The Shadow
Camp ACCOVAC in Bath County held a pumpkin carving contest at its picnic shelter as part of its activities on Sat., Oct. 8.
Located 18 miles from the Omni Homestead Resort, Camp ACCOVAC is a nonprofit Christian camp, conference, reunion and retreat center, owned and operated by the Virginia Advent Christian Churches.
Gene Peters, former basketball coach at Bath County High School and retired pastor from the Advent Christian Church, known locally in the Alleghany Highlands as the “Rock Church,” which is located on U.S. Route 60 east of Clifton Forge, served as the guest pastor at the family camp that began with a spaghetti dinner on Fri., Oct. 7.
Camp Director Josie Denius oversaw games and activities for non-board members, the pumpkin carving contest, hiking and fishing and the hayride that took place on Sat., Oct. 8.
The activities ended on Sat. with a campfire gathering for the 70 who were attending as camp participants.
As one of the children rode the zip line downhill, Denius remarked, “I celebrated my 85th birthday this year by riding that zip line.”
She said, “Gene Ayers is the pastor of the Central Advent Christian Church, and he lives on Collierstown Road.”
“He is president of the Virginia Conference,” Denius added.
Standing beside the bleachers that overlook the Gethsemane Prayer Garden Amphitheatre that is part of the camp facility, she noted, “We have had eight weddings performed here, and Pastor Mike Rollins held his Easter Sunrise Service here.”
Camp ACCOVAC rents its facilities to private parties for family reunions, group gatherings, conferences, weekend getaways, other denominations and retreats for men, women and youth.
The facility has motel-style rooms to rent, Bethel Lodge, and eight cabins, one that sleeps 24 and seven that accommodate 14 each.
There is also a chapel, playgrounds, a picnic shelter, a pond where campers can fish for bass and sun perch and an Olympic-sized swimming pool.
Other facilities include a rifle range, two miles of hiking trails, a zip-line, a low rope course, a hay wagon for hayrides, volleyball courts, basketball courts and a softball field that serves as a soccer field and disc golf course as well.
Denius concluded, “We have four generations of my family represented here today, and God has blessed me by allowing me to continue doing what I love to do.”
Camp ACCOVAC’s brochure states under its title, “Where God can be found in the Great Out Doors.”
