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Lake Darling Youth Center celebrates 75 years
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
BRIGHTON — Longtime youth group destination Lake Darling Youth Center notches its 75th year of operation this summer, decades after its founding in 1950.
The campground gives first-call on reservations to parties that booked a slot the previous summer. That’s made its use a summertime tradition for numerous church groups and family reunion, stretching back for generations, drawing about 1,200 kids to the state park every year.
There’s no secret to that longevity. Those involved with the camp say it’s simply set up in a great location.
“A lot of the same people like it so much they just keep coming back year after year,” said campground Supervisor Tony Christensen. “We have several groups that’ve been coming for over 50 years. People like being in the outdoors, stopping by the lake, and it’s a nice quiet spot.”
The camp hasn’t gone unchanged over the years.
In recent memory, it’s added new cabins, air conditioning units and a new “cook cabin” for preparing food. Before that, the grounds added a larger bathhouse, and indoor bunk beds.
Despite the modern amenities, the destination maintains a “pretty rustic” feel, according to Lake Darling Youth Camp Board President Jerry King, who said campers were expected to bring their own food and supplies.
“People bring their own food, their own cooks, all we have is the facility,” he said. “We have a big kitchen and dining room, but they man that, and bring their own.”
While the grounds offer a fairly unguided camping experience, King said it was rewarding to keep them running. The volunteer of 55 years also noted the board is seeking new members.
“It’s all about the kids, they love it down there,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of activity areas for them … My wife asked me once, ‘When are you going to quit this job?’ And I said, ‘When they quit making kids, I guess.’”
King said the nonprofit board had faced some financial struggles starting around 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic dropped the number of summertime attendees from over a thousand to less than 100.
Despite that, the campground maintains its modest fees for use: $14 per person, per day, to use the facilities.
“COVID about killed us,” King said. “We had some money built up before, but with COVID, we had no income, and bills kept coming for utilities and insurance, and those keep coming every month.”
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