Camp Akita

Camp Akita is a mission of First Community Church. It is located in Logan, Ohio which is 45 miles to the southeast of Columbus, Ohio. The lands consist of 1200 acres and include a 7-acre lake, lodge, dining hall, hiking trails and 5 rental cabins. Camp Akita is used as a children's camp in the summer and the facilities can be rented out through out the rest of the year.
History
The lands that Camp Akita is located on was originally donated to First Community Church in 1948 by John Galbreath; they were a gift in memory of his wife Helen. Construction on the camp started that same year and included building the lodge, dining hall and the dam to hold up the lake. The first campers arrived in May 1949. in 1959 70 more acres were acquired from adjoining land. The last land expansion happened in 1962 when 445 more acres were donated again by John Galbreath.
The first major renovation to happen at Camp Akita happened in 1974 when a two story sleeping area was added. The biggest renovation to happen at Camp Akita happened in 1999 when a new lodge and new cabin were built. The dining hall was also renovated and a new office area was added on the lower level. One of the old cabins was left standing and was converted into a nature center where various local wildlife resides each summer.
Adventure complex
The Alpine Tower is Akita’s answer to a high ropes course. The 50-foot tall tower is a climbing challenge that consists of ladders, ropes and logs. Every person that climbs is secured in a harness and safety lines are always used.
There are also smaller challenge courses at the adventure complex that consist of team building and helping exercises. There is a perimeter traverse to walk around and a spider web to climb through.
Summer camp
Summer camp at Akita is open to children varying from grades 1-12. There are around 12 camp sessions offered each summer. The camp sessions last anywhere between 1 day and 7 full days based on age. Each year there is a theme for the summer and the campers are encouraged to bring costumes for the fun side and learn valuable lessons for the serious side from the theme each year. Campers are able to enjoy the lake daily which includes swimming, canoeing, playing on the small beach, jumping off the low and high dive and sliding down the newly installed Wet Willie water slides which were added the summer of 2011. Camp Akita is the only summer camp in Ohio to have two side by side slides.
Campers also enjoys various other activities including hiking, basketball, biking, volleyball, crafts, singing and dancing, and various surprises that the program staff come up with each year.
L.I.F.E Guard is a program that runs at the same time as the summer camp. It is a volunteer opportunity for high school students entering from their sophomore year to the summer after their senior year to serve the camp. L.I.F.E. is an acronym for last is first eternal which is taken from the bible verse Matthew 19:30 which states that "many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first". The L.I.F.E. Guards work behind the scenes at camp helping with anything from serving meals to working on service projects around the camp. They put the others at camp before them so that they will be first in the eyes of God.
The counselors are college students that are generally entering their sophomore or junior year. Counselors in training work around 6 of the camp sessions or half the summer and the following year the counselors work the entire summer. The counselors stay with the children in their cabins and are there to guide the children and help make their camp stay memorable.
Facility rental
Camp Akita can be rented through out the non summer months for a variety of events including weddings and receptions and retreats. There are 5 cabins that sleep a varying number of people that can be rented as well as the lodge.
Hiking and features
There are over 15 miles of marked hiking trails on the lands at Camp Akita. They vary in difficulty and length. One of these trails leads to Bald Eagle which is the highest point in Hocking County. Another leads to Rock Stalls which is a sandstone formation that includes a waterfall and is the only privately owned feature of its kind in the area.

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