June 13, 2008
Vanessa Vaughan, The Conservation Fund, 703.908.5809
Rosalie De Fini, Ryan Newman Foundation, 704.677.4052
Dennis Muchmore, Michigan United Conservation Clubs, 517.881.2240
Mary Dettloff, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, 517.335.3014
Sammie Lukaskiewicz, Michigan International Speedway, 517.592.1208
Brooklyn, MI – As NASCAR drivers and fans gear up for another big weekend at Michigan International Speedway (MIS), a unique team of partners from the race community and the environmental community are racing to save a historic youth camp and bring the current generation of children and their families closer to the natural world.
Today, this team has come one lap closer to the finish line.
Representatives from the Racing for Wildlife program – The Conservation Fund and the Ryan Newman Foundation – Michigan International Speedway, Michigan United Conservation Clubs and Michigan Department of Natural Resources came together at Victory Lane at MIS to officially kick off the restoration efforts of Mill Lake Youth Camp.
“The fact that all these organizations have come together to make this conservation and education project happen says a lot about the need for the Mill Lake Youth Camp to be restored here in this beautiful area of Michigan,” said NASCAR driver Ryan Newman. “I’m very happy that Lieutenant Governor John Cherry and Senator Randy Richardville are supportive of Racing For Wildlife. They are two of Michigan’s most recognized conservationists, so that means a lot to us.”
“We’re standing here today at Victory Lane to celebrate a huge victory for Mill Lake Youth Camp,” said Rex Boner, vice president and southeast representative for The Conservation Fund. “All these wonderful partners have pledged their efforts to revive this camp to its former glory, and we can’t thank them enough. We still have a long way to go, but we look forward to reaching out to the racing community to help us make Mill Lake Youth Camp a world-class facility.”
Located about 30 miles northeast of MIS in the 20,000-acre Waterloo State Recreation Area, the historic Mill Lake Youth Camp has a legacy of creating memorable outdoor experiences for Michigan’s children. Built in the early 1930s by the Works Progress Administration, the camp represented a national social movement to provide urban and underprivileged children opportunities to enjoy the natural world. The Mill Lake Youth Camp is situated on a scenic 142-acre lake with excellent recreation and fishing opportunities and is convenient to a large number of Michigan residents – it is only 16 miles west of Ann Arbor and within an hour of the Detroit metropolitan area.
Today the once bustling camp lies vacant. Many of the original structures remain on the property but have degraded over time. Nevertheless, the camp’s fundamental infrastructure is strong and its location ideal. Proposed restoration of this historic camp will reestablish its reputation as a premiere outdoor education facility in southern Michigan. With a special focus on family engagement and urban youth, the revitalized camp will reopen to families, kids and individuals for year-round outdoor adventures.
The Conservation Fund and the Ryan Newman Foundation launched Racing for Wildlife last year to begin building an American land legacy for generations of sports enthusiasts who share Newman’s love of the outdoors. Racing for Wildlife unites the sports community with passionate land and water conservationists across the country. MIS was the first track to support Racing for Wildlife.
“The Mill Lake Youth Camp project and our partnership with Racing for Wildlife is a positive step in Michigan International Speedway’s continued commitment to conservation and preserving our environment for decades to come,” speedway President Roger Curtis said. “Michigan International Speedway is truly a national park-like setting in one of the most beautiful parts of the country, so I can think of no better match than the race fans of MIS, the Conservation Fund and the Ryan Newman Foundation to help restore this historic camp for children.”
Racing for Wildlife has partnered with two local organizations, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Michigan United Conservation Clubs, to bring back Mill Lake Youth Camp. The organizations are raising funds to rebuild Mill Lake and to coordinate its use with another nearby camp, Cedar Lake, so that children and even entire families can enjoy outdoor education programs during the day and in overnight camps all year long.
“This exciting partnership brings us one step closer to reconnecting Michigan’s youth and families to the outdoors,” said Dennis Muchmore, executive director of Michigan United Conservation Clubs. “With the new facility and the innovative conservation programming it will house, we will help Michigan’s citizens develop a sense of personal responsibility and personal connection to our great outdoors.”
“We expect to attract families from throughout the Midwest and hope to draw new users from the urban centers,” said Ron Olson, chief of the Parks and Recreation division for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. “The camp was originally built to bring city children to a wilderness setting and reinvigorating Mill Lake offers the opportunity to re-connect a new generation of families to the outdoors.”
Racing for Wildlife and its partners are working to raise $1.5 million to fully restore the Mill Lake Youth Camp and open it to the public. To help promote their efforts, Racing for Wildlife has sponsored the Racing for Wildlife 200 ARCA RE/MAX Series at MIS on Friday, June 13, and will have a presence at the track all weekend with a tent at the Fan Plaza. For more information on Racing for Wildlife and Mill Lake Youth Camp, or to make a donation, visit www.RacingForWildlife.org.
The Ryan Newman Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, which was established in January 2005 by NASCAR driver Ryan Newman and his wife, Krissie. The mission of the foundation is to educate and encourage people to spay/neuter their pets and to adopt dogs and cats from animal shelters; to educate children and adults about the importance of conservation so the beauty of the great outdoors can be appreciated by future generations; and to provide college scholarship funding through the Rich Vogler Scholarship program to students interested in auto racing careers. The Ryan Newman Foundation is proud to be supported by the NASCAR Foundation.
MUCC has been Michigan’s first voice for Michigan’s out-of-doors since 1937. With over 50,000 members and 400 affiliated clubs throughout the state, MUCC’s primary objective is Uniting Citizens to Conserve, Protect, and Enhance Michigan's Natural Resources and Outdoor Heritage. www.mucc.org
Restore a Michigan Camp for Kids
Memories created in the outdoors last a lifetime. In Michigan, we have a chance to restore this lakeside camp so that families can return to make new memories. Read more »
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