Our Story

The History of Our Businesses

Kerry and Michelle were newlyweds when they moved onto the farm of Kerry's childhood in 1990. Over time, their passion for both landscaping and kids’ ministry led them to turn farmland into a paradise for kids. They hosted frequent kids’ events, and friends and family began asking if they could get married on the land as well. Paradise Park had been born.

 
Eventually their landscaping business began to specialize in building ponds for customers. When time allowed, they built several on their own property as showpieces - including a 30,000-gallon water garden with a dozen waterfalls that became both a wedding site and a destination for pond enthusiasts in the Midwest. This was the start of Paradise Pond Shop.
 

Business grew, and so did their family, as Kerry & Michelle began taking in and raising foster children, adopting four. To allow for more family time, they shifted their focus from building ponds to providing supplies and training people in how to build their own.
 

In 2002, the couple purchased Jim’s Country Fireplace (founded in 1972 by Kerry’s dad, Jim) and combined it with Paradise Pond Shop for seasonal businesses that complemented each other. 
 

Through all this, their passion to lead kids to experience a personal relationship with Christ also grew. In 2002, they began an annual 4-day camp for eight through twelve year olds. “Camp Fire,” which removes children from the routines of daily life, surrounds them with the beauty of nature, and fills their days with fun and their evenings with worship, is now in its 23^rd year. Shorter ministry events are held quarterly and are affectionately known as “Embers.”