"We want to let local families know about this scholarship program because we know the need is out there," explained Camp Fire USA Minnesota Council Program Manager Jill Dent. "We've already seen a record number of requests for financial aid and that's likely only the tip of the iceberg."
Camp Tanadoona is a traditional, co-ed summer camp in the Southwest suburbs of the Twin Cities bordering the towns of Chanhassen and Excelsior. Campers enjoy swimming, hiking, scaling the climbing wall, arts & crafts, kayaking/canoeing, and dozens more outdoor activities. Tanadoona also hosts international counselors from across the globe offering campers a chance to experience a variety of cultures and traditions without going too far from home. Readers of the local Sun Sailor newspaper voted Tanadoona "Best Summer Camp" in 2010.
Thanks to a generous grant from The Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation, Camp Fire has 25 Day Camp Scholarships available to families in need. Camp Fire's Day Camp program features weeklong sessions at Tanadoona throughout the summer with campers going home in the evenings to sleep in their own beds. Families may also choose from Camp Fire's Day Camp PLUS! sessions, which offer campers a chance to focus on a particular activity over the week such as archery, kayaking, or arts and nature. A full list of Camp Tanadoona's programs can be found online, www.campfireusa-mn.org/tanadoona/
To qualify for a scholarship, the camper's family must be living at or below 200% of the poverty line or demonstrate financial difficulties that put summer camp out of reach. To apply for a Day Camp scholarship to Tanadoona, families are asked to fill out an application which is available on Camp Fire's website at www.campfireusa-mn.org/Tanadoona/forms.htm or by calling 612-285-6244.
"We believe summer camp can have a profound, lifelong impact on a child," said Camp Fire USA Minnesota Council CEO Marnie Wells. "It gives them a chance to grow, learn independence, make new friends, and connect with nature. We want to make that opportunity available to as many youth as possible."
To learn more about the Camp Fire Camp Scholarship Fund or to make a donation to help send a young person to camp, visit www.campfireusa-mn.org/Donate/camperships.html or call 612-285-6255.
Camp Tanadoona is located off Highway 41 between Highways 5 and 7. The address is 3300 Tanadoona Drive, Excelsior, MN 55331. Email [email protected] for more information about scholarships or camp programs.
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