Since 1955, Rotary Camps & Services has been the land management arm of the Traverse City Rotary Club. Over the years related activities have included conservation and stewardship. Today, Camps & Services leverages land so that working families can access affordable housing. Regional camping opportunities, increased public access for recreation, trails and parks, and protecting and improving the Boardman River and Valley are also principal goals and objectives.

 

Our mission is to leverage resources and volunteers to preserve and enhance the natural environment of the five county Grand Traverse region. We provide leadership by encouraging proactive, collaborative partnerships for land conservation/stewardship, recreation, camping and other projects that meet community needs.

 

 

Proactive is the word Rotary Camps & Services chairman Sid Lammers uses to describe the role of the current board.

 

“We’re identifying needs and opportunities and as a board presenting them to Rotary Charities for possible funding. These are the kinds of projects that might not happen without Camps & Services becoming involved.”

 

Examples of this kind of past involvement include HomeStretch, TART (Traverse Area Recreation and Transportation Trails, Inc.), Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, and the Traverse Bay Affordable Housing Land Fund.

 

The proactive philosophy was affirmed in a recent strategic planning process, observes Sid, the same exercise in which Rotary Charities’ board members also participated.

 

An example, says Sid, might be a property tract contiguous to an existing area owned by Camps & Services. “If we knew it was slated for commercial development, we might consider acquiring it to maintain its naturalness and add to our conservation easement protected properties.”

 

He explains that Camps & Services, in its role of working in conjunction with Rotary Charities and taking both a proactive and responsive approach, would initiate projects and respond to grant requests made during grant cycles in these areas of expertise:

 

• Protecting and improving the Boardman River and Valley.

• Increasing public accessibility to recreation, trails, and parks.

• Supporting Scout Camps Greilick and Sakakawea, and other camping opportunities in the region.

• Continuing its commitment to affordable housing issues, and focusing on land acquisition.