In 1962 Irene Mills, a long-time telephone operator who had noticed the rising cost of renting a camp facility, gave Child Evangelism of Western New York Inc, (CEWNY) a gift of 16 shares of AT&T stock to make the down payment on the property that was the beginning of Good News Camp. For several years Irene would spend her summers at camp helping as a counselor or in their fellowship center, she also sponsored more than 1,000 children from the inner-city of Buffalo to attend camp. Formally called "Fiction Farms," the 80 acres was purchased from the family of author Fran Striker, whose works included The Lone Ranger and The Green Hornet. His family had used the property as a summer home.

 

With the help of generous gifts like hers, the camp's land increased to over 300 acres. For 45 years, CEWNY spent about seven weeks each summer reaching elementary students with the Word of God. In 2008 the leadership of CEWNY prayerfully sought a way to serve local churches in addition to teaching young people for the Lord.

 

As they pursued God's will for the camp, a partnership was formed in 2015 with Family of Camps, a group of camps with the goals of reaching young people for the Lord Jesus Christ, strengthening families and serving local churches. The ministry changed its name to Longview Ministries, adopted 2 Corinthians 4:18 as its theme verse, and decided to build the camp with an Adirondack theme.

 

 

While we look not at the things which are seen,

but at the things which are not seen:

for the things which are seen are temporal;

but the things which are not seen are eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:18