An Abbreviated History of Washtenaw Camp Placement
Celebrating Over 60 Years of Camping
1960 The Group Work and Recreation Division of the Bureau of Community Services of the Ann Arbor Area United Fund met on January 21. The recently completed “Camping Study” was discussed. On May 5, a newly formed Camping Committee met for the first time.
1961 On March 24 the Community Camp Committee (CCC) met for the first time, chaired by City Manager Guy C. Larcom, Jr.
1962 Lois Chance was hired to run CCC and ably oversaw the selection of the first group of campers; 114 were selected from 150 applications.
1963 Committees met in the United Fund office in the Municipal Court Building downtown.
1967 The Toledo YMCA requested information on the program, resulting in a long and beneficial relationship with Storer Camps in Jackson County. PTOs and Kiwanis were funders.
1969 Current Board member Judy Mohr’s name first appears in the October minutes, along with Molly Dobson’s.
1970 Clark Ewing, Director of YMCA Storer Camps, and Marilyn Ewing attended the October meeting. Lois Chance was commended and a title change to Staff Director was accompanied by a raise.
1973 Mary DeLancey was president and youngsters attended one of nine different camps. The name changed to Community Camp Placement, a Program of the Washtenaw United Fund.
1974 Meetings were held at the new United Fund offices on Platt Rd; Lois had part-time summer help.
1975 Judy Mohr, Fran Nelson and Haskell Rothstein incorporated CCC as an independent charitable organization named Washtenaw Camp Placement Association.
1976 The Bicentennial year, and the only year since 1971 that day camp was provided.
1978 Virginia Hayes succeeded Lillian Hay and Jo Rudelich as Director; Lois left five years earlier to work full-time at the United Way.
1983 Jeanette Okuley was hired as Executive Director, a position she held for 27 years.
2010 Jane Talcott hired as fundraiser, later assumes executive functions.
2018 Name changed to Washtenaw Camp Placement.
2022 Sixtieth Anniversary. More than 10,000 camperships have been awarded.
2023 Jane Talcott retires as Executive Director; Matt Tarver-Wahlquist is hired as Executive Director and Amanda Fales is hired as Program Director.