Camp Ozark - History

History

Camp Ozark, originally known as Ozark Boys' Camp, was begun by Carey Selph, a native of Central Arkansas and a star athlete at Ouachita Baptist University. Mr. Selph and a partner, John Froelich, both living in Houston, Texas, at the time, acquired the present area on which the camp is located and began constructing the original camp buildings, which included cabins, a dining hall, a bathhouse, a gymnasium, an infirmary and a small office, on March 1, 1949. On June 10, 1949, Camp Ozark opened its gates for the very first time to 27 boys, most of whom were from Houston.

In 1953, John Froelich sold his interest in Ozark Boys' Camp to a recently retired professional baseball player named Pat Ankenman who had been a professional baseball player for 14 years in the organization of the Brooklyn Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals. In 1956, he purchased Carey Selph's interest in Ozark Boys Camp and became its sole owner.

Ankenman, his wife Betty, and their 4 children, Norman, Lyndal, Damon and Decie, spent the next thirty years of their lives laying the spiritual and philosophical foundation of Camp Ozark. There were many additions and changes throughout the Ankenman years, but perhaps the most significant was the decision in 1977 to open the camp to girls as well as boys. At this time, Ozark Boys' Camp was renamed Camp Ozark. At the end of 1984, when Pat Ankenman retired, Camp Ozark had 18 cabins and a wide variety of programs and support facilities.

On January 2, 1985, Sam and Susan Torn acquired the assets of Camp Ozark from the Ankenman family. At the time, Sam was a businessman in Houston, Texas, but his association with Camp Ozark was extensive. Sam had first come to the camp with his family in 1953 at the age of 5 for what was known then, and for many years afterwards, as "Family Week". In 1959, at the age of 10, Sam spent the first of 11 consecutive summers at Ozark Boys' Camp. During those 11 summers, Sam experienced Ozark Boys' Camp as a camper, Junior Counselor and Counselor. Since acquiring Camp Ozark, Sam and Susan, a R.N., have pursued the goal of establishing Camp Ozark as one of the premier residential Christian summer camps in the United States. Since 1985 Camp Ozark has grown from 18 cabins to 78 cabins, from 375 campers per summer to over 4,000 campers, and has launched several associated ministry programs (Ozone Ministries.) Camp Ozark is also a partner camp with Camp War Eagle, located in northwest Arkansas.