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 Visually Impaired Children – 26 attended
  • 1957: Formal dedication of the 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 Adult Visually Impaired Campers
    • -40 acres purchased on the south side
    • -Director’s Cabin built
  • 1966: First year of Cognitively Disabled Campers
    • -Totem Pole #1 installed
  • 1967: Boys’ and Girls’ Bathhouses built
  • 1969: First year of Deaf/Hard of Hearing Campers
    • -20 acres purchased on north side
    • -Duplex containing Handicrafts/Health Lodge 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: Tripping Program began
  • 1977: Conference and Retreat Center made permanent part of Camp Program
  • 1978: New Recreation/Storage Building built
  • 1979: Nature Lore Program added
    • – Swimming Pier purchased for $17,000
    • -Paddleboats donated to begin new activity
  • 1980: Program began for Danish Counselors
    • -Lumberjacks Cabin used as 11th  Boys’ Cabin
  • 1981: Indian Hollow developed by Deaf/Hard of Hearing Campers
    • -Leadership Program developed
    • -Renovation of Health Lodge and Handicrafts building
    • -Additional Boys’ Bathhouse built
    • -Hodge House built
  • 1983: Nature Center built
    • -Totem Pole #2 installed (“NA-WAK-WA” I)
  • 1984: Dry Storage Building built
  • 1986: Pinewood Lodge built
  • 1987: Swimming area expanded
    • -Ropes Course Program added
    • -New 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
    • -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 Honors Memorial 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 Diabetic Campers
    • -Maintenance Shop/Storage built
  • 2001: Ninth of Nine year-round Duplex Cabins built
    • -Totem Pole #3 installed (“NA-WAK-WA” II)
    • -Wooden Walkway constructed by Marine Corp of Engineers
  • 2002: Wisconsin Lions Foundation, Inc. moved Offices above Eyeglass Recycling Center
  • 2003: Sturm Memorial Dining Hall renovated
  • 2004: High & low Challenge Course renovated
  • 2005: New Low Rope Elements added
  • 2006: Rope Swing replaced
    • -Camp and Foundation celebrate 50 Year Anniversary
    • -Music Program added
    • -Health Lodge resolution passed, construction began
  • 2007: Health Lodge built
  • 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 (“NA-WAK-WA” III)
    • Temporary 18 ft. Totem Pole permanently installed in Indian Hollow
  • 2015: Storage Shed rebuilt-destroyed by fire
  • 2016: Camp and Foundation celebrate 60 Year Anniversary
  • 2017: Gaga Pit Built
  • 2018: Adventure Course Built
    • -Friends & Honors Garden Addition started
  • 2019: Friends & Honors Garden Addition Completed
  • 2021: Permanent 9-Squre in the Air installed
    • -Disc Golf Course completed
  • 2022: Staircase in Boy’s area replaced

WLF Past Presidents

PRESIDENTS TERM
LUCARELLI, V.J. 1956-59
LEWIS, FRED 1959-62
STURM, CLARENCE 1962-63
METCALF, VERN 1963-64
JOHNSON, HAROLD 1964-66
SCOTT, HUGH 1966-68
VOLZ, VERN 1968-70
THRALL, CLIFFORD 1970-71
JOHNSON, WILLIAM 1971-73
ROSHELL, J. EUGENE 1973-74
HEIMKE, HOWARD 1974-75
MERRIMAN, HARRY 1975-76
ROSENKRANZ, DR. ALTON 1976-77
SCHOONENBERG, JOHN 1977-78
HOFFMANN, GEORGE 1978-79
STEVENS, DANIEL 1979-80
ENDER, GENE 1980-81
VALLETT, WILLIS 1981-82
MEYER, PETER J. 1982-83
LECY, HELMER N. 1983-84
PETERSON, ROBERT G. 1984-85
HELWIG, HAL 1985-86
CARL, DUWAYNE 1986-87
RABBACH, GERALD H. 1987-88
RYAN, IVAN 1988-89
TYREE, WAYNE 1989-90
HUSBY, RONALD 1990-91
WELCH, ROBERT 1991-92
SCHNEIDER, HERB 1992-93
DUFFE, RON 1993-94
KOHLWEY, ALFRED 1994-95
AHLER, ROBERT 1995-96
POGRANT, DAVID 1996-97
PAVLAT, DON 1997-98
JOHNSON, DON 1998-99
HANDRICK, TED 1999-2000
KORANDA, DENNIS 2000-01
MCMEEKEN, MIKE 2001-02
ZAIS, JERRY 2002-03
SCHROEDER, DALE 2003-04
KJENDALEN, CURT 2004-05
OSINSKI, MARTIN 2005-06
ENDER, ERIC 2006-07
PRYOR, GREG 2007-08
CLAUSEN, TOM 2008-09
MOEGENBURG, GLEN 2009-10
KAISER, DAVID 2010-11
DEINHAMMER, ANDREW 2011-12
HOLTHAUS, ERIC 2012-13
DAVID HEMPEL 2013-14
VRIEZE, LEE 2014-15
REINDL, JACK 2015-16
MUELLER, TOM 2016-17
DICKSON, JOHN 2017-18
MARSON, JO 2018-19
JANOWITZ, TAL 2019-20
VRIEZE, MARY 2020-21
BLANK, DARREL 2021-22
TESTA, LARRY 2022-23