Nicole's fundraiser for Wanakee Health Lodge

I am thrilled to be fundraising for Wanakee again this year. Proceeds from this year's fundraiser will ensure that the installation of our new Health Lodge is fully funded. Having a stand-alone health center has been on Wanakee's dream list and master plan for a number of years and the project is finally coming to fruition. The Health Lodge will provide a designated and private space for all camp participants to meet with the health officer and have their health-related needs met in up-to-date facilities. The Health Lodge also has a private space for the health officer to stay during their service at camp.

As a camper, staffer and volunteer, I have visited Wanakee's Health office through its many iterations - in the farmhouse and in the Rec Hall as a COVID necessity to ensure access to isolation rooms. My most vivid memory of using the health office was as a swim camper. When I was 13-14 years old, I was practicing swimming underwater beyond the last docks (shout out to my mom, who was my swim instructor!). I have never enjoyed opening my eyes under water, and I surely had them closed for as long as possible. When I surfaced, I hit my head hard on the underside of the dock - to large fanfare from my fellow campers and the swim instructors. I was shuttled off to the health center for recovery and observation. Though I was cleared to return to my site after a few hours, I surely would have appreciated a place to rest and recover that was a bit further away from the hustle and bustle of the Farmhouse, where the health center was located, at the time. 

The new Health Lodge will provide just that! Will you help me in bringing this project to completion so future campers can have a place to rest and recover from injury or illness? 

Remember, your donation goes even further thanks to our generous matching donors, who will match your donation to Wanakee, dollar for dollar. $5 becomes $10, $75 becomes $150. Your donation means so much to the mission and ministry at Wanakee. Every amount makes a difference!

Grace and Peace,

Nicole

PS - I may have learned from my dock collision experience that the discomfort of opening my eyes underwater is surely worth it when there are obstacles nearby. One of the many lessons I have learned from my time at Wanakee.