Feb 27, 2020
By Lyle Sutton
Alfred Station SDB Church, NY
Reprinted from the Sabbath Recorder 2014
Camp Harley Sutton is the center of church camping for the Seventh Day Baptist Allegheny Association of Churches. The camp is located in Alfred Station, NY, on land that was donated to the Association in 1951 by Dr. and Mrs. H.O. Burdick. In 2000, an adjacent parcel of land (about 7 acres) became available and was purchased through a generous gift from the Richburg (NY) SDB Church. In 2010 an additional 85 acres was purchased from the Burdicks’ daughter. So altogether we have nearly 100 acres to “play” with and in.
The first major building on the Camp grounds was a building that came from the Alfred University campus, being a building constructed in the late 1800’s and was used for a variety of purposes – a gymnasium, a blacksmith shop, etc. The building was dismantled and piece by piece re-erected at the Camp site by volunteers and was dubbed the Burdick Lodge.
Through the ‘60’s and ’70’s three sleeping dormitories were constructed. In 1993 and 1994 the SDB Senior Saints were engaged to construct an addition to the Burdick Lodge to house two modern bathroom facilities. Several of the Senior Saints who worked on that project returned to the Camp in later years to help make further modifications to Burdick Lodge—to build a pavilion and replace the original Crandall Dormitory with a much larger, heated, building with bathrooms, sleeping facilities for 32 and a meeting room. This building has expanded our ability to host meetings of Association, church and General Conference agencies, etc. year around.
All of these “projects” have involved a very great number of people donating their time, talents, and financial support. From this there have developed some long-term relationships and friendships spanning the breadth of the country and with many, many SDBs representing many SDB churches. The memories are priceless! We are exceptionally proud to have facilities that we can provide (year around) for denominational groups, church groups, and families where they can enjoy a relaxing atmosphere and come to know and/or renew their understanding of God’s wonders in nature and how closely one can feel to Him without the “clutter” of other worldly distractions.
Following are some testimonials from attendees expressing their impressions and appreciation for their experiences at Camp Harley Sutton camps.
• A WONDERFUL place, some of my BEST childhood memories come from Camp Harley. Hopefully my daughter will one day look back and think the same thought.
• Crandall Dorm made Senior Camp more intimate and inviting. Because everybody stayed in one dorm, we had more opportunities to spend time together.
• Personally, having helped build the dorm made the camp experience that much more meaningful because I felt I had a little ownership of the building.
• When I was a camper at Camp Harley, I thought I was the luckiest person to be able to be a part of this awesome place every summer. When I graduated from high school I thought my Camp Harley days were over. As an adult, I responded to a need for staff one year and have been a part again since then as counselor, director and cook. What a blessing to watch my children also enjoy the benefits and love of Camp Harley.
• I thank God for all those who sacrificed their time and talents to make Camp Harley enjoyable for the campers. The Crandall building is just one more expression of their dedication to God’s service as they continue to work towards making camp a fantastic, life-changing experience. God delights in you and the work that you do in His service.
• Making friends at Camp Harley was always special. Some years we were friends for the week and then never heard from each other again. Sometimes we wrote each other every week. As we outgrew Camp Harley and went on with our lives we didn’t realize that these friends would always be a part of us no matter whether we had heard from them or not. I have encountered several of my Camp friends through Facebook and other opportunities over the last year and when we communicate, either electronically or face-to-face, it seems as if no time has elapsed since our days at Camp Harley.
• Evenings were my favorite time at Camp Harley Sutton. Each evening one of the work groups led the campers in vespers which they had prepared earlier in the day. Next was campfire fun including silly songs and skits. After snacks, the boys and girls were sent off to their respective dorms for lights out. To quiet a dorm of giggly girls one year, a wise counselor read them a bedtime story : “Two from Galilee.” The love story of Mary and Joseph and the dreams they must have had for their growing family as told by Marjorie Holmes enthralled a group of preteen girls. “Two from Galilee” remains one of my favorite Christian fiction books.
• My memories go back farther than I care to admit. The ones that stand out include vespers on Burdick pond during family camp. My goodness, how SDBs can sing! “Day is dying in the west…” In fact, I was baptized there. In the liturgy of the church to which I belong, we are called to remember our baptism, and it is such a joy to relive that time in my young life. Believe it or not, we used to be able to swim there, too!
• I remember getting baptized in the Burdick pond also… Mine was made all the more memorable because Pastor Russ Johnson dropped me!! I trusted him (and the Lord!) and waited, under water, until he “found” me and was able to bring me back up. I was definitely washed (can’t say washed clean—that water was pretty dirty!) after the extended stay under water…
• Camp Harley holds so many memories for so many people. Dean sure did enjoy it when he could get over to help with the Crandall building and he would just love it. This old lady remembers kitchen duty and putting the lye down the old holes and especially trying to sleep with the bats flying all around our heads. Yes, Camp Harley has come a long way. I loved vespers and the campfires.
You may ask why should I go or send my children to a Seventh Day Baptist church camp? These testimonials are part of the reason but there is more. At Camp Harley Sutton there are several churches represented by the campers. These campers have their relationship with God and His Sabbath reinforced at the camps and take those back with them to their home churches. Their experiences are related to their fellow youths thereby creating a web of enthusiastic youths who we all know are the future of our denomination.
Come and enjoy as we do whenever we enter those gates.
More information about Camp dates and registration will be posted on the Camp Harley Sutton Facebook page
