Lions Bear Lake Camp 3409 N. Five Lakes Road Lapeer, MI 48446 810-245-0726 WWW.BEARLAKECAMP.ORG A GREAT PLACE TO GROW Mark Your Calender for our annual Golf Outing Event at Metamora Golf and Country Club May 17, 2015 Camp Wish List *8 Foot Tables $200 Challenge/Climbing Tower *Camper Shirts $700 *Kids Harnesses (2) $80 *Art Center Supplies $200 *Adult Harnesses (4) $200 *Case of Copy Paper $40 *Spool of 600 Rope $477 *Office Supplies $200 *Cargo Net $500 *Health Center Supplies $500 Deaf and Hard of Hearing *Tents (2) $350 *Books for DHH Camp $350 *Tool Box $500 *Super Tumbling Timbers $194 *Random Tools $500 *Ginormous Get Knotted Game $100 Nature Center *Jumbo Word Scramble $57 *Large and Small Totes with Lids $75 *Triumph Sport Trio Toss Deluxe $68 *Michigan Posters $50 Visually Impaired & Blind *Regular/Braille Nature Books $200 *Beep Kickball (2) $100 *Display Cases (or donations of any would be great) *Squirrel Baffle (for bird feeders at Nature Center) $500 $50 *Braille Labels- Embossables 500 sheets $315
Lions Club Gold Sponsors ($1000+) *Harper Woods/Grosse Pointe Woods Lions *Detroit Westown-Hartford Lions *Plymouth Lions *Westland Lions *Dearborn Lions *Trenton Lions *Clarkston Lions *Lake Orion Lions *Ortonville Lions *Waterford Lions *Birmingham Lions *Rochester Lions *Rochester Hills Lions *Lathrop Village Lions *Novi Lions *Wixom-Walled Lake Lions *Clawson Lions *Shelby Twp. Lions *Sterling Hts. Lions *Center Line Lions *Warren Lions *Armada Lions *Romeo Lions *Macomb Twp. Lions *Ann Arbor Host Lions *Saline Lions *Grand Rapids Lions *Bretton Woods Lions *Chesaning Lions *Fenton Lions *Frankenmuth Lions *Algonac Lions *Port Huron South Park Lions *Almont Lions *Berville Lions *Emmett Lions *Imlay City Lions *Metamora Lions *North Branch Lions *Bellaire Lions Our Contributors In recognition of the may organizations and individuals that make it possible for us to provide unique outdoor experiences for special needs youth and adults. Lions Club Silver Sponsors ($500-$999) *Garden City Lions *Livonia Hi-Nooners Lions *Bedford Twp. Lions *Fraser Lions *Troy Community Lions *Utica Lions *Mount Clemens Lions *Eastpointe Lions *Clinton Valley Lions *Washington Lions *Dexter Lions *Michigan Center Lions *Napoleon Lions *Hanover-Horton Lions *Muskegon Host Lions *Muskegon Northside Lions *Casanova-Kent City Lions *Alto Lions *Stockbridge Lions *Laingsburg Lions *Grand Ledge Lions *Charlotte Lions *Linden Lions *Yale Lions *Lapeer Lions *Sebewaing Lions *Applegate Lions *Sandusky Lions *Midland Lions *Charlevoix Lions *Elk Rapids Lions *Hale Lions *Oscoda Lions *Rose City Lions Lioness Clubs Gold Sponsors ($1000+) *Armada Lioness *Sterling Hts. Lioness *Metamora Lioness *Harsen Island Lioness Lioness Clubs Silver Sponsors ($500-$999) *Lake Orion Lioness *Macomb Twp. Lioness *Delta Lioness Camper Sponsors *Lewiston Lioness Lions Club *Lapeer Lions Club *Northport Lions Club *Magna Electronics *Armada Lioness Club *Hillsdale Lions Club *Hearing Loss Association of Macomb *Chesaning Lions Club *St. Charles Lions *Alto Lions *Sandusky Lions *Jackson Eyeopeners Lions *Sterling Heights Lioness *North Branch Lions *Kathy & Joseph Bogar *Alpena Lions Club
Memorials *Betty Adams David & Joan Lutchka Don & Mary Dakin Larry & Sharon Lotridge Charles Lotridge Liz & Dennis Niles The Fitzgibbons Family Billy & Beverly Ousley Glenn & Nancy Primrose Richard & Pat Schittenhelm Carol Lester Diane & Mike Vecellio Mr. & Mrs. Butch Sager Mr. Danny Hart Verna Rehahn (Grass Lake Lions Club) George Copperscoll Chris & Cindy Payne James Clark Phil & Sally Sherwood Willis & Jurasek Marjorie Schittenhelm Rich & Judie Willis Susan Beatty-Hull Steven Adams Charles & Constance Adams Bancroft Lioness Club Shafer Redi-Mix Maurice & Sally Walworth Russell & Edna Adams Helen Barker Larry Schoffer John M. Louella Raymer Donna Wahr James & Marcia Decoster Andrew & Jeanne Schneider Stuart & Elaine Strahan Sharon Bechtel Cheryl Wilcox Zenz Farms Robert & Susan Adams Suzy S. Harry & June Coppernol Lloyd Stoker Carol Lester & Family Wayne & Margaret Wolfinger Susan & Chris Hoover *Marge Baker * Sheila Digasbarro * James Kohout * James Krause * Steven Orlowsky