Camp Anokijig Gives Back to Racine

Camp Anokijig's relationship with the Racine community goes back to our very origin, as it was Uncle Adolph Gillund and Ray Vance from the Racine YMCA, who found the location and founded the camp we now call Anokijig. Over the years since, hundreds of thousands have traveled down the winding road that leads to Anokijig and many of our visitors started their journey in Racine.

In turn, Anokijig has supported the Racine community for many years, providing a wholesome environment for young people and families to learn about their natural environment (and themselves), as well as providing millions of dollars for programs in the Racine community. We continue to pursue our motto of serving and in the last two years, we distributed nearly $52,000 worth of camperships to the Racine community through both individuals and schools.

The actual value of camperships we offered to Racine is much higher, although not every school takes advantage of our campership offer. However, schools like S.C. Johnson elementary, Wind Point, Racine Christian, William Giese, Red Apple, Stephen Bull, Jerstad, Schulte, St. John Lutheran, Knapp, Mitchell, Prairie, St. Edward, 21st Century Prep, and North Park have all sent children to Anokijig with camperships. We are happy to welcome them and look forward to more of the same going forward.

Tube-A-Thon 2011!!!

Hey Camp Fans!

We would like to formally invite you to Tube-a-thon 2011! Our yearly weekend of winter fun and fundraising for a great cause. Snow tubing, snow football, a night at the water park, and much more while helping kids come to Camp. Read on for more details and look for the links to help get the tools you need to participate and raise the money you need to join us!

Why Should You Raise Money for Tube-a-thon?

Tube-a-thon is a great event! It’s great to see your Camp friends after not seeing them since last fall or even last summer. Tube-a-thon is a weekend filled with tubing, laughing, Blue Harbor Water Park, hanging out, snow football, and prizes. But who is it really intended for? Who benefits?

· Tube-a-thon raises money to help send less privileged kids to a week of camp.

· Our goal is to get as many kids as possible to Camp.

· Lack of the financial means to pay for Camp should not stop a kid from having all the great experiences you have had at Camp.

· All money raised goes directly to the Campership Fund

· The Campership Fund is used to help families send their children to Camp even if they can’t afford the whole fee or any of it.

· Last year, Camp Anokijig gave out 219 camperships. That’s 219 kids who otherwise would not have had to the opportunity to have that Camp experience.

· Don’t forget that even if you can’t physically make it to the event you can still raise pledges and support the effort.

· YOU are helping make a difference!

How Do I Raise The Money?

Not long ago, it was common to go door-to-door in your neighborhood and ask for donations. Times have changed and people are often more wary of people asking for money. You have to use some tools to your advantage.

· Ask people you know, like friends, teachers, neighbors, relatives, your parents friends, etc... Since you know them, they are much more likely to be receptive to your request.

· Arm yourself with information. To be a good salesperson, which is what you really are at this point, you must know your product.

o Be able to answer these questions

o What is Tube-a-thon?

o Why are you raising money for it? (see above)

o Who gets the money? (see above)

o How much are you trying to raise?

· Set a goal for yourself. Often everyone goes for the minimum. Instead of raising just enough to come for the weekend, why not try to raise enough for one kid to come to Camp? $540

· Challenge Yourself!

Tools to Help You Reach Your Goal

Follow the links to these additional documents to get you on your way.

· Tube-a-thon Flyer and Registration Form (Online form)

o Our basic information sheet about the event

· 2011 Pledge Sheet

o To tally up the money you raise

· Sample Letter #1

o This is a general fundraising letter to get you started. Just cut, paste, and personalize it, and be on your way.

· Easy Steps to Raise $300 in a Week

o Here’s a plan to keep you focused

· Who Do You Know Worksheet

o Help organize who you are going to ask to help

Last Thoughts

Be diligent. The only way you will attain your goal is by working at it.

· Be bold. If you believe in what you are doing it comes through in what you say.

· Be creative. Bake sales, putting a collection jar at your parents work, challenging another participant to a fundraising challenge, etc. Your imagination is the only thing limiting you.

· Challenge yourself. Make a goal and go for it. Ask for help. The Camp staff are here as resources. We will be glad to help you in your efforts or to bounce ideas off of. We want to see you succeed! Feel free to message, e-mail or call us. We hope to see you in January!!

Join Us For Taste of the Outdoors!

The leaves are all on the trees, the rain has stopped falling and final preparations are being made for Camp Anokijig's Taste of the Outdoors weekend. Our doors will swing wide open at 9:30 AM on May 22nd & 23rd for an all-you-can eat lumberjack breakfast.

