Wisconsin Lions Camp

Oops. It's June 27!

2011-06-26T20:22:00.001-07:00

Wow...time flies when you are having fun? A very busy few weeks - and I am determined to get back into this blog. Let's start with the obvious. Camp is rolling!

1. We had nine days of staff training June 1 - 9. We have a great crew of staff this summer who have worked very hard to learn everything they need to be successful. I am very proud of our interview process and the excellent people who we have on board.

2. That moved us into our first week of campers - our Blind or visually impaired adult week. I love our adults. Many have been coming for years....Karl Blank specifically has been here for 50 years....what a amazing story he is! The adults were so appreciative of their time at camp and I consider myself lucky to have known most of them for years. I think people overlook the fact that you can be 71 and rolling in the mudpit. Why not?

3. Our first week of youth campers just wrapped up. Those poor kiddos! They had to go through four days of rain...cold, dreary rain. But I give credit to the staff for hanging in there with the many changes to the week's schedule and working hard to ensure the camper's success. And of course it stopped raining in time for the dance. Thank goodness.....

4. Our second week of youth arrived today. Things were smoother and staff seem much more comfortable which is great. Thank you to the Lions members who helped provide some transportation this week. We really appreciate your help in making it happen so these campers can get to camp!

So that's the scoop - greatly abbreviated but a catch up of sorts. I will continue to try to post two or three times a week with notes from camp. I leave you with an image I appreciate - 134 campers running around the trading post circle - playing catch, talking with friends, laughing and enjoying camp. That's what it's all about. Thank you for making it happen!

Eight Days....and counting

2011-05-24T07:09:00.000-07:00

So staff training is right around the corner. Whew. I am feeling like we have a huge pile of things to accomplish and our time frame seems to be getting smaller and smaller! So what has been happening? A LOT! Let me tell you folks.....

1. This past weekend was the Lions State Convention. It was held in Appleton and I was there Thursday PM to Saturday PM. Met lots of Lions, saw lots of familar faces and did a lot of talking up Camp and our program. It was a good time but tiring and very hard to be out of the office for a day! I KNOW the paperwork on my desk was multiplying while I was gone.....

2. Rental groups - this past week has seen Wittenberg-Birnamwood, Slinger, Shorewood, Pulaski, Waupaca, Amherst Schools along with a meeting group WIS-RID and now Syble Hopp. Over Memorial Day weekend we'll see our Quaker friends gather from all over the country - for their annual Northern Yearly Meeting. Then....it's a day to relax and staff arrive! Whew!

3. Purchasing items - we are ordering program supplies, counselor supplies, food service supplies left and right! Gotta get things stocked up for summer camp.....hello bug spray, hello craft supplies, good morning new pots and pans.....it's all good.

4. Lawn work. It's finally nice enough to mow my lawn. Four hours later....it's done. Sort of. Still have to trim it. Dang weedwacker ran out of string. Of course, now that summer camp has rolled into town....my lawn will be horribly neglected. I am one of those neighbors whose lawn has that slightly neglected look! Sorry neighbors!

5. Coordinating the arrival of 40 some young people. They all have different schedules, demanding parents and different places they are coming from - so it is a bit of a challenge! Hopefully they will all get here safe and sound in one piece ready to go.

6. Did I mention paperwork? Paperwork. Tax forms. Agreements. Payroll. Certifications. Off season group rental agreements. Paperwork. Ick. Ick. And yeah....ick. Hopefully this weekend I will put in a good night or two and just get it all organized and ready.

That's my story today and I am sticking to it. Now if we can get the sunshine back out and keep things rolling along, we'll be just fine! Have a great week everyone.

Ummm...spring?

2011-05-12T08:34:00.000-07:00

So I am wearing shorts today - on a day alleged to be at least 75 degrees. It's cloudy, cool and not 75. I am disappointed. A cool, rainy spell is on tap for this weekend and sun returns next week but it's still cool weather in the forecast which is a disappointment.
Camp happenings are fast and furious and I am behind on this update for you!

1. We are now carrying Coke products in our camp store. Mmmm diet coke. Between that and a new coffee for the camp staff this summer that our fabu food service manager Deb has found, I shall be super charged!

2. Staffing - FULL! Yes! Volunteers - a whole bunch! Yes! Lots of healthcare staff! Yes!

3. Camper numbers continue to creep slowly upwards. I am putting out the plea though - if you are a deaf or hard of hearing camper - GET registered! The deadline for registration is MAY 31! You have two weeks.....get a move on!

Ok break in here to note the sun is out....sun is out. We may warm up!

4. Our totem pole had to come down due to some industrious woodpeckers, bugs and weather elements. A new one is being worked on - but until it's complete our lake view will be totem pole-less for the short term.

5. Staff orientation is set and we are working on getting our sessions set up and planned.

6. Rental groups will be showing up in full force starting this weekend. We love seeing our returning gruops - Syble Hopp, Camp Hope, SPED groups from Pulaski, Amherst, Waupaca, Slinger, Shorewood and Rosholt and our Quaker friends for the Northern Yearly Meeting.

7. We have registration up for our Fall Fun Run/Walk and Ride in September! Please consider joining us as a participant or as a volunteer. It's on the same day of our Open House so you can walk the trails and then stay for tours, food and meet a bunch of terrific campers! It's all available on our website! Download a form today.

Of course, all of this excitement means that school is winding down for my little man, Andrew. He had a great year in first grade - LOTS of learning, reading and growing up. It goes way too quickly. He will spend more time with his dad as usual and is busy making plans for his dad's farm fields. While I appreciate that this arrangement lets me focus on camp, it also makes me a little sad cause my time with him will be limited. The challenge of being a mom and a camp mom!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Totem pole-less

2011-05-04T14:33:00.000-07:00

Well - it's finally happened. Those darn woodpeckers have taken out our totem pole. It was taken down and cut into pieces for display around Camp this week. The fabulous Lac Du Flambeau Club is working on a replacement - it might be a few months but it's coming! So for a while - the view of the lake is going to be a strange one.
We continue to work on finishing off our summer staff and get those last camper spots filled. Staff training is getting worked out, our rental groups will be coming in full force starting next week and the sun is shining! Finally! There was a few flakes of snow yesterday - we shall just forget about that and move on.
Boats and docks are in the water and camp looks great after a successful workday! Thank you to all the folks who came and helped. We really appreciated all of your hard work and it really makes summer camp preparation much easier for us. Thank you again!
My desk calls - with lots of paperwork to get done so I will leave you for now. Until next week have a great weeekend!

