Camp Hope of SW WA 2023 Year in Review
Youth & Adults Enjoy 5500 Screen-Free Days in '23
Camp Hope of SW Washington provides a close-in get-away for schools and community groups in a nature preserve across the river from Lewisville Park in Battle Ground. Covered picnic shelters can be rented for day-use, and old Girl Scout bunkhouses can be rented for overnight group camping. In addition, the camp offers small day camps throughout the year. 2023 was busy serving over 5500 Camper-Days! (A “Camper-Day” is calculated by multiplying the number of people in a group times the number of days at camp.) The camp was used by the community for 112 days.
Camp Service | 17 & under | Adults | Camper-Days |
22 Days of Discovery Day Camps | 360 | - | 642 |
Foster Family Camp Weekend | 38 | 25 | 189 |
Outdoor Schools | 670 | 93 | 1759 |
Facility Rentals | 448 | 652 | 2949 |
Totals | 1192 | 770 | 5539 |
Scholarship Fund Serves 134 Youth
Thanks to a generous donation by The Parks Foundation of Clark County and Baumann Chiropractic, the camp provided $10,000 in scholarships last year to youth who might otherwise not be able to enjoy camp. In 2023 the camp provided 8 Saturday Camps in Spring and Fall, serving 251 campers. Scholarships were given to 86 campers, or 34%. Four summer camps were offered for a total of 22 days, and 48 youth were given financial aid. All camps were for youth ages 9-17.
Caretaker House Converted to New Office Space
A great team of donors and volunteers converted the former caretaker home to much needed office space last spring. New Tradition Homes construction manager and board member Caleb Blanton led the remodel. Board member Reuben Kulla Painting put a fresh coat of paint on all the walls and doors. Paulson Flooring donated new wood flooring while volunteer handyman Monty E. replaced broken fixtures. After everything was beautiful and functioning, Kullas donated a conference table, and staff donated chairs to equip the new conference room. Thank you, Team!
Outdoor Kitchen Updated
For years campers relied on pop-up canopies to create working space near the outdoors sinks and refrigerators. This year Facility Manager Rob F. led a small group of volunteers in the pouring of new concrete and the building of a small metal roofed gazebo. Two large stainless steel working counters added the finishing touch as well as lighting under the gazebo. Renters and campers all loved the improvements!
The costs were covered by Clark County Realtors Association, Battle Ground Foursquare Church, and Amy Helmes.
3 New Roofs Added
The replacement of aging roofs continued this year thanks to a generous grant from the Parks Foundation of Clark County and Realvest. Three roofs in Pod 1 were renewed in the spring, including the covered shelter and 2 bunkhouse cabins. A Federal COVID grant will be used to continue the reroofing efforts in 2024!
Eagle Scouts Led 3 Improvement Projects
Three youth chose Camp Hope for their Eagle Scout projects last year. The first, Ares, built 2 picnic tables for the camp. Cody and his troop made 3 squirrel proof wheeled garbage containers. Lastly, Christian and his team built 3 tent platforms and a metal fire circle in the tent camping area. Thank you to all the scouts and their supporters!
RV Camp Host Program Began in 2023
The camp shifted from an onsite caretaker to use of RV Camp Hosts this year. The new RV site was completed in early June. It has gravel parking, 30-amp hookup, water and sewer hook ups and access to laundry in the office. The site is adjacent to the main office and shares the internet, with plenty of privacy from the rest of the camp. One family of 6 volunteered last July and enjoyed the beauty of the woods and river rafting in exchange for mowing and cleaning. Instructions for how to apply to be a Camp Host for Summer 2024 are available on the camp website.
