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Bonnie Patterson, Office Manager Bonnie joined the full time staff in April 2002. She and her husband, James, moved to Grapeland from the Fort Worth area, where Bonnie had spent 20 years in the banking industry. Her tenure mostly included administrative and executive assistant positions. Bonnie now serves as the Office Manager and handles all the registration, secretarial and administrative duties. If you have ever called Frontier Camp, then you know that Bonnie considers her job a ministry. Bonnie and James live outside of Grapeland and have four grown children, and eight grandchildren. |
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Carla Villanueva, Outreach Coordinator Carla and Frontier Camp are inseparable. Carla began camping at FC at seven years old and never looked back. After many years on summer staff, Carla served as our Office Manager from 1998-2000. The only reason we let her resign was because she was marrying Brian Villanueva, whom she met at camp. Brian and Carla remain active at camp in various roles. Brian serves on our Board of Directors and has developed our online registration and Carla heads up the Mailbox Club. The MBC is an outreach of Frontier Camp where campers can complete Bible lessons year-round through the mail. Carla has mailed literally thousands of notes along with these lessons and is still going strong. Carla and Brian live in Richardson, Texas with their two children Ashley and Audrey. |
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Carol Kiefer, Food Service Director Carol came as the summer cook in 1986. Her husband Henry had been hired as the full-time maintenance director and they served at the camp together until his death in 1998. Carol continued to work part-time during the summers and on weekends until she joined full-time staff in June 2002 as our Food Service Director. All who have worked with Carol over the years know she has a heart for service and the Lord. Carol lives on Houston County Lake in a bright, yellow house. Carol has four children and five grandchildren. |
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Eric Olson, Equine, Equipment and Grounds Director Eric joined the full-time staff 1998. Previously, he attended school at LeTourneau University where he pursued a B.A. in Welding Engineering Technology. Eric grew up coming to Frontier Camp as a camper and spent many weekends at the camp, especially during times of building projects. As the Equine, Equipment and Grounds Director, his duties include oversight of the camp horses and horse program, maintenance and repair of boats, vehicles, and tractors, and general maintenance around camp and grounds. Eric and wife, Amanda, reside near the camp with their son, Noah. |
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Hans W. Meinardus, Summer Camp Director Hans W. Meinardus joined our full time staff as the Summer Camp Director in 2004. Beginning in 1974, he has been a camper, counselor and Program Director. He has served on the camp’s Board of Directors and was a guest speaker at teen week before coming on full time. Hans attended Texas A&M where he completed undergraduate and graduate degrees in Geology. All of this with a ten year career in Hydrogeology have uniquely prepared Hans for his work with campers and God’s creation here at Frontier Camp. Hans and wife, Autumn, live right behind the rodeo arena with their three children, Natalyn, Konrad, and Edie. |
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Lee’s first memory of Frontier Camp started in 1984 as a camper. He and his father also attended a Father/Son retreat and these experiences helped to lead him into a career in camping. Lee went on to serve as an FC summer staffer, intern at Camp Forest Springs in Wisconsin and has a degree in Bible at Philadelphia Biblical University. Lee came on full time staff as Retreat Director in 2002. In this role Lee coordinates and serves all the church and parachurch ministries retreating at Frontier Camp. Additionally he coordinates retreats like the Father/Son Weekend that he and his father attended over 20 years ago. Lee and his wife, Rebekah, whom he met at Frontier Camp, have two children, Tommy and Hope. They make their home across the road from the camp. |
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Liz Henderson, Bookkeeper/Asst. to the Office Manager Liz Henderson grew up as a camper and has filled just about every position on the summer staff over the years. She was on the kitchen crew in 1997 and 1998, a Junior Counselor in 1999 and 2000, a Senior Counselor in 2001 and 2002, and Trading Post/General Store Manager in 2003 and 2004. She has also been the Head of the Waterfront since 2001. Liz joined the Full Time staff in 2006. She currently serves as Bookkeeper/Assistant to the Office Manager, Head of Waterfront, and Assistant Summer Staff Director. Liz assists in with staff recruiting, hiring, training, discipleship and in the facilitation of rental group retreats. She graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Accounting from Baylor University. |
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Matt Henderson, Summer Staff Director Matt Henderson joined the summer staff in 2001 as a Senior Counselor. He worked his way up to Program Director in 2002 and 2003 and came on full-time in 2004. Currently Matt serves as Summer Staff Director and assists with staff recruiting, hiring, training, discipleship, as well as with summer camp programming. In the off season he assists with facilitation of rental group retreats and also heads up the boat program and the Challenge Course. Matt has a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise and Sports Studies from Tarleton State University and has studied at Dallas Theological Seminary. Matt met his wife Liz (see below) at FC and they now make their home here. |
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Matt Raines, Executive Director Matt began work at Frontier in 1992 as a Senior Counselor while pursuing his B.S. in Recreation at Texas A&M University. After four summers on staff he married the summer nurse, Maggie, and moved to Dallas to attend Dallas Theological Seminary. After his graduation from DTS, Matt and Maggie moved back to Frontier Camp to serve as the Assistant Director under long-time Executive Director, Wes Woodard. Matt trained in this capacity until Wes’ retirement in 2003 whereupon Matt was named as FC’s 5th Executive Director. Matt handles fundraising/development, marketing, personnel and is still quite involved in summer camp and programmed retreats. Matt and Maggie and their children Emma and Will live just beyond the staff cabins here at Frontier Camp. |
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Mike and Barbara Burkhalter, Director of New Construction and Volunteers; Health Care Administrator Mike and Barbara Burkhalter began sending their three boys to camp in the 1980’s. All three boys served on summer staff and upon an early retirement Mike and Barbara felt led by the Lord to serve as volunteers at Frontier Camp. Mike oversees all new construction and volunteer groups while Barbara, who is a Registered Nurse, is our Healthcare Administrator. In this role, she coordinates the Infirmary and supervises the summer Medical Technicians. Mike and Barbara live in a big, red barn near the camp and have three grown children and four grandchildren. |
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Richard Stephens, Facilities and Communications Director Richard has been involved with Frontier Camp since its inception. As a Jr. High and High School student, he worked volunteer weekends. Then from 1973 to 1975, he served as Counselor and Caretaker while attending college. In 1982, Richard was hired full-time to serve as Assistant to the Director. In this capacity he was responsible for a variety of things from facility maintenance to heading up the Camper in Leadership Training Program. Richard currently serves as the Facilities and Communications Director. He is now responsible for facility maintenance, the camp’s audio/video and computer needs and he maintains the Frontier Camp web site. Richard lives on Houston County Lake and has been known to take his 1984 Ski Nautique to work. |