Leonard Gauthier Charles Covington Patrick Oneil Jeanne Piscopink * Carol Reid Marie & Kelly Krumm *Deanna Kostinko Patricia Cooper Susan & Matthew Luck * Nicholas Spindler * Robert Stevens James & Lauraine Pettinato * Jerry Wylin Judy Lassman Judith Roosen Honorarium *Lillie & Thomas Oldenburg Margaret Oldenburg Foundations *All State Foundation *Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan *The Buhr Foundation *Community Foundation of Northeast Michigan *Danto Family Foundation *DeRoy Family Foundation *Four County Community Foundation *Rollin M. Gerstacker Foundation *The Lloyd and Mabel Johnson Foundation *The Jury Foundation *The Helen L. Kay Charitable Trust *The Kings Daughters and Sons *Kohl s Cares *Lapeer County Community Foundation *Serra Family Foundation *Stella and Frederick Loeb Charitable Trust *Michigan Braille Transcribing Fund *Katharine J. Miner Charitable Trust *Mitchell Royal Foundation *Whiting Foundation This is hands down the best camp ever! I wish I didn t have to grow up. I wish I could go to camp for the rest of my life. Love it. Great staff, great activities, and great campers. -Kevin
Everyone Has a Story To Tell (cont d from Page 1) so enjoyable to have a visually challenged camper identify an herb by smell or ask me for some lemon balm. It is so rewarding as a retired special education teacher to inspire a discovery of nature and not have to worry about tests or grades. I have many fond memories of camp. One is having a Visually Impaired camper hear a cardinal sing, on our walk through the woods, tell me that s the most beautiful sound I ve ever heard. On a personal note, it was fun being, according to Dennis, the oldest person to climb the rock wall and do the zip line at camp. Thanks, Jean, for letting me mark that off my bucket list. Dorothy Walling has not only been a huge asset to Lions Bear Lake Camp, but she has become a dear friend to all that are honored to meet her. On behalf of everyone that is a part of camp, we would like to thank Dorothy for her devotion, enthusiasm and dedication that she has given us. She is able to bring Bear Lake Camp a very special program that campers as well as staff all cherish. Without Dorothy s wisdom, knowledge of the outdoors and history of this great place that we all work at, camp could be a little duller than normal. Thank you Dorothy for a wonderful look into your huge role with us, and to all that you do to ensure that Bear Lake Camp is a spectacular place to be. Contributed by Christina Wills Wish List Make a difference This past summer, Emmett Lions Club purchased an ADA accessible paddle boat that was enjoyed by the campers. The Emmett Lions Club is challenging other clubs to donate some money so they can get another one. Thank you Emmett Lions Club. C h a n g e s a r e C o m i n g!! It began 37 years ago with Lion Big Al Kassin and the Lake Orion Lions Club. They provided a summer camp experience for visually impaired & blind children at no cost to the parents. Even though our programs have diversified over the years, our foundation, our legacy continues. In fact, over the past five years, participation in the visually impaired & blind session has increased. It has grown so popular, that last summer for the first time, we had a waiting list of campers wanting to come. The last thing we want to do is turn down potential campers. So, Stephanie Steffer, Visually Impaired Program Coordinator and key staff members did some brainstorming on how to solve the dilemma we found ourselves in. The results are in!! Introducing the new visually impaired & blind program at Bear Lake Camp. According to Dennis Tomkins, Director, The new program delivery system will allow us to increase our capacity, and provide different options for our campers to choose from to better meet their needs. Our camper capacity will be increased from 60 to 90 campers. The new delivery system is composed of two - one week session, with each session program to have a different focus. Returning campers can still attend both weeks if they choose to do so. The new session will be called Level 1 and Level 2. Level 1 session program focuses on the child that has never