To understand Dan Stuglik’s drive to save Crystal Spring Camp’s oldest standing structure, one must first know its history.

Built in 1890, the Stella Cooper Memorial Tabernacle was built at the center of the Dowagiac religious campgrounds, serving as the main structure for the revivalists who visited the grounds in the early part of the 20th century. The 80 foot tall structure itself stands as a tribute to its namesake, who was the daughter of the person responsible for funding the building, Sam Cooper. Stella passed away a few years before construction on the tabernacle began.

“Her father wanted to honor her through it, so I figure it’s my job to keep that memory going, as long as I’m here,” Stuglik, the director of the camp, said. “It’s such a beautiful building too, it would be a shame to see it deteriorate.”

Despite its impressive size, the tabernacle is in need of some crucial repairs if it’s going to make it another 100 plus years. Most notably, the roof’s decking is beginning to rot, which could lead to serious damage in the near future, Stuglik said.

“If we have another winter like we did last year, we could have holes in the roof by spring,” he said. “It’s a race against rot, in a way.”

In order to save the 124-year old structure, Stuglik and the rest of the camp staff is looking to raise $85,000 to pay for the necessary repairs. So far, they have raised $14,000 through donations, and are hoping to raise a little more with an upcoming “Saving Stella” fundraiser they will be hosting, on Nov. 22 at the St. Joseph Kicker’s Club in Berrien Springs.

The tabernacle serves an essential purpose for the camp outside of its historical significance. Not only does the 12,000-square-foot space provide room to host an entire group of campers in the event of in climate weather, but it’s also rented out on occasion for weddings and special church services.

“It’s a beautiful building,” Stuglik said. “It still has a lot of its original character. The original windows are still intact. The flooring has been replaced, but the original stage and pulpit are still in place.”

Due to its age and prominence, it’s one building for which former campers often have the strongest memories, Stuglik said. The director said he often receives visitors from all over the state, who visit the old tabernacle that stuck out in their memories of summer days spent at Crystal Springs.

His own fond childhood memories were the reason he took over stewardship of the United Methodist Church campgrounds two years ago. The camp, which was founded in 1860, originally served as grounds for revival ceremonies, drawing in between 8,000 to 10,000 visitors at its peak. In the 1930s, it transitioned into a youth camp; today, the camp hosts weekly camping programs for children, teenagers and college students throughout the summer, along with retreat sessions during the fall months.

With more than 34 buildings and a staff of nearly 100 people helping out throughout the year, the camp continues to see strong attendance for its weeklong programs. Even so, Stuglik said he continues to work to raise greater awareness of the over 150-year-old camp throughout the region.

“We’re the oldest campground in Michigan, yet there are lots of people who have never heard of us,” he said.

Through the next month’s dinner-dance fundraiser, Stuglik hopes to accomplish just that, to spread the word about the work that needs to be done to preserve one of Dowagiac’s oldest standing establishments.

“[The fundraiser] isn’t just to raise money, but to raise awareness,” he said. “Everyone who knows about the building agrees that something needs to be done.”

The event takes place from 5 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Admission is $50.