In the spring of 2021, my husband and I decided that we would buy a trailer and get a yearly spot at Luther Village (LV) for the summer. There were several deciding factors in this decision: our love for spending time at LV, both our children have a trailer spot there, and my sister Amy and her family would also be there most of the summer.
Spending more time at LV was a very positive experience. We felt very welcomed by the community that have camped there for years, spending time with family in an environment that allows people to be themselves. Everyone is welcome regardless of background, religious or not.
Yet the camp offers a way for people to connect with their faith and appreciate the marvels of God’s creation. If you have ever seen a sunset over Dogtooth Lake, it’s hard not to believe in the power that created that.
Over the years, we have talked about how it would be fun to work as a team together at LV, but timing and the opportunity have never really been right.
When we saw that LV was looking for a new executive director and knowing they had not yet hired a maintenance manager, we approached the Luther Village Board to see if they would consider us, if we applied as a management team.
We officially began this new adventure as the new executive director team on Jan. 10 and are busy getting ready to head out to LV as soon as the snow melts.
A little bit about us…
I, Lisa, have spent the past 25+ years working in youth ministry within the Lutheran church in our MNO Synod. I have also spent 25 years working in the restaurant/hospitality industry.
Luther Village has always held a special place in my heart, whether working in the kitchen, volunteering, camping or participating in 30 Thanksgiving weekend retreats!
When I think about the theme for this summer From Generation to Generation, I think about our sons Cody and Byron who spent their first summer at LV when I worked there in ‘97, and how that love of LV has been passed down to them, and in turn they are sharing it with their friends.
Whether it be camping in the Ballfield, volunteering at work weekends or hosting their annual pig roast, I have always felt a strong connection to my faith the moment I turn down the LV road.
I, Ad, have a long history at LV. My first time was a winter College & Career retreat in 1990. Who knew that weekend would turn into a lifelong connection to LV?
Mostly, I have been involved by volunteering countless work weekends (and spending a summer on staff), assisting LV with multiple repair and maintenance projects. This includes building of docks, demolition and new build of Sleepy Bear Hollow, pontoon boat build, railings on the crosswalk and many other smaller projects. All these projects were done together with a great group of other volunteers.
My last 20+ years I was employed as a maintenance/facility manager in the fast-paced metal industry. I was responsible for the maintenance and repair of buildings and machinery used in the production of all components. I was responsible for training new employees and was vice-chair of the safety committee.
We are both looking forward to working as the executive team at LV. We will do our best to make your experience at camp a positive one. We are looking forward to connecting with you, for the chance to get to know the families and their connection to LV and for you to have the chance to get to know us (and our dog Charlie). We hope that we can be a part of helping build an LV for today and also for the future.—Lisa and Ad van Dijk
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