What's been happening at Clearwater Forest?

The Clearwater Forest Board of Directors has been busy working through a visioning process and has completed a Balanced Scorecard activity which will help us focus our efforts to grow and remain vital in the lives of all who attend.  We are excited to be partnering with new organizations and exploring how we can increase our camper and retreat guests while keeping our amazing activities and spiritual focus at the main center of all we do.

Additionally, the board will be reviewing plans at their December meeting which may renovate our dining hall and possibly add a third, year-round retreat center in the future. The dining hall renovation may upgrade our existing kitchen with new hood/exhaust, new walk-in freezer/fridge, cabinetry/shelving, and a laundry facility for linen services; create a fun and identifiable entrance/welcome space; add accessible bathrooms; an office suite/conference room; and renovate our current dining room with improved lighting and flooring.  We Possible lake side view of dining hallwere fortunate to have already replaced the septic and the majority of the windows with high efficiency windows that is already showing huge energy savings.  We have already received over $240,000 for this project through three major gifts.  The board will be looking at a capital campaign plan that will also includes an endowment component. Stay tuned in early 2018 for updates on this project.

Our program enhancements/facility upgrades have been profound this year.  Through generous designated gifts and work projects, we have been able to add a hammock circle, complete the Soli Deo Gloria Worship Space, replace nine of our 1970’s aluminum canoes, add a bouldering wall, add a new paddleboard to our fleet, renovation of Loon Point Shelter House, and most recently will be upgrading the furniture in Leaning Tree and Eagle living/dining rooms.

We are grateful for the continued support of our ministry through prayer, sending campers and retreat guests, congregational and individual gifts, and the partnership with our Presbyteries and Synod.

Support our ministry

There are several fun and easy ways to support Clearwater Forest's ministry in the next few weeks.

Clearwater Forest has joined #GivingTuesday, a global day of giving that harnesses the collective power of individuals, communities and organizations to encourage philanthropy and to celebrate generosity worldwide. Changing Lives in God's Woods and Waters is our main focus for all we do.  Occurring this year on November 28, #GivingTuesday is held annually on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving (in the US) and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday to kick off the holiday giving season and inspire people to collaborate in improving their local communities and to give back in impactful ways to the charities and causes they support.

We invite you to give thanks for all the life-changing events that happen at Clearwater Forest - both in the past with your own or someone you know experiences, and those to come in the future. We had a phenomenal year with just under 400 youth participating in our on-site programming, 14 camp in a van programs and over 3,500 retreat guests using our facilities for a variety of gatherings.

Click here to support our ministry now through November 28th to help us reach our $24,000 goal.  We have pledges and gifts already totaling $15,000.  You can make a one time gift, or you can give monthly gifts, or you can make an honor/memorial gift as well to support our ministry.

Amazon Smile! Yes, Christmas time is coming and no doubt people will be shopping online,especially around Thanksgiving with the Cyber Monday sales.  If you go to smile.amazon.com and search for Presbyterian Clearwater Forest, we will receive 1.5% of your total purchase!


Send a direct gift to Clearwater Forest by mail.  Our address is 16595 Crooked Lake Road, Deerwood, MN 56444.

If you have a Thrivent Financial Account, you can elect Clearwater Forest to receive a $250.00 Action Grant to support our projects every six months!

Do you know you can make a bigger gift to Clearwater Forest while reducing your tax bill?

Donate your appreciated securities to Clearwater Forest, we receive the full value of the stock; you get a tax deduction for that same value; and you avoid tax on the capital gain.

If you (or your spouse) are over 70 1/2, you can authorize your IRA custodian to make a Qualified Charitable Distribution to Clearwater Forest and can count towards your Required Minimum Distribution (and it’s tax free!)

Join Clearwater Forest's Eagle Society - a group of dedicated people who have included Clearwater Forest in their estate plans.  For additional information, click here.

For more information, visit www.clearwaterforest.org or call us at 218-678-2325.

Thank you in advance for your support of our life-changing ministry!


2018 Calendar set and there is something for everyone!

Snow Camp—January 19-21

The ever popular time for campers (Junior High and Senior High) to explore Clearwater Forest in deep winter—enjoy amazing worship, snowshoeing, broom ball and a lot more including lots of hot chocolate!

College Age Retreat—February 9-11

This new event is sponsored with a generous grant from the Synod of  Lakes and Prairies and Ukirk of St. Cloud to bring college-aged students for a weekend retreat to learn how to live and share their faith on a daily basis.  We are partnering with www.Peerministry.org to help lead this event.  More information is coming soon!

Women’s Winter Chrysalis –February 22-25

The ever popular Women’s winter retreat will bring women from a wide range of backgrounds together to share, learn, relax and grow in a wonderful community. Registration will begin in early December.

Summer Schedule

June 9  Friends and Neighbors Day

Family/30/50 Mile Bike Ride

Orienteering Race

Open House/staff commissioning

June 24-30   Specialty Conference Week

Some of the conference/focus activities may include: Fishing, Photography, Watercolor, Pottery, Lifeguard Training, Hunter Education, Mountain Biking, Nature Focus, Orienteering, Survivor, Woodworking, Service Camp, & more!
Grands 1

July 8-14  Environmental Focus

First Timer (July 8-11)

Elementary / Discovery 1 (Eco Camp)

Jr. High Adventure (Eco Camp)

Jr. High Sailing

Senior High 1 (Service week)

Sr. High Sailing

Grands 2 (July 8-11)

July 15-21  Water Week

Elementary/Discovery 2

Jr. High Adventure 2

Beach Camp

Sr. High S.A.L.T. (July 15-July 25)

Grands 3 (July 15-18)

July 22-28  Classic Week

Elementary/Discovery 3

Jr. High Adventure 3

Sr. High 3

Day Camp at Clearwater Forest

Grands 4 (July 22-25)

July 29-Aug 4  Endless

Elementary/Discovery 4

Jr. High Adventure 4

Sr. High Endless

Aug 5-11  Creative Family Arts Camp
Jr. High Adventure BWCA Trip

Aug 16-19  Chrysalis

Promotional materials will be distributed shortly after Christmas and registration will begin in January.


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