Camp American Legion Director Jim Klement gives Governor Tony Evers and Wisconsin Department of Veteran Affairs Secretary James Bond a tour of the cabins and facilities at the Lake Tomahawk veterans rehabilitation center.
It is quintessential Northwoods.
Sandwiched between two lakes and in the woods, the camp offers veterans and their families a relaxing place to stay with opportunities for fishing, boating, hiking, heal, and connection.
All of it free to Wisconsin veterans or those actively serving. About 65 people visit the camp each week for 21 weeks starting in May.
“Our mission statement is helping to heal those who have served, continue to serve and their families through the Wisconsin Northwoods experience, which, when you look around, that's exactly what we do,” said Klement.
Camp American Legion has provided this opportunity for veterans for 100 years.
Maintaining the camp and ensuring it stays accessible takes a lot of funding and volunteer hours.
Klement says camp is roughly 90% funded by donations.
“As inflation hits, as times change, as buildings need maintenance, we're always going to need that extra dollar or two,” said Klement. “Not only through the funding aspect, but also the manpower. That's one thing that everybody will run out of. It's not the money, it's the time.”
Monday afternoon was the first time Governor Tony Evers visited Camp American Legion.
“It's amazing something this beautiful and so important has lasted this long,” said Evers.
Camp American Legion currently receives $75,000 a year from the state through a Department of Veteran Affairs grant.
Evers proposed budget calls for increasing that to $100,000 a year.
“Certainly, they've done well with very, very little, frankly, resources from the state, and are doing it well, but it's time,” said Evers.
Evers does believe there would be bipartisan support for the increase.
Evers budget also calls for expanding the Veterans and Surviving Spouses Property Tax Credit, investing $5 million in veteran mental health services, and recommends a five percent increase for county and Tribal veterans service offices.
Klement said there will always be a need for more support at Camp American Legion.
“We're always going to need more just as the buildings need to be replaced, and the cost of inflation hits us,” he said.
Klement invites people to come see Camp American Legion during its 100 Year Celebration.
“We are trying to recreate what happened exactly 100 years prior. We are actually working with the Lac du Flambeau Tribe to have them come up and bless camp like they did 100 years ago,” said Klements. “Then we're going to have live entertainment, food and drinks are provided. It's going to be a great time. We're expecting quite a few people, and the more the merrier.”
The celebration is Saturday, June 14 at 11:00 a.m.
Camp American Legion is located at 8529 County D, Lake Tomahawk, WI 54539.
