The 13-acre Marshall Baptist Retreat Center sits on the shores of Lake Guntersville, across from Lake Guntersville State Park — a near-perfect setting for such a facility.
On April 27, however, it was not such a good place to be, as an EF2 tornado roared through the state park and the retreat center, leaving extensive damage at both facilities. At the retreat center alone, the damage totaled nearly $500,000.
Amazingly the retreat center was able to clean up, do some repairs and reopen in time for the summer season, which began June 1.
Director Phil Robeson described the recovery as “an absolute God thing,” especially in light of the number of decisions made at the retreat center over the summer.
“We had a total of 48 decisions for campers who prayed to receive Christ this summer. We usually have between 25 and 30,” Robeson said. “That’s indicative of it being in God’s plan for us to open back up June 1.”
Marshall Baptist Association Director of Missions Randall Stoner said, “The souls that have already been saved since it opened back up makes it all worthwhile. People don’t always realize that it’s not just a retreat center; it’s a major ministry effort.”
The retreat center caters to a wide variety of church groups who reserve the facility for meetings and retreats, as well as Royal Ambassadors and Girls in Action training.
Robeson said the retreat center does no programming but instead provides the facility, cleaning staff and lifeguards and, after an orientation, “turns the groups loose” to their leaders.
Even though the tornado did not actually touch down at the retreat center, according to Robeson, the associated winds wreaked havoc on the campground.
Most of the damage was from downed trees, he said. The staff documented 150 trees down, with 78 on “property of some kind” — buildings, fences, boats, the playground and a truck. The office, a large pavilion, the playground and the pier were destroyed; all the canoes and paddleboats were flattened; and damage was done to the kitchen/dining hall and gym.
“It was a massive undertaking,” Stoner said of the restoration. “A contractor, Russell Pinion, brought in a lot of equipment and basically ran 24/7.”
According to Robeson, 1,200 tons of topsoil had to be hauled in to fill the gaping holes left when the trees were uprooted.
Many volunteers, both local and out of state, helped in the cleanup and rebuilding. In all, according to Robeson, more than 100 volunteers helped clear the property and make the needed repairs. Crews came from Lake Charles, La., and Memphis, Tenn.
Stoner added, “A church from New Orleans that we had helped [after Hurricane Katrina in 2005] loaded up and came up here to help us.”
Calling the retreat center “the crown jewel of the association,” he said, “It’s a blessing most associations don’t have. It’s an opportunity for people to fish, swim and picnic right on the lake, with no smoking, drinking or profanity. It’s safe and secure and you don’t have to worry about the outside world.”
Stoner said his association is looking forward, not backward. “[The retreat center] does look different. There is extra space where there were trees, but we’re building back better and improving some things. Anyone who came here for the first time would not know there had been a tornado.”
For more information, visit www.marshallbaptistretreat.com.
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