History

Chronological Order of WLF and WLC History

  • 1956: Resolution passed to purchase the Camp with 240 acres purchased for $18,000.
    • Opening session at Camp for youth who are Blind or Visually Impaired– 26 attended.
  • 1957: Formal dedication of Camp.
    • Dining Hall built.
    • Maples, Birches, Oakes, Traders, Explorers, Frontiers, Lakewoods, and Pioneers cabins built.
  • 1959: Elms and Trailblazers cabins built.
  • 1960: Property Manager’s house and garage built.
  • 1961: Memorial Building built.
  • 1964: First year at Camp of adults who are Blind or Visually Impaired.
    • 40 acres purchased on the south side.
    • Director’s cabin built.
  • 1966: First year at Camp of youth with Intellectual Disabilities or Autism.
    • Totem Pole #1 installed.
  • 1967: Boys’ and girls’ bathhouses built.
  • 1969: First year at Camp of youth who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.
    • 20 acres purchased on north side.
    • Health Lodge and Crafts buildings built.
    • Hemlocks and Pines cabins built.
  • 1971: Willows, Hodags, Pathfinders, and Ravens cabins built.
    • 100 acres added to the north and west of main Camp.
  • 1974: Tamaracks cabin built.
  • 1976: Off camp trip program started.
  • 1977: Rental program started.
  • 1978: New Recreation/Storage Building built.
  • 1979: Environmental Education program added.
    • Swimming Pier purchased for $17,000.
  • 1980: Program began for Danish Counselors.
    • Lumberjacks Cabin used as 11th Boys’ Cabin.
  • 1981: Indian Hollow developed by campers who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.
    • Leadership program developed.
    • Renovation of Health Lodge and Crafts building.
    • Additional boys’ bathhouse built.
    • Hodge House built.
    • Foundation Celebrates 25th Year Anniversary.
  • 1983: Nature Center built.
    • Totem Pole #2 installed (“NA-WAK-WA”).
  • 1984: Dry storage building built.
  • 1986: Pinewood Lodge built.
  • 1987: Swimming area expanded.
    • Ropes Course program added.
    • Trading Post built.
    • Dining Hall expanded.
  • 1988: Pinewood Lodge lower level completed.
    • New main entrance gate built.
    • Deer Hide Collection started.
  • 1989: Phase 1 Lions Lake dredging.
    • Nature Center expanded.
  • 1990: Birch-Sturm Fellowships developed.
    • Eyeglass Recycling Center established with a grant from Campaign Sight First with LCIF.
  • 1991: Memorial Building Office renovated.
  • 1992: Memorial Building bathrooms renovated.
    • Wood shed built.
    • Minnesota Lions started to deliver eyeglasses to the Eyeglass Recycling Center.
  • 1994: 40 acres purchased on the south side.
  • 1995: Regional Eyeglass Recycling Center built.
  • 1997: First and Second of nine year-round Duplex Cabins built.
  • 1998: Third and Fourth of nine year-round Duplex Cabins built.
    • WLF officially took over the Hearing Project to provide a resource for Wisconsinites in need of hearing aids.
    • Diabetes Awareness Project started.
  • 1999: Climbing Tower built.
    • Friends and Honors Garden built.
    • Fifth and Sixth of nine year-round Duplex Cabins built.
    • Trading Post expanded.
  • 2000: New Rope Swing installed.
    • Seventh and Eighth of nine year-round Duplex Cabins built.
    • First year at Camp of youth with Diabetes.
    • Maintenance Shop/Storage built.
  • 2001: Ninth of Nine year-round Duplex Cabins built.
    • Totem Pole #3 installed.
  • 2002: Wisconsin Lions Foundation, Inc. Offices move to expanded Eyeglass Recycling Center.
  • 2003: Sturm Memorial Dining Hall renovated.
    • Dry Storage building removed.
    • First Correctional Facility partnership with the Eyeglass Recycling Center established.
  • 2004: High & Low Challenge Course renovated.
  • 2005: New Low Rope Elements added.
    • Lions of Wisconsin voted to approve the Lions Pride Endowment Fund.
  • 2006: Rope Swing replaced.
    • Foundation Celebrates 50th Year Anniversary.
    • Performing Arts program added.
    • Health Lodge resolution passed, construction began.
  • 2007: Health Lodge built in time for summer season.
  • 2008: New elements added to both High and Low Ropes Course.
  • 2009: Indian Hollow project completed – electricity and handrail added.
  • 2010: Memorial roof project – flat roof removal and re-shingling.
  • 2011: Totem Pole #3 removed due to deterioration.
  • 2012: Storage shed rebuilt – destroyed by windstorm.
    • Temporary 18 ft. Totem Pole installed (“MISCH-KEE-KEE”).
    • Lions Pride Endowment and Birch-Sturm Memorial Fund became separate non-profits.
  • 2014: Totem Pole #4 installed.
    • Sensory Wall built.
  • 2015: Storage Shed rebuilt – destroyed by fire.
    • Grant received from LCIF to purchase Vision Screening devices.
  • 2017: Gaga Pit installed.
  • 2018: Adventure Course & Sun High Ropes built.
    • Friends & Honors Garden Addition started.
    • Partnership with Shopko Optical Kids in Focus program.
  • 2019: Friends & Honors Garden Addition completed.
    • First year at Camp of youth with Epilepsy.
  • 2021: 9-Square in the Air installed.
    • Disc Golf Course complete.
  • 2022: Solar panels installed on Duplex Cabin 1.
    • Staircase in boys’ area redone.
    • Trail around lake resurfaced.
  • 2023: Adventure Course shelter built.
    • Horseshoe Pits redone.
    • Disc Golf Open to the public.
    • Rentals Office opened.
    • Shade structures complete in swimming & boating areas.
    • Dining Hall Ramp entrance redone.
    • Circle around Trading Post redone.
    • Multipurpose Court started.
  • 2024: Multipurpose Court completed.
    • Eyeglass Recycling Storage Shed built.
    • Climbing Tower replaced.
    • Bouldering Wall built.
    • SOLOS Automatic Lensometers added to Eyeglass Recycling Center.
    • Green initiative in Eyeglass Recycling Center to reduce waste implemented.
    • New Eyeglass Recycling trailer added with custom graphics.
    • NASA DISCOVERIES program started with Rosholt Elementary 4th Grade Classes.
  • 2025: Eyeglass Recycling Center eliminates gender classification for eyeglasses.
    • Visit from current LCI President to tour facility.
  • 2026: Year-round satellite locations for Eyeglass Recycling Center opened.

