The Wonderful World of WeHaKee – Vol. 1: January 2026
Camper Spotlight: Madison Carpenter — “From Camp to Boarding School”
Hey y’all, I’m Madison Carpenter, a high schooler from Dallas, Texas.
This past summer my mom asked me an interesting question: “what would you think of going to summer camp?” The woman I hadn’t spent more than a couple nights away from was suggesting a sleepaway summer camp for two weeks. Suffice it to say, I was surprised. When she asked, I was at a point in the summer where the no school honeymoon phase had ended. Staring at a TV wasn’t fun anymore, and a lot of my friends were either on vacation or away at internships. So I thought about it for a few days. “Do I wanna come to WeHaKee?” “Will I be able to make friends?” “Will I miss home?” In the end, I decided it was worth taking the risk.
From the moment I pulled into “the world” at camp and set eyes on the lake and trees, I knew I found something special. The girls at camp are some of the nicest people you will ever meet. As if the camp itself attracts kindness, creativity, and community. Of course I was nervous at first but it took almost no time to make friends. No matter the cabin or the age you can make a friend out of anyone there.
It only took a few days to know that two weeks wasn’t enough, so I sent an email to my mom and asked to extend for the next session. Over the course of the month I was there I made so many meaningful connections. Camp is a place that allows me to be myself with no fear.
Even after leaving, camp has had a big impact on my life.
My first session I really bonded with my counselor Maddie. We are so similar, and even now I think of her as an older sister. Over the summer, Maddie told me about a boarding school in New York. I had thought about boarding school before, but now it felt even more attainable. I had been independent at camp, so what’s to say I couldn’t do it at school? WeHaKee gave me the confidence to know I’d be okay on my own.
When I got home, obviously happy to see my parents again, I told them I wanted to go to this boarding school for my junior year of high school. It was a big decision and took a lot of preparation, but coming here for school was one of the best decisions I’ve made. I have been able to make even more connections and memories, and have gotten so many opportunities. I work on my school newspaper, I recently won a scholastic art competition award, and I have made friends that I know I’ll have for a long time.
So let this be a sign.
Never be afraid to take that risk, because you never know what doors it will open for you in the future.
Alumnae Spotlight: Kerry Hanson — “Three Generations”
Walking the campgrounds this past summer with my mom and my daughter, I realized how much of my childhood still lives at WeHaKee.
My connection to WeHaKee actually began with my mom, who attended in the early 1960s with her sister, my aunt Holly, and several cousins. She loved her summer at Hunter Lake so much that she named me after a friend and cabin mate, Kerry.
I started attending camp myself when I entered sixth grade in 1990, always with my cousin Kristen, even though we were three years apart and never in the same cabin. One summer, our cousins Becky and Jenny joined us, turning our time at camp into a little family reunion. I spent two of my three summers in Cabin 4 with the same counselor, Dani, who would sing to us each night. I met incredible campers from Mexico and across the U.S., and discovered a love for the water — something completely new for me, from Colorado. Floating dinners on canoes, quiet moments on the lake, and the magic of Mary WeHaKee appearing on a full moon made camp feel full of mystery and wonder. Sister Arturo, as camp director, created an environment that felt welcoming, safe, and truly special for every girl. Those summers are some of my clearest, happiest memories, and I still dream about camp — sometimes wishing I could have returned as a counselor.
Now, I have the joy of sending my daughter Tegan to the same magical place. She first attended at age nine, flying solo from Denver — a little nerve-wracking, but we knew she was ready for two weeks away. One of the most rewarding parts has been watching her hem and haw over activities, like whether to try water skiing, and then seeing her push herself outside of her comfort zone. To her surprise, water skiing became her favorite activity. This summer is her fourth at WeHaKee and her second full month. She’s even trying to convince her older sister, Keira, to join her — she will be old enough for the leadership program. Walking the campgrounds with Tegan, I see the same sense of wonder and possibility that captivated me as a camper, and I’m grateful she gets to experience all the growth, friendships, and joy that make WeHaKee so special.
This past summer, my mom and I went back to pick up Tegan at the end of session 3. It was wonderful to walk the campgrounds again, and we even discovered that Tegan had slept in the same bed my mom had years before in Cabin 6. Camp still holds that special magic for all of us — a place for growth, friendships, and lasting memories that can span generations. Seeing Tegan thrive and challenge herself has reminded me why WeHaKee has been such a meaningful part of our family for so long.
