The Legend – Enoch Olson

Today we had the privilege to have Enoch and Joan Olson at SpringHill as they picked up their grandkids from a week of camp. As I watched the closing rally I couldn’t help but feel thankful for the incredible vision and foundation we’ve inherited from Enoch as SpringHill’s founding director.

Enoch’s been called by many of our staff the “Legend” because his fingerprints cover almost every facet of SpringHill. Anywhere you turn, whether at our overnight camps in Michigan and Indiana or at our Day Camps, you’ll see Enoch’s influence in our approach to ministry.

Enoch built SpringHill on an innovative and creative approach to summer camp. In addition to his concept for “camps within a camp” (click here for more on this philosophy) Enoch created a camp experience that integrates “faith and fun”.

At SpringHill there’s no “chapel time” and then off to play. No, we bring together both the spiritual and the fun into a powerful combination that makes the biblical themes of the day “stick.”

You see every part of SpringHill, whether an activity, housing area or even meals, become object lessons and teachable moments that point campers to these spiritual themes. So a zipline isn’t just an exciting ride but becomes a tool for reinforcing the Biblical truths being taught.

At the end of the rally, just to affirm Enoch’s continuing influence at SpringHill, a parent said to him “you know you look just like the founder of SpringHill.”

To this Enoch answered “what’s his name?”

The parent answered “I think Enoch Olson”

Enoch then replied, “That’s funny because that’s my name too.”

The next thing I saw was the campers of this parent having their picture taken with a true “Legend.”