Okutama Bible Chalet History

1959 Japan Conference of FEGC decides to buy land in Okutama area.

1960 Land purchased in February. First building started in July. Summer camps began on August 10; High School Boys Camp, High School Girls Camp, and Adult Camp.

1962 Carl McMahan replaced J. Siebert as Director.     Tom Tazumi assigned as Assistant Director while involved in evangelism in the Ome area.

1966 Tom Tazumi becomes Camp Director.

1976 Japan Conference conducts a thorough study of camp ministry. Decision is made to develop year round facilities for up to 100 people.

1977 Mr & Mrs Kawakami join staff as caretakers. Bob McKemey joins staff as Camp Manager. David Rupp becomes Director supervising full time staff though not involved in day to day operations.

1978 Yokichi Suzuki replaces David Rupp as Director, though like David Rupp is not involved in the day to day operations. A long range development plan is adopted by the Japan Conference, and fund raising begins.

1979 Construction begins in November of first stage of development, a dormitory building (Mitake House) with office, washrooms and ofuro. 1980 In April Bob McKemey is appointed as Camp Director. The dorm building is finished in time for summer camps.

1981 Kitchen is renovated to meet Fire Department standards.

1983 OBC is officially registered with the Health Office and Fire Department. Old Quonset dorms no longer meet Health Office standards. Decision is made to begin construction on new dorm complex (Sawai House) as soon as possible.

1984 Foundation for new dorm is laid in May, and building is ready for use for summer camps, but not finished.

1985 Sawai House dorm complex is completed. It includes dorm rooms, washrooms, office, meeting/recreation room, lounge and gift shop. Kawakamis resign from the staff. Because of new facilities the year round use of camp increases greatly.

1986 Johnny Siebert returns as Acting Director for two years during Bob McKemey s extended study in the U.S. Steve and Belva Rae Kotlarczyk join the full time staff as Directors of Maintenance and Food Service.

1990 The Dining Hall is enlarged and remolded.

1994 Ground breaking for the new chapel is held in February. Construction begins in October.

1995 Peter Blank joins the full time staff as Director
of Operations.

1996 The new chapel is dedicated in April OBC

name is changed to Okutama Bible Chalet.

1997 Pastor Tsunoda assumes responsibility of OBC

Board Chairman.

1998 Makoto Sasaki joins the full time staff working in Food Service. Janet DeVita arrives in Japan to serve on staff for two years. She helps in Maintenance and Food Service.

1999 In December a fire destroys much of the new

chapel.

2000 Chapel is rebuilt in time for summer camps. Yasushi Okura is added to the staff in April working as Program Staff. Peter Blank replaces Bob McKemey as OBC Director in July.