Lake Aurora Christian Camp & Retreat Center

What Lake Aurora Christian Camp & Retreat Center does

Lake Aurora Christian Camp & Retreat Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating a destination camp and retreat center on an 85-acre campus in Lake Wales, Florida. Founded in 1947 by V.G. Gilbert and a coalition of central Florida church leaders, the organization is the first cooperative venture of Christian Churches/Churches of Christ in Florida, owned and governed by approximately 90+ independent member congregations that hold voting rights on the Board of Trustees. Its primary constituency spans children and youth (the original focus), families, adults, senior adults, and church or community groups across central Florida.

The core offering is overnight summer youth camp programming combined with year-round retreat services. Supporting facilities include dormitories, a dining hall, the VG Gilbert Program Center, the Redmon Ministry Center, low and high ropes challenge courses, paintball, archery, and swimming amenities. The technology footprint is intentionally minimal and operationally peripheral — Circuitree handles event registration and Bloomerang CRM processes donations — with no proprietary software products, APIs, or AI/ML capabilities. Marketing is conducted through church network referrals and organic social channels (Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest) rather than paid acquisition.

Revenue is generated through three streams: camp registration fees, facility rentals for private group retreats, and donations/charitable contributions (including the long-running Tent Peg program of small recurring gifts). Geographic distribution is exclusively on-site at the Lake Wales campus. The organization maintains ECFA accreditation, Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency status (2026), and voluntary annual financial audits, signaling a deliberate posture of stewardship accountability relevant to its donor base and member churches.

Name

Lake Aurora Christian Camp & Retreat Center

Legal name

Lake Aurora Christian Assembly, Inc.

Website

https://lakeaurora.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Lake Aurora Christian Camp & Retreat Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating an 85-acre Christian camp and retreat facility in Lake Wales, Florida, owned by approximately 90+ member churches and serving central Florida youth, families, and church groups since 1947 through Bible-based programming and outdoor recreation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Christian Camp and Retreat Services

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Family & Recreation Campgrounds (Amenities/Activities Focus) (THAMAJAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Places of Worship & Religious Facilities Operations (Cemeteries, Retreat Centers, Pilgrimage Sites) (BPAGAJAL), Campgrounds & RV Parks (Developed Sites) (THAGAOAA)

Keywords

• Christian summer camps
• Youth retreat programs
• Faith-based camping
• Group retreat hosting
• Outdoor ministry

Headquarters

HQ city

Lake Wales

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Camp Registration Fees: Fees charged for summer youth camp programs and year-round retreat programs serving children, youth, families, and adults.
2. Facility Rental: Revenue from hosting private group retreats and camps for church-related groups, schools, clubs, communities, and businesses.
3. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The camp accepts donations through its online donation portal (Bloomerang CRM) and maintains ECFA membership for financial accountability. The Tent Peg program has generated hundreds of thousands of dollars from supporters contributing $25 at a time.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Lake Aurora Christian Camp & Retreat Center operates an 85-acre Christian camp and retreat facility in Lake Wales, Florida, delivering Bible-based summer youth camp programs, private group retreats for churches/schools/communities, and LA Sponsored adult and family retreats. Programs include worship, skill development, outdoor recreation (challenge course, paintball), lodging, and dining services.

Product overview

Lake Aurora Christian Camp & Retreat Center offers a single integrated portfolio of camp and retreat services centered around Christian youth development. The core offerings include Summer Camp programs for youth, Private Group Retreats, and LA Sponsored Retreats for adults and families. Supporting services include recreational activities (Paintball, Challenge Course), staff programs (Omega Staff, Volunteer Staff), and campus facilities. The organization operates year-round on 75-85 acres in Lake Wales, Florida, serving churches, schools, and community groups through Bible-based programming, nature experiences, and team-building activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Summer Camp

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Member Churches of Lake Aurora Christian AssemblycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1947Lake Aurora is owned and operated by approximately 90+ independent congregations of the Christian Church/Church of Christ in central Florida. These owner churches have voting rights on the Board of Trustees and include Anchor Christian Church (Bonita Springs), Brooksville Christian Church, First Christian Church (multiple locations across FL), and many others. The first camp was held in July 1947 with these churches establishing the cooperative venture.
• Supporting ChurchesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1947Additional supporting churches that partner with Lake Aurora but are not owner-partners. Includes churches like Adventure Christian Church (Leesburg), Community Christian Church (Tamarac), Fairway Christian Church (Lady Lake), and others that support the ministry.
• ECFA (Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability)coreOthersLake Aurora is a member of ECFA, meeting the seven standards of responsible stewardship. This membership demonstrates commitment to financial accountability and responsible use of charitable resources.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Luther Springs Camp & Retreat Center: Faith-based camp and retreat center in central Florida operated by a religious denomination (ELCA Lutheran), offering summer youth camps, adult retreats, and facility rental. Highly comparable denominational camp model in the same geography.
• Camp Kulaqua: A Christian camp and retreat center in High Springs, Florida operated by the Florida Baptist Convention, providing summer youth camps, family camps, and group retreats. Comparable faith-based residential camp in Florida with similar program portfolio.
• Cloverleaf Ranch / 4-H Camp Cloverleaf: A residential youth camp facility in Florida offering summer camp programs, challenge courses, and group retreat rentals. Comparable as a Florida-based residential camp operator serving similar youth/family/group segments.
• Camp Ithiel: A faith-based Christian camp and retreat center in central Florida serving similar Church of Christ/Christian Church constituencies with comparable Bible-based summer camp and retreat programming. Directly comparable in denomination, geography, and program mix.

Broad incumbents

• Kanakuk Kamps: Long-established Christian summer camp network in the Midwest serving evangelical Christian youth with overnight summer camp programs. Comparable faith-based overnight camp model with strong brand recognition.
• Young Life: National nonprofit youth ministry organization operating summer camps and year-round outreach programs for Christian youth development. Comparable faith-based youth development mission with camp programming as a core offering.
• Ridgecrest Conference Center: A large LifeWay Christian conference and retreat center in North Carolina serving Southern Baptist and broader Christian audiences with summer camps, family conferences, and year-round retreats. Comparable faith-based retreat model at larger scale.
• Sky Ranch Christian Camp: Multi-site Christian summer camp and retreat operator with locations across multiple states, serving evangelical Christian youth and families. Comparable mission and programming at a larger, multi-site scale.

Others

• Christian Camp and Conference Association (CCCA): Industry association serving Christian camps and conference centers across North America. Relevant as the trade body and peer ecosystem for Lake Aurora's camp and retreat category.

Regional players

• Warren W. Willis State Park / Camp Wall: Florida state park with overnight camp facilities and group retreat programming serving Florida youth groups and families. Comparable as a Florida residential outdoor experience provider, though state-run rather than faith-based.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/lakeaurora
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/Wix
• Facebookfacebook.com/lakeaurora
• Instagraminstagram.com/lakeaurora_christiancamp
• Pinterestpinterest.com/lakeaurora

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lake Aurora Christian Camp & Retreat Center