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 Tamara Juul (left), executive director of Dickinson Area Community Foundation (DACF), which includes the Crystal Falls Area Community Foundation affiliate, presents $1,250 check to Louisa Kniivila of Friends of Camp Batawagama. Also pictured are Youth Advisory Committee members, from left, Georgie Dohl, Jake Divine, Carlton Isaacson, Michael Smithson and Gina Graff. The grant was made possible through the Youth Advisory Committee Endowment Fund. The monies will be used to create a water front dock extension, adding an “L” extension to the left side of the dock. This will once again secure a safe swimming area for the kids so the waterfront staff will be able to conduct swimming lessons and free swims easily. Youth from all over the Upper Peninsula and the Midwest attend Camp Batawagama each summer. For more information about Camp Batawagama and how you can help, contact Pat Teranishi at (707) 751-1450. For information about DACF, CFACF or YAC endowment funds, which made this grant possible, contact Juul at (906) 774-3131. (DACF photo)

 The Friends of Camp BATAWAGAMA will sponsor a Charity Concert and Silent Auction event on July 13, 2011 at 7:30 PM in the Windsor Center in beautiful downtown Iron River. The evening will not only feature the famous Comedy group, Da Yoopers, but will also showcase a silent auction with many unusual and one of a kind art objects.

Tickets will go on sale Thursday June 2nd and can be purchased for $15.00 for an individual or $25.00 per couple in Iron River at the Chamber of Commerce, Angeli's, and Kermit's, and in Crystal Falls at Jubilee Foods and the Ben Franklin store.  Seating is limited so we suggest you purchase your tickets as soon as possible.

We feel very fortunate to have been able to book this popular Upper Peninsula group to kick off the Rum Rebellion Weekend in iron River. What has become a huge event with class reunions, a Wine and Cheese party at the Iron County Museum, a parade and a play featuring Iron County actors makes Iron River the place to be for the weekend.

The Friends of Camp BATAWAGAMA (FOCB) are proud to be part of this exciting and enjoyable weekend. All proceeds from the Silent Auction and concert will go to benefit the traditional programs at Camp BATAWAGAMA.

For further questions please contact: Jeanne Bonetti @ 906-265-6653.  Facebook link: Charity Concert and Silent Auction

The Friends of Camp BATAWAGAMA have been awarded a $500.00 matching grant from the Pamida Foundation for a table saw. This saw will be used to make various items which are used in the arts and craft programs for both the children and seniors who attend Camp. Examples of items include basket bottoms, leaf cut-outs, and fish.

The Pamida Foundation is a 501 ( C ) ( 3 ) non-profit dedicated to improving the lives of citizens in each of the communities in which they do business. In 2010 they awarded over 1.1 million to organizations in the Pamida Community. They focus on giving to communities by supporting the education of youth and enhancing the quality of life for senior citizens.

FOCB has been the recipient of the generosity of the Pamida Foundation for several years with matching grants for a proofing oven, a commercial can opener and a band-saw, as well as other items.

We are so very grateful to Pamida and the support we have received from their Foundation staff. Without their help we would not have been able to fund many of these purchases.

Friends of Camp BATAWAGAMA receives Grant from the Plum Creek Foundation,
Crystal Falls, MI.  The Friends of Camp BATAWAGAMA has been awarded a $2500.00 matching grant from the Plum Creek Foundation in Seattle Washington.

This grant will be used to purchase a 24x8 foot extension for an existing dock on the waterfront. The additional length will enable the waterfront staff to secure a safe protected area between the new dock and a parallel dock where swimming lessons can be conducted easily under the watchful eyes of the instructors. Additionally during the afternoon free swim period, the children will be easily confined to the designated swimming arena.  The far side of the new structure will be used to secure watercraft when not in use. This will save the children from having to beach the boats and canoes before and after every lesson.

Plum Creek, headquartered in Seattle, Washington is the first and largest publicly held timber Real Estate Investors Trust (REIT) in the country. They pride themselves in managing timberlands following sustainable forestry practices. They are the largest most geographically diverse private land owner in the nation.  Currently they own 6.8 million acres of timberland in the US, 588,000 of which is in Michigan. The Plum Creek Foundation supports organizations that improve the quality of life and provide services to the residents in communities where Plum Creek operates.

We are so very thankful to the Plum Creek Creek Foundation for their generosity. This new dock would not have been possible without their help. It will greatly improve the efficiency and the safety of our waterfront program.  The Friends of camp BATAWAGAMA is a 501 ( C ) ( 3 ) non-profit Organization with the sole purpose of supporting the traditional programs at Camp BATAWAGAMA.  Interested individuals can call Brenda Nichols ( 330-467-6717 ) or visit our website www.batawagamafriends.com

Mission: To foster preservation of programs and the environment at camp Batawagama.

Vision: To take an active role in the support of the Camp by providing avenues of financial support and volunteerism.

Visit FOCB and the FOCB Golf Outing pages on Facebook to keep up on any changes as time gets closer to the Annual Golf Outing.  See you at the Annual Golf Outing.

When you give to FOCB, whether it be $5 for a Raindrop (student) or $1,000 or more for a Silver Leaf (Platinum), you will be proud in knowing that you are giving back, what Camp Batawagama gave to you all those years ago.  Take the time to review the New Leafs and give today.

The Plum Creek Foundation has informed us that our grant proposal has been approved for $1698.75 for the purchase of a Grindmaster Three portion Twin Model Shuttle coffee brewer with an extra shuttle and warming plate. Our proposal actually asked for a matching grant with FOCB funding $835.00 and Plum Creek funding the remainder of the cost. They instead decided to fund the entire project. This is wonderful news. The coffee pot that was used at camp was about 40 years old and really needed to be replaced.

Also, in the past month we have received $5375.00 in donations from 3 of our members who have been very generous to us in the past and continue their support of us this year.

I personally am so grateful each of you for your dedication to Camp. What we have been able to do for Camp and all those who benefit from our help is nothing short of a miracle.

 Merry Christmas, PJ

The Friends of Camp BATAWAGAMA is a 501 (C) (3) organization that supports the traditional programs and services at Camp BATAWAGAMA. Interested individuals can contact Brenda Nichols @ 330-467-6717 or visit our website www.batawagamafriends.com

FOCB has applied to the Pamida Foundation for a matching grant for a new Powermatic Band Saw for use in the Arts & Crafts program and also a new matching grant from the Plum Creek Foundation for a new Satellite Brew Master Coffee System.