Heidi Krueger, Camp Director
August 11, 2010
Well, summer is coming to an end but we continue to see so many "firsts" during this final week of camp. Seeing counselors help kids paddle a boat for the first time, ride a bike for the first time, shoot a bow and arrow for the first time, learning good manners.... the list goes on. What a rewarding place to be! It reminds me that saying we change kids' lives for the better isn't just a fancy tagline - it's ACTUALLY what we are doing every day. I couldn't be more proud.
July 24, 2010
We had had so much fun this year at Wabansi. Never before have I heard so many positive comments about the counselors. People are calling me, emailing me, and outright tracking me down to tell me how much our staff is impacting their children for the better. I am so proud of the dedication of this crew. Meet them for yourself!
July 8, 2010
It's a quiet week here at Wabansi over this week's holiday break. What a great time to reflect on all of the great things that have happened here so far this summer. See for yourself!
Visit the 2010 Summer Photo Gallery
June 19, 2010
Hooray! The first week of summer camp is in the books. What a great week for me to have a birthday! Campfires, tie-dye, songs, flag ceremonies, buddy checks, songs, swimming, Super Hero costumes, songs, art projects, Alaskan baseball, jokes.... and did I mention songs? It's so great to be rockin' and rollin' here again! I hope you can join us this summer. And if you were already here, I hope you join us AGAIN because there is so much fun yet to be had!
May 31, 2010
The cabins are open. The dock is in. The beach is groomed. The boats are ready. The lanyard is hanging. The picnic tables are out. The flowers are planted. The archery targets are out. The lawn is mowed. The bathrooms are painted. The counselors are coming. What does camp need now? Oh yeah, YOU!
There is still time to get in on summer day camp at Wabansi this year! Register securely online or give us a call at (920) 825-7830 to see what's still open. Hope to see you soon!
April 14, 2010
Spring is finally here! With relatively mild temperatures this winter and fewer snow storms than usual, I am shocked at how much winter seems to have taken a toll on Camp Wabansi. With several trees down, our boat rack destroyed by ice shoves, and lots of debris all over camp, it looks more like a hurricane came through than "old man winter."
So, let the volunteering begin! There are opportunities for you and your family to help our camp gain back its beauty before we open for the season. May 15th and June 5th are our annual volunteer work days. We have projects for all ages and ability levels, and we take very good care of you with great food, beverages, and company all day long. We truly appreciate everything our volunteers do for our camp and, I dare say, we have a lot of FUN working together! I hope you'll consider giving camp a couple of hours - and discover the personal rewards of true volunteerism. Click here to learn more about the annual work days.
January 1, 2010
Another decade in the books! So much has happened at Wabansi in the last ten years. We were able to build the Jim Aumann Activity Center, we bought the land on our northeast border to add staff housing and a much-needed maintenance facility, we became the proud owners of www.CampWabansi.org, we saw new traditions take root with new specialty camps, we celebrated our 60th anniversary, and literally thousands of campers arrived on the buses through the summers to shout "Good morning, Camp Wabansi!" On a personal note, the most notable event of the last decade was that I had the privilege of becoming Camp Wabansi's director. Being a camp director is a lot tougher of a job than most people realize (it's hard to imagine when you just see me singing songs and telling jokes at Parents Night!), but it's honestly a job I look forward to doing every day even with all of its challenges. Seeing the rewards of my hard work reflected in the faces of hundreds of campers each summer is the most satisfying "paycheck" one could ask for!
Looking forward to summer 2010....
October 14, 2009
Well, the wood stove is burning, the leaves are falling, and Camp Wabansi is settling down for winter. As the temperature reminds me that winter is approaching, I still have so many great memories of the warm days of summer! I can't wait to see everyone again at our reunion in December so we can start making plans to enjoy camp together again. In the meantime, join our online community! Click back to the home page to become a fan of Camp Wabansi on Facebook and follow us on Twitter! Who says you can't have camp year 'round?
