Smith: 100 years old and going strong, Camp Manito-wish YMCA proves enduring power of nature

When Camp Manito-wish YMCA was founded in 1919, it offered a rustic North Woods setting and a range of programs focused on character development, team-building and outdoor skills.

None of the attendees used hand-held digital devices.

This year, as the camp in Boulder Junction celebrates its 100th year of operation, all of the above is still true.

That's right – no cell phones, no tablets, no video games. But plenty of campfires, conversations, canoes and pine-scented air.

What has changed over the decades is the number of "campers" has swelled, from 60 in its first year to more than 1,000 in 2018.

Camp Manito-wish YMCA now also offers wilderness excursions throughout North America, exchange programs with European partners and serves as host to year-round corporate retreats and other group events.

It's notable for any organization to survive for 100 years. But it's extraordinary for one built around "unplugged" nature experiences to thrive in the 21st century.

"We've held true to our mission," said Anne Derber, CEO of the camp since 2000. "The tools have evolved a little bit, but what we believe in has not changed."

The camp's mission statement is to "enrich the character and leadership development of each person who has a Manito-wish experience by challenging them to grow in wisdom, in stature, in favor with God, and in favor with one another."

Since its founding, the camp has strived to develop confident, responsible and enlightened leaders who will improve the world in which they live.

Derber said it does so in an inclusive environment that upholds human dignity and values diversity and unique experiences.

The formula has been working extremely well: it's annual camper retention rate is 60%.

"Our best recruiting tool is word-of-mouth," said Anne Noyes of River Hills, a member of the camp's board of directors who attended Manito-wish as a Milwaukee teen-ager in the 1970s.

Years later, Noyes and her husband Chris sent their two daughters, Allyson and Elena, to Camp Manito-wish. 

"It's such a formative experience," Anne Noyes said. "The environment there helps children gain confidence and learn they can figure things out on their own."

Noyes said she wasn't surprised a few years ago when Elena said she was taking some time out from the work world to go backpacking in South America.

“It's such a Manito-wish thing to do,” said Anne Noyes. 

And who did she arrange to meet in South America? A fellow camp alumni.

"The friendships you form through the camp experience are among the strongest of your life," Noyes said.

Camp Manito-wish YMCA opened July 4, 1919. 

That spring Walter “Daddy” H. Wones, H.E. Andrews and Judge E. B. Beldon searched for a site to establish a summer camp for the State of Wisconsin YMCA.

Wones believed the wilds of Wisconsin's North Woods offered a more in depth experience and challenge for campers. The camp was intended to be a place for kids from urban areas to experience a quiet night, observe wildlife and paddle through beautiful lakes, rivers and streams, according to historical records.

The founders purchased the former Rabbit’s Foot Resort on Boulder Lake. Sixty campers, all boys, spent the first summer at the site.

Sessions for girls have been held at the camp since 1941.

In 1946, General Dwight Eisenhower visited the camp.

The contemporary Camp Manito-wish has 20 full-time, year-round staff and 300 summer employees. The programs are designed for ages 10 to 18.

The core camp experience is formed by 2- to 4-week sessions that include horseback riding, water sports and arts and crafts, as well as 3- to 9-day canoeing, backpacking or kayaking trips.

The camp extends financial aide to youth who might otherwise be excluded from the Camp Manito-wish experience. In the last five years, it has awarded $1.5 million in assistance to bring kids to Boulder Junction.

Camp Manito-wish YMCA also includes Outpost, a wilderness tripping program that takes participants to remote destinations across the continent for outings as long as 45 days.

The camp maintains a cultural exchange program, too, dating to 1945 when its leaders reached out to youth in war-ravaged Germany.

The camp now owns 307 acres on Boulder Lake, as well as remote camping sites sprinkled in northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Its financial condition is sound, with a $9 million endowment and about $500,000 raised each year in a campaign to support ongoing activities.

Over the last century, the camp has served more than 150,000 youth.

About 50% of the attendees come from Wisconsin, 25% from Illinois and the balance from other states and eight foreign countries.

Famous camp alumni include Rep. Paul Ryan of Beloit, speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. Ryan also sent his children to the camp.

Other alums include former Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle and former Congressman Thomas Petri.

Although competition is stiff, Derber said camp staff continue to have success drawing attendees to Boulder Junction, even with Camp Manito-wish's "no digital devices" policy.

Staff collects cell phones and other electronic devices at the start of camp and returns them at the end.

"It is such a great unplugged experience," Derber said. "They can have conversations and problem solve by talking to each other and not having their device to help them."

Believe it or not, Derber said when the kids get picked up after their stay they don’t want to use their cell phones right away.

Maybe that's nature affecting human behavior, or a testimony to the strength of outdoor experiences, or the power of interpersonal relationships without electronic interference.

Probably all that, and more, as put into practice at Camp Manito-wish.

The camp is planning a 100th anniversary celebration Aug. 31 to Sept. 2. As many as 1,000 alums and family members are expected to descend on Boulder Junction for the event. 

The public is welcome, too, but asked to RSVP to help camp staff plan for meals. If interested, contact Vicki Bachmann at 100@manito-wish.org.

Can Camp Manito-wish continue its magic for another 100 years?

"We're always looking for ways to improve," Derber said. "A big goal is to be nimble to stay ahead of the curve and remain viable for the next generation."