Beyond Summer Camp
Summer Camp for Youth is surely a shining star with a glow and warmth that is only found in a great camp experience. In “Beyond Summer Camp” we see the same glow and warmth reflected in all our other offerings.
A number of years ago we looked at many different Teen Leadership Programs and realized there was something missing…..lots of teens. The standard format that we found was to charge teens a weekly fee and structure the program with very little experiential activities. We also noticed that most programs had between 10 and 15 participants. We thought we could do better so we developed a program with no fees (we fundraise to cover costs), offer a week of formal training, and a minimum of two weeks in summer camp participating in experiential training using team concepts. Net result….over 200 teens participate in our programs every year!
It is a widely held belief that education in the outdoors is a special event where schools can introduce students to the science and value of learning about our natural environment. Anokijig has a team of Outdoor Educators and a long list of curriculum with hands-on learning opportunities. Subjects like water quality, solar energy, forestry, outdoor living, Native American studies, and the list goes on. From one day to one week, Anokijig can provide students with a new learning experience that will give them greater insight into the world around us.
Think of Family Camp and imagine a warm weekend spent with your family canoeing and swimming in Little Elkhart Lake or getting up a little early to test your fishing skills. What could be better than to have an adventure filled day ending with your own campfire and a circle of family and friends? Not much! Family weekends have a variety of activities with something for guests of all ages. Here is the best part, all the program facilities and staff are available to your family so, you have all the fun, and we do all the cooking and clean up. Our family weekends are so popular that we have generations coming back every year.
Are you going on events with friends from a particular organization that you belong to? Why not consider a retreat, an outing, or a special event to be held at Anokijig. Social groups, churches, clubs, schools, or let your imagination be your guide as Anokijig can accommodate you with simplicity or custom programs to satisfy your needs.
From time to time Anokijig will host an event like “Laughter in The Woods”; a dinner theater with upscale dining, a comedy theater, and opportunities to bid on wonderful items during the silent and live auction. Or perhaps you would like to enjoy activities and a brunch on one of our open day events like “A Taste of The Outdoors”, or “Fallapalooza.” Our Special Events and Fun/Fund Raisers are designed to offer participants an exciting outing, at a reasonable fee, while increasing our ability to offer assistance to less fortunate children.
Anokijig is also a host to a large number of volunteers. They help in our program areas, work on projects, and share special skills with the campers. Each year the time and energy offered by so many giving members of the Anokijig Family exceeds 70,000 hours. That is like having 30 plus extra fulltime employees…..unbelievable, but true!!