Staff Spotlight: Carolina Cuellar — “Past Camper, New Counselor”
Hello! My name is Carolina, and I live in Mexico City. Although this will be my first year attending camp as a counselor, it will be my second time at camp. I went as a camper when I was 12, and it became one of the most meaningful experiences of my childhood. Even after all these years, there are moments I can still see so clearly, like waking up and looking out at the lake completely still, untouched by wind, reflecting the sky like a mirror. It was so quiet and calm that it felt like time had paused for a second.
Camp was the first place where I understood what it meant to be truly present. To be surrounded by people you just met, yet somehow feel so connected to them. To laugh, to explore, and to notice things you miss in everyday life. I don’t stay in contact with all of the girls I met there, but the memories stayed.
I’ve realized how special that experience is now. It’s hard to put your phone down, to stop checking what’s happening somewhere else, and to just exist in the moment. That’s one of the reasons I want to return as a counselor. I want the campers to feel that same freedom, to build friendships that matter, to find confidence in themselves, and to discover how beautiful the world feels when you’re actually paying attention to it.
I’m extremely excited to return, this time on the other side, meet all the campers, and be a small part of the memories that will stay with them for years, just like mine have stayed with me. If even one girl leaves camp feeling changed the way I did, it will already be worth it.
Maggie and Bob receive Lifetime Achievement Award
Congratulations to longtime WeHaKee directors, Maggie & Bob Braun, on receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Camp Association, Wisconsin!
Beyond their deep commitment to Camp WeHaKee, Maggie and Bob have worked extensively with the ACA, making extraordinary contributions to advancing the camp movement in the United States.
Maggie twice served on ACA’s national board and was instrumental in the board’s development, displaying outstanding commitment to the advancement of diversity and inclusion within the leadership of ACA.
Bob served several years as chair of the Mid States Camp Conference, helping inspire talented and energetic participants to step into our industry as camp professionals. Both have frequently presented at regional and national levels.
Maggie and Bob are extremely grateful for this award and thankful for the recognition from their peers.
Tuition Grants Awarded
At Camp WeHaKee, scholarships are not a side program. They are a promise.
So far for Summer 2026, we have awarded $29,817.50 in scholarships to campers and families. That number matters, but what matters more are the lives behind it.
One mom shared that Camp WeHaKee is something she and her daughter deeply values, even though it feels out of reach financially. As a single parent, she explained that while her ex-husband is involved in their daughter’s life, he would not contribute to camp simply because it was her idea. Still, she applied, hopeful. “We don’t have the extra income for it,” she wrote, “but it means the world for my daughter.”
Her daughter put it even more simply.
She talked about feeling like part of a family. About getting out of her comfort zone. About trying new things. About how everyone was kind. She said last summer was “so beyond amazing” and that she cannot wait to come back, believing this summer might be even better.
The impact did not end when camp did.
Her mom shared that after returning home, her daughter stayed connected with friends she made at WeHaKee. She noticed a shift in confidence. More happiness. A sense of empowerment that carried into everyday life. “I knew the camp was special,” she said, “just from my interactions with Bob and Maggie and the few minutes I spent on site dropping her off. It truly is a magnificent place.”
Stories like this are why scholarships matter. They open the gate to belonging. They create access to confidence, courage, friendship, and joy. They ensure that Camp WeHaKee is not defined by who can afford to attend, but by who can benefit from being here.
Every scholarship is an investment in a girl who is ready to grow, to belong, and to discover just how capable she is. Thank you for making that possible.
➡️ Donate to the Camp WeHaKee scholarship fund
Camp Directorship Transition
Stacie Simpson and Cory Harrison to become Camp Directors
As of March 1, Stacie Simpson and Cory Harrison will assume full operational leadership of Camp WeHaKee for Girls, as Camp Directors.
Stacie and Cory bring a depth of knowledge, warmth, and vision that makes them the perfect pair to continue the legacy of WeHaKee.
Originally from central Wisconsin, Stacie has led camps throughout the Midwest and most recently served as Director at YMCA Camp Greenville in South Carolina. She is known for her thoughtful leadership, inclusive spirit, and ability to build meaningful relationships with campers and families.
Cory has spent the last two decades in year-round camp leadership, with a focus on staff development, operations, and creating programs that help kids thrive. Together, they’ve led a co-ed camp for the past ten years and are now excited to return to the Northwoods to join WeHaKee.
Maggie and Bob Braun transition to Director Emeritus Roles
This fall and winter, Maggie and Bob have been incredibly generous, thoughtful, and steady partners throughout the directorship transition, and they continue to do the hard work of getting Stacie and Cory fully up to speed on all things Camp WeHaKee.
Beginning March 1, as Stacie and Cory step fully in Camp Director roles, Maggie and Bob will transition to their new roles as Directors Emeritus. Their new titles give and honor and respect to the deep impact they’ve made on the WeHaKee community.
