PORTER COUNTY – Countless conference-goers, campers and area parishioners have made memories at Camp Lawrence in the years since the late Monsignor Lawrence Grothouse transformed a former army barracks and farm into a retreat center with the motto: “Close to nature, close to God.”
Each spring when the 144-acre diocesan property near Valparaiso is opened to conferences, parish picnics, youth camps and the occasional spiritual journeyers, a plethora of building maintenance, yard care and aesthetic issues top the priority list for a small team who ensure the grounds are safe and presentable.
Since 2018, Valparaiso resident Debbie Pishkur has held the title of Camp Lawrence retreat director. Working closely with diocesan property manager David Moore, she could also be called a scheduler, decorator and solicitor of donations.
“Camp Lawrence couldn’t function without her,” Moore said of Pishkur, further characterizing her contributions as “essential.”
Nicknamed by then-Diocese of Gary Bishop Donald J. Hying as “Donations Debbie,” Pishkur has secured thousands of dollars’ worth of paint, lighting fixtures, furnishings and sundry decorations. She said she is often surprised at the generosity of area faithful, summer camp alumni and those with whom she speaks about the needs of the retreat property.
“I told these two brothers who are airline pilots and who have worked with The Society of St. Vincent de Paul and had donated to us before that I had one last project – ‘Could you see about carpeting?’” she said, as she gave a tour of the renovated Grutka House on the campgrounds. “So, all the carpet upstairs was donated and installed by them.
Pishkur continued, “Then the one brother was getting married and said, ‘Well, my fiancé doesn’t like my furniture … do you think you’d like to have it?’”
She concluded, “So, later he called me and said, ‘the donation is in the garage.’ The rest of the stuff I’ve gotten through donations. We finished this house at the end of the winter.”
Pishkur’s work has run parallel to the safety and structural enhancements that were assessed in 2019. Even before the arrival of the pandemic shut down the 60-year Catholic Youth Organization Summer Camps for two seasons, infrastructure work was prioritized by the diocese.
Utility companies updated underground gas lines, while also burying overhead power lines as an added safety measure. New wells were dug and a new septic system at the back of the property was completed.
Work on aesthetic improvements continued as Moore and Pishkur helped coordinate the renovations to the St. Joseph House, the St. John Vianney House for priests, the St. Martin and St. Kateri buildings (the boys and girls cabins) and the Grutka House.
Gallons of paint have poured in compliments of municipal giveaways to non-profits and the generosity of local businesses. Pishkur said random calls from concerned area parishioners have netted the retreat center new furnishings.
Recently, an executive director for a resale ministry in nearby Chesterton donated fixtures that have lit up the Grutka House. From the RePurpose Place, Judy Alders said it is gratifying to contribute to another ministry operating in the Duneland area.
“There are a lot of great things happening at Camp Lawrence,” said Alders, who is among those Pishkur praises for their beneficence to the retreat property.
“Debbie approached us several years ago and explained that she was making some improvements at Camp Lawrence – and we have doors and windows and lighting and cabinets and tools … she would come in and find the things she needed,” Alders explained.
She continued, “We’re happy to be a part of it – we often donate to nonprofits and churches. We are blessed, and we love to share that.”
With a solid infrastructure, refreshed and brightened interiors, and even new signage, Pishkur believes Camp Lawrence will be in mid-season form when the CYO’s annual Summer Camps will be in full swing from mid-June to mid-July.
Gabrielle Cubberly is a facilitator for diocesan Cursillo retreats, or “short courses” in Christianity developed in Spain. Separately, men and women attend the multi-day retreats to energize their faith. Their annual retreats are already booked for Camp Lawrence.
“We’re bringing people together who may not know what they’re getting themselves into,” Cubberly said. “We intentionally keep things vague because we want them to open up to the Holy Spirit over the weekend.”
Cubberly explained that the Camp Lawrence property enhances the retreat experience.
“The first impression about Camp Lawrence is very dramatic,” Cubberly said about the view that is witnessed by a visitor who turns south from E. County Road 700 N. into the driveway “There is nothing more peaceful than seeing that lake, and the trees by the front gate.
She added, “That sets the tone for everything that is going to happen over the next three and a half days. It’s a beautiful property and so well cared for and loved.”
For staff members Moore and Pishkur, their resourcefulness is not only a response to budget constraints and economic challenges but also an effort to ensure the sustainability of Camp Lawrence for generations to come.
“My vision is that we utilize Camp Lawrence more for schools and for learning,” said Pishkur. “It was in bad shape and (schools) couldn’t really use it. It’s come to the point, though, that we’re in pretty good shape … It’s ready, it’s open.”
For more information or to make a booking at Camp Lawrence, call Debbie Pishkur at (219) 508-7189 between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.