HopeWood Outdoors - LOMO

03/16/2026

The 2026 Summer T-Shirt Design is here! Our theme for the summer is Handle With Care. Order your shirt online by March 31st and get it at a discounted price. And don't forget to register for Camp!

02/08/2026

The Maple Syrup Festival is turning 50 — and we need YOU to wear a kilt!
To celebrate the Maple Syrup Festival’s Kilted 50th Anniversary, we’re looking for volunteers willing to don a kilt and help raise funds for the HopeWood Pines Pool. From now until the Festival on March 8, Kilt Wearers will invite friends and family to support them through online giving, then show off their style during the Festival’s very own Kilt Show.
As a Kilt Wearer, you’ll be part of a fun, light-hearted fundraiser with awards for Most Creative Outfit, Best Knees, and more—plus recognition for the top fundraiser. Kilts are available to borrow, and we’ll help coordinate your outfit.
If you’ve ever wanted to do something bold, fun, and meaningful for our community, this is your moment. Kilts. Syrup. Community.

02/05/2026

January 23rd through 24th, the board met for their annual retreat to go over exciting things for the new year. If you're interested in this recap, check out our Fireside newsletter!

01/09/2026

What a week of inviting new staff to the team! Welcome Emma!

Welcome Emma!

We are excited to welcome Emma Adamcik to the role of Marketing Assistant. Beginning on January 2nd, Emma joined our team helping with Fireside News, social media, branding, and content creation. Emma brings her experience in content creation and hospitality as well as her education in English, Geography, and Film. In Emma’s words:

“I am very happy to be joining the team at HopeWood! I am passionate about creating spaces for others that are inclusive, educational, and purpose-driven. I am currently pursuing my MFA in Film, and I am excited to put those skills to use here. Some of my other interests include crafting, singing, and playing pickleball. I am looking forward to growing with HopeWood!”

Please join us in welcoming Emma to the staff team!

01/06/2026

So excited to introduce our new staff!

Welcome Cloe!

We are excited to welcome Cloe Smith to the role of Associate Program Director for Education and Formation. Beginning on January 5th, Cloe hit the ground running by providing leadership for retreats, environmental education, and day camps. Cloe brings several years of experience in outdoor and youth ministries, including program leadership and curriculum development. In Cloe’s words:

"I love helping people connect with God, nature, and each other, and I’m passionate about building welcoming spaces where everyone feels valued and included. Outside of camp, I enjoy spending time outdoors, trying new activities, and hanging out with my corgi, Kevin. I’m so excited to be part of the HopeWood community and can’t wait for a great season ahead!”

Please join us in welcoming Cloe to the staff team!

12/30/2025

Join us at Middle School MiX, a fun-filled, faith-focused retreat. Your youth will have a blast with campfires, hiking, gaga ball, team-building activities, and more. And they’ll grow in their faith through worship, Discovery Bible study, prayer, and engaging discussions.

You get the best of both worlds — we MiX the energy of large group activities with opportunities for youth groups to meet separately and reflect. And the best part? We take care of all the food and programming. That means you can focus on what matters most — building connections with your youth.

https://hopewoodoutdoors.org/program/middle-school-mix/

12/29/2025

This fall season brought a wonderful rhythm of rest and renewal to HopeWood Pines. We were grateful to welcome both familiar faces and those experiencing our space for the first time, each adding to the sense of community that makes this place so special. From quiet moments of reflection to shared experiences, the season was full of meaningful connection. We were also excited to introduce a new retreat offering this fall, and its positive response affirmed the importance of continuing to create thoughtful, intentional opportunities for people to step away and be renewed. We’re thankful for a season that reminded us why this work matters.

