History

Chronological Order of WLF and WLC History

  • 1956: Resolution passed to purchase the Camp with 240 acres purchased for $18,000
    • – Opening session 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 of adults who are Blind or Visually Impaired
    • – 40 acres purchased on the south side
    • – Director’s cabin built
  • 1966: First year of youth with Intellectual Disabilities or Autism
    • – Totem Pole #1 installed
  • 1967: Boys’ and girls’ bathhouses built
  • 1969: First year 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
  • 1977: Rental program
  • 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
  • 1989: Phase 1 Lions Lake dredging
    • – Nature Center expanded
  • 1991: Memorial Building Office renovated
  • 1992: Memorial Building bathrooms renovated
    • – Wood shed built
  • 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
  • 1999: Climbing Tower built
    • – Friends and Honor 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 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
  • 2004: High & Low Challenge Course renovated
  • 2005: New Low Rope Elements added
  • 2006: Rope Swing replaced
    • – Foundation Celebrate 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”)
  • 2014: Totem Pole #4 installed
    • – Sensory Wall built
  • 2015: Storage Shed rebuilt – destroyed by fire
  • 2017: Gaga Pit installed
  • 2018: Adventure Course & Sun High Ropes built
    • – Friends & Honors Garden Addition started
  • 2019: Friends & Honors Garden Addition completed
    • – First year of Youth with Epilepsy or Seizure disorders
  • 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

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