Spring Canyon Staff

Dean Rizzo - Director
Sue Rizzo   - Bookkeeper

Dean was raised in the small country town of New Milford , PA for most of his childhood. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1984 with a BS degree in Aerospace Engineering. He was selected 1 st in Infantry Branch with an assignment to the 4-325 th Airborne Battalion Combat Team in Vicenza , Italy . Dean served in Italy 1985-86 after being honor graduate from both IOBC and Ranger School . He was awarded the Merrill 's Marauder Award at Ranger School . Dean met his beautiful wife while both were stationed in Italy .

Susie grew up in the Western Hemisphere ( Germany , Nebraska , Calif. , New York , Kansas , Wyoming ) with her family and Dad who served in the Army. Susie is the youngest daughter of Roy and Patty Hammond . She was saved in 8 th grade during a Billy Graham presentation. She graduated from Laramie H.S. in Wyoming and from Univ. of Wyoming with a BA degree in Organizational Communication. She earned an ROTC scholarship and was commissioned a 2LT in the Field Artillery at graduation in 1983. Sue served as a training battery XO in Ft. Sill before going to DLI to learn Italian. She went to Italy in 1986 to find a good looking Italian to marry. She found one.

Dean and Sue married in May 1986 at Lee Chapel, Virginia Military Institute. Sue left the service 2 months later to be a stay-at-home mom and joined Dean at Ft. Bragg , NC . Dean served with the 82d Airborne Division until 1989 as a platoon leader, company XO and battalion adjutant. Tricia is their oldest child and she was born in Fayetteville , NC during those years. Sue got Dean involved in attending a local OCF Bible Study and Dean was saved during his tour at Ft. Bragg . Another officer led him in the prayer of salvation during a night airborne operation and he would love to tell you the story.

Dean attended Armor Officer Advance Course and went to Germany for an overseas tour with 3d Infantry Division. Andy is the second child and was born at Ft. Knox , KY during the advance course. Dean served with the 1-15 th Inf. Bn. in Kitzingen and 2-15 th Inf. Bn. in Schweinfurt as a battalion staff officer and company commander. Beth is the 3d child and was born at Wurzburg Army Hospital while Dean was a company commander. Dean and Sue stayed active in OCF and attended the annual OCF USAEUR conferences with their family. Also, Dean attended a Rocky Mountain High in 1991 led by Don Snow . He still remembers Tom Hemingway teaching their RMH session about Phil. 3:10.

Dean and family returned to the U.S. in 1992 to attend graduate school at Penn State Univ. for a follow-on assignment at USMA. Catie is the 4 th child and was born during finals week while Dean was a graduate student. He earned an MS Degree in Aerospace Engineering and served in the Dept. of Civil and Mechanical Engineering during the 1994-95 school year. He led an OCF Bible Study for cadets while an instructor at West Point . Dean left the Army in 1995 and moved to Sidney , Ohio to work as an engineering manager. He worked for 7 years at Copeland Corp. leading three different engineering depts. as a business leader and engineer. Dean and Sue both stayed active in the local church serving as deacon, Sunday School teachers, music leader, youth group leaders, men's fellowship, women's Bible Study leader and other programs.

Dean and Sue are excited to be at Spring Canyon and continue to do God's work.

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Roxanna Simmons -Watchman Intercessor/Programs Manager

Roxanna has been involved with Spring Canyon since 1987 when she attended her first Rocky Moutain High as an instructor.  Her growing up years were spent on a working farm in Indiana.  Taking care of animals, raising horses and helping in the fields kept her busy and out of trouble.     

She volunteered at Spring Canyon on and off throughout her years in the Air Force. In 1996, she ran the Rocky Mountain High program during the summer.  She came on staff full time in February 2000.  Today she handles the programs for the family side of camp as well as working with the summer staff and being a fully qualified Spring Canyon utility infielder. Roxanna and her two cats, Elijah and Polly, live fulltime at the camp. 

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Angela Lundy - Office Manager

Angela has been a part of Spring Canyon since she met her husband, Aron Lundy, back in 1992.  Aron served here at camp during the Tom Hemingway years and both of them have a deep love for Spring Canyon .  Angela has been part of the Spring Canyon family since 1997, continuously serving since 2003.  She grew up in southern California and moved to Colorado with Focus on the Family in 1990.  She has been married to Aron since 1995 and has 2 children-Kate (1998) and Royal (2004).  Angela loves her family, serving here at Camp, shopping, going out to dinner, shopping and dreaming of a vacation home somewhere tropical.  Come visit the Canyon!

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Mike McKean- Outdoor Program Leader

Mike was raised in Hesperia, CA. After graduating from Hesperia High School he attended Azusa Pacific University and participated in the Army ROTC program at Claremont McKenna College. In May of 2003 he graduated with a B.A. in Computer Information Systems and received his commission into the U.S. Army. While at Azusa Pacific he met and fell in love with Kallie. They were married on May 24 th 2003.

After completing Signal Officer's Basic Course at Ft. Gordon, GA, Mike and Kallie moved to Ft. Bragg, NC. Mike's first assignment was as a platoon leader in the 112 th Special Operations Signal Battalion. In 2004 Mike and his platoon deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Upon returning from deployment Mike was transferred to 7 th Special Forces Group where he spent two and half years as Signal Detachment Commander and Battalion S-6.

In January of 2007 Mike and Kallie felt God's calling to leave active duty and pursue a career in Christian camping. Mike found the job posting for Spring Canyon online and knew immediately that it was what God had been preparing him for. In the summer of 2007 Mike left active duty and took over as the Outdoor Program Leader at Spring Canyon.

Also, in the summer of 2007 Mike and Kallie found out that they were pregnant. They are anxiously awaiting the birth of their son Jack, who is due on April 2 nd .

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Charlie Sturgis -- Facilities Manager

Hello, I am Charlie Sturgis. The Lord has truly blessed me and my family by bringing us to this place of service for Him. I retired from the US Air Force after 23 years, knowing the Lord had even greater things in store for my family by serving Him in full time Christian Ministry .

My wonderful wife, Beverly (married since 1980) is very happy about our work here at Spring Canyon . We have three children, two still at home, Anna (1991) Nathan (1992). Our oldest, Katie is married (to Brian Todd) living in Colorado Springs with their son, our wonderful (sometimes spoiled) grandson, James (2004).

My testimony is very simple. I became a child of God by accepting His grace as a teenager, and have been blessed by the Lord ever since. I have gone through tremendous difficulties, been tried, and tempted since those teen years, and found the Lord faithful and true. As the Psalmist tell us, "He will carry you through"!

As we trust the Lord through our move here, my family and I see Proverbs 3 verses 5&6 "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he will direct thy paths".

The Lord's pathway may not always be easy, but His end is sure beautiful! Seeing the opportunities here to reach others for our Lord, to serve as the Facilities Manager, relate to the military families, and take our witness to all who come here, or see us in the community, brings a smile to my heart each and every day.

Because of His grace and love

Serving our Lord

Charlie and the Sturgis Family

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