WLF Past Presidents

PRESIDENTSTERM
LUCARELLI, V.J.1956-59
LEWIS, FRED1959-62
STURM, CLARENCE1962-63
METCALF, VERN1963-64
JOHNSON, HAROLD1964-66
SCOTT, HUGH1966-68
VOLZ, VERN1968-70
THRALL, CLIFFORD1970-71
JOHNSON, WILLIAM1971-73
ROSHELL, J. EUGENE1973-74
HEIMKE, HOWARD1974-75
MERRIMAN, HARRY1975-76
ROSENKRANZ, DR. ALTON1976-77
SCHOONENBERG, JOHN1977-78
HOFFMANN, GEORGE1978-79
STEVENS, DANIEL1979-80
ENDER, GENE1980-81
VALLETT, WILLIS1981-82
MEYER, PETER J.1982-83
LECY, HELMER N.1983-84
PETERSON, ROBERT G.1984-85
HELWIG, HAL1985-86
CARL, DUWAYNE1986-87
RABBACH, GERALD H.1987-88
RYAN, IVAN1988-89
TYREE, WAYNE1989-90
HUSBY, RONALD1990-91
WELCH, ROBERT1991-92
SCHNEIDER, HERB1992-93
DUFFE, RON1993-94
KOHLWEY, ALFRED1994-95
AHLER, ROBERT1995-96
POGRANT, DAVID1996-97
PAVLAT, DON1997-98
JOHNSON, DON1998-99
HANDRICK, TED1999-2000
KORANDA, DENNIS2000-01
MCMEEKEN, MIKE2001-02
ZAIS, JERRY2002-03
SCHROEDER, DALE2003-04
KJENDALEN, CURT2004-05
OSINSKI, MARTIN2005-06
ENDER, ERIC2006-07
PRYOR, GREG2007-08
CLAUSEN, TOM2008-09
MOEGENBURG, GLEN2009-10
KAISER, DAVID2010-11
DEINHAMMER, ANDREW2011-12
HOLTHAUS, ERIC2012-13
HEMPEL, DAVID2013-14
VRIEZE, LEE2014-15
REINDL, JACK2015-16
MUELLER, TOM2016-17
DICKSON, JOHN2017-18
MARSON, JO2018-19
JANOWITZ, TAL2019-20
VRIEZE, MARY2020-21
BLANK, DARREL2021-22
TESTA, LARRY2022-23
BEHRENS, BRAD2023-24
HART, PAT2024-25