Camp U-Nah-Li-Ya poster. (IMAGE: Courtesy of Greater Green Bay YMCA)
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – After being forced to suspend operations for the first time in over 80 years, the YMCA of Greater Green Bay is looking for help to keep Camp U-Nah-Li-Ya afloat.
“It’s a tradition. This thing has been around a long time,” says Executive Director of Camping Services Max Clark, “This camp has been operating for over 80 years, and never in that 80 years have we had to shut down completely once, let alone twice – and that’s what we’ve had to do the last two years.”
Just over a year ago, severe storms forced Camp U-Nah-Li-Ya to shut down – and caused over a million dollars in damage. This summer, the COVID-19 pandemic caused them to suspend camp again.
“That puts a strain on the camp. We really count on the revenue from summer camp to help support the mission,” Clark tells WTAQ News.
That’s where the Portage On campaign comes in.
“Pick up your canoe and move it to the next lake, the next part of your journey. That carrying is called portaging. So we’re asking for help to portage the camp to the next season,” Clark says, “We want to carry on to the next season, and we’re asking people to donate funds to help support the camp operationally to get through until next summer.”
Monetary gifts through the campaign will cover the operational overhead necessary to get the facility through to next season. It will fund the camp’s insurance, electric bills, staff salaries to keep people employed, and the facility and grounds team to ensure upkeep.
The camp aims to improve the world through improving people. The full mission can be read here. Clark hopes the camps can continue serving local youth, but says they need a bit of help to portage over to next summer.
“We serve over 6,000 kids on a normal year and a lot of that comes from schools doing field trips up there. Obviously, COVID-19 has had an impact on school field trips and those opportunities. So that’s another big hardship for us,” Clark explains, “I can’t help but meet people who have been there and been impacted by it, and I hope they will help us. As we’ve helped the community and really sought to serve the community, now is the time for us to ask for the community’s help to get us through.”
To check out or contribute to the Portage On campaign, head to the YMCA Camp U-Nah-Li-Ya website.
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