I think Spring is here!

2011-04-25T14:16:00.000-07:00

How do I know that spring is here? Well, in front of my office, Dale, our Facility Manager is on a lawnmower! We have a new lawnmower that has lots of bells and whistles and seems to be doing a great job (with my limited lawn mower experience).
This weekend is our spring workday and we need lots of hands to make sure things are ready for summer camp on the property.
We have docks to put in, boats to put in, windows to wash, litter to pick up, bark chips to be spread...and much more going on. Please join us if you are able to do so.
Summer camp preparations are keeping me busy and slightly crazed. I've noticed that my eyes are really getting tired faster from all of my reading and editing. I think I may need to visit the eye doctor and see if I need reading glasses. Sigh. Just what I need - another thing to lose :)
Still working on a few staffing positions. I have to admit I am stumped on our summer secretary. I am looking for someone 18 and older, who is organized and has some great people skills to work Monday through Thursday 8 AM to 4:30 PM. Primary duties involve lots of paperwork. answering phones and all sorts of miscellaneous projects. Know someone - let me know! It is an hourly position and I'll feed them lunch too - in the dining hall!
Finally I want to promote our trading post on the website. Jamie has been busy ordering new things for our camp store and they are up on our website for viewing! So get your Lions Camp gear while it's still here.....
Have a great week!

A difficult few days

2011-04-18T11:02:00.000-07:00

Well, I missed posting last week. I meant to get it done a few days late and unfortunately on Wednesday morning, we received some saddening news at Camp. One of our summer staff, Dustin Morris, had passed away. Dustin was 24, and he had worked for us in the summers of 2006-2009. It's always hard to lose people and this is definitely true of Dustin. Dustin was a truly talented musician who's face lit up when he shared this love with the campers. He was creative, goofy, lovable, musical and an all around good guy. It breaks my heart to know that he is not with us any more but he is in my heart and the heart of all those he touched. The most important thing to remember is that he. made. a. difference. It was a blessing and a privilege to have been able to work with Dustin. May his family find peace and solace in the knowledge that he was a great role model while he was here. His family has also generously specified Wisconsin Lions Foundation (our administrative organization) as a place to donate memorials in his name. We plan to use those funds to purchase something specifically for the music program. Thank you to his family for their generosity in this difficult time. Now, lets get to Camp. As of today, we have 1, 127 campers registered for summer camp. Deadlines for registration are approaching - let's get more deaf or hard of hearing campers and more blind or visually impaired campers signed up. Both populations are declining slightly and we need all the recruiting help we can get! Summer camp preparations are well underway - we have most of our summer staff. We only need two male counselors and a summer secretary. We've been very fortunate to find some really talented staff - along with some strong returning staff. It will be a wonderful group of young adults making a difference for our 55th summer. Despite the crazy weather (and the predicted 4-6 inches of snow TOMORROW) we are going full steam ahead on our spring workday. It is next Saturday, April 30. Please join us if you are able to to help us get the property ready! The ice is at least off of the lake so we can get boats and docks in the water! Have a great week everyone and a very blessed Easter holiday!

No more snow! Please?

2011-04-04T08:01:00.001-07:00

Well winter still hangs on here - as I look out my window at big piles of snow and it's a dreary, blustery day! Still thinking about summer camp - in full swing now! We've been working on sending out camper confirmations, staff paperwork and we continue to revise and edit manuals. The goal is to stay ahead of schedule and so far, so good! I don't have too much to talk about this week - I will be seeing Winnebago East Shore Lions on Saturday for their 50th anniversary and visiting with a visually impaired support group tomorrow. I am going to tackle the paperwork on my desk and pray for warmer weather! Have a terrific week everyone!

April is right around the corner....

2011-03-29T08:42:00.000-07:00

Good morning! A day late on the blog due to my adventures in Wisconsin these past few days! Let's catch up folks - here's the scoop. We are at 996 campers as of Friday. Keep in mind, last year we served 1,375 campers so we are getting there. Our deaf and hard of hearing camps and our blind and visually impaired camps still have room - if you know of campers in those populations have them GET THEIR FORMS IN!! We had a board meeting on Saturday which went very well. We have a dedicated group of directors who worked very hard on various issues to keep our Foundation running smoothly. A special "shout-out" to Evett, our Executive Administrator and all of us who work with her for a great audit report this year. We've been working hard at staying fiscally strong and she does a great job keeping us all on track. Thank you Evett!!! Visited two great Lions Clubs. Roberts Lions - amazed by the number of members and the number of young members. It is impressive to me that they have done such a strong job of recruiting....keep it up! Stoughton Lions is an old-school club with older members who are just as excited about Lionism as Roberts. It was a pleasure to meet all the Lions in these two clubs and to be able to share the wonderful things we can do at camp with their support. The Admirals Hockey game was a hoot on Sunday! The campers wore their Lions camp gear and it was great to see 70 camper families in the same place. A lot of smiles and a few of our dancing campers made it on the Jumbotron! Loving it all..... Our staffing is almost full! We just need three more male counselors. Seriously. That's ridiculous! That's wonderful! I am so proud of our recruiting this year. I am looking forward to working with the amazing team we've assembled. It's really exciting! It's time for our planning for our Second annual Fall Fun Run/Walk and Ride! September 17 at Lions camp. We are currently looking for sponsors and people to help us make this event a success! More information about that opportunity coming soon..... Tonight on the home front is little man's first Pinewood Derby car race. We'll see how he does...it should be a hoot. He did it all himself so I am very proud of him for doing that. Have a terrific week everyone!

Is it Spring yet?

2011-03-21T09:44:00.001-07:00

Ugh! Last week was not a good week for me. After attending a fabulous camp conference, I began feeling sick that Saturday and by Monday I was down for the count. I actually missed two days of work! I have been resting, drinking lots of fluids, taking medication and today -over a week later - I am finally starting to feel better. Needless to say, my work this past week suffered so I am in total catch up mode right now!
So - Mid States Camp Conference. It was EXCELLENT! I attended some really good seminars, got some good information, networked with many new and old friends and just got a good recharging for summer camp. It felt so good to finally be back at that conference. Sometimes being in this role, I get separated from camp by other work and I greatly miss it.

