Staff & Alumni

Jon and Gretchen Smeltzer,
Alea and Laurel: A graduate of Baylor University in 1998, Jon and his brother Eric Smeltzer started Camp Living Stones that same year. Jon worked at several camps in years prior to CLS, but now maintains the position of Director.

Jon and Gretchen met at CLS, married, and now have two beautiful daughters. Alea loves digging for 'wormies' with her daddy. Laurel enjoys eating, sleeping, and laughing at Wrangler.

Jon's dream is to drive the CLS bus across the country.

"Maw and Paw" Smeltzer: Richard "Pop" Smeltzer is Jon's father and the husband of "Mama."  Pop fills a wide variety of functions at CLS from trashman to Chairman of the board of Directors.  His main job now, however, is assistant cook.  In his spare time (when Mama lets him off) he makes walking sticks for the Camp store. 

"Mama" S is Jon's Mom.  She has worked with youth for about forty years and loves the Lord.  She has taught High School English, worked as an interim Youth Minister, and been a mom.  Now, she is chief cook and bottle washer at Camp. 

Ken Barkley: I was born and raised in Nashville, TN.  I graduated from Belmont College in 1981 and married my childhood sweetheart in 1982.  We have 4 wonderful children: Magen, Mary, Katlin and Grant.  We have also been blessed with 3 fantastic grandchildren.  My work history includes manufacturing, home building and remodeling, and being a house parent at a group home for children.  Leslie is a dental hygienist and works in Cleveland.  Our hobbies are horseback riding and camping.  We love spending time with family and playing games.

Bo Dunkle: Well my journey with Christ has landed me back here at CLS. For those of you who do not know me or the way my journey started… I grew up in Etowah, TN. Upon leaving Etowah, I attended Cumberland University on a football scholarship. After this God sent me back to school were I taught & coached in three different high schools for five years. God then lead me out of the school system into leadership at Candies Creek Church. I served as student pastor there for almost five years, when God stirred in me an old dream & something new. Yep, Camp Living Stones!

My desire in life is to make disciples who live to make disciples. I have strived to do that in every stage of my journey. 1 Thessalonians 2:8 says, “Having thus a fond affection for you we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you have become so very dear to us.” This verse was instilled in my heart & mind as a counselor here at CLS while in college. So coming back to CLS, I hope to continue to love people by offering them the gospel and my life. I look forward to meeting and investing my time & energy into friends of camp as well as every person (student, adult, and pastors) that will come to camp for any reason.

I have been blessed by God in that Jesus Christ has invaded my life & I have experienced His grace & entered into His  new covenant with Him. He has also extended grace to me by way of giving me a beautiful wife to love like Christ loved the church. Michele and I have three beautiful daughters: Gabbi Anne (7), Libbi Reese (3), & Phoebi Kate (1). After Christ, my family is my life and my joy and my primary focus of discipleship.

Erin Seide: Erin lives right down the road in Cleveland, Tennessee. She just finished her third semester of nursing school at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The Lord recently revealed to Erin why He has placed her in nursing school. Her heart and her dream is to spiritually and physically heal the victims of human trafficking in the name of our incredible Savior, Jesus Christ. Until He makes that vision a reality Erin is back for round two as a summer counselor! She loved it so much the first year it seems CLS couldn't get rid of her even if they tried! She is so ready to put down the books and proudly sport some tie-dye, bandanas, and Chacos all day, every day. Some of Erin’s favorite things include cherry limeades, hammocking, games of extreme spoons, chats with the women of CLS, hugs from the many small children of Jon, Bo, and Ken, playing ridiculous, harmless planks on her friends, and spending hours upon hours discussing the Word with her amazing Bible study group.

Alden Utz: Alden is from the great state of Texas, where he was born and raised. He is a business major at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas (the oldest town in Texas). Alden likes to spend his time playing the guitar, hunting, fishing and anything that has to do with the outdoors. Believe it or not, Alden loves sporting fancy clothes and especially bow ties. He hopes his dream job in business has him in a suit and tie each day in an office overlooking the city of Austin.  Alden is excited to see how much awesome stuff GOD is going to do this summer!

Taylor Montemayor: Taylor comes from the beautiful state of Texas where she was born and raised.  She just finished her first year of college as an elementary education major.  Taylor dreams of one day serving in Uganda as a missionary, and teaching children all about Jesus.  Until then, she is overjoyed to be returning to CLS, her home away from home. This will be her fifth summer being involved with CLS in one way or another and is excited about spending her first summer on staff as a counselor!!  She enjoys making new friends, serving in church, swimming, eating lots of ice cream, having heart to hearts, hammocking, teaching her preschoolers, taking road trips, and spending time in God’s beautiful creation. She is ecstatic to serve with such an awesome staff, and see God at work in mighty ways this summer!

Jacob Stockner: My name is Jacob Stockner.  I was born in Virginia and have lived there all my life.  I am currently 19 and study at Messiah College in Grantham, Pennsylvania.  My favorite activities are anything sporty and outside.  I was introduced to CLS by my church pastor's wife and I am looking forward to an incredible, fun filled, enlightening summer.

