Gilmont Celebrates its Past while Building for the Future!
Gilmer, Texas – Gilmont Camp and Conference Center celebrates 85 years of ministry
and welcomes the community as it shares plans for future growth and breaks ground on
a new Lodge and Welcome Center, March 23, 2025 at 3:00 pm.
Gilmont is a 400-acre camp and conference center in Gilmer, Texas, providing a variety
of year-round programs and welcoming a variety of guest groups throughout the year.
In the Summer, the camp runs Overnight Camps (Sunday-Friday) for children and youth
who have completed 1st-12th grade and Day Camps (Monday-Friday) for children who
have completed 1st-6th grade. Gilmont’s Outdoor School provides opportunities for
students to enhance their educational experience in the natural world. Throughout the
year, Gilmont provides retreats for children, youth, and adults. Gilmont serves as a
rental facility for churches, organizations, businesses, schools, and families to have
camps, conferences, retreats, reunions, and special events.
“This groundbreaking kicks off the next phase as we prepare to begin construction on a
20-room Lodge and Welcome Center which will breathe new life into the ministry and
provide an even greater asset to our community,” shares Rev. Kenny Rigoulot,
Executive Director. “We are so excited to share this growth and eager to see the ways
God will use our facility to build new partnerships and camp experiences.”
The gates will open at 2 pm and the program will begin in the Crain Conference Center
at 3 pm. The presentation will include a brief history of the camp, along with some fun
facts about other notable things that began in 1940 – i.e. Captain America, York
Peppermint Patties, and McDonald’s! Guests will get a chance to meet the architects
and the interior designer and review the plans for the new Lodge and Welcome Center.
Guests will then be invited to go to the construction site to don hard hats, grab some
gold shovels, and turn some dirt while posing for pictures.
The new Lodge and Welcome Center will allow the camp to grow its programs, welcome
larger groups, and host multiple smaller groups at the same time. In addition to serving
as the front door of the camp for retreat guests, the Welcome Center will provide a
designated spot for day campers to be dropped off and picked up. In addition to the new
Lodge and Welcome Center, Gilmont plans to build additional onsite staff housing and
make renovations to make the camp more accessible, welcoming, and sustainable.
These projects would not be possible without the generous support from donors,
churches, and foundations. The campaign began with a $1.5 million commitment from
Ronald “Ronnie” Spradlin, III, the Mayor of Kilgore, who has deep connections with
Gilmont as a summer staff alumni, a former board member, and a long-time supporter of
the camp. This commitment was matched by Grace Presbytery, the regional body of the
Presbyterian Church (USA), serving North and East Texas. Along with these lead gifts,
dozens of individuals, several churches, and a few foundations have already committed
over $5.1 million in commitments toward a goal of $8 million. The Mabee Foundation
has issued a challenge grant. If Gilmont can receive $6.4 million in commitments, the
Mabee Foundation will give $1.6 million.
For more information about Gilmont’s programs or rental facilities, please visit
www.gilmont.org, call the office at 903-797-6400, or email Jennifer Rigoulot at
jennifer@gilmont.org. If you would like more information about the capital campaign,
please contact Kenny Rigoulot at kenny@gilmont.org.