This week I am visiting the Roberts Lions Club to talk about camp - and Saturday is our board meeting. Sunday I head out to the Admirals hockey game and next week looks to be just as busy! So perhaps the timing of my plague - for lack of a better term - was pretty good.

We have most of our staff positions filled and are working to fill the last spots which means I am sending out piles of paperwork hiring on our staff. Camper registrations as of Friday was at 964 which is great! We still have room for all populations except diabetes campers. Get forms out and get the word out! We want to fill all the weeks!

Finally our Camp for Kids cash raffle is ready to go! The top prize is $2,500 cash -so if you are interested in purchasing a ticket (or two or three!), please contact our office at 715-677-4969.

Have a great week and here's hoping spring shows up sometime soon!

March Madness?

2011-03-07T07:42:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone! It continues to be extremely busy! We've cleared out a lot of things here at Camp - here's the run down so far:

1. 860 campers registered as of Friday. Ignore my poor math skills for last week - I don't know what I was looking at. 860 is the official number.

2. We've hired the first round of new folks - and agreements went out last week. We continue to work our way through a pile of staff applications - still looking for more male counselors! If you know someone who'd be interested, please let us know!

3. The hockey game on March 27 has hit 351 free tickets for camper families! Wow Admirals. We are fortunate to have such a great organization give us tickets. It should be a great time for all - reminder postcards for those families go out next Monday.

4. Jamie is getting all sorts of cool gear for the trading post. She hopes to have them in the cash register system and up on the website by the end of the month.

5. Our rentals continue to come in - which we are grateful for all of our groups who continue to visit us at camp, see what we do and make plans to return in 2012.

Jamie, Peter and I leave Thursday for THE camp conference of the year - Midstates Camp Conference in Illinois. We are taking our summer administrative staff and are very excited to gather new information or be reminded of oldies but goodies that we can use in our own camp program. It's a great networking opportunity and also gets us charged up for those last few months pushing into summer camp. Believe it or not -we are looking at less than 3 months before staff training! EEEKKK! I've just realized how much work we have left to do.....

So I better get to it. Have a great week everyone!

What? February is over?

2011-03-01T06:49:00.000-08:00

What happened to the month of February?!? It went by way too quickly!
Camp updates so far this month of March:

1. We are at 715 campers registered which includes 302 diabetes campers. Amazing. We are really filling up and are actively working to find more campers. A special thank you to the Badger Association and the Center for blind and visually impaired children for helping us reach out to many families who have children that may qualify for camp.

2. I am working like mad to get the first round of staffing agreements out to summer staff. We have a strong core of returners and an impressive batch of applicants. It's a good thing but also so very hard to decide who we'll hire and who we will not hire.

3. We had a great few rental groups lately - Pulaski school came to visit us last Wednesday and they had a great time playing in the snow and learning about winter sports, survival and nature. We also had a lively group of women for Creative Memories Camp Crop a Lot this past weekend. Our groups are varied and a lot of fun! Plus the funds they paid for the rental go right back into the camp's budget. While we will never make enough in our rentals to cover summer camp (it barely covers 1/4 of our expenses) it is a great way to expose people to the Wisconsin Lions Camp and allows us to keep some staff we may not be able to afford otherwise. PR value is priceless after all!

4. Just a reminder that this week is showcasing a push by Lions to inform the public of the great things they do for their communities. If you haven't thought about Lions or being a part of a club, what's stopping you? I think I qualify for the level of insanely busy but Lions only takes up a few hours of my time a month and helps so many! With some really difficult days going on in this state - serving others is a powerful reminder that I am very blessed and fortunate to be able to help those in need.

5. I'm a star?! Wow....I was one of five Lions featured in the recent Lions International Magazine this month. It was about people who have been served by Lions becoming Lions and serving others. A neat article and one I am very proud of. You can find the article by going to the Lions International home page at www. lionsclubs.org and click on the "news and events" page - then click on magazine. It will show you a virtual magazine - I am on page 26. Of course, while it talks about me, I am very fortunate to have a great team to work with that supports me and all that I do to keep Camp rolling. I am this good because I work with good people!

6. Next week Jamie, Peter and I are taking our summer administrative staff with us to the Mid-states Camping Conference - in my opinion the best in the nation - to network, learn new things and get energized for Camp. It's a wonderful time to learn and plan for summer camp. Paula got to go to San Diego to take part in the Nursing Association for Camp Nurses - and she is beginning to take an active role in that organization - another way Wisconsin Lions Camp is being a leader in the field of camping.

7. Oh! The Admirals game. We closed registration - they are graciously donating 351 free tickets to campers and their families. Way to go Milwaukee Admirals!!!! So appreciate the support. I can't wait to see the game at the end of the month.

That's the report from Camp this time - I hope everyone has a great week!

Where is time going??

2011-02-22T08:41:00.000-08:00

Wow! Where is the time going? I cannot believe it's already February 22 - and I am late on this blog. Sorry! So what's been going on? Well - I have LOTS to share!

1. In honor of Valentine's Day I have to thank all of the people who have been helping us get campers to camp! The school nurses, special ed teachers, counselors, social workers, county workers, and other professionals who have been recommending camp to these children have been a big help. We are still ahead in registration numbers compared to last year and we are getting more first time campers! Thank you professionals for all of your help and word of mouth to get this information out to our parents and guardians. Especially considering the teachers and professionals who sign on the back of the application, send us behavior plans and methods that work for that child and allow us to call/e-mail them to follow up with them. It really helps us make camp successful for those campers. Appreciate it!
2. We spent most of last week recruiting - we were all over the state and got a lot of interviews done for this first round of staffing. We have finally figured out most of our returning staff and where we are using them - and hopefully this Friday we can start offering to some of the new staff we've interviewed. Our process is lengthy - application, first interview, a follow-up second interview, check of two references and then discussion of where they can fit in our program. Crazy but this method really helps us find the quality staff for our campers.
3. The Admirals hockey team once again offered us free tickets for Milwaukee area campers. We have given away 297 tickets to 62 campers and their families. So fun! I of course, am going to go for the fun! It's also Lions night that night and $4 from each ticket will be donated to camp! Cool. The game is March 27 at 5 PM. If you are in the area - come to the game - tickets are $16.
4. Buried in paperwork - literally. Our staff has been working to revamp all of our training manuals, our evaluation process, our programs and our staff training sessions. Trying to get things down on paper, outlines typed up and lots of editing. My eyes are really starting to get tired :)

Today is Jamie's birthday (our Assistant Camp Operations Manager) and she is working furiously on our first big confirmation mailing to campers that have been accepted to camp so far. It's been a juggling act for everyone to keep things rolling out of here and I appreciate their efforts!

