Frontier Camp
131 Frontier Camp Rd.
Grapeland, Texas 75844
(936) 544-3206
Fax: (936) 546-0341
fcinfo@frontiercamp.org
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.
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.
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.
Lee Bertram, Retreat Director
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.
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.
Liz Henderson, Bookkeeper/Asst. to the Office Manager/Outreach Coordinator
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, Assistant Summer Staff Director and heads up the Recharge/Mailbox Club. This program is an outreach of Frontier Camp where campers can complete Bible lessons year-round through the mail.. Liz assists 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.
Kate Rudasill, Food Service Director
Kate was first introduced to Frontier Camp in the summer of 2002 when she volunteered to help out in the kitchen while visiting a friend who was serving as Assistant Cook. During that visit, Matt Raines suggested that Kate apply to work at camp the next summer. After falling in love with camp and the ministry here, Kate served as Assistant Cook in 2003, 2004, and 2005 under the previous Food Service Director, Carol Kiefer. After graduating with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Management from Texas A&M University in 2006, Kate went on to attend the Texas Culinary Academy in Austin before being called to camp full-time to serve as Food Service Director. Kate now makes her home at camp and enjoys making sure that the kitchen is kept running smoothly and that all the campers and staff are well-fed!
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.
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.
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.
