A Bridge Worth Carrying Forward 

If you've spent any time at River Valley Ranch, there's a good chance you've crossed the covered bridge. 

Maybe it was your first few minutes on campus—bags in hand, not quite sure what to expect. 

Maybe it was heading to the pool on a hot summer afternoon, or walking toward Adventure Camp with a mix of excitement and nerves. 

Maybe you paused in the middle for a photo—because almost everyone does. My family certainly has. Over the years, we've gathered on that bridge more times than I can count—capturing everything from candid moments to our official family portraits. 

There's something about that spot that draws you in. The way the light filters through the wooden slats. The sound of the Gunpowder River flowing beneath your feet. The sense that you're standing in a place where countless stories have begun. Every time I walk across that bridge, I'm reminded that this bridge isn't just a backdrop—it's part of RVR's story, just like it's part of yours. 

For more than 30 years, this bridge has quietly connected the north and south sides of RVR’s campus, stretching across the beautiful Gunpowder River and into the memories of generations of campers, families, and staff. 

But today, that bridge is at risk. 

Years of erosion from the river below have taken their toll. The structure beneath the bridge—out of sight for most of us—is deteriorating. Engineers have been clear: if we don't replace it soon, it will be lost. 

 

And losing it would mean far more than losing a structure. 

This bridge is the main connection to some of the most formative parts of RVR—the pool, Adventure Camp, and adventure elements. It keeps campers safely off the road. It carries them from arrival into challenge, growth, and discovery. In many ways, it marks the moment when camp really begins. 

Replacing the bridge will cost over $300,000—not because we're building something extravagant, but because building safely over a significant river like the Gunpowder today requires serious work. The new abutments must be dug deep below the riverbed, with the stream temporarily redirected, to ensure the bridge stands strong for decades to come. 

Over the years, this bridge has weathered more than most of us realize. It has stood through countless storms and floods, quietly doing what it was built to do—serving campers, protecting them, and carrying them safely into moments that mattered. Time and erosion have simply done what time and water always do. And now, after decades of faithful service, it's time to build the next bridge. 

Here's the part that feels especially "RVR" to me... 

While the foundation work requires specialized construction, the bridge itself will be built by someone many of you know well: Mike Czaja, alongside his sons, Jedrek and Slade. Mike has spent decades building and caring for River Valley Ranch.

If you've stayed in a cabin, crossed a walkway, or noticed the craftsmanship around camp, there's a good chance Mike had a hand in it. There's something fitting about this bridge—so central to who we are—being built by a family that has helped shape RVR for generations, using almost all of the wood harvested right here at RVR. 

And there's one more part of this story that we love. 

You are invited to be part of making this bridge possible, and everyone who gives toward the project will be entered to receive a special limited-edition print of the bridge, created just for this effort by Miles Taylor—a gifted artist and a dear friend of RVR. 

Miles is an incredibly talented painter and photographer who happens to have cerebral palsy. If you know Miles, you know his joy, grit, and quiet determination. If you don't, his life and work reflect a deep belief that challenges don't define us—and that strength and beauty often emerge from the very places others might overlook. 

What makes this even more meaningful is that the frame for this special print will be handcrafted by Mike using wood from the original bridge. 

Think about that for a moment. 

Wood that once carried generations of campers will now frame a painting of the original bridge—a way of honoring the memories it holds—created by an artist who embodies perseverance, and built by a craftsman who has devoted much of his life to this place. Old and new. Art and labor. Memory and hope. 

Covered bridges were originally designed to offer protection—to help people cross safely when water and uncertainty lay beneath them. At RVR, we see that kind of crossing every day: young people stepping forward before they feel fully ready, discovering courage by moving through it. 

This bridge has helped carry tens of thousands of campers into moments that mattered. Now we have the opportunity, and responsibility, to carry it forward for the next generation. 

• If you've ever crossed that bridge… 
• If you've ever paused there for a photo with people you love… 
• If RVR has played a role in your story… 
• If you care about creating safe, meaningful, faith-shaping experiences for young people… 

I invite you to be part of building what comes next. 

Together, we can make sure this bridge continues to stand—not just as a way across the river, but as a symbol of connection, protection, and the life-changing work that happens here every day.