AMF missionaries John and Ruth Larson had a dream. They started with just a few committed couples who stepped out in faith to forge a new ministry. Starting in back yards throughout southern MN, children heard the Gospel Message. Camping was one of several ministries of the home mission organization, The American Sunday School Union (renamed The American Missionary Fellowship (AMF) in 1974, renamed InFaith in 2011). (Learn more about InFaith). When Camp Victory started, the registration fee for the entire week was just seventy-five cents! Over the course of the next 27 years God tremendously blessed this outreach. Thousands of young people attended Camp Victory and hundreds received Jesus as their personal Savior!

AMF missionaries Jim and Jan Barnhart replaced John and Ruth upon their retirement. Along with running vacation Bible schools in rural Southeastern Minnesota, the camp ministry continued to flourish. As more volunteers were added and the word spread, Camp Victory grew larger and larger. Hundreds more found Christ and were mentored through the camp programs.

Leaving Lake Crystal in 1978, Camp Victory found a home in Zumbro Falls and began leasing Woodland Camp. With the support of Woodland and their love for Christian camping, Camp Victory grew as a summer only ministry under Jim & Jan’s leadership adding more summer weeks, hundreds of more children and staff and changing more lives for Jesus. From 2000 – 2005 the camp was forced to find new locations to operate its Summer Camp program. They found summer locations in Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

After so much moving, the leadership at Camp Victory decided it was time to put down permanent roots and found a 200 acre farm in Zumbro Falls along the Zumbro River. Jeff Urban joined Jim and Jan full time after working several summers in leadership. He began as a program director and later a full-time AMF missionary. In 2003, Jeff Urban became the Executive Director of Camp Victory and with many volunteers began the process of transforming the newly purchased 200 acre farm into a summer camp and retreat center. The first camps on the new property were “wilderness camps”. Campers stayed in 16 x 24 canvas tents mounted on platforms. During these five years, Jeff also coordinated traditional summer camp experiences in several locations.

In 2002, the camp began construction of Phase I with the help of hundreds of volunteers and $4,000,000 in donations, pledges, and credit. Hundreds of hours were put into planning and development. Volunteers like Gary Hayden, Vic Scott, Ron Anderly and many others spent hundreds of hours coordinating with the Wabasha County, the Zumbro Township and designed a 40 year master plan. The camp started construction with six cabins and a “half” a dining hall. Office space was created in the existing farm house and staff and volunteers worked tirelessly to prepare the new facility.

In 2006, construction crews finished the building of the six summer cabins and dining hall. The amphitheatre, challenge ropes course, paintball course, and archery, riflery ranges and many other activity areas were completed just prior to opening the new summer camp program. David Nelson was hired as the Executive Director in January of 2006 who began the process of growing the summer camp at our new facilities and starting the church weekend retreat program.

A year after opening in Zumbro Falls, Camp Victory became accredited by the ACA (American Camping Association) and served over 3000 people between summer camp and weekend retreat guests. The “Hilltop Fort” staff cabins and several new activities were added. This was also the first year of the Day Camp program and fundraisers such as the annual Zumbro River Canoe Race which is now the Zumbro River Community Festival and the annual Golf Tournament which started in 2006. At this point, Phase I of the building process was complete.

After completing Phase I, Camp Victory began Phase II. The project included the completion of the camp office and the Hilltop Fort. Both of these buildings were job trailers, donated by the Mayo Clinic. Many volunteers like Lowell Erickson and Ken Cook helped set the buildings in place, remodel them and prepare them for use.

Phase II was completed in a year. In addition to completing the offices and the Hilltop Fort, The camp finished moving the Survival Camp tent platforms and began work on the maintenance shop, and new Ridgeline building. The maintenance shop was truly a blessing providing a location to work on many camp projects under roof and store equipment and supplies. Ridgeline was built as a storm shelter adding a second location from the dining hall basement which are both FIMA approved facilities.

The Zumbro River flooded in the fall of 2010. This 300 year flood was devastating to the camp destroying a majority of the activity areas, flooding the lower level of the dining hall and destroying the directors home. The flood was a difficult experience for camp but was also a tremendous blessing from God. Over 400 volunteers came out to support and rebuild the camp within the first four weeks of the flood. Hundreds of people donated to rebuild the camp and since then people have remained steadfast supporters of the ministry. 2010 was also the year the Fox cabin was completed. Fox is a small family cabin that provides facilities for married couples and interns during the year.

In 2011 and 2012, Camp Victory raised $625,000 to build Timber Lodge. The lodge became a favorite of our retreat groups. Its versatile layout sleeps 72 people in six rooms or cabins. This allows groups of male and females to sleep in the same building yet separated from each other. The meeting space can seat up to 100 people and has a sound system, AV and a small kitchenette. Due to the completion of Timber Lodge, the camp’s retreat rentals (August – May) tripled in size due to its popularity and our enlarged occupancy rate. 400 more campers attended camp compared to 2011. In addition to our lodge being built this year, the camp also completed the gazebo. Funds for the Gazebo were donated in memory of Lowell & Joe Erickson’s parents and was built by all volunteers. It has become a favorite place for small group Bible studies, outdoor meetings and potluck meals.

Our retreat season (August – May) tripled in size compared to the previous years and we served 400 more campers compared to 2011 and 2012.

Camp Victory’s summer camp program continued to grow reaching 1600 summer campers and an increased demand for weekend retreats. Building the Dream Phase III began with the dream for a second lodge, recreation hall and dining space to seat 325 people. Construction began in 2017 and with the help of people like Gary Hayden and Craig Swanson, Camp Victory was able to complete Bluff Lodge and the recreation hall in 2018. The dining hall addition was completed in 2019. These new structures catapulted the camp into the next growth phase.

Recognizing that debt was strangling the camp financially, preventing growth and preventing future programs, the camp board worked diligently to reduce debt and pay back $2.3 million in debt over the next four years.    In December of 2024 the camp celebrated becoming debt free.  The excitement opened new doors and opportunities.