Three Pines Youth Camp - “hit the reset”

By liv stecker

Perched high above the confluence of the mighty Columbia and Kettle Rivers, a rambling green landscape opens out of dense woods along a gravel road that winds up the mountain. Three Pines Youth Camp lies on a 50 acre parcel of land that slopes gently toward the dramatic scenery of the Columbia River valley. A cozy lodge constructed out of log is the centerpiece of the setting, surrounded by tiny, efficient cabins, a cookhouse, game barn, bathhouse, basketball court and softball field, with more facilities springing up every year. 

In 2010, ranch owner Jerry Balswick approached Dennis and Patty Roberts with a proposal that they had been waiting on for years. Jerry had become acquainted with the dedicated vision that the Robert’s shared for serving youth in the community and asked if they would help to coordinate youth camps at their secluded ranch on the mountain. Dennis and Patty fell in love with the setting and after a trial run with their youth group, they began to make plans to develop a program establishing camps for various ages throughout the summer. 

Kettle Falls Youth Works was created as the non-profit organization from which to launch their project, and Dennis and Patty branched out from the work they had been doing in youth centers in the community for years. The Three Pines Youth Camp was born, situated at the scenic Gaius ranch located above the Columbia River on Flat Creek Road. Only a few short miles from Kettle Falls, it’s just far enough out of town to get in touch with nature, or according to organizers,”take advantage of the spiritual blessings that can be derived from being amidst the beauties of the Creator's handiwork.”

The mission of Three Pines Youth Camp according to their website is to “lead youth to Christ”, but like Dennis says, the goal is to primarily build a loving family atmosphere for visiting kids and out of that relationship be able to share the leader’s passion for Christ. In keeping with the establishment of building strong interpersonal friendships, Dennis and Patty said that they have hosted camps up to 80 students, but prefer to keep the number closer to 30. “When it gets much bigger, you start to lose that feeling of family”, says Dennis. And for some kids in the summer time, with working parents, broken families, or other hardships, a three day escape to the serene forest can do wonders for a child.  

The biggest motivator for facilitators is to keep the cost of the camp reasonable for busy families in the community. At a suggested donation of $45 for a three day camp, Dennis admits that the fees the families pay barely covers the cost of food. That’s where sponsors and donors come in and  offset the overhead expenses to keep the beautiful landscape flourishing and facilities all functional. This year, donations covered the installation of a new commercial septic system, and soon a new bathhouse will follow as Dennis and the rest of the committee jump through the various hoops of keeping the health department happy. 

The basketball court was the contribution of a visiting men’s retreat, and all camp staff and counselors are volunteers. A collection of tiny cabins serve as cozy housing for the students, three for the girls nestled near the main lodge and three on an upper bench near the forest edge for the young men. This year two new ADA accessible cabins were added on the main campus, and plans for a new kitchen facility are underway with generous donations of siding from Columbia Cedar among other contributions. As plans for Kettle Falls Youth Works and The Three Pines Youth Camp move forward, owners of the Gaius Ranch, Jerry and Carolyn Balswick are working with the committee on a long term plan to keep the organization alive. 

For Dennis, as the volunteer coordinator, he says the way that the endeavor has been blessed is truly humbling. Even with legal obstacles to overcome and some lofty standards to meet, he says there has been a solution for every problem as they go. Camps are broken into various age groups, starting at age 7, as well as father/child, mother/child, grandparent/grandchild and even a few adult retreats. Most of the camps are hosted and staffed by area churches and youth groups. The vision of Kettle Falls Youth Works is to reach out and make the camps available to kids across Stevens and Ferry County from all walks of life. There are also scholarships available for students with financial obstacles. For information, contact Dennis at 509.675.5234. 

On May 21, Three Pines Youth Camp kicks off the camping season with an open house for the community, where visitors are invited to come up with friends and family to tour the facility, hear about the mission of the camp and see all of the new additions. The theme for camp in 2016 is “Hit the Reset” - helping kids start over and keep going down a different path in life. This year the camp will be adding an inflatable obstacle course and a competition slip n’ slide for the campers, which Dennis is very excited about. For information about the open house, camp schedules and registration, volunteering or donating, check out the website at kettlefallsyouthworks.org or contact Dennis at 509.675.5234.