Anokijig's Western Lodge Part One

This is the first 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:

On Sunday, August 14, 1949, hundreds of people attended the official dedication of Western Lodge at Camp Anokijig, the 130-acre paradise of water and woodland operated by the Racine YMCA as a summer haven for boys and girls. Rising high on a hill overlooking Little Elkhart Lake near Plymouth, Wisconsin, this handsome log structure, reputed to be the largest of it's kind in the state of Wisconsin, is the gift to the Racine YMCA of Western Printing & Lithographing Company.

With a crew at one time of 23 lumberjacks from Northern Wisconsin and other contractors working on its construction, it was completed in 1948 and will serve as the main headquarters of the camp. The main room, with a large stone fireplace and overhead log trusses, without a single supporting beam for the ceiling, comprises the dining hall, which will seat 300 people for serving. The entire structure is 100 feet by 72 feet, high enough to be a two-story building, but designed as a one-story, high ceiling building. Its four block-house type corners give it a historic appearance in keeping with the architecture of early Wisconsin and the space is devoted to library and rainy-day recreation.

In the adjoining kitchen and pantries on the main floor are the most modern cooking and serving facilities, running water, sinks and even automatic dish-washing equipment. On the same floor are the camp offices, conference room and so-called kitchen-dining room, which has a fireplace of its own and all necessary facilities for a wintertime visit to camp. In the basement, which underlies one-fourth of the building are workshops, storage space for camp equipment, food storage space with walk-in type of refrigeration, laundry, shower bath, furnace and boiler room.

Prominent YMCA officials have proclaimed Western Lodge as the finest camp building of its kind and it is estimated that it will serve the interests of campers for a period of at least 100 years. That means it will help make camping enjoyable for several hundred thousand boys and girls of future generations.

Tomorrow- the people behind the donation and creation of Western Lodge

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.

Sign up for Summer Camp & Save Money!

The first day of summer camp is less than five months away and while that may seem like a long way off, it will be here before we know it. We understand many families like to plan their schedules early in the year, so we make every effort to open up our summer registration as soon as possible.

Even with months of time to prepare, we always seem to end up with kids on waiting lists, who miss out on our most-popular weeks, because they didn't sign up in time. We don't want your child to be left out of all the fun and excitement that comes with being an Anokijig camper, so we're doing our part to encourage parents to make sure their child doesn't get left out this summer.

Parents who sign their children up for summer camp at Anokijig before May 1, 2011 will receive a discounted rate of $540 per week. After May 1st, a week at Anokijig will cost our regular fee of $565. We know there is still plenty of time, but please don't wait too long because space is limited. Click on this link to sign your child up today!

Thank You For A Wonderful 2010

Next month will mark the sixth year of independent operation for Camp Anokijig and we can never thank our wonderful supporters and volunteers enough for their faith and confidence in helping secure Anokijig's future.

The last five years have been very interesting at Anokijig. We've made many new friends and welcomed thousands of campers from literally, all over the world. While the economic times we are living in have been a challenge, Anokijig has found a way to weather the storm (as well as the occasional storms that Mother Nature sends down Anokijig Lane). In fact, 2008 was a record year for us in terms of summer attendance. While 2009 and 2010 did not match the attendance in '08, those years were also very strong for us and our outlook for 2011 is very positive.

It appears as if even though many folks have tightened their belts, they still have made an Anokijig experience a priority for their children and families and we are grateful for their dedication. Anokijig continues to be very successful in all aspects operationally and we are steadily making progress on eliminating the $5.5 million in loans secured to save Anokijig from developers. We were very pleased to make our final payment to the Racine YMCA this month and we are always looking for creative financing options that will help us to continue to reduce our debt, which currently stands at about $4 million.

We know many of you made pledges to support Anokijig in the initial days of our independent operation and we can never fully express our gratitude for your support. Without that initial support, we simply would not have been able to save Anokijig from development. If you have fulfilled your pledge commitment, we thank you for your support. If you are considering year-end donations to charities, we hope you keep us in mind. You can make a new commitment or renew an old one by clicking on this link. We wish everyone peace and prosperity in 2011 and hope to see you at Anokijig!

2010 Anokijig Trivia Video & Arrowhead Newsletter

As the beauty of Anokijg Winter arrives we always like to look back at the past year and remember all of the things about Anokijig that we're thankful for.

To help you to do the same take a few moments to check out the 2010 Anokijg Arrowhead - our annual newsletter highlighting the past year and kicking off the next!

In addition we all know that each year Anokijig produces millions of memories, click HERE to check out this year's trivia video and see what you know about Anokijig; and of course enjoy some great Anokijig images. Enjoy the views and make your own plans to visit Anokijig soon!

