John Millane, MD (Trapper MD)

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR | 2020 - present

Trapper John Millane keeps our Lodge and Compound in spiffy shape with his keen sight for details and organization. His smile and welcome is contagious while he is busy keeping us all in perfect placement for the next upcoming adventure. Opening Camp Interiors each season has been one of his callings which is a huge task from the winter. Trapper loves the outdoors and is an avid California mountain hiker, summiting many of the peeks near Mammoth Mountain near his hide-a-way retreat in Bishop. Outdoor living and his medical profession juncture in his unique calling from God to care for persons passionately in all mind, body and soul. Trapper finds great joy on the deck of a boat on the Cook Inlet or wading the Kenai River while “flossing” for red salmon to his pleasure and delight. Doc Millane also is on the board of Horizon Pregnancy Center in Huntington Beach, CA involved in assisting with medical advice and support to the unborn. Guatemala is one of his favorite Missions Callings where he and his wife of 40+ years started an orphanage for the “aged out” youth needing a safe home. Something we feel he is a man given two hearts, as one is just not larger enough to offer the kind of Life Change he has given to so many on planet earth with his God given generosity and passion. John and his wife Sharon have recently begun work starting a new Vocational Training Center in Roatán, Honduras and spend several weeks each year blessing those in great need of an education to earn a living. We are blessed to enjoy this man and his boundless energy and quick wit, PLUS having a Medical Doctor around the wilds of Fishcamp is a beautiful thing!

Pastor Steve & Tina Schneider

DIRECTOR + FOOD SERVICE

Pastor Steve and his lovely wife Tina come as a team and manage teams of guests on missions trips from their home church in Georgia. Steve brings his loving gentle care, concern and love for Jesus into every encounter he has with those whom God places before him. His tender yet strong leadership and draws everyone to enjoy his love and passion for the out doors and Gods land of Alaska. Steve thrives in nature and his love of life become ecstatic and contagious when around his passions to build, to hunt/fish, to enjoy deep talks on deck about ones life, to seek adventure and spend quiet time with his wife in special moments by the river laughing and loving this landscape. Tina steps into the Food Service role feeding the staff and crew with help from others present at camp. She thrives on excitement and hard work, in service to her Lord Jesus Christ. Abounding energy and open ear for a story or tale is Tinas mantra. The kitchen comes to life when she takes command of the pots and pans and a deck full of hungry guests and hard working men on a mission. Her skilled vocation of a business woman owning a “seamstress and drapery” business found its way quickly into the renewal of all the Lodge and Cabin window treatments, which where such a beautiful enhancement and donation. Together, the Schneider’s make a wonderful team at the Fishcamp and offer themselves sacrificially to all our staff and guests as a constant pleasure and solid sound board for every life concern and question with sound Godly advise as a Fishcamp Pastor & beautiful helpmeet wife.

Grandma Knepper

LODGE HOSTESS

Grandma, to all is the love and face everyone comes to endear as the “Lodge Hostess with the mostess.” Every guests wish to take her home with them and deeply respect her love for Jesus that overflows into every guests life. If there is a party, birthday, anniversary, Big Fish caught, graduation or most any other occasion, she is behind the moment that makes all feel so much loved and welcomed, even if a complete stranger. Everyone, staff and guests enjoy her cozy warm bedrooms she manages to make each person feel like an elite guest of the camp. Flannel sheets and mint on the pillow top for a warm welcome and gracious note. Behind each guests Fishcamp Arrival, Grandma adds you to “her birthday card list” and they receive a hand written postcard from her letting them know they are special to God and to us at Fishcamp. Early in the morning, right after her Bible Study, she anxiously heads to the refer to pick up a pan of fresh seafood that needs processed and packaged. She is the master of the machine and makes the product look magnificent. Grandma also cannot let an opportunity go by without sharing her love for Gods word the bible and pasting a scripture passage inside every Lunch Box the staff prepares for our guests, staff and boat captains/mates. The matriarch of the camp and prayer warrior for everyone within her presence that touches her life. This too is Adamae’s calling from God and she will continue to touch lives into eternity for Jesus.

James Ledbetter

LODGE ENGINEER | 2000 - present

James is the gentleman behind the scenes that is solely responsible for our entire Lodge, Cabin, Bunkhaus, Cottage and grounds look amazing for our guests each season. He has been called by God to Open the camp in May and Close the camp faithfully every September for over 15 years. Now that is a calling! We all love to see, feel and enjoy his hard work as he applies a complete protective sealing coat of Log oil to the Cabin or the Lodge every year. The trim paint and decks receive the same love annually. James has made the Fishcamp his life calling and enjoys the awesome responsibility to provide his very best as unto the Lord each season.

