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Providing kids with educational & recreational experiences that:
At Camp Blodgett, our goal is to provide a fun, enriching summer camp experience accessible to all kids in Kent & Ottawa Counties. Summer camp fees are based on a child's family size and income. In addition, Camp Blodgett offers free school year programs. Camp Blodgett is a proud Heart of West Michigan United Way partner agency. 
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Our History
Camp Blodgett began in 1921 when D.A. Blodgett Home for Children, an organization dedicated to the care of orphaned children, purchased a tract of land on the shores of Lake Michigan to provide a fresh air camping experience for the orphans during the summer months. A concerned group of women associated with D.A. Blodgett Home, called the Babies' Welfare Guild, took the children camping and worked hard to maintain the camp.
In 1939, the direction of Camp Blodgett was taken over by the United Fund (today’s United Way). Then in 1954, Camp Blodgett became an independent entity and began serving youth from the city of Grand Rapids and throughout Kent County. In 2001, Camp Blodgett expanded its program offerings to include year-round programming, and in 2012, launched an experiential Academy program, which runs alongside camp for 4 weeks each summer.
Today, Camp Blodgett remains a Partner Agency of the Heart of West Michigan United Way and has four primary programs that carry the spirit and values of Camp Blodgett throughout the year. Each year at Summer Camp we serve over 450 campers, of which 40 are STEM Academy campers. During the school year, we maintain contact with our summer campers and serve as many as 80 youth in our after school Camp Blodgett Club programs and 25 teens in our Young Leaders program.
In 1939, the direction of Camp Blodgett was taken over by the United Fund (today’s United Way). Then in 1954, Camp Blodgett became an independent entity and began serving youth from the city of Grand Rapids and throughout Kent County. In 2001, Camp Blodgett expanded its program offerings to include year-round programming, and in 2012, launched an experiential Academy program, which runs alongside camp for 4 weeks each summer.
Today, Camp Blodgett remains a Partner Agency of the Heart of West Michigan United Way and has four primary programs that carry the spirit and values of Camp Blodgett throughout the year. Each year at Summer Camp we serve over 450 campers, of which 40 are STEM Academy campers. During the school year, we maintain contact with our summer campers and serve as many as 80 youth in our after school Camp Blodgett Club programs and 25 teens in our Young Leaders program.
Staff
Lucy Dyer Joswick
Executive Director |
Rick Meyering
Director of Operations |
Brian Paul
Camp Director |
Andrea Robinson
Program Director |
Kim Schurr
Finance Director |
Board of Directors
Chase Stancle, President |Unison Christian Church
Tim Dudley, Vice President | Rhoades McKee
Mel Trombley, Secretary|Connection Consultant Services
Drew Wessell, Treasurer | Kids Food Basket
Steve Balk |Hansen/Balk Steel Treating Company
Tiffany Balk |Blueberry Haven, Babies' Welfare Guild
Deb Battjes |Babies' Welfare Guild
Tania Bermejo | Spectrum Health
Latoya Booker | Lakeshore Ethnic Diversity Alliance (LEDA)
Asante Cain | City of Grand Rapids
Steve Cook | PricewaterhouseCoopers
Barbara Gordon | Community Member
Neil Jansen |Mika Meyers
Jim Peterson |Cherry Street Capital
Eric Post |Varnum Law
Linda Ritch |iHeart Media
Quincy Williams | Grand Valley State University
Tim Dudley, Vice President | Rhoades McKee
Mel Trombley, Secretary|Connection Consultant Services
Drew Wessell, Treasurer | Kids Food Basket
Steve Balk |Hansen/Balk Steel Treating Company
Tiffany Balk |Blueberry Haven, Babies' Welfare Guild
Deb Battjes |Babies' Welfare Guild
Tania Bermejo | Spectrum Health
Latoya Booker | Lakeshore Ethnic Diversity Alliance (LEDA)
Asante Cain | City of Grand Rapids
Steve Cook | PricewaterhouseCoopers
Barbara Gordon | Community Member
Neil Jansen |Mika Meyers
Jim Peterson |Cherry Street Capital
Eric Post |Varnum Law
Linda Ritch |iHeart Media
Quincy Williams | Grand Valley State University