Apopka, Florida Camp Wewa, 13 Dec 2021

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From YouTube: Camp Wewa presented by City of Apopka

Description

The City of Apopka was able to purchase Camp Wewa in September 2021. Camp Wewa is a special place, offering camps, retreats, rentals, events, and outdoor education.

Learn more at www.apopka.net/campwewa.

Directed by: Janet Randolph
Camera: Gene Murell & Janet Randolph
Audio Recordist: Janet Randolph
Edited by: Jostin Villegas, Randolph Creative
Produced by: Bryan Nelson, Mayor of Apopka
Executive Producer: Jeff Ernshaw and Rich Schellhase
Special Thanks To: Lower, City of Apopka, and Friends of Camp Wewa, WESH News

A

That tradition,, that history, you just you can't, you'll, never get it. Back.. Remember.

B

This listen to the night, listen to the woods and never forget this moment.. Well, you want.

C

The real history, so we came here at the summer of 83 and there it was very there- wasn't very.

C

Many kids here so it was only 30 to 40 kids a session, but it enabled me and skip, skip.

C

And I to do all the activities with the kids. getting muddy. Getting flour poured on our.

C

Head digging in trenches and chased by other counselors and things, and so we bonded pretty.

C

Quick., my name is chris palmer and my name is lynn palmer. We are identical, twins out.

D

Of a set of triplets and our dad was the uh chairman of the board and founder of palmer.

D

Electric and we were uh sponsors of camp wewa- well all the way from way back when we were.

D

Young. and he's and he's older than I am.

E

I started coming to camp wewa when I was 10 years old and I was out here for 10 years.

E

I grew up out here most special place in the world to me and I was really looking forward.

E

To the day that my kids could come out to camp wewa., my parents grew up here and I I.

F

Actually never got to come here when I was supposed to now that I'm here it's still seems.

F

A lot of fun.: yes, it's our first time here. we're supposed to come in 2020 when we get.

G

The chance we will get to come here. I mean the place opened as a boy scout camp in 2021.

B

Became ymca camp in the 50s., my oldest brother, went here in 1960's, my sister who's here.

B

Was here in 63., I started in 73 and my niece started in 87 and she was here for seven or.

B

Eight years she's here too, and she brought her son who's, never been here. there's decades.

H

Of individuals and memories that have passed down over the decades. wewa does a tradition.

H

When chrissy and I were campers and staff, there's two different ways: the if it was a.

H

Female camper, the male counselors would sing happy birthday and if it was a male camper.

H

The female counselors would sing happy birthday holding on to their feet and their hands.

H

You're not doing it. she's 40 today, so we've stayed friends since then.

D

"Singing happy birthday" be sure you wish my mom a happy 40th birthday.

D

But it's changed a lot. The round house is gone, we didn't have a pool all the swimming.

I

Was done in the lake behind the chapel, but still the same feel. You know that camaraderie.

I

The feeling of family and belonging.

J

First, I started out as a camper. I was in pawnee for two summers and then moved to seminole.

J

Then I became a c.I.t. and a staff aide and finally, a junior counselor., I'm a teacher.

J

Today and I think a lot of the what I learned at wewa has really helped me build relationships.

J

With my students and the team building activities that I learned here at camp, I still use in.

J

My classroom 30 years later, today., so it's it's really. It made me who I am.. I loved camp.

K

I was always a part of camp and when I got the opportunity to become the business manager.

K

Here I was able to strengthen the skills that I learned in college. I was able to gain communication,.

K

Work really well with both parents, kids and staff,, and it's allowed me to grow so much.

K

As a person in the professional world, so camp even on a professional level is incredibly.

K

Valuable. I started coming here in 1973 and I was a.

B

Camper for three or four years, and then I was a counselor for many years- for at least.

B

Three years and then I was the program director and then I kept coming back to visit and stuff.

B

And have for years,, but I always tell people everything I ever learned. I learned at camp.

L

So yeah it was a. It was really interesting brought something out of me that I didn't.

L

Know I had,, but it was nice working with the people and taking down the information. Campers.

L

Coming in with their men and their parents, with all the medicines and everything.

M

I was the head camp nurse.. I would train the new hire nurses and do the schedule set up.

M

The whole clinic for the whole summer, and then I actually stayed here overnight for.

M

The summer and then finn would come and help me and stay overnight too, and help with the.

M

Kids. before social uh networks really were a thing.

N

The original social network that we were involved in was camp wewa, the friendships that we made.

J

Absolutely there and uh I would say when um the word got out, that camp wewa was in danger.

N

Of being sold and not enjoyed by future generations, um we it spread like wildfire and the support.

N

Was uh that came in was tremendous and I've just been uh so happy that we were able to.

N

Affect change to save this place., just you know it's one of those things you.

A

Just you know, it's just was meant to be. We had to put out a survey to to the residents.

A

Of apopka "hey um is, is camp wewa important to you?", so we put that out on a friday at.

A

4 00 p.m. and we had to, we had to retrieve the results monday morning at 8, 00 a.m. in.

A

That short amount of time off of our city website, which you know, is not that well trafficked.

A

Just it's just a normal. You know, city website. We had 152,000 people that viewed that we.

A

Had like 5,000 shares, we had 30 countries that responded to this thing. Unbelievable.

A

How many people you know that remember camp wewa, that it really meant something to them.

A

That want to make sure that we figured out a way to purchase things that okay, we got.

