We all have fond memories of the sign that greets each visitor to Camp Nebagamon with its iconic message of inclusion stating, “This Shall Be a Place of Welcome for All,” translated into 33 languages.
Camp has always welcomed people of all backgrounds. This creed began with camp’s founders Muggs and Janet Lorber, and inspired Nardie Stein to design and post the sign in the early 1970s. He and co-director Sally Lorber Stein and later co-directors Roger and Judy Wallenstein, and Adam Kaplan and Steph Hanson have each continued this tradition — adding new panels in languages that reflect our ever-expanding camp family.
Welcome, kindness, decency and inclusivity are needed now more than ever during this quarantine summer. Global economic hardship echoes conditions just-after Nebagamon’s founding in 1929. Simultaneously, our country is reckoning with the legacy of 400+ years of racism.
These remarkable times inspired us to create a tangible reminder of our Nebagamon values: a two inch by two foot replica of the welcome sign, which you can bring to your own home while supporting future summers of camping for children who need it most.
This replica can be yours for a suggested donation of $100 plus $21.50 to cover the cost of production, packaging, and shipping. Our pre-order window closes on Monday, September 7th, so be sure to place your order today. (To do so, simply click here).
As you consider how much to contribute for your sign, or how many to order for friends, family, and fellow alums, keep in mind that camp’s affiliated charities, the Camp Nebagamon Scholarship Fund (CNSF) and Camperships for Nebagamon (CFN), will split all contributions . The money we raise will share the life-changing experience of a summer at camp with kids who need this most during summers to come.
We hope you’ll feel inspired to contribute and to continue to make your home “A Place of Welcome for All” with this reminder that all that we send into the lives of others comes back into our own!
