OUR STORY
Frontier Camp has 50 years of camping success rooted in making disciples of Jesus by sharing God’s Word in His creation. Established in 1969, we are licensed as a youth camp by the Texas Department of State Health Services. In addition, Frontier Camp is accredited by the American Camping Association and is a member of the Christian Camping and Conference Association.
Using Christian camping and outdoor recreation as a platform, we exist to assist the local church in fulfilling the Great Commission through the evangelizing of all ages and discipling believers toward greater maturity in Christ. Frontier Camp has a twofold ministry. For 10 weeks of the summer, we offer a camping program for youth. Throughout the rest of the year, we are a retreat facility for churches and other religious organizations of similar beliefs. In both cases, we want to facilitate exposing people to Christ and encourage their growth toward spiritual maturity through the Word and by reflecting His character in our actions. We offer top quality recreation and exciting programming for our campers, but the most important aspect of camp is the spiritual one based on the inerrant Word of God.
OUR LEADERSHIP
Executive Director
HANS MEINARDUS
Frontier Camp looked very different when Hans Meinardus first set foot on the property back in 1974. He came as a camper that summer, and later served summers as a Counselor and then as Program Director. After serving in the Corps of Cadets and graduating from Texas A&M with undergraduate and graduate degrees in Geology, Hans spent 14 years working in the field of hydrogeology before God called him to his real job as Summer Camp Director here at FC in 2004. Now in the role of Executive Director, he oversees FC’s ministry and its development. He still gets to work with play with rocks and fossils as he teaches campers about God’s creation. Hans’s wife, Autumn, serves in many different capacities here at camp. They live right behind the rodeo arena and have three adult children and six grandchildren.
Registrar
SHELBY HOPPE
Shelby started at Frontier Camp as Registrar in November 2025. She heard about camp from a friend at church in Granbury, Tx. Worked in retail prior to moving out to Grapeland. She enjoys spending time serving in Awana at her local church and enjoys learning her job. She looks forward to growing in Christ and getting to knowing the community.
Ruben was first introduced to Frontier Camp when he worked as a counselor on summer staff in 2019. He quickly grew to love the camp's heart for God’s Word and the gospel and returned each summer through 2022. Ruben graduated from the University of North Texas in 2023 with a degree in marketing. In September 2024, he married his high school sweetheart, Avery, and joined year-round staff as Assistant Staff Director the following month. Avery works at a nearby daycare, and together they are excited to serve the Frontier Camp community, grow in their faith, and share the love of Christ with others.
Staff Director
RUBEN PAYNE
Food Service Director
CAM REEVES
Food Service Director
GAVIN RICHMAN
Assistant Director
MATT HENDERSON
Recharge
LIZ HENDERSON
Matt first came to camp in ‘01 as a Senior Counselor, and Liz grew up as an FC camper before joining the summer staff as a teenager. But between the two of them, they have done just about every job at camp over the years! Matt, who has a Bachelor of Science from Tarleton State, is the Assistant Director. Known for his love of watersports, Matt also directs our aquatics program—ask him about our cable lake! Liz, who has a Bachelor’s degree from Baylor, heads up the Recharge program, a mail-based outreach program for campers, in addition to being a full-time mom. Matt and Liz make their home across the road from camp with their five children, Emily, Brandon, Sarah, Owen, and Jack.
Program Director
GARRETT LONG
Garrett attended camp as a camper for many years before working on summer staff in 2016. He returned as a staffer every summer since then, and he has served in many different roles at camp. He began attending the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in 2019 where he met his wife, Lily, and graduated with a degree in Finance. Garrett joined full time staff as the Hospitality Coordinator in January 2022 and then started as the Program Director in October 2023. Lily works at a local hospital as a Registered Nurse.
Health Care Admin
LILY LONG
Hospitality Coordinator
CIERRA ESPINOZA
Cierra first heard about camp after winning a camper scholarship from the local AWANA program. She was a camper for six years and later joined the staff. In her seven years as a staffer, she also became involved in retreats. Over the years, she has done just about every job here! Cierra graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science in Recreation, Park, and Tourism Sciences and a minor in Educational Psychology, WHOOP! She has just started a Master of Theological Studies and a certificate in the Biblical Counseling program through Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Over the years, Cierra felt her love for camping ministry grow as the Lord kept leading her back to Frontier Camp. Cierra is now serving as a hospitality coordinator, where she can work every day for the Lord while pursuing her passion for working with people in God's creation! When not at camp, she loves spending time with her two dogs, with her family and friends, serving at church, being in the outdoors, and at any Aggie game/function.
Bonnie joined the full time staff as the Registrar and Office Manager in March 2002. She and her husband, James, had just moved to Grapeland from the Fort Worth area, where she had spent 20 years in the banking industry. For more than two decades now, Bonnie has kept camp running as she handles the bookkeeping and business administration for camp, oversees camper registrations, and keeps the rest of us on track. James recently went to be with the Lord, and we all miss his support and friendship to this ministry. Bonnie still lives close to camp on Houston County Lake. They have four grown children and eleven grandchildren.
BONNIE PATTERSON
Business Administration
Karsten first came to camp as a camper in 2014, and that first week as a camper started a long and joyous journey with Frontier Camp. After 5 years as a camper, Karsten joined the summer staff program in 2018, serving in various capacities. In late 2021, Karsten moved out to camp to become an on-site retreat host and housekeeper. In 2022, he joined our Resident Staff program, and in 2023, he took up the mantle of Assistant Program Director.
Ana first came to hear about Frontier Camp when a lady from a short term missions group told her about it, while she was living in Africa as a missionary kid. She worked for 4 summers starting in 2018. After summer 2021, she started working remotely for the Staff Hiring Team. Ana started on Full-Time staff in April of 2022 and is excited to be the Assistant Staff Director.
Karsten and Ana met at camp when they were both on summer staff. They got married April 2024. Karsten and Ana love camp ministry and are excited to be here at Frontier Camp.
Assistant Program Director
KARSTEN WOOD
Assistant Staff Director, Content Creator and Store Manager
ANA WOOD
Hospitality Director
BEN HELMER
Ben started out as a camper at Frontier Camp and came for many summers before joining summer staff in 2014. He and his wife, Ginny, met on summer staff in 2015 and served together in 2016 before marrying in 2017. Ben and Ginny have worked full time at two other Texas camps and returned to Frontier Camp in February of 2022. Ben now serves as our Hospitality Director. They have three kids together, Micah, Thomas, and Charlotte. When not at camp, you can find them enjoying the outdoors with their two dogs, or playing board games.
Food Service Director
MISTY R