Mission Statement
Our mission and doctrinal statements explain who we are, why we exist, and the values that guide everything we do at Haven on the Rock. It’s the heart of our camp and the foundation for everything we strive to achieve. Learn more by reading the statements by clicking the link below.
MEET THE LEADERSHIP STAFF
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR &
DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
Karisa & Zach Bennett
Zach originally met Adventures in Christian Kamping (later Haven on the Rock) when he worked together with them at another camp in Wyoming called Lone Tree. After Zach and Karisa were married in 2009, they continued to work with Adventures in Christian Kamping, and in 2010 they became the Activity Staff Directors for
the summer staff.
In the spring of 2012, they stepped into full-time camp ministry with Adventures in Christian Kamping at Rim Rock. Camp has always been special for both Zach and Karisa, and they bring a lot of experience to the table. As a youth Karisa attended and worked for another summer camp and is able to bring that experience – and her degree from Grace University in Intercultural studies – to this ministry of which they are an integral part. Zach has had a number of years of experience as a ranch hand and a construction worker, as well as working for another camp.
In January 2020 Karisa became the Executive Director, she is excited about her new role and to continue to be apart of all God is doing through Haven on the Rock. They are excited to have the opportunity to help create a special and safe place for youth to find their true identity in Christ while teaching them what it means to be His follower. They are also grateful that their children Daniel, Hope, David and James get to see first hand what it is like to be part of a Christian community and to see lives transformed
week after week.
STAFFING
COORDINATOR
Julie Christensen
Growing up, Julie never missed a year at summer camp, attending various camps throughout the years. Once she was old enough to work at them herself, she followed some friends out to Wyoming to volunteer at Haven on the Rock, and she’s worked at Haven every summer since 2014.
She accepted the Staffing Coordinator position in 2021 and has loved serving these past years. Each summer brings new people and new ways to grow. Mostly, she's loved watching staff grow into solid leaders and stronger christians.
In the off-season, Julie works as a Sign Language Interpreter at a school in Omaha, Nebraska. She's a leader in her small group at church and has loved finding other ways to serve at her church and in her community.
PROGRAMMING
COORDINATOR
Nate McCoy
Nate first walked through the gates of camp when he was eleven years old as a camper at Rim Rock before it merged with ACK to make Haven On The Rock. Since then, he has been a regular here at camp both as a camper and as summer staff. He continued to be part of camp until he and Danielle married in 2016 and moved to Wisconsin.
Then, in the summer of 2023, Nate and Danielle moved back to Wyoming with their family to attend Frontier School of The Bible. Nate served at camp for a few weeks that summer and decided to commit his 2024 summer to Haven as well.
It was during his service in 2024 that Nate was approached about becoming the new Program Coordinator. Nate happily accepted the position. Now, Nate, Danielle, Trinity, Maverick, and Sawyer look forward to being part of the Haven On The Rock family. Nate is excited to serve Christ in this new position for as many years as the Lord has him here.
MEET THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
PRESIDENT
Kate Holloway
Kate Holloway is the President on the Board. She decided to join the board because she knows how important the behind the scenes things are to making camp happen, and she loves that she's able to help with that. Haven on the Rock has always been one of her favorite places to ever be. From camper, to counselor, camp nurse, director, running crafts, and other jobs, she has had a lot of roles at camp over the last 21 years. She is often amazed at how many life changing moments have happened for her at Haven. God moves in people's lives every day, but there's something about camp that makes His voice feel clearer and His love feel louder.
VICE PRESIDENT
Martha Karavitis
Martha Karavitis is the Vice President on the board. When Martha isn't serving on the board, she works as a librarian.Martha first went to the camp that would become Haven on the Rock in the summer of 1983. She's been going to this camp every summer since (except the summer of '95 when she was overseas being a missionary with Child Evangelism Fellowship). Camp is where she first decided to follow Jesus, and has been an important part of her life. Martha joined the board during the transition year, when Adventures in Christian Kamping and Rim Rock merged to form Haven on the Rock. During that year is when they formed the board, deciding it was important to combine stakeholders from both ministries. Martha joined to help nurture the camp she loved as it grew and expanded into the camp it is today.
SECRETARY-TREASURER
Susan Karavitis
Susan Karavitis has been involved in Christian camping since 1982. It began with an overwhelming feeling of gratitude to God for her family upbringing.When she moved to Wyoming in 1981, she was aware that many children were growing up without the blessing of knowing God or even familiar with Bible stories that had helped her as a child. She discovered that the children she was teaching at Sunday school were much more likely to invite their friends camping than to come with them to church. She knew her own children needed to experience God’s truth more than one hour, once a week. Her church asked her to direct a Junior Camp and she wanted to give back to God, so she did and she is still doing that.She is currently on the Board of Trustees and co-directing Casper Primary Camp and the third/fourth grade weeks of camp with her daughter, Martha.Twenty six of those 40 years of camping she also was the Medical Staff Director at Wyoming Medical Center. Her husband and Susan are retired and have a dog, cat, chickens and a garden.
BOARD MEMBER
Dan Spahr
Dan is originally from Ft. Collins, CO. He attended at least five different campgrounds in Colorado in the summers during his school years, some more than once. A commitment to follow Jesus was made at camp.
He is more recently from Washington State where he moved to alone just out of high school. His work history includes farming, the Post Office, mechanics, trucking, and finally nursing in many settings. He discovered school nursing just before covid was released. Along the way Dan and his wife Kim (48 years in March 2024) raised three children, who all follow Jesus. Seven of nine grandchildren live in northern Colorado. When the Washington State schools got nutty about covid vaccines, Dan retired and moved to Torrington to be closer to the grandkids. This was January, 2022.
Dan visited HOTR before the camping season in 2022. He was very moved by the deeply and dearly held feelings and emotions that returned to him. He started serving as camp nurse for some of the camps in 2022 and joined the board in fall 2023.
BOARD MEMBER
Russell Motsch
Russell has been a part of camp for as long as he can remember. Coming with family before he was old enough to be a camper, he has grown up loving and caring about camp. First as a part of ACK at Lone Tree and now as a part of Haven, Russell wants to do his part to make the experience great for others at camp.
Russell directs the high school camp where he works to help young people find truth and purpose through their walk with Christ. Although his background was in worship leadership, he loves leading teams and overseeing the execution of high school week.
Russell graduated from Highlands College with an associate's degree in Christian Ministry with a focus on worship leadership as well as the University of Alabama with a bachelor's degree in Business Administration. He works as the Executive Director and Operating Partner of Chick-fil-A Greystone in Birmingham, Alabama. He loves the mountains, music, movies, TV shows, and the Alabama Crimson Tide!
Russell wishes to see camp continue to flourish, and grow young people just like camp has always done since he was a small child. He hopes to continue to support the vision and make camp an even better place for those to come.
BOARD MEMBER
Pastor RJ Hesketh
Husband, Father, Apologist, and Teaching Elder.
Rj was called to the Wyoming area in 2023, that summer he spoke at Haven and immediately fell in love with the campgrounds and the vision of haven. He believes that one of the greatest investments we can make is in the faith of our next generation(s) {Proverbs 22:6} and that the camp setting provided at Haven is a great environment for doing just that. He looks forward to serving the camp, the community, and the Lord with his efforts as a member of this board.
