Oh, the Places We’ve Been…

For over three decades, Camptown has adventured wherever we were welcomed. 

For a while, it was working out of our founder’s garage, washing sleeping bags at home to use on the Appalachian Trail. Then, we found ourselves in borrowed classrooms, prepping for visits to the Indiana state parks. Eventually, we turned an office space and warehouse into our home and created an indoor climbing space.

In this article, we look back at the places we’ve been and the growth we’ve experienced!

Contents:

• Humble Beginnings (1991-2003)
• Expanding Our Horizons (2004-2012)
• The Blank Canvas (2013-2020)
• Growth Spurt (2021-2025)
• Our Next Adventure Awaits…

Humble Beginnings (1991-2003)

When we say that Central Indiana is our home, we aren’t exaggerating — in 1991, Tom and Beata Lehman quite literally founded Camptown out of their Carmel, Indiana garage.

Tom loved the outdoors and saw it as a place of rest, trial, growth, and enjoyment. He loved working with kids and felt called to help those who were less fortunate. In those early days, Tom couldn’t have imagined how large Camptown would become, but he did have a vision for our future: offering children physical, emotional, and spiritual challenges through wilderness adventures.

True to his vision, he led a group from Wheeler Mission to the Appalachian Trail in 1993 — the first trip in Camptown’s history. By 1995, he hired our first Program Director, his son Rocky. Then, in 2001, he finally moved Camptown out of his garage and into our first permanent home, a donated space with a small office and limited storage. 

Sadly, Tom passed away in 2003 after battling brain cancer for the better part of a year. 

During Tom’s 12 year tenure, Camptown grew from serving 60 youth to over 400, many of which were the first campers to visit some of our most visited destinations:

• Appalachian Trail
• Red River Gorge
• Morgan-Monroe State Forest 
• McCormick’s Creek State Park
• Turkey Run and Shades State Park
• Hoosier National Forest
• Charles Deam Wilderness
• The White River
• Eagle Creek Park

Expanding Our Horizons (2004- 2012)

Chosen to continue Tom Lehman’s vision, Don Schafer was named Camptown’s second Executive Director in 2004. During his first five years, Camptown introduced five new offerings: Trailblazers, Pathfinders, Natural Wonders Day Camp, How Wild is Your School?, and a progressive outdoor program with Christel House Academies.

In turn, Camptown grew rapidly — by 2011, our 20th year anniversary, we served over 3,000 youth for the first time in a single year. Naturally, expanding our offerings caused our horizons to expand as well. 

While still visiting many of our favorite spots, we added 20 new destinations (across 10 states) throughout this period:

• 2004: Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area (KY/TN);  Atlanta (GA); Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (MN); Two Lakes Loop (IN)
• 2005: Niagara Falls (NY); the Adirondack Mountains (NY)
• 2006: Natchez (MS); New River Gorge National Park and Reserve (WV); Morgan-Monroe State Forest (IN); Yellowstone National Park (WY); Grand Tetons National Park (WY)
• 2007: Damascus (VA); Mammoth Cave National Park (KY); Ft. Harrison State Park (IN); Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (MI)
• 2008: Pisgah National Forest (NC); Blue River (IN)
• 2009: Wabash Heritage Trail (IN)
• 2011: Marengo Cave U.S. National Landmark (IN)
• 2012: Pokagon State Park (IN); Chain O’ Lakes State Park (IN)
• 2013: Shenandoah National Park (VA)

Notably, we visited Natchez, Mississippi for the first time in 2006, providing support to the victims of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. This became a family mission trip destination for Central Christian Church (now Thrive Christian Church) for the next ten years. 

In 2004, Don and team also went on a reconnaissance trip to Big South Fork, which continues to be one of our most frequented backpacking destinations.

A Blank Canvas (2013- 2020)

In our first 20 years, Camptown moved just three times:  2001, 2005, and 2007. Then in desperate need of more space, we moved once again in 2013 to 7998 Georgetown Road — our home for the next 12 years. 

On top of larger offices and a conference room, the space offered us something we only previously dreamt of: a 2,000 square foot play space with high ceilings. At first a blank canvas, students and visitors would come to know the space as “The CRUX”: our multi-purpose activity room and indoor climbing facility. 

From 2013 to 2020, the CRUX added to our growth. With bouldering elements, a speed wall, and ample open space, the CRUX hosted countless climbing programs, teambuilding sessions, safety trainings, and community gatherings. For thousands of Central Indiana’s youth, a trip to the CRUX brought the physical, emotional, and spiritual growth Tom Lehman envisioned in 1991.

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, we even found new and creative ways to support the people of Indianapolis and our community. 

During the peak of lockdowns, we used Camptown vans, partnering with Meals on Wheels, to deliver food to vulnerable seniors and families. We continued our outdoor programming by taking “Roving Workshops” to local parks and community centers. We also expanded our online presence, uploading virtual outdoor skills training sessions on our YouTube page and led an initiative to send 400 outdoor activity boxes to Indianapolis families. To keep our supporters and friends engaged, we hosted a virtual fundraiser, Camp In For Camptown. Prior to the pandemic, Camptown served 3,373 students per year on average.

Safe to say, in the years following Tom’s death, his vision was never forgotten. 

A special thank you to Don and Cynthia Schafer, whose contributions, vision, and leadership played a vital role in our growth and future — including noticing the leadership potential of a young staff member, Brent Freeman, who would return to Camptown a decade later.

Growth Spurt (2021-2025)

As pandemic lockdown’s ended, our most recent era began.

In 2021, Brent Freeman rejoined Camptown after working 12 years as a teacher, school leader, and district administrator in the heart of Indianapolis. In his five years as our Executive Director, Camptown has continued to grow — leading to the addition of numerous full-time positions, the creation of multiple new programs, and an increased reach in the youth we serve. 

In total, we served twice as many students in 2024 (6,402 youth) as we did in 2021 (3,136 youth). Perhaps more impressive, we served over 100 times as many students in 2024 than we did in 1993.

Once again, in expanding our offerings we naturally expanded our horizons. Over the past 5 years, we’ve launched REACH for Nature, a grant funded program through the Indiana Department of Education. We’ve also taken our Youth Leaders to new places, like paddling trips to Lake Superior’s Pictured Rocks and Mammoth Cave’s Green River, and visited Rocky Mountain National Park with IndyMet. We even revisited New River Gorge for the first time since 2006 and returned to Marengo Cave for the first time since 2011.

Now three decades since our founding, we still continue our pursuit of Tom Lehman’s vision. 

Camptown’s Most Visited Destinations

During our history, we’ve gone on countless trips across the United States. From National Parks to local nature preserves, and everywhere in between. 

Here are the 11 most frequented public lands in our history:

• Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area
• Turkey Run State Park
• Strawtown/Koteewi Park
• McCormick’s Creek State Park
• Shades State Park
• Hoosier National Forest
• White River
• Mammoth Cave National Park
• Eagle Creek Park
• Fort Benjamin Harrison
• Smoky Mountain National Park

Our Next Adventure Awaits…

For 34 years, Camptown has done our work wherever we were welcomed — in our founder’s garage, board member’s extra offices, borrowed classrooms, public trails, and shared spaces. We’ve taken trips across Indiana and even across the country.

But after decades of renting and borrowing, something big is on the horizon. We can’t quite share the details, but we can tell you this: it’s not a warehouse and it’s not a storefront — it’s something much more fitting for the heartbeat of this mission. 

If you would be interested in being a part of this new era, please keep an eye out for our newsletter and consider making a one-time gift! Together, let’s keep going far… Our next adventure awaits!