Nebraska Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Inc

WE ARE CALLED BY GOD TO BE A CHRIST-CENTERED, SPIRIT-POWERED MINISTRY: TO EQUIP, TEACH AND EXCITE PEOPLE FOR DISCIPLESHIP THROUGH CAMP EXPERIENCES; TO PROVIDE OUR CONFERENCE AND RETREAT GUESTS WITH PLACES SET APART AND SERVE WITH SACRED HOSPITALITY; AND TO NURTURE LEADERSHIP FOR SERVICE IN THE CHURCH AND WORLD.

NEBRASKA LUTHERAN OUTDOOR MINISTRIES (NLOM) VISION IS, "IN PLACES SET APART, WE LIVE OUT OUR FAITH IN WAYS THAT SHOW EVERYONE THEY BELONG AND ARE UNCONDITIONALLY LOVED BY GOD." NLOM'S MISSION IS SIMPLY "FAITH: ALIVE!" NLOM WAS FORMED IN 1975, FOLLOWING AN OFFER FROM GEORGE HOLLING, AN EXECUTIVE WITH PETER KIEWIT CONSTRUCTION, AND HIS WIFE, IRENE, TO DONATE A HALF-SECTION OF LAND TO BE DEVELOPED WITHIN FIVE YEARS INTO A CAMP AS A MEMORIAL TO THEIR DAUGHTER. LOCATED NEAR ASHLAND, CAROL JOY HOLLING CAMP OPENED IN 1979, AND WELCOMED 356 YOUTH TO ITS INITIAL SUMMER PROGRAMS. IN 1995, AS A RESULT OF A GENEROUS LAND DONATION BY LESTER AND LILLIAN SULLIVAN, NLOM INTRODUCED SULLIVAN HILLS CAMP NEAR LODGEPOLE, NEBRASKA. IN 1999, NLOM BEGAN ITS OUTREACH TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND NOW IT RUNS PROGRAMS SERVING HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN AND ADULTS ANNUALLY. NLOM SERVES THE GREATER OMAHA AND LINCOLN METROPOLITAN AREAS AND EASTERN NEBRASKA AT ITS FLAGSHIP FACILITY-CAROL JOY HOLLING CAMP, CONFERENCE, AND RETREAT CENTER-WHICH IS CONVENIENTLY LOCATED JUST WEST OF MAHONEY STATE PARK NEAR ASHLAND. NLOM ALSO SERVES WESTERN NEBRASKA AND EASTERN COLORADO AND WYOMING AT SULLIVAN HILLS CAMP LOCATED NEAR LODGEPOLE. NLOM ANNUALLY HOSTS 1,600 CAMPERS EACH SUMMER AND 20,000 RETREAT GUESTS. DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS, NLOM'S PRIMARY AUDIENCE IS SCHOOL-AGE CAMPERS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE YEAR IT HOSTS RETREAT AND CONFERENCE GUESTS FROM A WIDE VARIETY OF SCHOOLS, BUSINESSES, CHURCHES, NON-PROFITS, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. NLOM SERVES PEOPLE OF ALL ETHNICITIES, GENDERS, AGES, AND ABILITIES. IT SERVES PEOPLE WITHOUT REGARD FOR THEIR ECONOMIC STATUS, AND PROVIDES A SUMMER CAMP EXPERIENCE TO ANY INTERESTED CHILD REGARDLESS OF HIS OR HER FAMILY'S ABILITY TO PAY. NLOM IS SHAPING LEADERS FOR THE CHURCH AND WORLD THROUGH ITS PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. MORE RECENTLY, NLOM HAS CONCENTRATED ON EXPANDING AND IMPROVING ITS FACILITIES IN ORDER TO BETTER SERVE SUMMER CAMPERS AND YEAR-ROUND GUEST GROUPS. IN 2005, IT COMPLETED THE HIGH-COMFORT SWANSON RETREAT CENTER AND RENOVATED AND ADDED ON TO ITS SJOGREN CENTER RETREAT CENTER. BOTH OF THESE FACILITIES PROVIDE HOTEL-QUALITY ACCOMMODATIONS AND MEETING ROOMS FOR RETREAT AND CONFERENCE GUESTS. IN 2008, THE BUCKLEY RETREAT CENTER WAS ADDED AT SULLIVAN HILLS CAMP TO PROVIDE CAMPER HOUSING AND A YEAR-ROUND PLACE FOR GUEST GROUPS TO GATHER. IN 2014, NLOM EXPANDED THE WESTERN TOWN, WHICH PROVIDES COMFORTABLE ACCOMMODATIONS AND MEETING SPACE IN A HISTORICALLY-RECREATED OLD WEST STREETSCAPE. THE LIVING WATER RETREAT HOUSE AND MONKE LODGE WERE OPENED IN 2018, TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL AFFORDABLE LODGING, DINING, AND MEETING SPACE FOR SUMMER CAMPERS AND YEAR-ROUND RETREAT AND CONFERENCE GUESTS. THE HAZEL DILLON LODGE WAS OPENED IN 2021 TO PROVIDE LODGING AND DINING SPACE FOR ELEMENTARY-AGED CAMPERS AND FOR YEAR-ROUND GUESTS.