I hope everyone is shoveled out from the snowstorm yesterday! Have a great week.

2011-02-07T08:10:00.001-08:00

Wow! It's the Monday after a terrific Green Bay Packer Super Bowl victory.
It is definitely hard to get back into the swing of things at work. I feel like I should be running up and down Main Street in a cheesehead! For a good laugh at the power of fans - my Facebook account has a video with my brother and wife and their reactions throughout the game. I love it - and Frank (my brother) was a camper for many years at Camp - so it's slightly related to Camp!

Applications are rolling in - I am very pleased with how applications have been coming in. Right now we have 363 applications in - a great number and ahead of last year. We will send out the first round of confirmations next Monday or Tuesday. We like to do a few hundred together to take advantage of mailing rates. As always we are looking for more blind or visually impaired campers along with more deaf or hard of hearing campers. Please help me convince parents to share their children with us!

For staffing - we have a strong returning group of staff - and are beginning to interview new applicants as fast as we can. Job fairs are coming up in two weeks; UW-Stevens Point, UW-LaCrosse and Winona are the three campuses we will visit soon. The Milwaukee, Madison, Eau Claire, Whitewater and Oshkosh/Appleton areas we will visit later this month as separate visits.

The most exciting thing is that we have five applicants for our counselor-in-training program, meaning we will run it this year. We have room for 10 total - so we are halfway to our goal!

A special note to Marshfield Lions for getting our press release into their local paper. All the PR we can get really helps us get the word out. The more that know about the wonder is that is Camp, the better!

In a bit, we'll be selling raffle tickets for our annual Cash for Kids raffle. Once we have tickets out, I will be hitting up everyone I know to buy a ticket, or two....or five!

I spent the last weekend at the D2 convention in Sparta. Thank you to our campers Brittany and Chris for sharing what they love about being campers with all those in attendance. It was a powerful reminder of why we have Camp. All the Lions, Lioness and Leos I saw were all committed to making Camp happen and I so appreciate the opportunity to thank them for that work. In that district, we have two of our fabulous weekly nurses - Patti and Lynette who have been with us for many years. Thank you Patti and Lynette for your service - I am really looking forward to working with you both again!

Hmmmm after reading this post I am no longer wondering why I am tired today! It was a terrific weekend. It seems fitting to end with a quote from Vince Lombardi. It applies to what we do as Wisconsin Lions, Lioness and Leos to make camp happen. Have a great week!

"Individual commitment to a group effort - that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work."

Thank you for your individual commitment!

Snowy Monday!

2011-01-31T08:33:00.000-08:00

Good morning! It's once again Monday - that day of the week when the work week looms long into the weekend....no actually it's a good day. There's lots on my plate of projects to do but it keeps me busy and it keeps improving what we do at Camp. Some highlights from last week!
1. Snow, snow and snow. No we didn't get any big snow storms but for the past few days, its been a inch or two every couple of days. Our plow truck and snow blowers are getting a lot of use!
2. For rental groups, we hosted Pulaski Schools - 120 folks or so running around camp for the day! They had a terrific time - thanks to the hard work of Peter, our Program Coordinator, and the staff that assisted him - Paula, our Health Care Superivsor, Ethan and Ellyse. The students loved the experience and they are planning to come back next year. Congratulations Peter on getting another group excited about Camp!
3. We also hosted St. Mary Magdalene's from Wauapaca for their annual retreat. The good news is the teddy bear left here last year reunited with his owner and is heading home after a year-long vacation with Lions Camp! He hung out with the stuffed lions in my office.
4. The Lions Newspaper came out with the first camper profile article of the year - Mr. Dustin Daggett! If you didn't get a chance to read it - the interivew is below. A great camper and a great family that supports him.

This month, we’ve chosen Dustin Daggett, a 16 year old from River Falls, Wisconsin (District E2). Dustin is in our youth with mild cognitive disabilities and has been with us for the past six summers. I asked Dustin and his mom Suzanne five questions in our mini-interview. Thank you Daggett family for taking the time to share your story with us!

1. Suzanne, why did you and your husband Patrick decide to send Dustin to Lions Camp?
We decided to send Dustin to Lions Camp for several reasons. One of the reasons is the cost. Sending Dustin to a week camp that services children with special needs is so expensive. We are grateful to the Lions for paying for Dustin’s camp. It is truly a blessing! Secondly, sending Dustin to Lions Camp gives him the independence that he craves. As with many kids with special needs, Dustin doesn’t have a lot of friends so he mostly does activities with his Dad or I. Being able to go to Lions camp, he can be with friends AND no parents! Another reason to send Dustin to Lions Camp is that the Lions are a good, trusted organization. We feel they have a quality camp and the people we have met within the organization have been wonderful. Lastly, we send him to Lions Camp so that he has something special of his own. His brothers can’t go to camp, it’s just Dustin’s special thing to do.

2. Dustin, what is your favorite activity (or activities) at Lions Camp?
Dustin’s favorite activities at Lions Camp are basketball, archery, rock climbing, swimming and nature.

3. Dustin, why have you returned now for six summers as a camper?
It is fun to go to camp without my parents!

4. Suzanne, If you could tell the Lions reading this magazine one thing that they should know about Dustin, what is it?
One thing that everyone should know about Dustin is that he has a big heart. If ever we are at the store and I offer to buy him a treat, he usually comes back with, “And one for Conner and Thomas too?” (These are his two younger brothers.) Another example is when he wakes up first for school; he sets out a bowl and spoon for his brother. Not many 16 year olds do this type of thing for their younger brother!

