Pretty Lake. Beautiful Mission.

Since 1916, Pretty Lake Vacation Camp, a non-profit community organization, has provided a cost-free summer camp experience to over 50,000 at-risk youth from Kalamazoo County. Throughout the years, we have enriched the lives of thousands of youth by offering a safe, structured and encouraging environment in a natural setting. We accommodate over 700 children each summer.The children who attend Pretty Lake Vacation Camp are very diverse and face many challenges at home, in school, and in their community. We strive to remove all barriers that prevent a child from being able to come to camp.Through the financial support of generous individuals and organizations, we provide everything that campers need during their session at camp – clothes, toiletries, bedding, towels, food, transportation to and from camp, and activities – at no cost to the camper or their family or caregiver. Our focus is to assist in the development of campers by teaching life skills and helping campers cope with life’s challenges.

 

Mission

Motivated by hope in the bright future of every child, Pretty Lake Vacation Camp provides cost-free camp experiences to Kalamazoo County children who would most benefit from our programs – and be least likely to experience other programs.

 

Vision

Pretty Lake Vacation Camp will be a premier youth serving organization through camping services. We will grow happy, resilient, strong children through compassionate and healthy relationships with caring mentors.

 

Future

In 2010, our Board of Directors set forth a vision to strengthen itself as the “Community’s Camp” – a year-round resource for its campers, families, schools and the community at-large. True to our founder, Edward B. Desenberg, the core of the organization will be the on-going operation and continuous improvement of the summer camp.Additionally, we will continue to improve and expand its Garden & Outdoor Learning program, as well as offering the camp to groups and organizations from September through May as part of the Retreating program.Finally, the partnership between Pretty Lake Vacation Camp and the Adventure Centre will continue to strengthen, providing the ability to serve a much broader audience of youth and adults.