Before we get too far into the new year, we want to take a moment to look back on the past year and highlight the steps we took towards our strategic plan goals.
While we made focused efforts towards our goals, we also continued providing programming and hospitality to many who came through the peaceful woods. At a glace, we served:
- 607 campers in the summer (334 youth / 273 family) which is the most youth campers we’ve served since 2014 and the most family campers in over 20 years!
- 1,800+ people through our school-based outdoor education program
- 7,000+ guests seeking retreat
- 32,000+ meals in the dining hall
In addition to providing opportunities for retreat, renewal, and reconnection to all these people, we also lived more deeply into our mission by working on the following initiatives:
- 9,000 trees planted
- 800+ hours committed to land stewardship in the year
- Formed and strengthened new food partnerships with local food suppliers
- Created and adopted a welcome/inclusion statement and placed on website
- Incorporated indigenous history hike in summer program and all campers went on the hike
- Completed and dedicated a unique treehouse themed playground made from black locust harvested and milled on site
- Further developed loose parts play area
- Imbedded training on indigenous history and land acknowledgment into ‘new hire checklist’
- Developed plans for remodel of Fenwood staff house and Sycamore Lodge
- Installed automatic door openers in Main Dining Hall (and received grant funding for project)
- Completed new standing seam metal roof and additional insulation on Lakeview roof
- Completed new covered seating area and storage area at Lakeview Beach
And it all was supported and made possible through a total of 780 days of volunteer engagement at Camp Friedenswald!
To read the full progress report outlining steps taken towards our strategic plan in 2023, click here.
