What's Your Don Lee Story?
Each of us carries a Camp Don Lee story, one woven with faith, friendships, and joy. For some, that story was written just this past summer. For others, it goes back decades, growing fonder (and perhaps a little more embellished) with time.
Does your story include a counselor who made you feel seen and cared for, turning camp into an unforgettable experience? Or maybe it was a sailing trip that went sideways at first, but in hindsight became one of your best adventures. Perhaps it was a bunkmate who became a lifelong friend, or a worship service at Vesper Dell where you felt God’s presence in a new and powerful way.
This year, as part of our Annual Fund appeal, we’ve invited camp families to share their Camp Don Lee stories. These testimonies remind us of the power of this ministry and invite each of us to continue shaping its future through our prayers and financial support.
Your gift to the Annual Fund strengthens the camper, staff and guest experience by providing resources that enhance programming, equipment, facilities and Christian faith formation. For alumni, parents and friends, the Annual Fund is a way to stay connected to camp and ensure that new generations of campers can create stories of their own. Even though we may no longer be campers ourselves, we can still be part of camp each summer through our generosity.
Sail on, Sailor!
Kate Metts,
Director
In 2024, your Annual Fund gifts made a difference:
— Added eight new Sol sailboats, proudly made in the USA, with parts interchangeable with Sunfish. Navigator campers who sailed them first said they were “so smooth on the water” and “easy to handle.”
— Opened the Friends of Camp Don Lee Cabin, featuring central heat and air, bathrooms and a dedicated space for summer leadership staff, ministers or teachers on retreat.
— Brought in world-class speakers for summer staff training, equipping our staff to lead with competence, faith and safety.
“Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is lifeless.” — James 2:17
One Man’s Ministry Inspired Generosity for Summer Camp
Every year at Centenary United Methodist Church in Smithfield, NC, campers are sent to Camp Don Lee on scholarship in honor of the impactful work from the late Rev. Richard Williams, the Christian education pastor at Centenary for 42 years. Read more about his story be clicking the button below.
Camp Don Lee - A Place to Grow in Faith Together
Read what campers, camper parents, and summer staff are saying about their experience during Summer Camp 2025.
Why Do You Support The Annual Fund?
Brooks and Nadler Families
"Camp Don Lee’s summer camp, retreat ministry, and school programs are life changing. We want everyone to experience this sacred space on the banks of the Neuse River. You never know how God might transform a few nights away in this special community."
Cummins and Wheeler Families
"It is important that Camp Don Lee’s ministry be available for future generations. Lives are changed every day at camp. Our contribution to the annual campaign is our way of returning the blessings our family has received since the 1980s. It is important that Don Lee be available in the future for other families."
Want to read more about the Annual Fund? Click HERE to view our virtual mailer.