Kid's History Camp Sponsorship

Businesses outside of Paynesville supported the cause because we made an intentional effort to recruit campers from Central Minnesota. 

This map shows the location of businesses who provided financial or in-kind donations. 

Many of our volunteers came from the Paynesville area. Also, volunteers came from Alexandria, St. Paul, St. Cloud, Litchfield, Willmar, Albany, Sauk Center, Freeport, Watkins, Kimball, Eden Valley and more.  and from several locations in Central Minnesota.

Volunteers ranged in age from 16 to 85 years. This multi-generational group interacted with the multi-aged kids groups, learning and enjoying each other! 

Each of the volunteers provided a valuable service to make the camp run smoothly. We appreciated the time and talent donated to the camp by all volunteers. 

Kids History Camp provides kids with the opportunity to raise their self-confidence by learning life skills without modern technology. Camp is set in the late 1800s, when people had to solve problems with limited resources. A time when you milked the cow, churned the butter, started a fire without matches, spun fibers for clothes, and planted and harvested. Camp provides opportunities to see the outcome of hard work.  

Kids History Camp provides scholarships to ensure every child can attend camp regardless of family financial circumstances. In addition, Camp offers experiences and accommodation for youth of all ages and abilities.  Many modern-day activities focus on technology and staying indoors. Camp is technology free and most of the activities are outdoors, rain or shine, where kids are doing hands-on experiences.

Central Minnesota kids have few opportunities to participate in a multi-aged setting; camp provides multi-aged, multi-generational groups. Kids learn teamwork and leadership skills.  Volunteers range in age from 16 to 88 years enhancing the multi-generational community experience. Skills they learned at camp provide a foundation of basic homesteading that youth living in urban or rural settings can use to meet needs, sustain themselves in frugal times, or build an entrepreneur mindset.

Central Minnesota kids have few opportunities to share experiences with participants from different parts of the community: public school, home school, special needs, variety of ages and abilities. In the past, kids were part of multigenerational families living in close communities.  Kids History Camp has become a melting pot for communities.

Our Kids History Camp was held for a full day, 9 am to 4 pm, in June, July and August. Campers were divided into six multi-aged groups that rotated through different hands-on learning stations.

At each camp we needed about 50 volunteers. 

Volunteers helped with registration, parking, lunches and snacks, water, group leaders, station leaders, and more. Quite frankly, volunteers were as essential to the success of the camp as raising money. Without the help of volunteers, we would not be able to offer Kids History Camp.