12/18/2025

On Friday, December 5, folks came in from near and far to celebrate the community of love and faith at the HopeWood Gala 2025. It is my distinct pleasure to report that the event was a success by every metric! We had 136 HopeWood Supporters in attendance, 16 volunteers and 4 sponsors. In total, the HopeWood Gala raised over $25,000! Amazing! The generosity of this community was heartwarming and exciting to experience first-hand. Besides these general metrics, there was fantastic fellowship flowing all through the night. From tasting new and unique bourbons with Executive Director Drew, bidding on rare and wonderful items in the silent auction, listening to the beautiful music of Carmony Acoustic, and having one of the most incredible dinners of my life, there was no shortage of ways to connect with old friends and new acquaintances.

Our evening culminated in perhaps one of my favorite new traditions of HopeWood Outdoors: the HopeWood Awards. We recognized three well-deserving individuals and a congregation who have given so much of their time, energy, support, and commitment to our mission, vision, and values. Congratulations to Bryan Summer, Brad Gee, and St. Paul Lutheran Church in Westerville on your achievement! May your love and devotion be a shining example of God’s love and grace in the world.

Thank you so much to every person and organization who made this year’s gala a huge success! Without you, this truly wouldn’t be growing from a new and exciting event into a staple of the HopeWood calendar. Again, thank you to all the staff, volunteers, board members, and donors.

I hope to see you all on the first Friday in December for the HopeWood Gala 2026! God bless!

12/16/2025

Please join us in welcoming Seth Zimmann to the HopeWood outdoors staff team! Seth began his service as HopeWood Outdoors’ Assistant Director of Family Programs on December 16th. Seth’s faith has been formed over decades of camping on the shores of Lake Erie and he is thrilled to have a chance to lead programs that prioritize faith formation for people of all ages. In his role, Seth will oversee summer family camping, Camp BOOther, and work weekends at HopeWood Shores, while also contributing to family programming opportunities at HopeWood Pines. Seth’s recent work as a summer counselor and office assistant gives him both program and administrative experience to help us hit the ground running for 2026!

As a seminarian who is pursuing ordination in the ELCA, Seth’s presence in this role reflects HopeWood’s commitment to support leadership development for the wider church. We are thankful for the affirmation of this partnership from both United Lutheran Seminary and the Lower Susquehanna Synod.

12/15/2025

Today is Hannah Verone Clay’s last day on year-round staff. Since 2021, Hannah has served as a Program Director for HopeWood Outdoors. In that role, she provided leadership for all programs at HopeWood Shores, as well as Environmental Education and retreats at HopeWood Pines. We are deeply grateful for Hannah’s years of service to Lutheran outdoor ministries throughout Ohio. The way that she cared for her colleagues, campers, and summer staff was palpable. Hannah has contributed to much of the progress in organizational sustainability and program expansion that we’ve made as an organization in the past few years. We wish her nothing but the best as she takes this next step in her journey. Thank you, Hannah!

Even as she departs her staff role, Hannah remains a valued member of the HopeWood community. In fact, you can still look forward to catching a bluff sunset with her and Ford as fellow family campers in the future.

12/15/2025

Jillian Russell, our Guest Relations Coordinator, has taken a new job with the Northwestern Ohio Synod as their Communications and Administrative Coordinator. In this role, Jillian will use her administrative gifts to support both the bishop’s assistants and the broader ministry of the synod. In her words, “I am grateful for the chance to work with HopeWood Outdoors. I look forward to opportunities to volunteer, as well as to work as a synod representative in our partnerships with camp ministry.”

While such unexpected transition is always a challenge for organizations, we are thrilled for Jillian to embrace this new opportunity to work alongside longtime mentors in this new vocation. Because of our collaborative relationship with the Northwestern Ohio Synod, we are confident that Jillian’s transition will be a positive experience for HopeWood and for the synod. So, while we wish her Godspeed in this professional transition, we are also grateful that God has got new types of relationship in store for the future.

12/12/2025

Register Today!

Register today for an amazing summer at HopeWood Pines or HopeWood Shores! We have programs for people of all ages. You don't want to miss out on a fun, faith-filled summer at HopeWood Outdoors.

For more information and to register, visit our website: https://hopewoodoutdoors.org/programs/