Here is a current list of available summer programs (updated on April 8th). The three program weeks available are: Servant Adventure: July 18-23; Resident Camp: July 25-30; and Servant Adventure: August 1-6. Follow the registration link in the upper right hand corner to get signed up today.
Getting Involved with our Work
Camp Indian Sands is blessed with the support of many fine people. People who give their time to serve as a board or committee member; people who contribute financially to help us continue our work; people who volunteer their time to keep the site operational; and people who donate goods and services to help us operate our programs.
As we grow, so does our need for support. Please know that your help is met with much gratitude. And on behalf of the kids - Thanks!
Here are more pictures taken during the bunkhouse remodeling project in 2009. Thanks to everyone who has helped with this project. This work allows us to house an additional 20 campers per session in 2010.
We have plans to do work on the other bunkhouses this spring. Check back for details on that project.
We work diligently at Camp Indian Sands to keep our prices affordable for campers. We do this because we do not believe that finances should be the determining factor of whether or not parents send their children to camp. Therefore, we rely upon financial gifts from those who also believe in connecting children to their faith through time in the outdoors.
We have set up a secure account with PayPal where we can receive online donations. The link is on the right side panel of this page. For those who feel more comfortable making a gift by check sent directly to the camp, please use our contact information to find our address.
We are very grateful for your support.
We realize that people want to make certain that there contributions will be put to good use. We understand your desire to be good stewards of your resources. To show our sincerity we went through the accreditation process with the American Camp Association in 2008. Having received accreditation, we can assure you that we follow the best practices for camps as determined by this national body of camp professionals.
Have you heard enough about Camp Indian Sands and you're ready to lend a hand?
First off, thank you. We rely upon volunteers like yourself to move this ministry forward. Perhaps one of the following areas of need will spur your interest.
In no particular order:
-Office help in Milwaukee. Sending out mailings can be a time consuming yet important part of our work. Folding and stuffing envelopes may seem like an otherwise thankless task, so we'll make sure to tell you how much we value your assistance.
-Construction help at camp. We have a number of projects that will need help starting in the spring. While skill in electrical, plumbing and construction are helpful, we also need physical laborers with strong backs and willing hearts.
-Prospective board members and task force members. Are you ready to take some ownership in the ministry of CIS? For a term on the board of directors may be a good fit. For others, some time on a specific task is a better role. Event committee members are especially needed for the pancake breakfast, Brewers game and golf outing.
-Tell the story; introduce us to prospective camper groups. This is a grassroots, word of mouth, organization. Take opportunities to talk with friends, teachers, pastors and youth directors about the work we're doing. Share our web information with them - or ask for some brochures from the camp office so that you can pass them out to people you meet.
-Have other ideas for Camp Indian Sands? Send us a note and thanks for thinking of us and the work we are doing on behalf of Milwaukee's youth.
The bunkhouse in the heart of camp has been undergoing some renovations. At one point, the U-Shaped unit could house 34 campers. The builidng has been in dis-use because of an infestation of bats and the need for repairs. When completed the remodel will have removed the middle section of the U - creating two simple rectangular units.
This fall, groups from Spirit of Hope - Beloit, GPS - Rockford, Shepherd of the Lake - Grayslake and Jacob & Alamanda Calvert - Amery, volunteered to work on the project. So far, we've accomplished more demolition than construction. Here's a look at what this project will accomplish:
In the long term we view this part of camp as a great spot for a craft area and a project area. One building will be designed for day to day craft projects that campers complete while at camp. The other building will be designated for larger scale art or woodworking projects. For instance campers making their own canoe paddles require a bit more work space and access to different equipment than a craft area allows. The two buildings will remain connected by a common outdoor work space for use on sunny days.
In the short term, however, we have need for additional camper housing. So, we will renovate the buildings for camper housing while keeping an eye on our long term goals. Each unit will sleep 12 and will use the adjacent showerhouse for toilets and showers. Long term, our plans are to have all camper units with in-house toilet facilities, but the quickest solution for additional camper beds is to utilize the space we currently have.
Why remove the middle section when you need additional housing?
It is true, the unit used to hold 34 campers. Our current plan calls for 24 beds. This would appear to be a net loss of ten beds on camp. However, because of the fact that the building has been of no use recently, we are actually gaining 24 beds as compared to 2008. This is where we keep ourselves focused on the future. In the long term we do not want to see camper housing right in the middle of our program area. The bunkhouse sits between the basketball court, the dining hall and the waterfront area. Rather than camper beds, we would like to use that space for additional programming and place camper housing elsewhere on the site. Our program and site committees are currently developing a master site plan. Full details will be available early in 2009.
Pictures of the Work
We were able to get a few pictures of the event. We'll post more in the spring when things really start to take shape.
