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PHILANTHROPY Camp Low Echo funding gets a boost Ashland YMCA working on renovation plans for longtime Girl Scout camp at Lake of the Woods Comment By Caitlin Fowlkes For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By Caitlin Fowlkes For the Tidings Posted Jun. 18, 2016 at 2:00 AM By Caitlin Fowlkes For the Tidings Posted Jun. 18, 2016 at 2:00 AM » RELATED CONTENT • Lake of the Woods retreat to be restored » Social News The Ashland Family YMCA has received a $150,000 Special Opportunities Grant from the William and Florence Schneider Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation (OCF) to help pay for renovation of Camp Low Echo. Camp Low Echo was a Girl Scout camp for more than 60 years on the southeast shore of Lake of the Woods, about 28 miles northeast of Ashland. The camp fell into disrepair as the cost of upkeep steadily rose. Ashland residents Sid and Karen DeBoer donated $3 million to the renovation of the camp and, in 2014, purchased the buildings and a permit allowing them to turn the camp into a recreational site for all ages. The DeBoers then donated the 32-acre camp to the Ashland Family YMCA. “Many friends and relatives went to the Girl Scout camp there over the years and we couldn’t just let it just disappear,” said Karen DeBoer. Year-round, once renovations are complete, the YMCA will run activities such as traditional youth camps, leadership retreats, theater and art camps, outdoor education programs, bird watching and snowshoe outings, health and wellness retreats and senior excursions. “The primary focus is on youth camps, but it is being designed for a multigenerational facility to serve people of all different ages in all different seasons,” said Ty Hisatomi, development and special projects manager of the Ashland YMCA. Camps and programs will be available to the public, not just YMCA members. Local organizations will be able to rent the facility, as well. “Almost weekly I get a call from an organization or school group that is looking to rent a portion of the camp,” said Lisa Molnar, executive director and CEO of the Ashland YMCA. “We think that there’s a real need in southern Oregon for a top-notch camp.” The site sits on U.S. Forest Service land and is protected through the Natural Environmental Protection Act. This requires construction to be approved by the public and Forest Service to make sure that no harm will be done to the environment, according to Hisatomi. “We’re hoping to have everything approved in the fall,” said Molnar. Construction is estimated to begin in 2017, once the snow clears, according to Molnar. The largest structure on site is the main lodge that will need to be entirely rebuilt. Funds will also be used for 12 new cabins, two bath houses, teepees, an outdoor amphitheater, infirmary and a boat dock. Most of the infrastructure will have to be redone to support the new facility, according to Hisatomi. Future plans could involve a science center and a dedicated arts and craft building. Construction, at the earliest, may be completed for campers to begin using the facility in the summer of 2018. “We’re really hoping that Southern Oregon will be inspired by some of the donations that we’ve already received and see it in their hearts to contribute,” said Molnar. “Maybe people who went to camp themselves as a kid. We’re still going to need another $3.5 million dollars that we need to raise.” The DeBoer Foundation will have primary naming responsibility for the camp, but there will be many naming opportunities for the new structures, according to Molnar. Cost estimate for the entire redevelopment, to be done in phases over several years, is roughly $8.5 million. So far, more than $5 million has been raised, according to Molnar. Jed and Celia Meese of Ashland, close friends of the DeBoers, have pledged a $2 million endowment fund dedicated to maintenance of the camp. “The Schneiders were an amazing couple,” said Amy Cuddy, senior program officer for Southern Oregon, OCF. “They retired to Ashland after years of working in the community. Even after they retired they continued to work with local organizations.” The Schneiders wishes for their fund is that it is used to benefit residents of Jackson County and to provide opportunities for people that might not otherwise have them, according to Cuddy. “Our board really saw this for an opportunity in our state,” said Cuddy. “There’s a high demand for outdoor recreation serving youth, but very few opportunities for the camping opportunity this will provide.” “The impact of camp is a tremendous thing,” said Molnar. “The positives of going to camp: gaining leadership skills, making friends and appreciating the outdoors. There’s nothing like the camp experience.” Molnar and Histomi both began their careers with the YMCA as camp counselors. “It was the thing that inspired me to have a career with the Y,” said Molnar. “To positively impact kids’ lives like that …is an amazing thing.” Email Tidings intern at [email protected]. By Caitlin Fowlkes For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By Caitlin Fowlkes For the Tidings Posted Jun. 18, 2016 at 2:00 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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