Meet the Director

  Rev. Kevin Veldhuisen, Presbytery of Florida Associate Executive Presbyter for Outdoor Ministry and Spiritual Development, serves as Dogwood Acres' full-time director.

Kevin was born and raised in rural Minnesota and attended Augusta College in Sioux Falls, SD for a degree in Music Education. After graduation, he was hired by Augustana College and spent six years there as an administrator in the Camps and Conferences Office and later in the College Relations Office. He also spent two of those years working part-time as the youth music director in a 5,000-member Lutheran church in Sioux Falls.

After 11 years total in South Dakota, he married his wife, Anne, and the couple moved to Dubuque, IA, where they both attended Dubuque Theological Seminary and graduated with Masters of Divinity degrees.

In 2009, as Dogwood Acres' interim summer director, Kevin fell in love with the camp, its ministry and the people within the Presbytery of Florida. In May 2010, he became its full-time director.

Kevin's journey toward Dogwood Acres' leadership is rooted in his own earlier experiences as a camper, when he developed his own personal faith. He continues to grow in his faith each day as he spends time with God outdoors. Kevin feels there is no greater place or experience in which one is able to discern his or her call to have a deeper walk with Christ than at a camp or retreat. "Jesus regularly left the crowds of people to be alone with God in the wilderness, and with Christ as our example, we are also called to leave our hectic everyday lives, to unplug ourselves from society and just 'be' with God in the wilderness."

When not occupied with the numerous responsibilities of Dogwood Acres' operation, Kevin's enjoys making furniture and hiking through God's beautiful creation. He's hoping to spend many wonderful years here in northwest Florida and encourages you to come out and enjoy this beautiful ministry setting as often as you please.