The Courage to Change

In 1964, a dream was born.

For decades, True Friends has been a staple name in families with members born with developmental and physical disabilities. By providing an experience that most only dream of to those who, by most counts, are denied the chance to dream, True Friends has been brightening the lives, and broadening the horizons of generations all across Minnesota, and other parts of the world, too.

To change so many lives requires a lot of change on the home-front, too, and True Friends celebrated big change this year at their Camp Courage location. A $2-million-dollar renovation in an organization may not seem like much to the every-day observer, as expansion and renovation are a necessary means to an end in the business world.

But, when you’re in the business of changing lives as a non-profit organization, that $2-million-dollars doesn’t come easy.

True Friends knew that, and they rolled up their sleeves to make sure the funding was put to good use near Maple Lake.

Let’s go back in time...

In 1964, parents of children born with developmental disabilities, with the help of ARC Minnesota, banded together near Annandale to form a place of retreat, where their children could come together with others like themselves for an experience that would change their lives. With hopes that they would make friendships to last a lifetime, broaden horizons, and unify the community, Camp Friendship was born as a resort getaway along Clearwater Lake, at the 100-year-old site of Beecher’s Resort.

Their dream - make the world a better, and more fun place.

However, Camp Friendship soon grew into Friendship Ventures, as programs and services spiked in demand and outgrew the camp’s boundaries.  By 1986, Friendship Ventures became the parent company of something great – something that would evolve into a non-profit, independent organization that would draw people globally to a great cause.

However, the dream didn’t just start there.

Since 1955, Camp Courage near Maple Lake has been serving those with physical disabilities like polio, cerebral palsy, and others by providing a camping experience that challenges individuals, provides opportunity for honing one’s skills, and promotes unified participation with others.

In 1966, Camp Courage branched off within its campus to add Woodland, which is geared towards children with speech, hearing and language impairments. Woodland includes a wide range of camp activities for these individuals, including areas conducive to speech therapy and education. Woodland’s current site, originally called Speech and Hearing Camp, is now a strong and vital part of the experience at Camp Courage.

From this idea of providing a “lakeside experience” for those with disabilities, more camps were born in line with Camps Friendship and Courage. Camp Eden Wood came along in 1995, after Friendship Ventures expanded its services to the Twin Cities area, and acquired the old Glen Lake Children’s Camp, which serviced children with tuberculosis in 1925, and evolved into the Eden Wood Center, in Eden Prairie.

Then, along came Camp New Hope, which was established in 1968 by four Cambridge State Hospital doctors, who wanted to bring those with disabilities out of the hospital and into the community. In 2005, Camp New Hope joined the Friendship Ventures family, and brought the idea of a lakeside experience to northern Minnesota, near McGregor.

And, in 1971, Camp Courage North took flight at the hands of Walter and Lydia Deubener, who donated to the Courage Center’s 95-acre locale near Itasca State Park. In 1972, a leadership program for teens who were deaf or hard of hearing was offered. By 1976, the programs at Courage North expanded exponentially.

All of these histories, scattered around Minnesota narrative for decades, came together in 2012, as Friendship Ventures acquired both Courage camps and continued offering services to nearly 3,000 families every year.

As of 2013, Friendship Ventures became True Friends, as it is known today.

Renovating the future

Camp Courage is a serene place, tucked back into the woods, and blossoms with promise each and every time you make your way up the drive. The campus bolsters a spirit of joy that not many other places can, and it is complimented with bright skies of blue and sparkling waters.

A respite group is on campus today, towels swung over their shoulders and bright swimming gear ready to go as counselors and staff escort their friends to Courage’s pool, which is outfitted with a volleyball net and an array of pool noodles and sports balls. The sun is high in the sky, and it’s a balmy 80 degrees with a slight breeze as you make the brief walk from the camp’s check-in office, down to where the action happens.

Susan Heath, Hospitality Coordinator and Manager of Conference and Retreat, along with Jon LeBlanc, recently christened President and CEO, walk casually down the paved path, Jon stopping to politely pick up forgotten litter and scoot landscaping rocks off the walk.

“The renovation or demolition of three buildings on campus had been the topic of discussion for a while,” LeBlanc stated. “We just weren’t   sure if entire demolition was necessary, or if renovation was possible.”

