What are the driving directions to Camp Anokijig?

You've remembered to pack everything for your child's first week at summer camp and you even made it out of the house on time.  Now, you suddenly find yourself 30 minutes from your house, heading in the general direction of Camp Anokijig, without actually knowing how to get there.  What do you do?  If you're like many folks, you summons the Internet, via your smart phone and begin searching for directions to Anokijig.  We thought we'd post them here, just in case you were having trouble with your navigation system.

If you're coming from the South, take I-43 North and exit to the left at the split for Highway 57, which directs you toward Plymouth.  At this point, you will be about 30 minutes from Anokijig.  Stay on Highway 57 North all the way through Random Lake, Waldo & Plymouth.  You will pass 23 as you head North of Plymouth and  a few miles up the road is Highway J.  Turn left on Highway J and head West.  The next major road is Highway E.  Turn right on Highway E and head North.  Camp Anokijig will be just a few miles up the road on the left hand (West) side and you will see our Indian head sign as you come up the hill.

If you are coming from the North, exit off I-43 at Highway 23 in Sheboygan and head West for several miles.  You will cross over Highway 57 and shortly after that, you will come up on Highway E.  Turn right on Highway E and head North for a few minutes and Camp Anokijig will be on your left (West) side of the road.

If you are coming from the West (or Madison area), take Highway 151 North to Highway 23 and head East on 23.  Shortly after you cross over Highway 67, you will come to Highway E.  Turn left on Highway E and head North for a few minutes and Camp Anokijig will be on your left (West) side of the road.

If you are coming from the East (or Sheboygan area), take Highway 23 West, crossing over Highway 57, until you reach Highway E.  Turn right on Highway E and head North for a few minutes and Camp Anokijig will be on your left (West) side of the road.

We hope these directions help you find Camp Anokijig, but if you still need assistance, please don't hesitate to call us at 920-893-0782

Anokijig's Western Lodge Part Two

This is the second of a three-part story on Camp Anokijig's Western Lodge and was originally published in the August 1949 issue of Western Publishing's Westerner newsletter:

E.H. Wadewitz, President of Western Printing & Lithographing Company, who made the official presentation speech on behalf of his fellow Westerners, told the gathering of Western's interest in serving the community and its policy of expressing confidence in the future.

"Our best hope for the future of Racine and all America," he said, "is the sound Christian development of our youth so that they will be strong in spirit, mind and body to meet their challenge as the citizens of tomorrow. As an industrial concern, we are vitally interested in the building of men and better men for the future. We are proud that Western Lodge bears our name and we hope it will serve long and well in the interests of American Youth."

Mr. Wadewitz, himself, has been a member of the Racine YMCA for over fifty years and is now its oldest living member in point of service. he stated that many other Westerners had been helped to a good start in life through the fine character-building programs of the YMCA and that, now, their sons and grandsons were following in their footsteps. The boys and girls of many Westerners at Racine today enjoy the facilities of Camp Anokijig, together with hundreds of other youngsters from many Midwestern communities.

Those pictured from left to right are Rev. Francis P. Ihrmann, Rev. M.A. Simonsen, Theodore Johnson, E.H. Wadewitz, Raymond O. Jondahl, Harold Frame & Ray Vance. Tomorrow's final installment includes a unique back story about an Anokijig landmark.

Are You LinkedIn to Anokijig?

It's amazing to think of how we gathered information just 20 years ago. The public library, encyclopedias and word of mouth were common sources of information that many Americans used to rely on. The emergence of the Internet has changed all of that.

As the Internet continues to grow and evolve, new uses emerge. One site growing in popularity is LinkedIn.com. This site allows users to post their resume online and connect with other people, whom they have worked with in some capacity. If MySpace is the club and Facebook is the backyard, LinkedIn is the boardroom.

Networking groups have emerged on LinkedIn and unlike social networking sites, these groups generally focus on professional or educational-based networks. Camp Anokijig Staff and Alumni both have the opportunity to join LinkedIn groups, by searching LinkedIn's groups for "Anokijig."

If you are an Anokijig Staff alumni (either paid or volunteer) or a former camper in good standing, we welcome you to join our groups. If you have a job opening at your company and you're looking for the kind of people that Anokijig produces, these groups would be a good place to start- http://www.linkedin.com/groupsDirectory?results=&sik=1250804837421&pplSearchOrigin=GLHD&keywords=anokijig

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!

