OPENING DOORS FOR BETTER FUTURES

Those of us lucky enough to have attended summer camp when we were young know the joy brought by hopping on a bus and leaving our familiar surroundings for a week or two (or even longer) for the great outdoors. The cabins, the food hall, the comradery, and finding friends that last a lifetime all add up to adventures we’ll never forget.

However, for underserved children in the Chicago area, the dream of attending camp is financially out of reach. Fortunately, there’s the House in the Wood—a summer camp situated on Lake Delavan in Delavan, Wisconsin, that offers scholarships for young people in need.

The House in the Wood is run by Northwestern Settlement House, a Chicago-based, nonprofit social service agency whose mission is to support, prepare, and empower young people to carve paths to success as they become adults. The camp is just one of many services and activities that Northwestern Settlement House been offering since it was founded in 1891.

On November 9, the North Shore Board of the Northwestern Settlement will host its annual gala to support scholarships for the House in the Wood camp and year-round STEM programs for Chicago’s most economicallydisadvantaged youth. Featuring cocktails, dinner, and a live auction, followed by the ultimate after party, it promises to be an evening to remember.

Kelly Laszlo and Sarah Boulos, two of three co-chairs for this year’s fundraiser, explain that the gala is just one of the events the board is charged with producing throughout the year. “Northwestern House is one of the few social service agencies that also runs a summer camp, so it all works together to nurture, educate, and inspire the kids,” Laszlo says. “All of our fundraising goes toward the House in the Wood.”

Located near Lake Geneva, the camp was deeded to Northwestern Settlement House several years ago.

“There’s a ton of lake frontage and cabins so it’s just a great place for kids to be kids and escape the city,” Boulos explains. “It’s just like a whole other world from the city and the staff do a really good job with the kids.”

In addition to raising funds to support House in the Wood scholarships, the event also raises awareness about Northwestern Settlement House’s mission to provide meaningful camping opportunities for kids.

“It’s been over 25 years now and what we really try to get across to people is that this is a nonprofit organization and the kids don’t pay to attend camp,” Boulos says. “I got involved because my daughter went to camp and I saw how transformative it was, but it was very expensive and I came home and thought, ‘Most kids can’t afford this’.”

More than just spending time in nature, Boulos says she sees camp truly change lives. She often here’s from former campers who say the educational aspects of the camp, including an emphasis on STEM classes, opened their eyes and minds to new opportunities.

“The camp has outdoor classrooms, so there is a lot of learning that goes on in addition to the outdoor activities such as archery and tree climbing,” she adds.

Laszlo says the fundraising goal for the annual gala is $500,000, including ticket sales and the auction. But the work of the board isn’t just a job; members get to join in on the fun, too.

“Some of our board members will visit the camp during the summer. We’ve joined in the activities and try to go when the counselors are on a break so we can really engage with the kids,” Laszlo says. “It’s always fun to be at camp.”

The Northwestern Settlement House’s annual House in the Wood gala will be held at 6 p.m. on November 9. To purchase tickets or sponsorships, visit northshoreboard.networkforgood.com/events/70395-2024-house-in-the-wood-gala.