Camp Adventure has been an integral part of the Muncie Boys & Girls Club since 1939. The original camp was located on a leased tract of land southeast of Muncie and was developed as a summer camp for the Boys Club. In 1949 the owner of this land decided to not renew his lease and members of the Optimist Club then began a search of the Muncie area for a new campsite. They found a forty-one acre tract of land southwest of Muncie. They land was owned by George and Lois Piepho and they were glad to sell the land knowing it would be the home of the new Camp Adventure.
Club members took on many fundraising projects to come up with the necessary funds of $4,000 to purchase this campsite. After buying the property, they immediately leased it to the Boys Club on a long-term lease for $1.00 per year.
The Optimist, along with Boys Club staff and members, began to clear the property, half of which was covered with weeds and half with native woodland that had never been disturbed to allow the grounds to be used for camping. The wooded area was left undisturbed, and after three years of clearing work, the opened area wad developed into a dining hall and an area that would allow for camping. Through the cooperation of labor unions and local building supply houses, this building was finished in 1954.
In 1958 the Optimist and the Boys Club received a $12,400 bequest from the estate of late Edward Blue. They money was used to excavate a mosquito-ridden marsh to create a lake. The Optimist named this body of water “Lake Henry” in honor of Past President Henry Biber. The Optimist recognized the great need for a bathhouse and restroom building for campers to use and
A log cabin lodge was built in 1974 that would sleep forty campers and was created in three sections. A professional mason was hired to caulk the interior of the log walls, but all other labor was performed by members of the Muncie Noon Optimist Club.
Throughout the following years, the building had major improvements such as a new kitchen stove, stainless-steel sink, and an exhaust fan installed. It was only possible by the credit and donated labor and material that came from local businesses and residents. Camp Adventure had become a household name in the Muncie community, and everyone knew it was being used for a good cause- to help kids!