Summer camp enrollment is beginning to fill. What many may not know is a Wisconsin farm organization owns and operates its own summer camp.
Stephanie Hoff finds out about this year’s itinerary with camp co-manager Elizabeth Yost of Wisconsin Farmers Union’s Kamp Kenwood on Lake Wissota near Chippewa Falls. Yost is finalizing the attendance for their scheduled camps and organizing volunteers to clean the property for guests.
There’s still time to sign the kiddos up, but space is filling up fast!
WFU camps started in the 1930s, when the organization developed leadership and cooperative training. In the 1940s, WFU President Ken Hones inspired members to donate their time and funds to build a youth summer camp. Today, Kamp Kenwood’s 23 acres feature rustic cabins, hiking trails, a sandy beach, and a historic lodge.
The Farmers Union Camp program focuses on cooperatives, family farms, leadership, and conservation.
Campers create their own Camp Co-op Store, elect a board of directors, buy shares and receive patronage dividends. They also enjoy traditional summer camp activities like swimming, sports, arts and crafts, hiking, and campfires.
“Since the 2020 pandemic, camp registrations have suffered… and that’s across all camps in the country. I’m hoping to see an increase this year as folks are getting excited to return to nature,” Yost says. “Camp is beneficial, especially to kids who are growing up in this era that may have suffered a couple of years of a lack of social connection. People are going to start remembering why that’s so significant in a young adult or child’s upbringing.”
She notes that parents see a difference in their children when they come home from camp with increased confidence and new friends after getting the chance to unplug from the digital world.
“Having cooperative principles at the root of our values, our campers help participate in cleaning up their cabins. We all work together to make the day go smoothly,” Yost explains. “These campers will return home with more confidence and they have a little bit more responsibility in what they can do as an active member of their family, school, or group of friends.”
Camp sessions are open to ages 8-17 in July: https://www.wisconsinfarmersunion.com/youth-camp
Yost adds that Kamp Kenwood is already one of the most affordable overnight summer camps offered in the region, but on top of that, families can apply for non-competitive scholarships to offset costs that can be a barrier to registration.
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