A Lake Tomahawk camp for Wisconsin veterans is hoping to expand. Camp American Legion is exploring plans for a new multi-million dollar building.
During the summer veterans and their families can stay for free at the camp to relax and recover from post-traumatic stress or other injuries. A proposed 19,000 square foot, state-of the art facility would provide common space, peer mentoring facilities and a dozen disability-accessible rooms. Camp Director Kevin Moshea says not only would the new center expand capacity, it would also dramatically increase the quality of care.
“It would basically be a defining moment for Camp American Legion. It would be a defining moment. All of our healing now would start to be done at a much higher level.”
Moshea says the facility gets built it could be a one-of-a-kind in the country. American Legion officials presented the plans to Secretary of Veterans Affairs John Scocos, who was on hand to award a $50,000 grant to Camp American Legion.
“This was an important grant to them to show the leadership of American Legion who have reached out to meet the needs of our veterans – not only our most recent veterans but all generations like you see here today from different eras.”
American Legion state adjutant David Kurtz says the camp offers support and an opportunity to retreat.
“It allows veterans to decompress and get away from the daily pressures of living. And being around other veterans – by being around other veterans those veterans are much more likely to share their experiences, and it’s a cathartic thing to talk about in a peer counseling group setting.”
Camp Director Kevin Moshea says attendance at the camp has increased more than 75 percent in the past two years. The current lodge at Camp American Legion dates back to 1935. American Legion officials say they’ll seek federal, state and private funding for the new building.
