More ‘Fake Weed’ Hospitalizations, Northwoods Summer Camp Celebrates 100 Years, Why Family Life Is No Longer Affordable For Some

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• Northwoods Summer Camp Celebrates 100 Years

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  A summer camp in Wisconsin’s Northwoods is celebrating its 100th anniversary of bringing the great outdoors to youth.

  Camp Manito-wish, spread over 307 acres in Boulder Junction, has helped children grow and gain confidence for four generations, said Anne Derber, CEO of Camp Manito-wish.

  “It gets them out of their comfort zone,” she said of the campers. “It’s hard sometimes for parents to let their kids go, but boy, when they do, they really have a chance to figure out who they are.”

  Beginning in the fifth grade, summer campers can spend two weeks at Camp Manito-wish, with three days of the experience including a canoe trip.

  Students who are in the eighth grade and above can spend four weeks at the camp. For the adventurous, Camp Manito-wish also offers sea kayaking and backpacking in the Porcupine Mountains.

  
  Photo courtesy of Camp Manito-wish.

  The camp attracts children from a wide range of places, she said, and tries to make the experience affordable for families. Their annual fundraiser raises more than $350,000, Derber said.

  Once the campers are there, sitting under the stars for the first time together is a magical experience, she said.

  “It’s awesome to watch the wonder and awe with a night sky with no lights and the stars and to hear the loons and to see an eagle fly over,” Derber said.

  Founded on Boulder Lake in 1919 by W.H. Wones, who was searching for a location that provided campers a rugged experience in the wilderness of northern Wisconsin, the camp was originally just for boys, Derber said. It opened up for girls in 1941.

  
  Dwight D. Eisenhower visiting the camp in 1946. Photo courtesy of Camp Manito-wish.

  From the start, the camp has placed high value on developing leaders, Derber said.

  “We learn that fellowship and leadership go hand in hand,” she said. “We learn how to be resilient and resourceful. That’s the overarching work that we do and the tools that we use.”

  And there’s a strict no-device policy, Derber said.

  “They have to talk to each other and they have to problem solve without contacting Siri or Alexa,” she said. “They learned that they can sit around the dining room table with their cabin mates and eat lunch together and share the stories of the day.”

  Derber herself has a long history with Camp Manito-wish. Her mother was a camper and she met her husband there. Their children were third-generation campers on both sides of the family, she said.

  Camp acts like a partnership with parents, Derber said. It offers an opportunity to help parents raise their children to be strong and confident young adults, she said.

  “It’s so important in today’s world to be grounded in oneself and to be able to contribute to others,” Derber said. “And you could get that through a camp experience.”

• A Fresh Warning About 'Fake Weed'

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  Eight more people in Wisconsin have been hospitalized with severe bleeding after using synthetic cannabinoids – or “fake weed,” “Black Mamba,” “Scooby Snax” or a host of other names. We discuss what this substance is, who’s taking it and why.

• Northwoods Summer Camp Celebrates 100 Years Of Camp Memories

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  If you’ve ever been to a summer camp where both the recreation hall and the camper cabins seem like they’ve been there forever, it may be because they have. We talk to the CEO of Camp Manito-wish in Boulder Junction which is celebrating their 100th year of bringing the great outdoors to youth.

• Why It's Harder Than Ever To Afford Having A Family

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  Changes in the economy, unconventional work schedules, and the rising costs of healthcare and child care have made it hard to afford having a family. After researching the causes, our guest wants people to know it’s not their fault.