5. Any other comments or stories to share about your Lions Camp experience?
Dustin isn’t very expressive when he is happy. He doesn’t act excited or smile a lot. You have to know what he likes to know that he is enjoying himself. The first time he went to Lions Camp, I went to pick him up. The kids from our area take a bus to Lions Camp. I was standing outside the bus and watched him walk off it. All I could see was teeth. He was smiling from ear to ear! It doesn’t happen often so I knew he had a blast! Also, Dustin wants you to know he enjoys making new friends at Lions Camp!

What an insight into why Camp is so important to our campers. Dustin is a wonderful camper and we really enjoy having him at Camp. It reminds us again, why we do what we do!

This weekend I will be joining the Lions, Lioness and Leos of D2 in Sparta, Wisconsin for their annual convention. We have a camper speaking along with her parents which is very neat.

Finally, the diabetes camp registration goes LIVE tomorrow. If you know a camper with diabetes, have them contact Penny at the American Diabetes Association ASAP at 1-888-342-2383 for more information on how to register. This camp fills fast so do so today!

I hope that you all have a great week wherever you are (and good luck shoveling to those who are about to get clobbered with snow!).

2011-01-26T07:56:00.000-08:00

Good Morning - I am behind on updates and I apologize. I've gotten my annual sinus infection this last week - thankfully it has spared my ears and I am well on the mend with some fabulous soup, medications and sleep.
We are deep into the summer camp planning process! It seems so strange to be contemplating staff training, program supply lists, dates for the staff banquet and cabin assignments with snow on the ground.
Many, many things are happening here and I will try to catch you up on all of these!
1. Camper applications continue to roll in - Jamie's desk is covered.
2. Staff applications are also rolling in - I am so excited to see all the potential candidates. If you know someone who is 18 or older, who loves working with children and is willing to be trained -send them our way. A summer working at a camp is a life experience no one should miss.
3. Our counselor-in-training program is finally generating some interest! We have two applicants already. The program is for two weeks this summer - July 17-29 and the fee is $300 per person - which covers all training, food, lodging and fun they will have during the two weeks. It's open to youth who will be 16 or 17 years old by July 17. The idea is to give these teens the experience and training that would put them on track to become camp staff (hopefully for us) but to give them that hands on experience with our campers. Jamie, our Assistant Camp Operations Manager, is coordinating this program and I know she is ready to make this program a success this year.
4. We are recruiting on a few select college campuses in February. February 15 at UW-Stevens Point, February 16 at LaCrosse and February 17 at Winona. There are many other opportunities for fairs - but we prefer to visit an area after we've set up several interviews with potential staff. Keep an eye out for dates of Madison, Milwaukee and Whitewater visits!
5. We just had a board meeting this weekend and we accomplished a great deal. Our deer hide collection project has collected somewhere between 4,500 and 5,500 hides. THANK YOU Director Bernie for your hard work on this project! We have preliminary numbers for our 2010 ending budget numbers and I am proud that we at the Wisconsin Lions Foundation continue to be financially smart and stay within budget. It takes a lot of work to do so - and we have a great, great team here. Lions, Lioness and Leos of Wisconsin should be very proud!
6. Upcoming club visits - there are SEVERAL - but to highlight a few in February - I will be visiting with the Williams Bay Lioness, Peter is visiting the Boulder Junction Lions, Paula is hanging out with the Marshfield Club and Jamie is going to the Green Bay area. We always enjoy the opportunity to meet with the many club members who support our camp and work hard to provide this experience of a lifetime to the campers we serve.
7. Next up on the convention track - D2 in Sparta followed by A2 in Oconomowoc. Stop by the WLF table and say hello to Evett, our Executive Administrator.
8. Have you seen the new Lions license plates? So cool. Putting our mission right on our vehicles - We serve. My renewal is coming up in May - I plan to personalize my new plate - but still trying to decide what to say! I have some options - LUVWLC (love Wisconsin Lions Camp), CMPMOM (Camp mom), WLCCOM (Wisconsin Lions Camp Camp Operations Manager). If you have an idea for my new license plate, let me know! Each plate earns a donation for WLF for $25. A great to support WLF and show your Lions pride at the same time.

I end with a story about my son - Andrew. Little man is seven and it's important that he understands what I do at Camp and also that I keep working on my camp/life balance so I can spend quality time with Andrew and quite frankly - he's too funny not to share with you.
Well, the latest from him is that last night, he came home and was determined to make....a leprechaun trap. A shoebox, sour cream container, glue, tape, and the bait (cheese-its) has been transformed to lead us to the pot of gold. I love it. So, I plan to play along. Any ideas of little things I can drop around the house to give Andrew the idea that the leprechaun is around? I plan to, on St. Patricks Day, to leave a little shoe in the trap with a gold dollar coin as a "sign" that we had caught one...but he escaped. Love it!

Have a great week everyone - and oh yes, how could I forget? GO PACK GO! Those who know me, you know I was a screaming fool on Sunday. Can't wait for the Super Bowl!

2011 is moving fast!

2011-01-10T12:16:00.000-08:00

Good afternoon! It may only be January 10, but we are in full swing here at Camp. Our 2010 summer staff reunion was held this past Thursday and Friday. Between sledding and rocking out on guitar hero, we had a great time! We already have several positions filled in with returners and are looking to have a strong core group of staff for 2011.
Applications continue to come back - we are almost ready with confirmation packets -a few more edits here and there and we are set. I am very pleased by the high number of phone calls, e-mails and even facebook requests for more information for campers, staff and our counselor-in-training program. I think we have really started to get the word out to people about what we do for people in Wisconsin. It's exciting and almost a relief too - after spending so much time, money and effort over the past few years, its beginning to pay off.
Club visit requests are up too! I was just in Kaukauna last week visiting the Lioness there. I will be leaving Friday to head to the A1 District Convention in Lake Geneva and have a few more visits planned in February, March and April already! In fact, Peter, Paula and Jamie are going out on visits too which is fantastic.
We (Lions Camp) will be present at the Wisconsin School Counselors Association held in Stevens Point on Thursday and Friday - February 24-25, 2011. I will be presenting on Thursday and we'll have an informational booth present both days. Another great opportunity for us to meet and network with school professionals from all over the state. It's going to be a fun time!
We continue to have groups book to come out and enjoy the winter weather at camp, and the deer hides keep on coming. It's great to see people visit us and donate hides to us and it makes for a great start to the New Year.
We will be recruiting at limited college fairs in February so those dates will be posted in a later blog.
Finally we have to say it - GO PACK GO! Have a terrific week!

