Wisconsin Lions Foundation: Wisconsin Lions Camp
Volume 1 April 2005
Alumni Mission Statement
The Wisconsin Lions Foundation: Wisconsin Lions Camp Staff Alumni Association strives to support the principles and efforts of the Wisconsin Lions Camp and the Wisconsin Lions Foundation thereof. We offer a network for past and present camp staff in an effort to preserve affiliation with alumni staff and with Wisconsin Lions Camp.
Alumni Retreat Weekend
Mark your calendar!! Our 5th annual retreat is scheduled for September 2-5, 2005. Please see registration information enclosed. Paul and Jennifer Rudnick will serve as host family for the weekend. Our activities will include a Friday night social, Saturday evening cookout and optional camp-out led by alumni, Sunday Campfire, Paddleboat races, SNEAKY and fun for the whole family.
2004 Retreat Highlights
We’d like to recognize Matt Piper for his 1st launch into the Mud-Pit at our last retreat. What an inspiration! (Please e-mail your “highlights” – we’ll try to include them in our next newsletter.)
WLC will celebrate 50 years in 2006. We are fortunate to have an opportunity to be a large part of it. An Open House is scheduled on July 24, 2006. Come and see how Camp looks! We will present a check to Lions Camp at this time. Our goal is to raise $5,000 to earn a diamond on the Memorial Wall in honor of alumni. We will vote on specifying where the dollars should go during our Annual Meeting September 4, 2005. There will be a tax-exempt account set up through the Lions Foundation for all donations!! WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT TO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE. Please be aware this is a one-time request to show your support of the work Lions Camp does for so many! Checks can be mailed with Camp registration or alumni membership payable to the Lion’s Foundation (Staff Alumni acct.) THANK YOU.
Pete’s Tracking Report
The Alumni Association continues to move forward as we make more and more connections to past staff.
For each of us, our time as Lions Camp counselors, program staff and other staffers will always symbolize the way Camp always runs. But how many people and how many different experiences have occurred over the past 50 years of Lions Camp? The thought is staggering. However, it would be great to find out. Therefore, the WLF WLC Staff Alumni Association asked us to put together a committee to help find as many camp alumni as we could. The initial records of former staff given to us by WLC numbered around 860. Our goal became to identify and confirm as many of those 860 as we could. A website was set up on the Lions Camp website to allow former camp staff to connect with us. A mass mailing and e-mail was performed to identify as many alumni as we could. Finally, a phone calling tree by the Alumni Board and tracking committee members was performed. Our endeavors netted over 110 confirmed addresses and 220 unconfirmed but known addresses. We found over 1/3 of the known former staff alumni. However, that does leave over 2/3 yet to be found. If you know of any former staff, please forward their address, phone number or e-mail through the Lions Camp website on the Alumni pages or via e-mail to committee chair Peter Roloff at kroloff@new.rr.com.
Oh Remember When....
This column will feature stories from you, our alumni. We want to give you all a voice and a chance to share a story, funny antic, a memory or even an event from your time at Lions Camp that has stuck with you through the years. These can be stories of campers or even fellow staff members, or anything else you would like to share. For many of us camp holds a very special place in our hearts and lives and this is a way to let others know how camp has impacted us.
Here is one of my favorite experiences: Back in the days when we could go on trips, I was a counselor and had the Me Time blind girls. We took an overnight bike trip to the county park. I just remember how excited the girls were. For some this was their first time on a tandem bike and first trip experience. We practiced biking etc. the days before. During our trip I just remember the pride and sense of accomplishment many of them felt when we completed this experience. It was just so cool to see their pride and self confidence grow from this trip. That is what camp is about for so many and that is why so many of us were there. If you have a story or experience you would like to share please e-mail Jodi at gebster@execpc.com and I will add it to our next Oh remember when...... column.
Thanks so much, Jodi
· Kris Kutschera, President
· Jodi Giebel, Vice President
· Dave Moehn, Secretary
· Amy Ottens, Treasurer
· Peter Roloff, Member at Large Chairperson
Check out the Wisconsin Lions Camp Webpage at www.wisconsinlionscamp.com to see how things have changed and click on the alumni page to read more about our activities as an alumni association!