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!

Getting Tee'd Off For Kids

Do you like to golf? Do you want to help Anokijig? Have we got a deal for you!! Camp Anokijig has been chosen by the Sheboygan Jaycees as a beneficiary of their annual golf tournament!

We need to enter at least one foursome in the tournament, but wouldn’t it be great to have tons of Anokijig supporters enjoying a day on the links together? Besides a fun, four-person scramble format, you will have a chance to win bunches of fantastic hole and raffle prizes, even a BRAND NEW CAR!

Entry fee includes greens fees, golf cart, lunch, 2010 Golf Days souvenir and a golfer goodie bag. For more information, visit the Jaycees site- http://www.sheboyganjaycees.com/index.php?section=15

Can anyone say FORE!!?!!? Or make that four– rustle up four of your friends to join us on June 11th at the Town and Country Golf Course- W1945 County J in Sheboygan.

Please note, entries must be postmarked by May 22^nd. Since June 11th is a Friday and some of you live a distance away, lodging will be available at Camp Thursday and Friday night. Please contact Darin at darinh@excel.net to make arrangements.

If you are not a golfer, but would still like to help Anokijig, we are in need of volunteers to help on the course on the day of the event. Please contact Mary Krahn at marykrahn@excel.net to sign up. We look forward to seeing you on the links!

Vote For Susan Bemis to Help Send Kids to Anokijig!

A Vote for Susan Bemis is a vote for the kids of Camp Anokijig. Come join us, it will make you feel good!

If you like Dancing with the Stars and think we need to do more for less fortunate kids, you will love the Movers and Shaker Gala to benefit local charities, which includes sending kids to Camp Anokijig.

Susan Bemis of Bemis Manufacturing will dance the night away at the Movers and Shakers Gala at Lakeland College on May 22nd. All the participants are donating their time and talent to raise funds for non-profit organizations and Susan has generously chosen Camp Anokijig to be her selected benefactor.

Susan is one of a group of area “celebrities” showing off their best dance moves as a part of the Movers and Shakers Gala at Lakeland College. On Saturday, May 22, the Todd Wehr Center at Lakeland will be transformed into an elegant ballroom, complete with beautiful decorations and huge video screens to provide the who’s who with a lush stage to showcase their best moves.

The celebrities have been paired with a professional dancer and are in the midst of training, before they compete to win the support of three professional judges, one guest judge, plus votes from friends and fans.

Your vote counts! You don’t have to attend the event to help support Camp Anokijig. Votes are $20 each and for every vote that Susan receives, dollars will be presented to the Camp Anokijig Scholarship Fund for less fortunate children. Anyone can purchase votes prior to the event at http://www.moversandshakersgala.org/ The deadline for voting is 9:00 p.m. on May 22nd so please vote early and often!

Thanks for being a part of all that Anokijig does for kids.

Jim Scherer
Executive Director, Camp Anokijig

P.S. Why not forward this message to all your friends and ask them to support our efforts to send less fortunate kids to Camp Anokijig? It will make them feel good too!

Join the E.L.B.C. Tube-a-thon Group

Greetings for the New Year. 2010 and the splendor of winter at Anokijig has arrived. With the winter also arrives our first fundraiser of the year: Tube-a-thon.

If you don’t recall, Tube-a-thon is the kick-off of our annual campership fund drive. A weekend of fun and fellowship; it is an event that bands Junior Staff, Senior Staff and Alumni in an effort to raise as many pledges as possible to help as many kids as possible to experience that powerful thing we call, the Anokijig Spirit.

As we look forward to making this year’s event another successful gathering we currently have 50-60 people planning to attend; this should make for a generous amount of donations. However, as I look at our list of former staff and alumni we have hundreds more that could come and many more kids that could be benefited. We can do better.

Now, I know that in all of our busy lives it can be very difficult to arrange to be available for a particular weekend in January to attend an event and it is often a chore to go out and raise the minimum pledges. I also know that instead of soliciting donations, attendees often fund the pledge themselves, and in this economy that can be more difficult than in the past. Due to any of these factors, instead of taking part, many Anokijig faithful pass on this opportunity. Well, I have a way for those people (maybe you!) to get involved. The E.L.B.C. group.
What is this E.L.B.C. group? It is the “Every Little Bit Counts” group.

You may very likely remember the great struggle that Anokijig went through to become independent. A central part of that success was the great mass of people that made their voices known in any way they could (editorials, rally’s, fundraisers, bumper stickers, etc) to ensure that their message got out to the people who mattered. Many of the up and coming Junior Staff didn’t experience this phenomenon and I would like to illustrate it again with the E.L.B.C.

Join me in being part of this new tube-a-thon fundraising group. What I am asking is for you to open your wallet and take a look. If you can spare $5.00, $10.00, $20.00, $50.00, $75.00, $100.00, or more pledge it. Think of skipping a few daily coffees, maybe one less dinner out, whatever you can spare, and pledge it. The amount is not as important as the action. All of this would help to send a few more kids to camp. Together we can demonstrate the power of many, and we can help more.

I’ve made it really easy. I’ve added a page to our website at www.anokijig.com/tube pledge.htm where you can make your pledge, pay through PayPal, credit card, or send a check later. As always we would love to see you a camp as a participant but if it’s not in the cards for you this year please take this chance to make any difference that you can. Together we can make a true difference in a bunch of kids’ lives.

Remember, many companies have matching gift programs. Please check with your employers!

Thanks for your help. I look forward to seeing you at camp again soon!

Take Care,


Darin Holden
Program Director
Camp Anokijig
“Anokijig Changes Lives”

Thank You Zeta Chi of Lakeland College!

Normally, when someone sees a fraternity mentioned in reference to beer, it's for all the wrong reasons. That's not the case this time. Anokijig has had an outstanding relationship with Lakeland College throughout the years and we hope they feel the same way. They frequently send busloads of students to do volunteer projects at Camp and many of our former staffers have chosen Lakeland to continue their education.

One of our Anokijig Alumni, Markus Savaglio, happens to be both a Lakeland College student and a member of the Zeta Chi fraternity. For the second year in a row, his fraternity is running a Micro Brew beer-tasting event to raise money for Anokijig. The event will be held at the David & Valarie Black room in the Laun Center at Lakeland College on Saturday, November 7th, from 7PM to 10PM.

The event is open to anyone 21 years or older and tickets can be purchased at the door for $10. If you have questions about this event, you can contact Markus directly at savagliom@lakeland.edu of by calling 920-207-4910. Good luck Zeta Chi and we hope everyone who participates in this event does so responsibly!

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!

The Lake Country Rotary Club's Audacious Beer Celebration

Over the past several years, Camp Anokijig has benefitted from the generosity of many different service organizations, who recognize the great things Anokijig does for children and families from their communities. Many of these organizations put on fundraisers throughout the year, which allows them to support worthy causes such as ours.

Recent examples of such fundraisers include the Racine Rotary Founders' Club Casino Nite event and the Racine Kiwanis Pancake Day. One of the service organizations we've been meeting with recently is the Lake Country Rotary Club and we're hoping they will also get involved in supporting Camp Anokijig's wonderful programs.

On June 26th and 27th, the Lake Country Rotary Club will be hosting their third annual Audacious Beer Celebration, where participants (of legal drinking age) can experience 177 of the world's finest brews. You can find out more information on this event, by visiting this link- http://www.audaciousbeer.com/

We're hoping this event will be a great success for the Lake Country Rotary Club and will allow them to continue supporting many worthy causes.