Happy New Year!

2011-01-05T12:42:00.000-08:00

Yay! Its 2011 which can only mean one thing - Camp is not very far off. The office is very busy with summer camp preparations but the exciting news is that we got our first camper application back today. They were sent out on MONDAY! Wow. All camper applications, staff applications and other information have been posted on our website - please feel free to print any of it and pass it on to folks you think may want to sign up their campers!
Our staff reunion is coming up - tomorrow and Friday so we can start playing "staff puzzle" where we stick staff here and there until we come up with a complete summer staff. New this year is a summer secretary to be here every day. We think it will be great to have a consistent presence in the office while the adminstrative staff go out and play every day.
I hope everyone's holiday season was safe and happy and that they were able to spend time with those they loved! Until Monday - have a great weekend.

2010-12-06T13:42:00.001-08:00

Wow! Winter has definitely arrived. Not much snow-wise but the cold air and wind chills has me pulling out the heavy gear and searching for my gloves.
This past week was extremely busy. Jamie, our Assistant Camp Operations Manager was taking all of our edits from the office and getting our staff and camper applications ready to go. Camper applications are at the printers - getting ready for the January 3rd mailing date! They will all go up on the website then too. I am very excited that things are rolling along. Thank you for the hard work Jamie!
Peter and Paula are at a training - learning about American Camp Association Standards and the process to become a visitor. This means that along with Jamie and I who are already visitors, that they will be able to go visit a camp each summer. The visit process is how camps become accredited - visitors go through the standards with the camp staff and score the forms to send to National. The neat thing is the ability to see other camps, the operation, the populations and learn from each other. I think we might be the only camp in Wisconsin with all four of our full-time staff as visitors. Cool! More knowledge for us.
I am hanging out waiting to visit with the Oregon Lions tonight - I visited with some deaf or hard of hearing students in the Oregon school system today which was really fun. They were very curious and hopefully we get one or two more campers for 2011. It's a constant struggle to get campers - campers are nervous, parents are nervous and it's a hard process if they've never met the camp staff or seen the camp! So, we've been trying to reach out to potential campers and share what camp can do.
Finally - the deer hides have been rolling in - thank you hunters! The hide donations are very appreciated and will help fund campers for camp. Have a great week....and if you need a Christmas gift for a Lions Camp person - check out the trading post on-line. We got some good stuff that would look great!

Leading into Thanksgiving

2010-11-22T09:27:00.000-08:00

Well, it is raining like crazy outside! Thunder, lighting and hail. What a way to kick off thanksgiving week. This week is a quiet one at the office. I am trying to catch up on a pile of paperwork. It's a never-ending pile though so perhaps reducing it to a manageable level is the goal instead.
The past two weeks have been a little busy on the personal front. My little man Andrew is a cub scout so that's been an interesting transition for me learning to be a mom in the background instead of the group leader. I know other camp folks are laughing at me right now - it's hard to leave the director mode behind sometimes!
Camp wise - I attended the annual meeting for American Camp Association - Wisconsin Section. I currently sit on the ACA-Wisconsin board and it's been very educational. It's kept me posted on some issues facing camping in Wisconsin, most notably upcoming changes to the health code that governs camps - HFS 175. I may have the opportunity to sit in on meetings to re-work this code on a state level which will probably be frustrating, but a great way to reflect on the operation of our camp and create yet another networking opportunity. Plus it helps us keep Wisconsin Lions Camp as a leader in camping and us out there - helping create policy for other camps.
In the deer hide collection front - the hides are coming in! Please keep us in mind for donating that hide - there are collection sites all over the state. Let me know if you need help locating one - I will find out that information for you.
Exciting news - today I found out that the annual Lions Day at the Milwaukee Admirals is going to be on Sunday, March 27 at 5 PM. Tickets are $16.00 and $4.00 of each ticket comes to the Wisconsin Lions Camp. So come on down to the Bradley Center and enjoy a game of hockey, see some campers and help support Camp at the same time. To order tickets - just call 1-414-227-0829 and ask to reserve tickets for the Sunday, March 27th game. I hope to see some of you there!
Last but not least - it's my list of things I am thankful for - before Christmas shopping and craziness takes over - I always take time to be thankful for what I have!

So without further ado, here's my thankful list!

1. For the Camp itself - my second home away from home!
2. For our many campers, families and rental groups that have come and enjoyed what we offer- it is a privilege to meet, get to know and work with all of these wonderful people.
3. For our staff - we have a terrific crew that keeps Camp and the Foundation running smoothly and helps us remain successful.
4. For all the people who support us in so many ways - money, time and other donations. We truly appreciate you and what you do for us.
5. For all of my family and friends, especially for the blessing of my wonderful son, Andrew. Being a mom is a challenge but also such a reward.
6. For the ability to help others - through Camp, being a Lions member, a First Responder and in all other ways I can.

I wish all of you a very happy thanksgiving, safe travels and good eating!

Beautiful Fall Days

2010-11-09T11:38:00.000-08:00

So today is November 9 and I sit inside while it is a beautiful sunny day outside. Hmmm. Unfortunately I don't have any outside projects to occupy my time so I will have to content myself with "sunshine" breaks during the rest of the afternoon.
Thursday I am attending the American Camp Assocation - Wisconsin Section's annual meeting in Madison. We are members of ACA, as a camp, as professionals and I also sit on the Wisconsin section board. While it can be an imposition at times, I believe it's important to be involved so that camping can continue to be a valuable experience for youth. Not many people know that it takes all sorts of behind-the-scenes work to keep a camp open, running and safe. The most notable of these things is to be inspected annually by the state to maintain our license to operate!
Our health department in Portage County has been a wonderful partner working with us through many small issues and also helped us in our build of the Health Lodge - ensuring it met all needed codes. One thing that is happening on a state level is that the code we are to follow - HFS 175 is up for revision. I am hoping to be involved in that process so that should be yet another interesting experience for me.
Oh yes - got word that the Lions license plate will be available for order December 1st! Yay! I am hoping to get my license plate to say "LUVWLC". After the costs have been paid for the development of the license plate, each time someone renews their plate, the $25 donation goes to the Wisconsin Lions Foundation for its projects - including camp. Cool. So showing Lions pride, Lions camp pride and helping all at the same time....fun!
Finally, I have to note that Friday was my 35th birthday. 26 years ago, I found Lions Camp...and have never left. It's amazing to me that I've been so fortunate to be here doing the work I've done this young. I look forward to many more birthdays with Camp!

