Camp Centurion Update & Open House Announcement (August 2026)
Our Journey & Mission
It was 2017, over nine years ago, when three military veterans met at a restaurant for breakfast and for the purpose of discussing the plight of homeless veterans. All three, Mike Cloy, Mike Meeks, and Bud Strope, were involved in various aspects of meeting the needs of veterans, and all agreed that one of the primary needs was housing. For if a veteran has no home, it becomes more difficult to meet his other needs. The result of that meeting was a vision to create a home where veterans could live with other veterans in a secure environment while resolving issues that might have kept them from fully reentering civilian life.
On February 29th, 2020, a group of 30 volunteers, ranging in age from teenagers to octogenarians, came together for a cooperative event known as Demo Day. We demolished the interior of the home that is now Camp Centurion to prepare it for complete renovation and to bring it up to county building code requirements.
On Saturday, March 25th, 2023, we had our grand opening, and we’ve housed 35 vets in our 8-bed facility since then. This couldn’t have happened without donors, veterans’ organizations, volunteers, and corporate sponsors working diligently to achieve the goal, and there were also times when I was discouraged and went to the Lord in prayer, and He always answered.
Since then, Camp Centurion has formed a relationship with Veterans Treatment Court to house veterans going through court-mandated treatment programs.
Leadership Updates
In late 2025, as we lost some key personnel, we were once again faced with unforeseen problems. I was asked to return and resume the position of President. Laura Hamilton has filled the Treasurer’s position, and after a diligent search, we hired our new Director, Will Johnson.
Welcome Our New Director: Will Johnson
Will is a U.S. Army veteran who served from 2005 to 2015, including a deployment to Iraq. He is also a Certified Veteran Peer Support Specialist and the father of four children. Please stop by and meet Will during our Fall open house (Oct. 24, 2026).
Event Announcement: Fall Open House
We’re excited to announce that Camp Centurion will be hosting an Open House! It’s been a little while since we’ve posted, and we’re looking forward to reconnecting with our community.
Whether you’ve supported Camp Centurion for years or are just learning about our mission, we’d love to have you join us.
- Date: Saturday, October 24, 2026
- Time: 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
- Location: 2126 Bess Town Rd., Bessemer City, NC 28016
What to Expect:
- Food and refreshments
- Meet and greet with our new Director, Will Johnson
- Tours of Camp Centurion
- Learn about our mission to serve veterans and how you can get involved
This is a great opportunity to meet our team, ask questions, and see firsthand how Camp Centurion is making a difference in the lives of veterans in our community.
Support Camp Centurion
Please visit www.CampCenturion.org and give generously. Thank you.
Contact & Organization Information
Bud Strope
President, Chairman of the Board & Chaplain — Camp Centurion, Inc.
Pastor of Veterans Ministry — Journey Fellowship, Lake Wylie, SC
Author: W is for Warrior
Cell: (704) 451-2682
Facebook: Ivan Strope
Camp Centurion, Inc.
A North Carolina, tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) corporation
Mailing Address: PO Box 1008, Bessemer City, NC 28016