Hunter Roe: Hunter is an 18 year old Pell City, Alabama, native currently enrolled at Troy University in Troy, Alabama. He is majoring in history education where he hopes to further his education at a Baptist theological seminary. Hunter likes to play all kinds of sports, especially baseball! Also, he likes to play guitar and his favorite thing to do is travel (even if it’s to the local food store in town!) In his free time, he likes to read, sleep, play Xbox, play paintball, downhill snow ski, hang out with his momma, and eat a lot of Honey Nut cheerios. Hunter cannot wait for his first year on staff this summer to see what our awesome God has in store for the campers’ lives, as well as his own!

Megan Fridell: Megan Fridell is from a tiny town in good ‘ol East Texas called Zavalla.  She is in love with the beautiful state of Tennessee, but even more with a place that has blessed her life in mighty ways, CAMP LIVING STONES, BUT most of all, she is in love with the One who made those mountains and put Camp Living Stones all together in His plan, her amazing Father in Heaven.  Megan is so so thankful that He has blessed her with the opportunity to serve at CLS this summer!  She loves working with youth, meeting new people, sharing what God has taught her, letters, encouraging others, hugs, one-on-one time, reading the Bible, adventures, and sunsets! Her favorite place in the whole wide world is Buck Bald!  God has also given her a heart for foreign missions and led her to be involved in an awesome mission program beginning this fall!  She is very EXCITEDLY counting down the days until she is at CLS and cannot wait to see all the awesome things that God is going to do this summer!

Marissa Morris: Marissa was born in the country of Panama and lived all over the United States until her dad retired from the U.S. Army.  She now lives in Cleveland, TN and loves serving the Lord anyway she can.  She is a recent graduate from nursing school and is very excited to see what the plans the Lord has for her.  She loves to laugh, go to drive in movies, sit on the front porch during a summer storm, enjoy God’s beautiful creation, and is always ready to play a game of Euchre.  She is very excited to be returning to CLS for her second summer and she is looking forward to seeing how God will move in a great way!  

Callie Limburg: Callie (the one right smack in the middle) is originally from Knoxville, TN but moved to Cleveland, TN when she was 5. Callie is a graduate of Bradley Central High School, Focus on the Family Institute and University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.  She is an avid sports fan and loves watching any Tennessee Vols games and yes, even the Chicago Cubs. Callie enjoys playing golf and volleyball in her free time. She has an awesome family that she loves to spend time with, especially on the golf course. Really, anything outdoors is good with her.  The Lord is doing some crazy awesome things in her life right now and is using her Bible study group to challenge her daily.  Feel free to ask her about either or both anytime! Most of all, Callie is pumped about being on staff as the “office lady” at CLS and looks forward to seeing God mold, change and heal lives all for the glory of HIS great name!

Jeslyn Hawkins: Jeslyn comes from her native land of good ole Pell City, Alabama, where she was born and raised.  She recently took a semester “off” of school but plans on going back this fall. Moving onto more important things, Jeslyn is super pumped about camp! God started transforming her life there and she absolutely cannot wait to see how God will move within the campers, staff, and everyone involved. Jeslyn doesn’t really have any long term goals other than to go wherever Jesus may call her. In the mean time, she enjoys throwing a Frisbee, laughing constantly, making sarcastic comments, watching sunsets, taking hilarious pictures, being around amazing friends, hammocking, singing super loud, long car rides and watching Harry Potter. Come at me, bro.

Justin Evans: Justin is from the great state of Alabama and is a recent graduate of Auburn University, War Eagle! After earning his degree, Justin plans on going to medical school. He first fell in love with Camp Living Stones in the Fall of 2002 as a camper. After many summers as a camper, Justin served as a counselor in the Summer of 2009 with Camp Living Stones legend Michael Marquette (WPS). Since working at CLS in the summer of ’09, Justin has spent a summer in Kenya, ran a triathlon, eaten sushi for the first time, performed a tracheotomy on a rabbit, and has gone skydiving. When Justin isn’t on Starr Mountain winning volleyball games, he enjoys Braves baseball games, waterskiing, coffee, ultimate frisbee, reading, and seafood. Justin can’t wait for another summer spent at Camp Living Stones seeing old friends, making new ones, and witnessing what the LORD is going to do in the lives of everyone that visits CLS.

Brandon Carder: Hey guys! My name is Brandon Carder and just wanted to say how excited I am to work at CLS. As a man saved by Christ nothing makes me feel more complete then when I am serving Him. The joy of knowing Jesus Christ as a friend, a guide, and personal savior goes unmatched by anything else by a long shot and I look forward to help leading and guiding others to know Him in the same way that I do. We were made for Him so let us totally live for Him! I grew up in McMinn county TN and after I graduated I enlisted into the Army as a medic for 4 years. Once I moved back from Germany I enrolled at UTC as a Nutrition/Dietetics major and am due to finish my Bachelors in the Spring of 2013. I look forward to entering seminary after graduation and getting involved in missions. God has delivered me through so much, from trials to wars, and has cleansed me from a life of sin. He has always been faithful to me so I will live the remainder of my life being faithful to Him. No matter where you are at in your life know that God has a special plan just for you and that Jesus saves!