MOUNTAIN, WI (WTAQ) – A YMCA Summer Camp in Northern Wisconsin is looking for time, talent, and donations to help recover from a storm that devastated their grounds.
YMCA Camp U-Nah-Li-Ya (You-Nah-Lie-Ahh) in Mountain is reporting storm damage on an epic proportion.
“Probably eighty-five-percent of our buildings were hit,” explains Jordan Baxter, Director of Programming. “Docks were destroyed, boats went flying.”
The camp is located in a rural, heavily wooded area.
“Probably close to, I would say, five-hundred and six-hundred trees down all across camp,” she explains.
That type of devastation has thrown a massive wrench into their normal summer operations.
“So far we’ve canceled two of our summer sessions, two weeks,” says Baxter. “And there are two left that we’re really, really hoping to be open for.”
But in order for those final two sessions to take place, a major clean-up operation has to be undertaken and finished in lightning speed.
To this point, the camp says they already have had 2000 plus hours of work from volunteers.
Many of the counselors and campers are looking to volunteer, but Baxter says what they really need is individuals with experience in clearing heavy debris.
“So we’re really asking for people that already have skills and knowledge using kind of the big machinery that we’re using on-site right now,” she says. “Including chainsaws, and wood chippers, and wood splitters.”
They say various community groups have helped donate supplies, such as generators, satellite internet, chain saws, wood chippers, wood splitters, skid steer, and trucks for hauling.
If you’re looking to help out, they say passing along the funds needed to purchase more of that equipment would be a blessing.
“The easiest way for us to get what we need is just to have monetary donations be made,” she says. “Or gift cards to like Menards and Fleet Farm.”
Additional information on providing a donation or signing up to volunteer can be found here.
