Camp Anokijig
Camp Anokijig is a residential youth summer camp located in Plymouth, Wisconsin on Little Elkhart Lake. Founded in 1926 by the Racine YMCA, Camp Anokijig is now independently owned and operated by the non-profit group Friends of Camp Anokijig, and operates year-round. Camp Anokijig is accredited by the American Camping Association.
The camp's mission is to provide youth and families with an outdoor setting and community dedicated to the development of positive lifestyles, while learning new skills, experiencing personal growth, having fun, and developing an appreciation for the natural environment.
Location
Camp Anokijig is located four miles north of Plymouth, Wisconsin and one hour north of Milwaukee. Situated on Little Elkhart Lake, within Wisconsin's Kettle Moraine forests, Camp Anokijig consists of 356 1/2 acres of forest, wetland, and lakefront.History
The Racine YMCA founded Camp Anokijig in 1926. In May 1926, Ray Vance, then Youth Director of the Racine YMCA, and Adolph Gillund rented 20 acres of land on Little Elkhart Lake from local farmer Mike Hecker. The following summer, 40 acres of land were purchased from Hecker for $8000, and camp development began with the construction of Optimist Mess Hall. Anokijig initially offered residential summer camp programs for boys of southeastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois where campers could participate in swimming, archery, trail crafts, and boating. In 1940, Anokijig began offering co-ed camping. Anokijig is supported by numerous dedicated volunteers and the community. Anokijig is a Native American word meaning "we serve."In 2005, the Racine YMCA opted to sell Camp Anokijig. A group of concerned and dedicated camp alumni formed a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, the Friends of Camp Anokijig, and secured financing to purchase the camp. Today Camp Anokijig operates as an independent youth and family camp, serving over 10,000 campers and visitors per year.
Facilities
The 356 acres of Camp Anokijig house numerous structures for year-round and seasonal use.- Western Lodge, completed in 1949, is one of the largest log structures in the state of Wisconsin and serves as the camp's dining hall and meeting space.
- R.C. Vance Nature Center, originally the Chester Beach Memorial Trading Post and one of Camp Anokijig’s oldest structures, houses nature education exhibits.
- Trading Post
- Foxwell Lodge houses arts and crafts and outdoor education laboratory space.
- Boathouse
- Corral
- Health Lodge
- Cabins: Voigt Lodge, Myer’s Lodge, MASH, Lakeview, Eastman Lodge, Thunderbird, Stone Road, Crows Nest
- Tent Sections: Rippling Ridge, Kingdom of Moo, Turtle Island, Hickory Hillcrest, Timberline, Brave Village
- Tuttle Chapel
- Archery Range
- Rifle Range
Programs
Resident summer camp
The summer camp season at Anokijig operates from mid-June to mid-August. Serving boys and girls ages 7 to 16, campers can choose to stay anywhere from four days to all nine weeks of the season.Camp Anokijig‘s resident camp allows campers to choose from activities including: horseback riding, swimming, arts and crafts, fishing, canoeing, sailing, archery, windsurfing, hiking, kayaking, woodworking, ukulele band, dance, drama, pellet gun, nature, and outdoor games. Older campers can also choose from day trips including paint ball, high ropes challenge course, fishing, Noah’s Ark Water Park, rock climbing, whitewater rafting, and spelunking.
Through contributions from alumni and donors Camp Anokijig is also able to provide scholarships for its summer camp programs.