We'll also be offering lumberjack games, including a tomahawk throw, cross-cut saw contest and frying pan toss. We'll also have many of our familiar program areas open, including archery, the waterfront area, including all kinds of boats, canoes and kayaks. We'll also be offering majestic boat rides around Little Elkhart Lake and races in our massive Voyageur canoes. Our nature center will also be open, along with face-painting, and thanks to the hard work of our Camp Director, Jim Scherer, we'll also be offering cane pole fishing for any aspiring anglers.

Admission is just $9 for kids 12 and over, 4-11 are $5 and anyone under four gets in free! Best of all, the proceeds from this event will go to benefit the Anokijig Scholarship Fund, which helps send deserving kids to Anokijig. We hope you'll join us for this wonderful weekend. We've looked at the forecast and it's going to be a great weekend to be at Anokijig!

Laughter in The Woods is Coming Soon!

Greetings from Anokijig:

Just a friendly reminder that there are still seats available for this year’s comedy extravaganza: “Laughter In The Woods”-Comedy Dinner Theater and Auction; but we expect them to be going fast!

The McMann & Tate Comedy Group has put together a great original show to keep you laughing, the steaks and crab cakes are ready for cooking and the beer & wine cellar is being stocked. It is bound to be a theatrical and epicurean experience to remember.

Doors open at 6:00 pm next Saturday September 19th with the show beginning at 6:30pm

A featured part of the evening will be our annual silent and (for the first time) Live auction. The lodge will be filled an array with items to bid on like:

· A one-weeks stay at a northern Wisconsin lake Cottage

· 2 brand new kayaks

· Trolling Motor

· Fish Finder

· Home theater

· Spa Package

· plus much much more!!

Reservations are required so call soon. Limited overnight accommodations are available, just call for the details.

Call 1-800-741-6931

Cost is only a $35 Fee & $40 Deductible Donation and all the proceeds go to benefit the ANOKIJIG SHEBOYGAN COUNTY KIDS SCHOLARSHIP FUND

Reserve a table for 8 and bring your friends or business associates.

COME JOIN US FOR GREAT FOOD AND OUTRAGEOUS FUN ALL TO HELP SEND KIDS TO CAMP. YOU WILL LOVE IT!

THIS WILL BE A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

Questions? See our website at www.anokijig.com or call our office at 1-800-741-6931. We hope to see you there!

Thank You Anokijig Campers!

The sun has now set on another fantastic summer camp season at Anokijig. In typical Anokijig fashion, thousands of children had the time of their lives, with lasting memories that will stretch well beyond the upcoming winter months.

As in years past, Anokijig welcomed campers this year from all corners of the world, including Singapore, Russia, Spain and Germany. We also hosted campers from 24 different states, but more than 90% of our campers still come from Wisconsin and Northern Illinois.

One trend that did change dramatically from 2008, was the number of campers who received campership assistance. Since 1926, Camp Anokijig has never denied a child the opportunity to go camping on the shores of Little Elkhart, due to a lack of financial resources. In 2009, 240 campers received more than $100,000 worth of assistance.

While it is amazing to think of the incredible fun and personal growth these children experienced during their time at Anokijig, it's even more impressive to think of the generosity of our donors and supporters, that made this all possible. Without your help and support, many of these children simply would not have been able to come to Anokijig.

We say it often, but maybe not often enough- For many campers who visit Anokijig, the experience is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Their first campfire, their first night away from home, their first fish caught, their first night away from their parents, their first horseback ride and the list goes on. It may be hard for some people to believe, but we meet campers every year, who have never swam in water without chlorine, before visiting Anokijig!

A big "RIC TIC" also needs to go out to our hard-working staff, dedicated volunteers and all the other donors and supporters who make Anokijig one of the best places on earth. We appreciate your unwavering commitment to camping excellence!

Another Tube-A-Thon Success!

Many thanks go out to Anokijig's army of volunteers, who made our 2009 Tube-A-Thon another wonderful success. More than $9,000 was raised over the weekend for Anokijig's campership program, which helps send children to camp, who might not otherwise be able to do so.

We are so thankful for all the generous folks, who know the powerful impact an experience at Anokijig can have on a young child. If you weren't able to join us this year, but would like to help send a child to Anokijig this summer, you can do so by following this link-https://www.anokijig.com/pledge.htm

As a special treat, please enjoy this amazing video of one of Anokijig's legendary tube trains

Tube-A-Thon is Coming!

