Why Wilvaken?

“WILVAKEN – Where Everybody Knows Your Name”

How does one portray the essence of a camp through the pictures and words of a brochure or printed materials? Many camps offer similar activities, but each is a little world of its own, with its own special philosophy and atmosphere. What is special about Wilvaken?

We found part of the answer to these questions one day in our craft shop. Someone had made a picture of the camp. It was very simply drawn. There was no attention to scale or perspective – but there it was, all of Wilvaken on one large page. We could see the activity areas: the swim beach and docks, the waterfront, the playing field, the stables and riding ring, the tennis court, the archery and riflery ranges, secret beach, and the island across the lake. Most of the buildings were pictured – the lodge, the craft shop, the cabins, the health centre... on the lake were sail boats and wind-surfers, canoes and kayaks, and the water-ski boat zooming along.

All over the picture were drawn little stick figures, busy together at the activities. The heads were drawn a little oversize, with some features. Some had blond hair, some were dark; some were dark-skinned, some light; some wore glasses, some did not.

But most important, many of the figures were waving - they were saying “Hi”, ”Bonjour”, “Salut”, “Hello”,– and all of them wore smiles. And across the top was written: “Wilvaken – where everybody knows your name”.

The artist said it perfectly for us – one of the very special things about the Wilvaken experience is the warm and friendly family atmosphere. Or as one visiting parent said (it was her child’s first summer at Wilvaken ) “This place is not like any camp we’ve known – it’s more like spending a holiday at a friend’s summer cottage!”