp consists in the slow transformation of the former farming property into a rustic camp for occasional boys’ events, mostly through volunteer work. Conditions were truly rustic and primitive, but the Spirit of God through our charism was fully active amid the boys and volunteers.
The camp entered an active period of facility development under the direction of Fr Daniel Brandenburg LC from 2012 to 2016. The Cincinnati community was established in 2012, and that helped to stabilize the presence of Legionaries at camp. During that time, the camp served up to 450 youth per year. Fr Daniel studied the surrounding retreat facilities and the feasibility of operating a Legionary campsite. Fr Daniel formed an advisory board, consolidated the boys’ youth work in the area, integrated the camp into the locality under his leadership, paid for extending a water line to camp, developed building and septic plans, and brought in significant fundraising. By the time he left, the camp had outside shower platforms and port o lets, an elegant indoor chapel and a separate room for dining, cooking and pantry, air conditioning for all the downstairs, improved gym and platform tents, fields cleared for sports, two wood forts, a lake shed, and equipment for archery, laser tag, fishing, and various camp sports, among other smaller improvements.
In 2016 under the direction of Father Lucio Boccacci, several projects were undertaken that would drive River Ridge’s development towards a mature and fully functional camp. The camp was recognized by the state of Indiana as “youth camp” after state approval of the following large construction projects: the long-awaited septic system bathhouse facility (which includes an infirmary) were finished June of 2020, and the kitchen and pantry facility was finished May of 2021.
Small property improvements to the St Joseph Lodge in 2017, such as more bunk beds and the remodeling of one of the rooms as a “missionary room”, made it possible for all Camp River Ridge events to be fully transferred from the Weisbrod family home to the camp property.
The years of 2019 through 2022 saw around 1,900 youth and adults pass through camp through a variety of programs, retreats, and camps hosted and directed by Father Lucio or the Consecrated Women of Regnum Christi.
Camp River Ridge continues to welcome gender specific retreats and camps for boys and girls, 5th-12 grade under the direction of ECYD Youth Ministry Program Directors, parent/child campouts, work/volunteer days, young adult college ministry events, parish and school group day and overnight retreats, Regnum Christi Family and Adult events, retreat days, and campouts. The future continues to look bright for Camp River Ridge and its mission to support those who desire to form and be formed as Apostles for Christ in order to renew the culture with Christ’s saving love!