Irish Dance Coming to Anokijig!

We've all watched the amazing technique of Irish dancers flying through jigs and reels and now Anokijig is bringing Irish Dancing to Camp for the summer of 2011! Speed, precision, and style are all hallmarks of this exciting, traditional style of folk dance. Here is your chance to give it a try!

Irish dance campers will spend their mornings with an experienced Irish dancer, learning basic techniques and skills. The finale will be a demonstration dance at the Friday night campfire. When not dancing, campers can still enjoy all of the great activities of Anokijig's resident camp.

Irish dance camp is open to campers of all ages, but space is limited, so we encourage everyone to sign up early. Irish dance camp will be held during Week Two at Anokijig, which begins on June 19th and ends on June 25th. We hope to see you there!

Announcing the Anokijig Digital Photo Contest!

Thanks to the continued support of the Racine Founders Rotary Club, our digital photo program was in full-swing, allowing budding photographers to create literally thousands of amazing images. To honor these efforts, we are announcing our first all-camp photo contest. If you have a great Anokijig photo, send it to darinh@excel.net before February 15, 2011. The person with the best overall photo will win one free week of residence camp during Sessions 1, 2, 3 or 4 of 2011. Good luck!

Yoga Camp is Coming to Anokijig!

Yoga Camp is coming to Anokijig in the summer of 2011! Yoga is a great way to create balance in the body through strength and flexibility, by integrating breath, movement and body awareness. This is all accompanied by great music and lots of heart and humor. Participants will challenge themselves and build confidence and self-esteem through a fun, energetic experience.

Yoga will be taught by an experienced, registered Yoga Teacher. Yoga Camp will provide an opportunity for kids to explore the common thread of breath, body & spirit, in a happy, healthy environment. When not practicing Yoga, campers can still enjoy all of the great recreational activities of Resident Camp. Yoga Camp will take place during Week 5 at Anokijig, which is July 10th to the 16th and it is open to all ages.

Registration is now open for Summer Camp 2011!

Registration for Camp Anokijig's 2011 Summer Camp sessions is now open. We say it every year, but it seems as if we can never say it often enough- Once registration opens, it is never too early to sign up! Many of our sessions sell out and dozens of kids end up on a waiting list, missing out on the time of their lives.

A week at Anokijig just happens to make a fantastic Christmas present too! You can sign up at this link and please be sure to let your friends and family know that registration is now open. We look forward to seeing you at Anokijig in 2011!

Come See a Funny Way To Raise Money Tonight!

Hello from Anokijig.

Hopefully, your Thanksgiving went well. We just wanted to let you know that if you haven’t gotten your tickets for Camp Anokijig’s Annual John McGivern Comedy Benefit there are still great seats available. Tickets for the show and raffle will both be available tonight at the show. Doors set to open at 6:30pm show starts at 7:30pm. It’s a great way to end up this holiday weekend. If you already have tickets we look forward to seeing you there. If you don’t have tickets yet, please consider joining us. Details below:

Tickets are now on sale for:

"A Funny Way to Raise Money" - An Evening with John McGivern.

Proceeds will Benefit Camp Anokijig’s Scholarship Program to help send less fortunate kids to a week of summer camp in 2011. .

Fresh from receiving two Emmy Nominations, John is putting together a great show once again. Come and join us for the stories, humor, and escapades of John McGivern (this year you may even hear a song or two). John has won critical acclaim all over the country for his work in comedy, theater, and cinema. His Midwest humor has made him a hometown celebrity here in Wisconsin. He may even have an Emmy in hand by the time of the show.

This is John’s only show in this area for the season. Don’t miss your only chance to laugh until you cry at John’s hilarious stories.

Date: November 27, 2010

Time: 7:30pm

Where: Plymouth High School Auditorium

Premium Seats - $22

Lower Auditorium - $18

Upper Balcony - $12

PLUS: Thanks to a generous donation we are offering a raffle to win:

A Sheboygan Getaway Package!

One lucky raffle ticket will allow the holder to enjoy a night in a one-bedroom suite at the new Sheboygan GrandStay Suites Hotel

including Gourmet Express Breakfast, and a $100 gift card to experience the irresistible cuisine of the Margaux Bistro and Wine Bar!

A $250.00 Value!

Raffle Tickets for the Getaway Package:

1 Ticket for $2.00

3 Tickets for $5.00

For sale at the door.

Click Here for show poster.
Click Here for seating chart.

Join us for a great event to help send kids to camp in 2011.

Take Care,

Darin Holden

Program Director

Camp Anokijig

www.anokijig.com

"Anokijig Changes Lives"

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!!