Camp is Selling a Camaro!

Some of you may remember a previous post regarding the generosity of an individual, who donated a Camaro to Camp Anokijig. Well, we've finally listed it on ebay. You can check out the listing here- http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120457038434

If you know anyone, who might be interested in buying this car, please alert them to this listing. Thanks!

When we posted a video from our Fishing Expedition Program a few weeks back, we thought some folks might suspect the fish caught in that video was the exception and not the rule. We decided to post a second video (above), to put to rest any question as to whether campers in our Fishing Expedition Programs do reel in the big ones.

We could continue posting such videos, which each subsequent trip (and we might), but nothing quite speaks for the success of this program as testimonials from our own campers. Shortly after we posted this second video, a camper posted a comment, claiming he caught a 23-lb. salmon on the trip last week.

If your child enjoys fishing, they would absolutely love our fishing programs. Unfortunately, our 2009 Fishing Expedition Programs are finished for the season. However, we do still have space in our Sylvania Backcountry Canoe Fishing Trip during Week 9.

Campers on this trip will go after smallmouth bass and northern pike in the Sylvania Wilderness Area, as well as fishing in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. We will provide the canoes, gear and all the equipment needed, Mother Nature will provide the fish. If your child is entering 7th grade this fall and would like to experience some amazing fishing, you can register here- http://anokijig.com/2009%20web%20registration%20form.aspx

If your child is already signed up to come to Camp Anokijig during week 9 and would like to go on the Sylvania Backcountry Canoe Fishing Trip, just call the camp office at 1-800-741-6931 to reserve a spot.

Camp Anokijig Score a Perfect 100 on ACA Inspection!

The American Camp Association (ACA) is a community of camp professionals who, for nearly 100 years, have joined together to share their collective knowledge and experience to ensure the quality of camp programs. Part of this quality assurance is an accreditation program, which requires that accredited camps meet more than 300 standards for health, safety and program quality. This is a very rigorous and thorough process that each accredited camp must go through every three years.

While accredited camps must score at least an "80" on their inspections, we're happy to report that Camp Anokijig score a perfect "100" on our 2009 inspection. This is important news for parents, because the ACA inspection covers some very important policies, including those regarding staff screening and criminal background checks for all staff who will have responsibility for or access to campers.

The ACA also checks for written documentation that every lifeguard has demonstrated skill in rescue and emergency procedures specific to the aquatic area and activities guarded. These are all mandatory standards that have been missed by dozens of camps every year. In fact, the most commonly-missed standard in the past two years is the one requiring all resident campers and seasonal staff members to have a doctor-signed health exam within the last 24 months. 146 camps missed this standard in 2008 and 109 missed it in 2007.

This is a particularly important standard, given the current concerns surrounding the H1N1 virus and one that Camp Anokijig takes very seriously. While some summer camps have elected to cancel sessions in 2009 as a precautionary measure, we would like to remind parents that those camps primarly cater to children who already have compromised immune systems. Camp Anokijig's continued efforts to adhere to strict ACA health and safety standards helps us ensure the safest and most enjoyable experience for all of our campers.

Anokijig's Fishing Expeditions

The fishing programs at Camp Anokijig are frequently mentioned in our literature and on our web site, but the pictures really tell a much better story than any description we could write.

Campers in this week's Fishing Expedition program had the opportunity to night fish on Little Elkhart Lake, fly fish at an area trout pond and reel in the big ones on Lake Michigan.

This photo is from our fly fishing trip and each camper had a limit of three fish. Some campers really had their fishing down and caught their limit so quickly, that they spent the rest of their morning helping net the fish of their fellow campers. Our total haul for the trip exceeded 50 fish!

That's in addition to the dozen or so salmon the group caught on Lake Michigan the day before. Our Friday Beach Party starts in about 10 minutes and these campers will be feasting on some of the very fish they spent the week catching.

The fishing program at Anokijig goes well beyond a worm, bobber and cane pole and our campers couldn't be happier. They're learning new skills, trying new activities, meeting new people and generally having the time of their lives!