(HOWE) - A long-running Indiana youth camp is set for long-awaited improvements after Lilly Endowment Inc. awarded a $1.5 million grant to support major upgrades at Camp Lutherwald.
The funding was awarded to Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Indiana-Kentucky, known as LOMIK, through Lilly Endowment's Capital Project Initiative for Residential Youth Camps. Of the total, two $750,000 implementation grants will be used to address aging infrastructure at Camp Lutherwald in Howe and Lutheran Hills in southern Indiana.
Camp Lutherwald has been serving Indiana youth since 1950, making it one of the state's longest-running residential camps. After more than seven decades of use, camp leaders say many buildings and systems are in need of repair or replacement. The new funding will allow LOMIK to move forward with planned upgrades to structures, utilities, and mechanical systems while improving safety, accessibility, and overall functionality.
Camp officials say the work will go beyond patchwork fixes, allowing for long-term improvements that support modern programming while preserving the camp's character and mission.
"This funding allows us to care for these sacred places in a way that matches the impact they have on young people's lives," said Chris Miller, executive director of Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Indiana-Kentucky. "Because of Lilly Endowment's generosity, we can move beyond short-term fixes and make thoughtful, long-term improvements."
While LOMIK also operates Lake Luther near Angola and Lutheran Hills in Brown County, the current grant focuses specifically on Lutherwald and Lutheran Hills -- the two sites facing the most significant infrastructure challenges.
Lilly Endowment's initiative is designed to strengthen the long-term sustainability of residential youth camps by helping organizations invest in facilities that support high-quality, safe, and welcoming experiences. With the grant secured, LOMIK leaders say Camp Lutherwald will be better positioned to continue serving generations of campers from northeast Indiana and beyond for decades to come.