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1983-1984 1985 1986-1987 1988 1989-1990

1983 Mike Birkner resigned as A program, under the leader- 1986 Mrs. Bell signed a portion of Wa-Floy over to CBM Mrs. Bell signed the quit 1989 First service
national deputation secretary ship of Reba Miller in south- 1986 CBM‘s name was changed from Children‘s Bible claim deed at the dedication awards were given
after serving 17 years. western Pennsylvania placed Mission to CBM Ministries service of Chapel in the CBM Bible programs
January 1984 Jerry Traister be- under the um- 1986 Sam and Carrie Brooks joined CBM Woods in public schools
came the general director of brella of CBM 1986 Wayne Knauss joined the National Board Ed and Irene Burkart joined were banned by
the national staff; served
CBM. CBM celebrates 1987 Lawsuits filed in TN five years National Board
its 50th Anniver- 1987 Wendy Bain joined national office staff
All local CBM divisions were to sary at Camp Cathy Garber joined the 1990 Traisters re-
establish local committees. Gilead 1987 Montana Wilderness School of Bible reopened at signed after serving
national staff; served three
C Bar N Camp in Augusta, Montana
years, then moved to Florida
23 years
Mike Birkner ―Uncle Mike‖ Joy-el aerial shot Lakeland office moved to Wa-Floy 1987 The ―Chapel in the Woods‖ Dedicated on April 30, 1988 National Office was moved from
Florida to Gatlinburg in 1987 under
the leadership of Jerry Traister

The Moving of the Traisters
and the National Office

After many meetings and discussions with Mrs. Bell and the National Board,
eaving Camp Joy-El was no small emotional task! As national director we felt it best for us to move onto the property in the spring of ‘86, for one year,
the Board gave me permission for us to locate wherever we felt we to see if the relationship would work. We packed our belongings and moved
L could best serve CBM. We first set up a satellite office in Greencastle, into the office apartment with our two elementary daughters, Jelena and Janell,
Pennsylvania at Foremost Industries for a few months until our tasks were fi- and once again set up a satellite office for National. Marie served as Mrs. Bell‘s
nalized and our daughters were finished with their school year. As early as assistant, which included, but was not limited to: receiving guests, overseeing
1982 there was talk of moving the National Office to Tennessee or North Caro- the housekeepers, keeping up the retreat laundry, plus office work for Mrs. Bell.
lina, to help equalize the distance from CBM divisions to the National Office. This required working 8 a.m. to whenever all guests were in for seven days a
Tennessee, at that time, needed an area director, and the National Office was week during the summer. I spent most of my time at Ta-Pa-Win-Go or visiting
covered in Florida very efficiently by Gary and Nancy Hall. Therefore we the other areas.
bought a house in Elizabethton, Tennessee and opened a satellite office in our The decision was then made that the National Office would be moved from
home for National. During our time in Elizabethton, Marie was hospitalized Florida to Wa-Floy. The Lord provided a total of $50,000 and 50 volunteers,
with Lupus symptoms which took a year to get her on the road to recovery. from as far away as the state of Washington through, MAPPERS and
In looking for a place to have our annual national conference we found a pos- SOWERS, to help us complete a large chapel and remodel a 24 X 68‘ modular-
sible permanent place to house the National Office. I wanted a place where we type building to house the National Office. Both of these properties were
could have candidate school, directors conference, and expose CBM to the signed over to CBM by Mrs. Bell. The office space was completed first and in
Christian public. We met Mrs. Floy Bell, the owner of a 70-acre mountain re- the summer of 1987 the office was officially moved. Then on April 30, 1988 the
treat called Wa-Floy Mountain Village near Gatlinburg. It contained 25 build- chapel and prayer garden were dedicated. Mrs. Bell signed a quit claim deed
ings, a swimming pool, tennis courts and a beautiful lake. She was looking for giving CBM an additional 10 acres at her death or before. It was our desire to
someone to carry on her ministry of hospitality when she was no longer able. remain at Wa-Floy and develop it even further for God‘s glory.
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