A

We got to make this thing happen.. I spent most of my high school school year.

O

Looking forward to coming to camp wewa were the time that we got to spend with the campers.

O

And just being around them and the time together it was very bonding and we just we really.

O

Enjoyed it, we'd spend the whole year looking forward to getting back to camp wewa.. It's.

O

Shaped all of our lives., I really do believe like camp does foster.

P

A lot of long lifetime friends case in point amanda here., we've known each other for 20.

P

20 25 years or so., so yeah camp's really ingrained in me. I have a significant amount of time.

P

Out here, but I do think, camp foster some real life situations and uh and is, is great for.

P

Your moral and in growth., I am looking forward to camp if it's open.

F

To go and try it because I've never been to a camp before.

D

Actually, the fondest memory I have is a story of indian joe. one summer when they met in.

D

The round house- and they had big fire in the middle and they told different stories.

D

One of this grass don't do that.. One of the stories was about indian joe, and they would.

D

Say never leave the cabin at night because indian joe lives in the woods and he hunts.

D

At night. said you, boys, better behave because engine.

Q

Joe lives out there in the woods and he'll get you. If you don't behave., it was great.

Q

Met a bunch of people much nice guys that we still have relationships together today,.

Q

So yeah it was a great great experience and I recommend it for every young man.

A

I was out here for one summer, you know for my week they had a a a tall, diving board here.

A

At our swimming pool,, but because of you know, obviously insurance reasons, the the diving.

A

Board is gone but I'll never forget. It was like an eight meter, diving board and I was.

A

So scared, but I said you know what I've got to do: this. I've got to get on that diving.

A

Board, I got to jump into the pool and I did it one time, but I had to do it so yeah.

I

I didn't want to go home, but I had to because it was the summer that this one was born and.

I

Being the only daughter in a family of boys, I had to go home and help mom., so you get.

R

To have memories that last a lifetime camp wewa's impact was so great on me as I ended.

R

Up working with kids., I ended up becoming a teacher camp director. Kevin casey saw that.

R

In me, growing up that was good with kids and I'm good at teaching things and breaking down.

R

Things into simple steps and meeting people where they're at and help them become the.

R

People that they're going to become.

S

From dancing to archery, people from apopka have fond memories of camp. We walk, including.

S

Mayor bryan, nelson, but now this special camp around for over 70 years is in jeopardy. We.

S

Want to save it we want to, we want to keep. We want to maintain it absolutely., as negotiations.

T

With the city of apopka continue, the city does not want it to become a development..

A

We want to keep it from developers. We want to, you know, turn it into another city park.

A

Because the amenities here you just can't find anywhere else.. Obviously this wasn't.

T

Something we planned on, you know we started talking budgets last, you know last may june.

T

But you know you only get one chance to get it and and one chance to lose it.

J

I got involved with the project here at camp wewa, because wewa is a very special place.

J

For me., I spent the ages of 10 to 16 out here every summer and I have a lot of happy childhood.

J

Memories, so when they said they were going to sell the camp, my heart broke into a million.

J

Pieces- and I just wanted to do what I could to help save it.

B

Former campers and staff members and people that this place means something to all kind.

B

Of bonded, together in the in the public outcry and the fact that apopka was able to buy it.

B

And save it and now reopen tonight on this beautiful night.

A

But you know just you know every story just got. You know the back story, which really makes.

A

It you know kind of memorable,, it was kind of an interesting thing, we're talking to lowe's.

A

About this project is they said you know, what do you understand that lowe's was was? Was.

A

Started in 1921., camp wewa was started in 1921. and I'm like oh yeah exactly,. It's like.

A

You know it was meant to be., so he calls me back. He said you know what we haven't done.

A

A uh either a store-wide project or a district-wide project since covid., he said we're going to.

A

Make camp wewa our district project.? We have a hundred people three days in a row out here.

A

They supplied the paint,, the lights,, the fans, the air conditioners,, I mean stunning., I mean.

A

I I just came out here, like oh, my gosh!, it's so important to save camp wewa, because.

K

Camp represents so much more than just a fun place to send kids over the summer. camp helps.

K

Kids and staff to build invaluable skills, leadership, skills, communication, skills, team.

K

Building skills, and all of these things are so important in life.

N

I think good campers and having a good camp experience here, helps people kind of see the.

N

Importance of involving themselves in their own communities.

N

Wewa left a good impact on me by and gave me a lot of new friends. It gave me a lot of.

U

New ways to think about problems, especially with the l.I.t. and c.I.t. program., taught.

U

Me how to be a leader and most of my friend groups, I'm kind of up there, just because I.

U

Know how to work with different types of people.? I was telling family and friends that have.

V

Never been here how much camp wewa shaped me and made me uh the woman. I am today., it's.

V

Just such a special place, it is, um it is my home away from home and I was devastated when.

V

I thought we were gonna, lose it and I'm just so happy for the city of apopka and camp wewa.

V

And all the children that'll get to come back and corporate events and all those types of.

V

Things. camp wewa is an amazingly special place.

V

*singing*, there's a boy and a girl and a little canoe with the moon shining all around. They.

W

Dip their paddle to and fro and they didn't even make a sound. and they talked and they.

V

Talked till the lights grew dim.. He said you better, kiss me or get out and swim.. So what.

G

Do you do in a little canoe with the moon shining, all around? get out and swim.

W

Credits on screen.

V