For more than four decades, magical memories have been made at Camp El-O-Win. Girls and their adult counselors learned new skills and team work. They understood it was not the outcome, but the process that counted.  The opportunities for leadership required accessing resources and stepping outside their comfort zone. They became part of an extraordinary connection with the natural environment, emerging as partners in preserving the land.  And most important of all, their self reliance and self esteem flourished.

The Friends of Camp El-O-Win exists solely to continue the tradition of offering girls and young women unique camping experiences and memories that will sustain and inspire them throughout their lives. 

Initial fundraising efforts target specific objectives:

• Phase I (2007):   Purchase Camp El-O-Win - Accomplished!
• Phase II (2008):  Re-build the foot bridge; and
• Phase III (2009): Replace, repair, rebuild areas and equipment on the site.

Our goal is to offer weekend programs until the bridge is built and then resume operating resident camp programs in the summer of 2009.  Exceptional outdoor programs on an extraordinary site will be offered to girls six to seventeen years old.   Camper fees will cover a girl’s stay at El-O-Win, but improvements to the property and structures will be covered by community donations and grants.  

Why is the foot bridge important?  It opens a whole other side of the camp for use and will substantially increase the number of girls that can experience camp each year.

We encourage you to become a Friend of Camp El-O-Win and provide whatever support you can – as a donor or a volunteer worker.   There are a variety of ways YOU can help rebuild this beautiful camp…

Ways to Donate

We accept cash, checks, credit cards.  We have brochures, letters, a Business Plan and a Power Point presentation to help you. 

Make a donation: to rekindle memories of camp YOU had; to honor a special person in your life; in memory of someone dear; in lieu of a birthday, anniversary, special occasion gift; as an early stocking stuffer (we won’t tell); to demonstrate your commitment to girls.  

Register for eScrip: securely register your credit card online with eScrip and every time you use it at a participating merchant, the Friends of Camp El-O-Win receive a percentage. Go to www.escrip.com and register to support The Friends of Camp El-O-Win.

Register for SHARES program: It costs you nothing and it costs the The Friends of Camp El-O-Win nothing.  Just use the SHARES card when you shop at Save Mart Supermarkets, FoodMaxx or S-Mart Foods.  Each time you shop at with your SHARES card, Save Mart will donate 3% of the grocery purchase to The Friends of Camp El-O-Win.

Register your teen for drivers training:  Use the attached coupon to register for the on-line drivers education training.  The student pays $64.95 which is $5 off the $69.95 normal price and Friends of Camp El-O-Win receives 30% of the $64.95. 

Have a building at Camp El-O-Win named after you: $50,000
Buildings include administrative and support staff cabins, an office, infirmary, trading post, a tack shed, tool shed, 2 shower houses, sleeping structures in camper units, etc. 

Have a living unit at Camp El-O-Win named after you: $100,000 
A living unit is the area where girls sleep. El-O-Win has six units.  Each has sleeping structures, a biffy (bathroom in forest for you) and a campfire circle.   Sleeping structures are geared to the age of the camper: cabins, wooden teepees, Adirondack shelters, platform tents.  Most units have 3 – 5 sleeping structures and a counselor cabin.  Currently, all units have names of Native American Tribes.

Purchase Camp El-O-Win merchandise:
Keep the Gate Open T-shirts $ 15
Wine holders (made from the dismantled El-O-Win footbridge) $ 15
Watercolor prints of the old footbridge $10
Garden benches made from the dismantled footbridge $50

Wells Fargo Sharing Advantage Program: Buy or refinance your home through Wells Fargo, mention  the Friends of El-O-Win and we get $300.

Have a "Re-Build the Foot Bridge" plastic collection jug in your place of employment for people to  contribute to often. 

Find out if your employer offers matching funds for employee contributions.

Redeem recyclables.

Hold a fundraising event of your own creation and donate the profits to the Friends.

Have a House Party:  Invite a group of your friends to your home for dessert or hors d'oeuvres, tell them about the Re-Build the Foot Bridge campaign and ask them for their financial support.  If you feel you would like member of the Friends to attend and do the talking, we can arrange that also.

Speak to a group you belong to: Rotary, Lions, PTA, Mom’s Club, Knitting or quilting clubs. Ask for their support and for their involvement.  We have a list of talking points!

Ask your accountant to keep us in mind if their clients are looking for a non-profit to include in their will  or somewhere to make a donation.