About Us
History
There is no record of when the first Special Friends Camp occurred. A woman named Mary Lou started the camp in order to give adults with cognitive disabilities the opportunity to enjoy a Christian camping experience that they might otherwise not be able to participate in. The Michigan District of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS) began supporting Mary Lou’s camp in 1978, allowing the camp to continue and grow year after year. At some point (the exact date is, again, unknown) Special Friends Camp moved to Camp Copneconic in Fenton, MI, where it is presently held. The administration and staff of Camp Copneconic have worked hard to ensure that Special Friends campers have access to all the camp has to offer, even allowing the campers and counselors to stay in the conference center when all the cabins were booked with other camps. This arrangement began around the summer of 2000 and has continued to the present. After many years, Mary Lou was no longer able to continue to direct the camp. The Michigan District was determined to continue providing the camp for adults with cognitive disabilities. In the summer of 1993, they approached Dennis Pieper, a Lutheran school teacher who was working for Lutheran Special Education Ministries, and asked him to take over directing Special Friends Camp. He accepted the volunteer position with the intention that it would be temporary, just until another director could be found. Dennis brought his wife and four children (including his son who was only 6 months old at the time) to help run the camp. The entire family had such a good experience that they insisted that Dennis continue being the director. In the summer of 1995 Dennis received a call to be the principal at a Lutheran school in Matteson, IL. When he told his family of the upcoming move, his children stipulated that they would agree to the move as long as they were allowed to come back to Michigan every year to help with Special Friends Camp. The district agreed and Dennis continues to be the director of the camp. During the summer of 2008, the director of Camp Copneconic, John Carlson, approached Dennis with the idea of offering a winter retreat for adults with disabilities. Two counselors whose families had been involved with Special Friends Camp for a large portion of their lives, Eric Sauer and Joy Pieper, had been discussing expanding the camp for a few years. It was quickly settled that Special Friends would become a ministry that offers both a week-long summer camp and a weekend winter retreat. In February 2009, the first Special Friends winter retreat was held over Valentine’s Day weekend. According to camper and counselor reports, the retreat was a great success and will continue to be offered each winter for as long as possible.
Today
Currently (as of the summer 2009), Special Friends Ministry offers summer camp for a week in August. This camp is open to a maximum of 50 campers. Winter camp is held in February, and is a smaller group. The weekend retreat is open to 25 campers. To get more information about Special Friends Ministry, to volunteer, or sign up as a camper, please visit the Contact Us portion of the website.