Like so many college kids looking for a meaningful way to spend their summer, Ron Springs was introduced to Ridgecrest Summer Camps while being recruited by the former Director, Rick Johnson. He must have made a strong first impression because Ron was placed in the challenging and coveted Cabin 1 counselor role, responsible for the youngest boys in camp. Only the best were given this opportunity.

Ron soon earned a leadership role, leading other counselors, and then was recruited once again by Rick to stay on in a full-time role, helping to ensure the future of the camps.

Ron became a household name, spending most of the winter months traveling the Southeast, visiting campers and introducing new families to a life-changing experience that would provide childhood memories and shape their children into godly men and women. From churches to living rooms, Ron would share the vision for a summer experience that would encourage growth, provide challenges, and inspire a deeper trust in God. Young boys and girls would see pictures and hear stories of adventures while dreaming of two weeks away from home in the mountains of North Carolina. There was something about Ron’s calming presence that allowed parents to entrust their sons and daughters to this man and his team of college students. With his giant smile and jolly laugh, Ron has been winning the trust of others for 50 years.

Camp has changed and evolved under Ron’s leadership, but the mission remains the same — Impacting Lives for God’s Glory through Discipleship and Adventure. Generations of campers will tell similar versions of the same story — stories packed with adventures found in the rolling mountains of Ridgecrest, North Carolina.

For many of these years, Ron was the lone full-time team member, holding the ship together throughout the winter months as camp’s mission continued forward.

Ron’s leadership grew our full-time team from one to eleven. More importantly, our camps’ attendance has grown from less than 400 campers to almost 4,000.

Under Ron’s guidance, Ridgecrest has developed Family Camp, including Mother-Daughter and Father-Son weekends. He has seen both properties completely remodeled and refreshed while the quality of our summer staff team and focus on our mission has thrived.

Fifty years is an almost unheard-of tenure at a single post. It requires commitment, dedication, loyalty, and tenacity. Few leaders have the patience and humility to remain consistent through so much change and growth. Fifty years. That’s over 3,750 canteens, 200 sockwars, 320 Council Rings, 700 campfires, and 100,000 campers. The impact is significant and far-reaching. The ripple effect of these life changes is incalculable.