Colonel Ed & Desi Goosen

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR | 2016- present

Ed & Desi are a lovey team that join us annualy at camp in the later weeks of July and early August. Ed first came to Fishcamp with his sons and grandsons “wanting a Christian Alaska Fishing Adventure” for part of his legacy as a father and grandfather in Gods Country in 2016, and has been back every year as a volunteer assisting in Food Service, Maintaince, Wrangler duties and aside his bride in housekeeping. We are always excited when the Goosen Team roll into camp with Fresh Energy and eager to serve in any capacity, doing most anything needed and always up for a good deck bible study chat with our staff and guests. Desi is the perfect hostess making guests feel warm and welcomed with her sweet smile and warm glow of a willing servant eager to make everyone feel well cared for and comfy. Early morning, you may see Ed scooting to the Kenai River to fish for salmon before anyone is up, then back in a jiffy, cleaning the fish, processing and packaging them for the freezer he keeps in perfect order and our fish looking better than any packet you will find in the USA or maybe the world. The Goosen Team share the love of Jesus in their lives and the stories of a military life amaze us and hearing harrowing helicopter life lines that make Ed the man he is and still seeking adventure in any and all weather. If the boat is headed out to sea, and there is an empty seat, Ed is on board making a dandy hand and wielding a fillet knife at the cutting table following that trip. They make their pilgrimage from St. Louis, MO and Clearwater, FL each season.

Shane Supalla (Big Country)

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR | 2012 - present

Shane, Big Country or Head Wrangler keeps our volunteer wranglers and staff trained and prepared to give our guests the best experience one can ever have on their “once in a lifetime experience” at Fishcamp. Shane can be found wondering around the camp, fully prepared to manage each and every encounter that takes place on a daily, moment by moment basis. He understands what each guest has come to experience and adds those little “often unseen” treasures into the behind the scenes excursions that make the day even more special for our guests. His happy place is at the fish cutting table welding a fillet knife and a sink full of Fresh Alaska Seafood needing to be prepared for that evenings meal or to be processed. Wrench’s, knives, broken parts, gear and tackle, handyman projects all land on his responsibility platter, which he and his staff enjoy and accomplish with smiles and gratitude. Seldom is a day passes when Shane is idle from early morning to being the last one up and securing the compound for a safe nights sleep and the group departing often before sunrise with his “double-check” list in his mind. He finds great joy in training the many volunteers “the ways of the camp” in the most gentleman’s way and brings his fun attitude of excitement to even the most enduring tasks. Shane owns his position and taking a beautiful wife in 2018, she also plans to join Shane at his side serving at the camp, possibly for a life time.

Naomi Sakata

LODGE CHEF | 2018 - present

Naomi, a retired teacher brings her wonderful spirit of joy, laughter and happiness to every meal & table she prepares. The joy of cooking and creating beams through her in conjunction with her life and love for serving Jesus and others with every dish she prepares. Her humility and quiet nature often gets overlooked, as she is always busy, early at breakfast until the last pan is scrubbed clean after dinner. The long days seem to energize her and the staff are all warmed by her cheerful, happy life style she carries around camp, from housekeeping, cleaning, cooking, prepping, shopping, organizing and general helping everyone with most any task, anytime. She is most happy when cutting on her Lodge Kitchen Countertop, looking out the window at the wildlife and flowing river, while making some wonderful new recipe she has discovered. She even brings up to camp in her luggage specialty items not available in Alaska to create her fun new side dishes for staff and guests to enjoy. Our camp has never been so clean, so organized, so well run, so blessed as the day Naomi said a resounding “Yes Lord, I will go serve at Fishcamp, but this is so far outside of my comfort zone, but you know best.” Naomi runs the Food and Beverage program along with other staff and has found her sweet spot serving, puzzling, entertaining and pushing out her boundaries to new exciting opportunities that are always coming in play at Fishcamp.

Colonel John Schumacher (The Col.)

CAMP CHAPLAIN | 1996 - 2022

The Colonel is a what Fishcamp is all about. The man, the legend, the Alaska essence of Godly manhood in the flesh. There has not been any person that has effected life change at the camp more that John Schumacher sharing his life as a retired military Chaplin that The Col. His stories, his missions, his lovely wife, his love for the outdoors and passion for hunting and fishing entice everyone sitting around him at a campfire sharing life threatening events and real life war stories of heroism and Gods grace on the battlefield. John received his calling to Fishcamp in 1995 and helped build the camp into what it still offers today-Adventure, Hope, Life Change, Salvation, Friendship and Manhood. When guests arrive, with a warm hand shake, one leaves camp with a strong embrace from The Col and a new dimension to their lives from the love of Jesus that flows out of him. He is a mans man indeed! Gifted in not only speaking around a camp fire but cooking, cleaning, fishing and running a camp is the package God sent to us decades ago. Leaving a legacy and eternal impact in lives is The Col’s calling and we are a blessed ministry at Fishcamp hanging out, side by side with this leader of the truth guiding him and us gleaning along his able side. John would say “it’s his beautiful wife Martha” that has allowed him to come bless others as she is the wind under his wings that allows him to soar and preach about his outdoor love of life and his savior Jesus. On Wednesday‘s at camp, The Col would remind the campers: “Guys, call your wife today, tell her you miss her like crazy.” as we all got so caught up in our Wild adventures. The Col, a forever fixture and servant in the camps history and woven into the tapestry of who we are and will ever be on the Holy Ground in the village of Ninilchik, Alaska.