Three buildings were part of the $2-million-dollar renovation, including the Lakeside Dining and Recreation Hall, arts and crafts building, and the health office.  Granted to True Friends by the Camp Cambria Foundation and the Davis Family, it soon became clear that preserving the original buildings, which were first constructed in 1955, was the ultimate goal.

On the top of the list of improvements to the dining center, specifically, was the need for bathrooms and kitchen upgrades. Heath explained that the buildings were beginning to drift away from being places of community, and instead becoming places of brief gatherings for meals.

“We wanted people to want to stay in here, and be together,” Heath shared. “We didn’t just want it to be the place where you eat or have to come when it’s raining. The goal was for people to want to stay here with friends, and hang out. There’s no more rush to leave – connection time increases, and health and prosperity are fostered.”

That includes the entirely-redone and open basement of the Dining Hall, which is available for gatherings, movies, parties, or anything else campers may want to gather together to do.

Another goal of the renovation was for the Camp Cambria Foundation, who utilizes the campus one week out of the year to provide opportunities for individuals with juvenile arthritis, to be able to “improve the camping experience” for their campers, too. The Foundation has a five-year history with True Friends, and saw a need that they determined they could fill.

The dining center, which previously was a seasonal building, can now stay open year-round, thanks to the renovation. “Since we renovated and tried to stay true to the original buildings, we have the sense of legacy and tradition,” Heath continued. “You get that feel of ‘going to the lake’ like you did before, which was vital to our project.”

The Health and Wellness Center building, too, was completely remodeled and improved for optimal use of space, and time. Now, the camp can treat more people more efficiently, in an area that is clean, spacious, and organized.

Room dividers were the big winner of the health facility. With the ability to section off treatment areas for privacy, as well as easy-access to supplies and consultations, the dividers present an exciting new opportunity to help campers with the more “unpleasant” side of their camping experience.

“No one wants to get shots or take medicine while at camp,” Heath commented, “but with this new treatment room, which can divide easily, campers can easily come in here with friends, if they want to.”

The facility is modern, with no-step bathrooms and showers that can accommodate the physically disabled. On-site rooms for nursing staff and volunteers are also a big plus for the facility, as are additional sick bays, and storage closets.

“The idea was to treat more campers, in an atmosphere that wasn’t intimidating or scary,” Heath said.

Additionally, the arts and crafts building on campus also saw a facelift. Clean walls, bright new paint, and sparkling windows lit up the building inside and out, which now is a calling card for good times and fun, whereas Heath shared that before, the building didn’t see as much traffic.

“What was great about this entire renovation was that we completed on June 8,” LeBlanc said, “which just so happened to be move-in day for campers. So, while we had people coming in to start their summer experiences, we were just finishing the last coats of paint and putting things into place!”

LeBlanc shared that there were no issues during the renovation, and that things went smoothly during the time of construction. Campers adjusted well to “the new coat of paint” and weren’t too “thrown off” by the improvements, Heath and LeBlanc reported.

Open House: success!

On September 9, Camp Courage hosted an open house to showcase their recent improvements to the public.

“It went excellently,” LeBlanc commented. “It was good to see the local community gather around us to participate in our celebration of this huge accomplishment. These are the long-term veterans, who have seen this camp through so much – they were as excited as we were, and that is what counts.”

LeBlanc and Heath both shared the story of one of the attendees, a couple who was married in 1958 at the campus. They were the first couple married in the Camp Courage dining hall, and they’d come to see the improvements to the buildings, and were “touched that it stayed true to the original building.”

LeBlanc also stated that in past years, there had been rumors that the 305 acres of Camp Courage had been sold off to developers, and that the community was worried what would happen to the site. They had many individuals in attendance who were happy to know the camp was still standing, and their concerns were alleviated; many surprised that “the camp was thriving.”

For now, True Friends is hoping to continue to make improvements to its many locations nearby – from plans to tear down and rebuild, to roofing buildings and adding maintenance-free siding to the roster of projects, the organization is still going strong in its hope to change the future, one camper at a time.

Until then, they’ll continue to muster the courage to change, and work towards renovation of the future – and not just in the building department, either.