Camp ASCCA has accomplished so much over the past 50 years. It is a place where everyone belongs, memories are made, and love is shared every day. For some, that love goes beyond friendship. Camp ASCCA has a way of bringing people together, whether for a single week or for a lifetime. In our limited series, “Love, the ASCCA Way,” we share love stories that began at Camp ASCCA and continued long after the gates closed.
At Camp ASCCA, connections often form in the simplest moments, moments that may seem small at the time but grow into something life-changing. What starts as a week’s experience can become a story that lasts a lifetime. That was exactly the case for Blake and Ashley.
In 2015, two first-year staff members met during their very first summer working at Camp. What began as shared days, long weeks, and one unforgettable group assignment soon grew into something more. After spending a week together, Blake took a chance and asked Ashley out on a date. She was hesitant at first, but said yes. That simple moment turned into a lifelong love story.
Camp ASCCA was already deeply woven into Blake’s life. He grew up coming to Camp with his mom and sister, and his sister’s now-husband also worked here, making ASCCA a true family tradition in the McCoy household.
They returned summer after summer—2015, 2016, and 2017—and even beyond that. Blake continued working seasonally, and whenever possible, weekends were spent back at Camp, giving their time and hearts to the place that brought them together.
Blake proposed one Christmas weekend in the Camp ASCCA chapel. The entire camp seemed to know what was about to happen—everyone except her. She never imagined he would propose at Camp. While cleaning up for the weekend, Amber Cotney asked her to head to the chapel to take down some lights. Without hesitation, she went. Blake’s sister and one of their best friends walked with her, then suddenly stopped. Confused, she looked down the aisle of the chapel and saw Blake waiting for her. Both of their families were there, turning the moment into something incredibly meaningful—one she will never forget.
Today, they’re married with two beautiful boys. They tell their four-year-old about Camp ASCCA often and can’t wait for the day they bring him here to experience it for himself.
And their story isn’t the only one—this friend group of four women all met at Camp ASCCA, and three of them married the people they met here.
This is what we mean when we say Camp ASCCA is more than a place. It’s where connections are made, families are built, and love runs deep.
