NEWS

The Grove by the River gives new life to campground

Anna Jeffries
Reporter
  • Licking/Knox Goodwill Industries has made improvements to The Grove by the River.
  • The property is the former site of the Owens Corning campground.
  • The playground and campsites are open to the public.

NEWARK – When Timothy Young first drove by the former Owens Corning campground at 840 Hollander St., he noticed a for sale sign.

He also saw a campground with lots of potential.

It’s been nine months since the president and CEO of Licking/Knox Goodwill Industries Inc. announced that Goodwill purchased the campground and would be renaming it The Grove by the River.

Numerous improvements have been made to the property that will benefit both the clients in Goodwill’s programs and the larger community, Young said.

“It’s coming along much faster than I expected,” he said.

Used by Owens Corning since the 1970s, the property was originally used for corporate retreats and special events. It was especially popular among the company’s retirees.

When Goodwill purchased the campground, the organization wanted to stay true to the area’s history, said Lisa Baker, director of communications.

“(Former employees) come here and get really emotional,” Baker said. “They all thrilled by what we’ve done to the property.”

The campground’s banquet facility has been spruced up with a new coat of paint, decorations and new furniture, Baker said. A large wooden deck is being added that will include comfortable outdoor seating.

The venue, which seats between 175 and 200 people, has already hosted several weddings, as well as parties and baby showers.

Several community organizations, such as Kiwanis, Relay for Life of Licking County and United Way, have already made reservations to use the space.

“One thing we enjoy is having other nonprofits benefit from our facility,” Young said.

The campground’s playground got a fresh coat of paint and is now open to the public from 8 a.m. to dusk every day.

“Lots of people like to come over and play,” Baker said. “Kids are crazy about this playground.”

The campground’s 42 campsites for tents and recreational vehicles opened to the public over Memorial Day weekend, and so far, they’ve had a steady number of campers, Baker said.

Goodwill also had a cabin built for campers to rent with bunk beds, a television, a coffee pot and Wi-Fi. If it’s popular, they will likely build more for campers to use, Baker said.

The campground’s picnic shelter and bathhouses have been cleaned and painted. Workers are putting the finishing touches on a river walk area, which can be rented for weddings and church services, and which offers a view of the Licking River, Young said.

Ultimately, Goodwill has a plan to add a fishing pond, a half-mile walking trail, an archery range and a horse barn so the program’s clients can enjoy recreational riding, Baker said.

Goodwill also has purchased several apartment units next to The Grove in coordination with the Licking County Coalition for Housing. When the current residents decide to move out, their units will be converted into transitional housing for Goodwill clients, Baker said.

Although the campground offers a variety of options for the public, it also is going to make a huge difference for some of Goodwill’s clients, Baker said.

“It’s an opportunity for us to give back to the community but it’s also a training center,” she said.

A nonprofit organization, Goodwill provides jobs, job training and support to people with physical and developmental disabilities and other barriers to employment, such as homelessness and lack of work experience.

Some of the clients work for the agency in retail stores, administrative jobs, automotive service and maintenance. Others use their job training programs to find work outside the organization.

The Grove provides an opportunity for clients to learn the skills they need to work in food service, landscaping, catering or laundry facilities, Baker said.

It also provides the opportunity for teens in the organization’s Summer Youth Program and GoodGuides program to get work experience while sometimes earning high school credit.

Jordan Johnson, a recent Newark High School graduate, has been helping out with landscaping through the Summer Youth Program.

He said he’s enjoyed learning about landscaping and caring for nature while also learning job skills, such as timeliness and professionalism, so he can move on to future employment.

“My goal is to become a zoologist and work with reptiles and amphibians,” he said. “This will help me.”

ajeffries@newarkadvcocate.com

740-328-8544

Twitter: @amsjeffries

Learn more

For more information about The Grove by the River at 840 Hollander St., call 740-345-9861 or go to goodwillnewark.com.