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The Bond that Binds Us: Building Clearwater’s Future
Portage #1 of our capital campaign and site plan has us well on our journey to building Clearwater’s future!
We are pleased to announce that the first “portage” (phase) of Clearwater’s Master Site Plan is complete. With the generous gifts of a few early donors and our board, we secured $2.4 million in capital to complete the following prioritized projects in the plan:
- Backstay, our new maintenance building
- Mainstay, our new welcome center with our new “rest cabin” and nurses’ quarters
- New Sport Courts for tennis, basketball, pickleball, four-square, and more
- Grassy field areas behind the swamp for soccer and other land sports
- The relocation of the archery range
- An expanded waterfront where campers will enjoy many activities, including traditional tennis court supper and new lawn games
The best way to express our excitement and celebrate this accomplishment is to share the photos below of this summer’s campers and counselors currently enjoying these fabulous upgrades and improvements around camp!
Mainstay
Back Field
Sport Courts
Waterfront
Our map of Clearwater has been updated as well, and we’ve received many comments during these beginning weeks of camp from staff, campers, parents, and friends of camp about how so many of these new features look like they’ve been a part of camp forever. Stay tuned as we get ready for more portages along our journey with exciting upcoming plans just around the bend!
We extend our gratitude to these professionals who helped guide and make this first “portage” a reality:
Blake Theisen, architect and principal of Parkitecture + Planning
Jimmy Rein, general contractor and owner of Lee Construction Company
Sarah Palmer, lead designer, Cozy Red Couch Designs
Plan Overview and Capital Campaign
Clearwater’s master site plan is a long-term capital improvement plan that will be accomplished as donations are secured from our generous community. We launched our capital campaign, The Bond that Binds Us: Building Clearwater’s Future in Chicago in February 2024 and we ask everyone in the community to consider a gift to make the next “portages” of this plan a reality.
You can review Clearwater’s fundraising goals and consider how you want to support Clearwater in this new brochure.
If you are interested in taking a tour of camp to see our upgrades, helping plan a Clearwater social in your hometown, or making a gift to the campaign, please contact our Development and Communications Director, Sheila Ferguson: sheila@clearwatercamp.org or 901-830-7896.
If you have any questions about the site plan, please send those to board@clearwatercamp.org.
By Kat Bramley