Hello my name is William Church. I went to Chippewa Ranch from 1961-until it closed. My reason for starting this web page is the overwhelming response from other campers to contact and find out what's going on in other campers lives. The main reason it was setup was to honor the Pennington family. All of the work that they did, and the true love for children, and family. It was one of those times in ones life that one finally figures it out, that we were blessed, that this camp was truly one of the seven wonders of the world. The camp seamed to have a life of it's own waking up in the spring and shutting down in the fall. As kids we just assumed that it would go on forever. But not understanding the workings of life as kids, hearing that the camp was closing, I was sure that I had just lost my best friend.  As we grow older and sometimes wiser, we start to figure out that life isn't just a summer camp that we go to enjoy ourselves. That it was a place that we went to grow up.  To learn important lessons about life, even though we thought it was just fun.  The cold hard facts that yes this place also must grow old, and it finally deserves a rest.  So yes the camp is gone, but we and the memories are not.  The internet is sometimes used as a wonderful tool, and my goal is that this is one of these times.  The many campers that are visiting this site are proof that Chippewa Ranch is a word that will never go away.

I live in Midland, MI and own a small computer store. I have three children, one boy, Billy  27 yrs of age who is a Deputy Sheriff in Charlevoix, MI. My two daughters, Sara age 3 and Kelsey 7 are making me work again having retired from various life experiences.  I have worn allot of different hats in my life, and have allot of good and bad experiences. I was a farmer, airplane pilot, scuba instructor, charter boat captain, welder in Dow Chemical, Deputy Sheriff in Midland County, Undercover Narcotics Officer working for the State Police. Again good and bad experiences come with what ever you do in life. I love to explore life's challenges and make things work. My family comes first, although I'm sure if you ask them some days I'm really busy trying to help people, and pay the mortgage.

The Family Values that my parents, and the Pennington's instilled in me have assisted me in the way that I treat others, and always expect other to treat me.  It doesn't always happen that way, but a smile and a helping hand go a long way.

My wife Penny is a wonderful woman, with a ton of patience. She is allot younger than I am but has figured out that if you decide to become someone, or try a new career, that all you have to do is believe in ones-self and put one foot in front of the other.  She is a teacher, as was my first wife, but has come to find that taking photo's is something that she loves to do.

As for me I'm still getting older, and fat, and bald.... but my love for the water and scuba diving, and boating, and fishing, and flying, and..... you name it. Enjoy the web page and send your ideas and pictures so that we can all share the joy.

Kelsey, Penny, Sara

William, Billy

  The Slammer

Scotland 7/7/2005

Kelsey, Sara, Penny

Easter 2006

Penny, Murphy, Jack, Sara,Kelsey

Fall 2006

 Penny, William, Billy

Kelsey, Sara