Faith is at the center of every story Nolan and Virginia Spaulding tell about the past 50 years of owning and managing Spaulding Lake Campground in Niles.

The couple, which has been married 66 years, said the their favorite part about owning the 21-acre campsite and recreation park has been seeing the many ways the Lord has had a hand in their lives.

“It encourages our faith and increases our love for the Lord,” said Virginia, 84.

“We live for the Lord and use any money that comes to us as he directs it,” said Nolan, 83.

God even played a role in the Spauldings buying the property, which is located on Bell Road just west of U.S. Highway 12 in Niles Township. After finding the property, the Spauldings said they sought guidance from the Lord on whether or not they should purchase it. Nolan said he had an “unusual vision of a campground” in a dream soon after.

“We never even owned a tent before,” he said.

Based off that vision, the Spauldings bought the property and over the years turned it into the campground that it is today. It has 120 sites, three spring fed lakes, a trout stream and many other features.

Virginia said they have a wide variety of visitors from the two-day campers, to recreational vehicle enthusiasts staying in town for a sporting event to construction workers who are in the area for a big job.

The Spauldings live in a home near the entrance to the campground. They close the campground each winter in order to do missionary work in the south, primarily in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

The Spauldings said the mission trips might not have been possible if they had not started the campground. Virginia said they have made 47 trips over the past 50 years to the best of her recollection.

“We have had many blessings,” she said.

The Spauldings said recent health issues have made it more difficult for them to manage the campground. They said they would consider selling it — and have tried before — but only if they could find the right offer and another place to live.

For more information, call the campground at (269) 684-1393 or visit the website spauldinglake.com.