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conference camping program at Camp Luz in Wayne County.`'

Camp Ebenezer's importance lay in what it started by way of interest in a camp program for city children. Its importance also can be seen in that staff members of Camp Ebenezer later became active in missions in Negro communities in Cleveland, Ohio, and Saginaw, Michigan.

Camp Luz

The purchase and equipping of a camp for the Ohio Mennonite churches has as its forerunner the Young People's Institutes and the operation of Camp Ebenezer. It became clear that if such programs are to be operated by the church a definite location should be found for them. A search was made for a suitable site and finally grounds near Kidron, Ohio, were selected, purchased, and named Camp Luz. ~ Camp Luz is operated by the Ohio Mennonite Camp Association which was founded in 1953. For some years Ira Amstutz was president of the board of trustees. Don Steiner now occupies this post.

Camp Luz, as noted elsewhere, serves many groups but it has one main purpose, that of promoting Christian growth, especially among youth. In the past it tended to serve mostly youth between seventeen and twenty-two years of age. It now appeals also to the nine-to-sixteen-year-old age-group. There are boys' camps, girls' camps, junior high camps, and youth camps. The camp is available for overnight retreats and serves for family reunions. In 1964 a total of 459 campers enjoyed the facilities of Camp Luz.

Mutual Aid Organizations and Insurance

In the Ohio and Eastern Mennonite Conference there have been a number of mutual aid organizations which express the long tradition of concern which members have felt for each other's material welfare. One of these was known as the Amish Mutual Aid Plan." It was organized about 1857 by the Amish of the Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, area.

Previous to this organization the losses due to fire were made
up by freewill offerings. The method apparently was not always a
fair one, for losses were not evenly met in various cases. As a
result a company was formed with power to tax and assess. The
Millwood and Conestoga congregations were a part of this company.
In 1923 a reorganization took place and a new company known