been away from home. It is a basic introduction to camp activities, independence with daily living skills, mobility around camp and living with a cabin group. There will be much more flexibility to meet the needs of new campers. Level 2 session campers will be expected to be more independent and will focus on challenging the campers outdoor skills. A camper coming into this session must be willing to choose to challenge themselves. New Campers must participate in Level 1 before attending Level 2. A child is eligible for camp if: They meet one of these criteria Totally blind Legally blind/low vision Vision in one eye Have an IEP in which they receive services for vision loss Between the ages of 7-15
M B T F E n d o w m e n t F u n d Worth your consideration An endowment fund is a permanent, self-sustaining source of revenue. Each year, a portion of the value of the fund is paid out to support it s purpose. Any earnings in excess of this distribution are used to build the fund s market value. In this way, an endowment can grow and provide support for its designated purpose in perpetuity. That is what Michigan Braille Transcribers Fund had in mind when they provided a start up grant for the MBTF Endowment Fund to support visually impaired & blind programs at Lions Bear Lake Camp. When the endowment becomes fully endowed, it will provide consistent annual operating income for our visually impaired & blind programs. As you know, we only charge a small commitment fee for our programs. In order to continue our service to the community we need to provide a consistent source of financial support. There are many ways you can give to the Endowment Fund, which include gifts of cash, stocks, estates,wills and real estate. No matter how great or small your gift, we need your support now to grow this endowment fund. this will help to provide a quality educational opportunity for the visually impaired & blind youth at Lions Bear Lake Camp for years to come. Making Camp a Little Safer This past summer, with the help of some very important people, we were able to purchase a new stage. Bear Lake Camp has used a stage that was old and run down. Although it provided a service to us for many years, it was time to upgrade. The new stage is bigger, better and much safer!! It includes railings, proper stairs and a non-slip surface. The funds for this huge asset were provided by the gracious people of the 11-C2 Lions and Lioness Clubs, as well as Team Bear Lake. Team Bear Lake is made up of deaf and hard of hearing campers, staff and supporters. Annually they are able to participate in an event that helps to raise funds for something that is needed at camp for all to enjoy. Choosing to purchase a new stage this year was a wise and safe choice for our campers and staff. Watching our campers perform on it brought a smile to everyone s face. We would like to give a huge special thank you to all of the 11-C2 Lions, Lioness and Team Bear Lake, for their help and commitment to this new addition. Bear Lake is Moving Up With the help from Lion Lindy Wineman, Web Development Manager with Abadata Computer Corporation, Bear Lake Camp in moving up in the technology world. Coming in January of 2015, we will be launching our new and highly improved website. The new website will have everything at your fingertips, from being able to donate, finding information, checking out all of the latest events, being able to register a camper and enjoying the pictures of wonderful times spent at Bear Lake Camp. This is a huge project that will continue to be an ongoing process for the next year to come, so please be patient with all of the updates. We are very excited to be able to allow easier access to important information. A big thank you to Lindy and Abadata for helping Lions Bear Lake Camp with this new website. Don t Miss This one!! Buffalo & Boar Wild Game Dinner at Bear Lake Camp Saturday, March 28, 2015 There will be gun raffles, silent auction, prizes, good food, beer and wine available. $50.00 per person Gun Raffle tickets only $25.00 All proceeds to support Bear Lake Camp programs. Tickets available at Bear Lake Camp or from a member of the Board of Directors.