Winter is coming!

2010-11-02T10:49:00.000-07:00

Hello all - it's the second day of November - election day! November brings us the following work projects:

revising staff and camper applications
revising and working on all camp manuals
job description revision
camper mailings readied for January 3, 2011
inventorying program areas and creating purchase lists
review of summer 2010 and creation of action plan to change/improve or modify camp programs for 2011

That's enough for now. Our off-season rental business slows down dramatically this month which allows us to focus more on summer camp. Although I am busy writing off season agreements for 2011 so it is never far from my mind. Please note in November the offices are closed for Thanksgiving week. It gives our staff some time off and not much happens here then!

We are getting into full swing for our deer hide collection program. If you have a deer hide, we have collection points all over the state. We then bring these hides to a buyer that gives us a great price for them - raising more funds for camp. Last year brought us just over $40,000. Thank you to Lion Bernie who coordinates all of this and his hard work and dedication to this project has brought over $200,000 to the Wisconsin Lions Foundation. If you need to find a deer hide drop off site near you, please contact Dale Schroeder, our Facility Manager, at camp. He's got the information for you!

This is one of our fundraisers and it sure helps us out. We are also hard at work on our other fundraisers: cash raffle, golf outing and our new Fall Fun Run/Walk and Ride. A 5k run/walk on our property and a 15 or 30 mile bike ride starting and ending at camp. The 2011 date has been approved and we are in the process of looking for sponsors to help cover some costs of this race. Please let me know if you know a company or person who would be willing to sponsor so I can contact them.

November is a good month to be thankful - so I end this post being thankful for all of our supporters who time and time again donate their time, money and support to keep Camp going. Thank you!

Oops!

2010-10-27T12:46:00.000-07:00

So as 2010 progressed, I shoved all thought of the blog so far down my to-do list that I never did blog this year! I am so sorry about that and instead of a New Year's resolution - how about a Holloween resolution? I have a post-it on my computer and it says "blog once a week - did you post yet?". We'll see how it goes....but to catch everyone up on this year....
January 2010 - we got started on the 2010 applications
February 2010 - worked on hiring staff
March 2010 - ditto for February
April 2010 - camper forms were flying all over the office and staff were being hired left and right
May 2010 - in between rental groups, final camp preparations we hosted a Thursday night steak dinner for the state convention at camp. It was very successful and nice to see so many Lions, Lioness and Leos visiting!
June - August 2010 - summer camp! 1, 375 campers successfully served - no major incidents and I actually went on a vacation for a week. Jamie, our Assistant Camp Operations Manager, took over and got some good practice in. Good to know she can do the job, right?
September 2010 - more rentals, recovery from the summer, one of our full-time staff and his wife welcomes their first duaghter and we hold our Open House - along with a very successful Fall Fun Run/Walk & Ride for the first time! We had 48 participants and with limited word of mouth, we raised just under $4,000.
October 2010 - whew! Mailings for 2011 ready, working on applications, and before we know it...we are back on the summer camp planning treadmill. We also completed the new roof on the Memorial Building - WOW! It's great. I will add some photos of it when I figure that part out :)

So....a brief recap but that should hit the major points and get me back on track for blogging. I got to visit with the Whitewater Lions last night at their clubhouse on the lake! What a neat meeting place and useful building for them. I gave a presentation on camp and they had many good questions. I appreciate the fellowship and the ham dinner was delicious!
Until next week folks!

It's the last week of the year???

2009-12-28T12:40:00.001-08:00

I can't believe how quickly the year went! This week is a quiet one - with cleaning going on in buildings and most staff off for the holidays. I am attempting to "find" my desk under the papers on it - an impossible task according to some staff. Our summer staff from 2009 will be reuniting at Camp January 8-10 and after talking to them all, we'll begin our 2010 staff recruiting in earnest.

I received a poem a camper wrote for Camp in 2009 - I thought I would share it with you.

Looking back on the past
Boy, how things have changed
This old place has a new face
My path starts here.
Watch for deer
Listen for the birds
Touch the trees
A morning walk around the lake
Frees me from my busy city life
Relaxing with my friends
The staff has changed
Can you remember all your counselor's names?
The morning sun
the afternoon rain
The evening sunset
Is how I want to end my day
the activities here are the same
Boating, swimming, art & crafts
Archery bingo and a campout
Some locations have changed
A new building here
A path over there
At the end of the week we go away until next year
My path will always lead me back
Because, this is a special place
WISCONSIN LIONS CAMP

By: Nicole Wolf - one of our adult visually impaired campers - shared with her permission - thanks Nicole!

New Years is coming up and I know - I should resolve once again to lose some weight (ha-ha!) but I really only have two resolutions that I know I can meet this year.
#1 - Make the 2010 summer camp season a successful one for all staff and campers
#2 - Enjoy more time with family and friends - especially my little man Andrew!

I hope you all have a great New Year! See you in 2010!

2009-12-23T12:14:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas everyone! It has been a quiet three days leading up to the holiday season. A brief time of peace until we hit the ground running. Staff applications are on our website ready for downloading while camper applications will be mailed out and will go up on the website on January 4, 2010. we had our fiscial year change to January to December, so we wanted to ensure all camper deposits and applications fell into the year of attendance.

In this time, I would like to mention to keep in our thoughts four campers who have passed this year. Adam, April, Hermod and Don we are thinking of you and your families. For Margaret who is extremely sick, my prayers to you. This would be the hardest part of being the director - seeing campers pass away. They truly are a part of our camp family and they will be missed.

Thank you to Johneen who came in and cleaned and organized our Trading Post this weekend! Starting in January, updated clothing items will be for sale on the on-line store! I will be working on getting those pictures up next week.

Our 2009 staff reunion is coming up quickly - January 8-10....I am excited to see everyone and learn how their year has been going. We'll also be working on planning our 5k fundraiser for this fall. Very nervous about it but with all the great help that's coming to the meeting, I am confident it will be a big success!

Snow is here, but who knows for how long? We'll see what this storm system coming in will do to our snow at camp. It's definitely getting windy out there too!