August 20, 2009
The last day of summer camp. It will be strangely quiet here for awhile, but I will carry so many memories of over 750 kids that enjoyed Camp Wabansi this summer. The success stories, the camp songs, the new friends, and a wonderful anniversary celebration will be highlights for me. Perhaps my fondest memories, though, will be of the staff. Their dedication, humor, and tireless efforts to make every camper's experience special will live with me for quite some time. Thanks to everyone who helped make a difference at Camp Wabansi this summer.
July 22, 2009
It's so great to see the arts thrive at Camp Wabansi. After starting Young Artists camp last summer, this year was just as exciting as campers brought back more amazing projects from the Hands-On Art Studio in Fish Creek. The team metal sculptures continue to blow me away. One group came back with a flower sculpture to add to our nature trail, completely designed and created by the team of campers, because they decided that Camp Wabansi is "a place for them to grow." Children think much more deeply than we realize sometimes. Talk about making a Camp Director teary-eyed! Click here to check out the pictures of the sculpture!
July 17, 2009
Survivor lives on! After such an enthusiastic response to this new program last summer, I was elated to have 30 more campers participate this year. The comments of the campers say it all. "Now I know what to do if I get lost." "I'm going to teach my family how to build a safe campfire next time we go camping." "This is stuff I never would have learned at home!" That's what it's all about - the skills learned at camp are skills that campers can truly take home with them! Plus, they are so much fun to learn with so many new friends and great counselors. Click here to check out the pictures of Survivor 1 Camp!
June 26, 2009
It's Farm Week here at Wabansi. The Thursday themed events, planned by the Assistant Counselors, were some of the most hilarious I've seen! "Lasso-ing" counselors, "milking cows," "cow tipping," and so much more! What a great theme. Click here to check out the pictures of Farm Week!
June 15, 2009
The first day of camp! It's my favorite day of the year. All of the preparations have finally paid off. The staff is enthusiastic, campers are singing, the flag is up, and Wabansi is rockin' and rollin' again! It's going to be a GREAT summer!
May 2, 2009
Everyone has that special something that they are known for. I've come to accept that I will forever be known to campers, staff, and parents as the one with "bad jokes."
Now, I think my jokes are pretty funny because they're NOT funny! Chicken jokes, camp jokes... I've got lots of them! But every Parents Night, I endure the groans of hundreds of people.
So here's my proposal. If you think I need new material, send me your jokes! I just might pull one of them out on a Thursday night this summer. If no one decides to help me, I'll have no shame in telling my famous "duck joke" over and over.... and over....
Send Heidi your joke!
April 16, 2009
What a beautiful day at Camp Wabansi! It was our first 60+ degree day this spring. The icebergs are finally melting in the bay and the birds are starting to sing. I can't wait to hear the sound of campers singing, too!
As Wabansi is waking up from hibernation, I've been pleased to see that this harsh winter doesn't seem to have taken a significant toll. The usual amount of tree branches have blown to the ground and some structures are in need of a fresh coat of paint. But all in all, the spirit of Wabansi seems to be saying, "Heidi, I'm ready to go! Bring on the campers!"
I agree. I can't wait.
March 18, 2009
Congratulations. You are a wonderful parent!
The fact that you're visiting our website means you are thinking about making the ultimate investment. This is one investment that never comes with questions about the quality of its return. This investment remains constant even in difficult economic times, and right now is always the best time to buy.
What is this investment? Your child.
If you are contemplating investing in the camp experience for your child this summer, allow me to encourage you. At Camp Wabansi, we are child development experts. It's what we do!
Our caring and qualified staff come to work each day with valuable skills in their heads and a mission in their hearts. The character of your child is our first priority, and everything we do all day long is designed to help your child grow in confidence and core character values.
Of course, most children don't often even realize this is happening! They just know they're having a lot of fun. But I know you'll see a difference in them by the end of the week. We hear it from our parents over and over again.
To learn more about what makes Camp Wabansi so special, click here to read more benefits of camp and parent testimonials.
I look forward to seeing you in 2009!
~Heidi
heidi.krueger@greenbayymca.org
(920) 436-9613
P.S. I almost forgot. We never turn campers away due to their family's inability to pay for camp. Did you know we offer financial assistance? Call or email me. I'd love to tell you about it so we can make sure that your child can join us this summer.