Volume 4, Issue 1 C December 2014 a m p N e w s EVERYONE HAS A STORY TO TELL Everyone who walks through Lions Bear Lake Camps door has a story to tell. There are campers, staff members, Lions, Lioness, and people that have just come for a visit. Most all of them have something to say about their own experience at this special place. But there is one person that has been with Bear Lake Camp from the very beginning. One very special person that was able to see the land and watch it grow into what it is now. Dorothy Walling not only helped build Bear Lake Camp, but still to this day continues to volunteer as our Nature Program Leader. Dorothy was very humbled when I approached her on writing an article about her experience here. With her permission I followed that up with a series of questions. Dorothy s responses were so beautifully written and thoughtful, that I felt strongly about keeping it in her own words. Everyone has a story to tell and this is Dorothy Walling s, a wonderful person and a huge asset to Lions Bear Lake Camp. I started as a volunteer at the Lake Orion Lions Club Visually Impaired Camp held at Camp Franklin in 1982. I helped Elsie Kassin with the arts and crafts program each summer in July. I was a Special Education Teacher. I enjoyed the campers and working with Elsie so much. We always said laughingly, that we had so much fun together that it must be a crime. When the Lions began building Bear Lake Camp, my husband Bill and I had retired and moved near the new camp. We had the privilege of once again volunteering to work at the camp. We were there from the beginning, during the ground breaking, the mudslides, the tree planting and being there for whatever needed done. When Bear Lake opened in 2000, I once again, became a partner in crime with Elsie Kassin. We again worked in the Arts & Crafts program for the Visually Impaired campers. My husband, Bill, was a Lake Orion Lion. He, always, had an appreciation for Al Kassin and the visually impaired camp. He volunteered his time often and willingly. He would do whatever was needed. He delivered luggage, did repairs, helped with cleaning, ran errands, delivered supplies and whatever was asked of him. In the later years of volunteering, Bill developed Alzheimer s. Dennis and Al continued to encourage him to volunteer. Dennis found jobs that met his skill level and were fulfilling. This to me was the embodiment of what Bear Lake Camp stands for- a place where all are welcome. During this time, Dennis was developing the Nature Center. I volunteered to help in this program because of my love of nature. I planted an herb garden, gathered, collected, and found bits of nature: herbs, nests, leaves, posters, rocks, bugs, tadpoles, ect. I worked in the nature center two days a week. Elsie continued to work with me until she retired. The Visually Impaired campers enjoyed nature so much that I volunteer to do it in all the sessions. I no longer do Arts & Crafts, but stay very busy with the Nature Program. It is so rewarding to see the campers delight in the nature that surrounds them. Dorothy in 2003 at Nature Center Bear lake camp has been a special part of our family for many years. As a child our son Jesse, went to Camp Franklin with us. He was a young go for helper around camp. He developed a sense of satisfaction for volunteering and helping others. Today, we both share fond memories of Bill and our times at Bear Lake Camp. I enjoy working with the staff and the campers while helping them develop a sense of appreciation for nature. There is not a summer that goes by that someone doesn t say I love coming to the nature center. I have seen campers grow up and become counselors and keep their appreciation for nature. It is great to see a camper overcome a fear of bugs or snakes or touch a frog for the very first time. It is (Cont d on Page 4)