Happy Holidays from my family to yours!

Happy Holidays - the year in re-cap!

2009-12-14T09:18:00.001-08:00

Well, it's been a long time since I've blogged about Camp! Let me recap some of our events this fall and get going on getting back into a schedule.

Our Open House went very,very well! Thanks to everyone who attended. Please plan to attend next year on Saturday, September 18, 2010.
Our final camper numbers are 1,328 campers, 24 campers with epilepsy and 66 American Diabetes Staff for a grand total of 1, 418 campers served. Amazing!
Our deer hunt for hunters with disabilities on October 10 was quite sucessful.
We served 31 rental groups this fall - that income generated goes to off-set the costs of summer camp which allows me to keep three full-time staff in our office to assist me in the operation of summer camp.
Our fall workday was busy as usual - volunteers got things cleaned up and put away for the fall. I am always amazed at how many people show up. THANK YOU ALL!
We had a board meeting at the end of October to work on getting things ready for summer camp 2010 and to work on other things to benefit the Wisconsin Lions Foundation. It's so important that we have such a strong board of directors - thank you to these volunteers who keep working hard on our behalf.

What are we working on now? Well, our mailings for summer camp are getting prepared to go out on January 4, 2010. All camper applications will be available on-line and sent to all previous eligible campers. Please note that applications for the children with diabetes are only available from the American Diabetes Assocation at 414-778-5500.

Our staff applications went on-line and are available as of December 1, 2009. We will begin recruiting and interviewing in earnest after our summer staff of 2009 reunion in January. Staff must be 18 years or older and willing to work with children and adults with disabilities. It is not an easy job by any means, but it is a very rewarding one. If you know someone who would be a good fit, direct them to our website - www.wisconsinlionscamp.com for more information and applications.

We are preparing for summer of 2010 by creating activities, researching new ones, looking for new materials to purchase, and getting our manuals together for all staff. Staff training week needs to be planned out and during all of this we have rental groups pretty much every weekend throughout the winter and spring months! Time moves much faster than we think.....

Conventions start up again after the new year - I will be at A1 and A2 for sure - so I hope to see some of you out there! Come support us and learn about the wonderful things the Wisconsin Lions Foundation is doing on behalf of the Lions, Lioness and Leos of Wisconsin.

Camp is beautiful in the winter with the snow covering everything. The sledding hill isn't quite ready since the lake hasn't really frozen. A few days of cold blasts should take care of that issue for us! Stay warm out there....and let me know if you have any questions on any of this information at ayenter@wisconsinlionscamp.com.

What? September is almost done?

2009-09-30T07:43:00.000-07:00

Good morning Lions Camp fans! It's been a busy few weeks and I'm late in posting. Not a surprise really but it's time to get caught up. Open House was wonderful. Thank you to the families who came and shared their stories with our visitors. They touched hearts and even caused a tear or two! It is so nice to be reminded why we do what we do.
Last week was a busy Retreat and Conference Center time as well - we saw Rosholt High School, Portage and Wood County clients, Wisconsin Children's Choir, Hands of Christ, 4H Shooting Sports training, Wisconsin Lutheran College and right now, the American Cancer Society is holding a training here. It's been fun to see returning groups and meet the new ones.
Tomorrow I am leaving to go to the Colorado Lions Camp for our annual Conference of Lions Camps. I am the secretary/treasurer of the conference and it's been a blast visiting these other camps and getting some other ideas and suggestions for our camp program.
Believe it or not we are in the process of revising applications for 2010! Whew. We are also working on the many mailings we send out so the pieces are all ready for our workday on October 24. That's when we get a bunch of folks to label, stuff, seal and sort these mailings so we can get them out at the beginning of 2010.
We are introducing a counselor-in-training program this year - I will share more details in a future blog.
Yesterday walking into my office, there was a pair of bald eagles circling right above my head. I watched them for about 10 minutes - listening to them calling to each other and soaring up on the thermals in the sky. It was one of those moments where you realize your place in life and that you are there....in that perfect place. Wisconsin Lions Camp is that perfect place - of fun, understanding and beauty.

Open House Preparations

2009-09-15T06:25:00.000-07:00

So this weekend is our annual Wisconsin Lions Camp Open House! It is Saturday - a day to open the gates and show off camp to Lions, Lioness, Leos, guests, community members or anyone who ever wanted to see what we do here. Intitally I was concerned because several families were unable to make the event, but we have at least 14 terrific camper families who will be here to share their experiences and stories with visitors. The chicken dinner is great (served from 11-2) and there are tours - pontoon, walking and wagon all throughout the facility. Ice cream will be available in our camp store which will have my mom and her friends working in there. Come harrass a Kenosha Lioness!
Shopping will be a big draw - Johneen, our trading post secretary from the summer, is sure to have deals to get you into the perfect piece of Wisconsin Lions Camp apparel.
This summer we were able to serve 1,418 campers free-of-charge. That's a phenomenal number! I am so proud of the team we have here at Camp and at the Foundation.

In the rental side of things, we said good bye to the American Cancer Society Sunday. They had a popcorn machine and a sno cone maker! Andrew loved that! Amherst Schools will be coming tomorrow for a day on the ropes course. I love these kind of groups. Darn, I have to go outside all day and interact with students on our ropes course. So we are looking forward to that. Rental groups provide us with income to put towards our operating expenses and helps keep the full-time staff here.

Finally on the alumni side, Holly Bauer created Team Lime Green for the Twin Cities Marathon she is running on October 4th. Holly has made it her goal to raise funds to sponsor two campers for the 2010 camping season or $1200. To support Team Lime Green, please contact me for Holly's information. Go Holly go!

Have a terrific week and enjoy this fantastic weather!

The first day!

2009-09-11T12:43:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the first day of blogging about one of my favorite topics - the Wisconsin Lions Camp! Today is gorgeous - sunny, about 80 degrees and the rental group American Cancer Society is preparing for a weekend retreat called Hozoni weekend for families dealing with cancer. A great weekend!
I plan to use this blog to keep you posted on camp happenings, upcoming events, changes and other fun news that may be of interest to you as campers, alumni, staff, Lions or supporters of the Wisconsin Lions Camp! I welcome your thoughts, comments and questions as I navigate the world of blogging.