It all began over 45 years ago when several Pioneer Girls Club Guides began talking about having a Cherith Camp for their clubbers to attend in the summer. In 1961 Michi-Indi Camp Cherith was formed for West Michigan and Indiana Pioneer Girls. Michi-Indi Camp Cherith was held at rental sites in Michigan and Indiana from 1961 to 1975.

Rental facilities did not really measure up to Pioneer Girls’ and CCCA standards and it was difficult to adapt the program to the various site properties and facilities. So the Michi-Indi Camp Cherith board began looking for property to purchase. In early 1971 a 343-acre piece of property 10 miles north of Cedar Spring with a 4200 ft. spring fed creek was found. On September 1, 1971 the deal closed on that property.

Then came three years of hard work; laying out roads, clearing the grounds, and clearing a site for a lake. There was a lot of excavation for the lake and an earthen dam was built. In May of 1975 the Waltman Lake was dedicated and Michi-Indi Camp Cherith officially became Brook Cherith Camp.

In the summer of 1976 camp met at Brook Cherith Camp for the first time using 5 tents as “cabins.” There was 1 washhouse and a pole barn, now the storage building served as “dining hall/lodge.” A trailer was moved along side of the pole barn to serve as the kitchen.

In the years that followed many improvements were made: 1977 five cabins were built, 1979 the Lodge/Dining Hall was added, 1980 two more cabins were built and we saw the retired debt on the land mortgage, 1983 two cabins and a small barn were given to the camp and the first Boys Camp was held, 1985 the Tuck Shop/Craft building was built, 1988 a winterized cabin was built overlooking the lake replacing the last tent unit, 1989 a modular home was moved to the front of the camp grounds and the first Camp Administrator was hired, 1992 saw an updated Infirmary mobile home in central camp, another bathroom close to cabins and a new dock and filter system.