Camp Millhouse began in 1937 as a camp for children with polio. As the polio vaccine took hold, and less children were affected, the camp transitioned into what it is today -  a residential summer camp for children and adults with disabilities. Celebrating our 85th anniversary in 2022, Camp Millhouse has been providing a traditional camp experience tailored to meet each individual camper's needs and improve their quality of life.  While many camps age-out when the campers reach their early twenties, Camp Millhouse is unique in that we serve both children and adults (our oldest camper is 74!). We also serve campers with a wide range of disabilities. We have campers who just need some gentle reminders to campers who require complete and total care. Camp Millhouse can provide either a day camp or residential camp experience. We are also able to provide our campers with unique adventures like our low ropes challenge course and learning a new way to do art with our wheelchair art equipment. In addition to our summer camp program, we have offered spring and fall camp weekends (pre-covid). By limiting our camp weekend attendance , we are able to take campers out into the community to attend different events and activities. We are hoping to get back to doing our camp weekends in 2023. There are no other camps in our community or even in Northern Indiana that meet all of this same criteria. Camp Millhouse provides the chance to learn and practice a variety of different skills like independence, spending the week in an open cabin setting, making friends, outdoor physical activities in a supportive "choose your challenge" atmosphere and just having fun! Not only does Camp Millhouse provide all of these vital services to people with disabilities, but the experience that Camp provides to our staff and volunteers is nothing short of life-changing! "Camp is where you live for moments you can't put into words! You change lives, grow as a person & create friendships that last a lifetime!" - said R.P. counselor. It gives our staff members multiple opportunities for learning skills such as flexibility, patience, adaptability, how to think on your feet and social skills as well.  Many staff say their experience at camp was so life-changing, they are changing their future plans so they can work with our clients full time. "I feel like this summer has changed me more than anything else I've ever done. I've done so many things that I didn't think I would be able to do. I kind of feel like I'm almost a completely different person. I've grown a lot. I am very proud of myself" - said E., CIT. For many of our camper parents and caregivers, their camper's week at camp is the only time they have to themselves each year. This allows them time to rest, go on vacation, or do something they have wanted to do by themselves knowing their loved ones are being well taken care of and having fun. "Camp means two weeks of no worry about Monika's welfare and that is a lot of "freedom" for us" -U.L., longtime camper mom.

We've added a couple off-season programs for our campers and their families. The Millhouse Mingle is a once-a-month meet up in the community where the camper and family can join the camp staff to do an activity, eat a meal or have a special snack in the community. Camp Millhouse covers all or some of the expense to help our families. It's a fun time to stay connected to camp friends while anxiously awaiting the following summer. Camp can always use extra funds to help cover the cost of the Mingles to allow more families to participate. 

When the pandemic hit in 2020, and camp had to cancel their summer plans, they developed "Camp-in-a-Box". For the six weeks of summer camp, the directors and four program staff developed, packaged and shipped five activities and a snack for each of the six weeks to 95 families. Then videos of the staff completing the activities were posted on social media so the campers could "do the activity with the camp staff". We also met our campers on Zoom to tell stories, play games and sing songs. Our families were missing the personal connection that camp usually provides. Unfortunately, camp could not happen in summer 2021 either, so we did Camp-in-a-Box again, this time for 86 families. This has helped us develop an off-season program we call the Millhouse Monthly. Once per month from October thru March, the office staff sends a package containing four or five activities to campers who opt-in. Videos are then posted on social media showing families how to complete the activities and staff offer a once-a-month Zoom meet up as well. 

For summer 2022, we are planning in-person camp for only 1/3 our normal number of campers. We usually serve 60 campers per week but we are only taking 20 per week. This is a vital time for Camp. While we are excited to be back in-person, funds are very tight after not having camp for two years, and not hosting a full house in 2022. Most of our 2021 registered campers moved their registration to 2022 to allow us to keep the funds to get through this past fall and winter. And all while this is happening, we must also move up our plans to replace our 82 year old lodge since the deterioration has accelerated. The new lodge will be almost two times the size of the current lodge to better serve our campers and staff now and for future generations. 

We need help if we are to get the lodge started on time this fall. With a price tag of $1.2M, we need folks willing to invest in the future of Camp Millhouse for our campers and staff. Please talk to Diana, Melissa or Caitlynne if you or someone you know can help us get there. 

Your support of this event, and other fundraising events for Camp Millhouse, supports our campers, their families/caregivers and our staff.  As many of you know, we are not a United Way agency and we do not have any overarching organization that covers our year-round expenses. Without the faithful support of all of you, we could not provide this unique experience to hundreds of campers, staff and families each year. It takes all of our hard-work from August to the following May to make the summer season of June and July a safe, fun experience. From the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU!  Diana, Melissa, Caitlynne on behalf of our campers, their families, our staff and the Camp Millhouse Board of Directors.

We've been working on raising the funds needed to begin our lodge rebuild this fall. While we have about half of the funding, part of that funding is coming from Camp Millhouse property funds that is needed elsewhere (roofs and septics that need to be replaced and other general repairs). We need investors who understand how vital Camp Millhouse is, not only to the immediate area but to campers who come to us from all over the Midwest. We love telling people in the community about Camp Millhouse. Let us know if you'd like to have us speak or, even better, if you would like to bring your group to Camp for a tour, to meet in our lodge or to see Camp in session during the summer. We'd love to show you around. 

Check it out!