KODA Camp Midwest History
How KODA Camp Midwest Was Founded
Camp Mark 7 (CM7) had KODA Camp in New York that was founded by Bert Pickell. After a few years, Bert want to add another camp and worked with Communication Services for the Deaf (CSD) to rent their property, Camp Lakodia in Madison, South Dakota. The camp was first started the year 2005. Karen sent her first daughter to Camp Lakodia in 2006. When she went to pick her up as well as other kids, she immediately saw the change in her that was very positive.
After seeing and experiencing the limited contact, she felt that communication with parents was imperative and decided that there must be a camp in Wisconsin. Karen asked Bert if she could found a camp in Wisconsin. Bert told her to go for it! Karen was lucky to live near the MacKenzie Center and was very familiar with that place.
That time, also, the country was heading to recession and the MacKenzie Center was not active. Since Karen was familiar with the staff there and asked if she could rent the camp for two weeks. The people were not open to the idea of two weeks as many camps typically have a weekend or a week session. They told Karen, yes, only as a pilot program. The first two weeks was in July 2008 and with 23 kids attending the camp, the MacKenzie staff gave Karen full speed to rent out the place every year.
KODA Camp Midwest now hosts five weeks of KODA Camp each summer. 2 week session for teens (ages 14-16), 2 week session for youth (ages 10-13), and 1 week session for kids (ages 7-9).
In 2020 and 2021, KODA Camp Midwest held at Camp Lakotah and Lutherdale due to COVID. In 2020, KODA Camp was only held for the teens session at Camp Lakotah. In 2021, Teen, Youth, and Kids Sessions were held at Lutherdale.
KODA Midwest is a 501(c3) nonprofit organization.