It's that time of year again, for winter fun at Camp Anokijig! The snow has been falling and the tube hill is primed and ready for an invasion.

Camp Anokijig's annual Tube-A-Thon event is scheduled to be held on the weekend of January 9-11, 2009. Tube-A-Thon is a very important event for Anokijig, because it raises money for camperships for children whose families are unable to afford to send them to Anokijig.

We receive many requests for camperships each year and given the state of the economy, we expect 2009 will be a record year for requests. Please visit this site- http://www.anokijig.com/2009%20tube-a-thon.htm to find out how you can help us provide once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for deserving children to come to Anokijig.

The first Tube-A-Thon was held more than 20 years ago and we've come a long way since then. The efforts in our first few years raised several thousand dollars and helped a handful of kids come to camp. Last year, more than 200 kids came to Anokijig on Camperships and our goal for Tube-A-Thon 2009 is $40,000.

Those of you who participated in our early Tube-A-Thons may remember sliding down Vesper Hill, into the parking lot. Our venue has changed significantly since then as well. We now have a dedicated tubing hill, nestled in the woods behind the archery range, complete with lighting, hay bale barricades and switchback trails coming up the hill.

We hope you can join us!

Fallapalooza! This Weekend!

First of all, Camp Anokijig would like to thank everyone who attended and volunteered at our Laughter in the Woods event last weekend. Because of your commitment and support, we were able to raise $14,000 for our campership fund, which helps provide opportunities for underprivileged and deserving children to Camp Anokijig.

This past summer, we distributed more than $120,000 worth of camperships. In fact, Camp Anokijig has never denied a child the opportunity to come to Camp, because they could not afford to do so. We simply could not do this without your support and on behalf of all of the children who receive camperships each year, we thank you very much.

If you were unable to attend this event, but would like to help provide a wonderful camping opportunity for a deserving child, you can always make a donation online- https://www.anokijig.com/pledge.htm Please be sure to specify "campership" in the alternate e-mail address column, so we can make sure your donation goes exactly where you intended.

This weekend, Camp Anokijig is swinging open it's doors for our annual Fallapalooza open house. All of Anokijig's program areas will be open on Saturday and Sunday, from 9:30AM to 3PM, including the waterfront area, horse rides for kids, arts and crafts, archery and much more. In addition, Anokijig's kitchen will be serving an all-you-can eat bunch-a-brunch on both days.

We'll also have special events, including an arrowhead dig, carnival games and an archery contest. There will even be an opportunity to win a week at Anokijig in 2009. Admission is just $8 for adults and $5 for kids. Anyone under three years old is admitted free of charge!

If you haven't been to Anokijig in a while, this is the perfect opportunity for you to pay us a visit. We hope to see you soon!

Laughter in the Woods

"Laughter in the Woods" isn't just something that seems to happen whenever kids come to Anokijig, it's the name of our annual fall gala at Western Lodge, to benefit our campership fund. Since 1926, Anokijig has prided itself on never denying a child an opportunity to come to Anokijig, simply because they could not afford to do so.

Anokijig distributed more than $120,000 worth of camperships to deserving children in 2008. Many of these camperships were funded by generous individuals, corporations and foundations, but the total amount of funding for camperships never covers the amount of camperships we distribute. There is never a shortage of children in need of a positive experience at Camp Anokijig and we love to provide that for them.

Our Laughter in the Woods event is one way we can help these children, while having a great time enjoying the hilarious antics of the McMann & Tate Comedy Group. Western Lodge is transformed into an elegant (but slightly rustic) dinner theatre, with steak, seafood and libations for everyone to enjoy. We also have a silent auction, which includes fantastic golf packages at area courses, autographed Packer, Brewer and Hollywood memorabilia, gift certificates for many area restaurants and businesses and some very unique Anokijig items.

This event hits the core of Anokijig's mission, "To Serve." These camperships provide once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for many of the children who receive them. Children who have never gone fishing, sat around a campfire or ridden a horse. I hope you can join us at Anokijig on Saturday, September 20th, for this wonderful event. You can call the Camp office to make reservations at 920-893-0782.

If you are unable to attend our event, but would like to help our campership fund, we are always accepting donations and would gladly welcome your generous contribution. As with all donations at Anokijig, if you would like to direct your contribution specifically to benefit camperships, please note that with your contribution and you can rest assured at that 100% of your donation will go directly where you want it. Thank you so much for supporting Camp Anokijig and we hope to see you on the 20th!