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Zion Christian Retreat opens new RV camping area

T-L Photo/SHELLEY HANSON/ DIGNITARIES participating in the Zion Christian Retreat's ribbon cutting ceremony for its new RV camp are, front row, from left, Tim Porter, Wendy Anderson, Heather Stitt, Emily Shortall, Lori Smolira, Angelo Vincenzo, John Mattox and Mike McCormick. Back row, from left, are Jim Snyder, Pam McKim, Nina Dutton and Jamie Gay.

FLUSHING — Zion Christian Retreat & Nature Center held a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house Wednesday to celebrate the opening of its new camping area for recreational vehicles.

The 60 sites offer RV campers electric, water and sewage service, along with a picnic table and fire ring to use. The area is dotted with tall shade trees and is near one of the retreat’s 14 ponds available for catch-and-release fishing. Wireless internet access will be available soon.

Zion Director Lori Smolira said future plans include building a bath house. Having such a facility will allow other pop-up type campers to use the sites. For now, only RVs with their own toilets and showers can rent a spot.

Two of the site’s first customers were on hand for the event — Debbi and Jim Blodgett, who returned to the Flushing area to visit family and friends. The Blodgetts lived in Flushing for 37 years before moving to Oregon.

“This is a beautiful place,” Debbi Blodgett said. “We’re excited to be here for this.”

Smolira said Zion created the RV camping area because it wanted to offer a place where campers could be surrounded by nature. She said there are several RV camper sites in the region, but many are just on gravel lots without much else to look at or enjoy.

“We want people to feel like they’re out with nature,” she said. “We’re bringing them vitamin ‘N,’ which is nature.”

The retreat was created on land that was strip mined years ago. It features several ponds on 1,365 acres. In addition to the RV area, there are also modern and rustic cabins for rent. People also can visit and use amenities, such as a designated swimming pond with beach, for a daily entry fee.

The retreat also features a zipline, playground, nature trail and other picnic facilities. The main entrance to the retreat is at 334 E. High St. Zion officials had a new road built to lead into the grounds that is beside the main High Street office in the village.

Smolira said people don’t have to be Christian or of any particular religion to enjoy and use the facilities at Zion.

In addition to Smolira, participating in the ribbon cutting ceremony were Tim Porter, president of the St. Clairsville Area Chamber of Commerce; Wendy Anderson, director of the St. Clairsville Area Chamber of Commerce; Heather Stitt, Zion program coordinator; Emily Shortall, of Harvey Goodman Realtor; Angelo Vincenzo, mayor of Flushing; John Mattox, curator of the Underground Railroad Museum in Flushing; Mike McCormick, Zion advisory board member; Jim Snyder, Zion advisory board member; Pam McKim, St. Clairsville Area Chamber of Commerce board member; Nina Dutton, Zion board of directors member; and Jamie Gay, Zion advisory board member.

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