Woodlands Camp in Cleveland has received approval from the White County Board of Commissioners to receive funding up to $15 million dollars through the issuance of revenue bonds by the White County Development Authority.
The commission approval was needed since the funding would pass through the county. The county is not obligated to any indebtedness through this program.
Jon Estes, CEO and Camp Director, told the commissioners at their meeting Monday the funding is needed to help with their current expansion program. Estes said that Woodlands has grown significantly over the course of 25 years; their first summer camp in 1998 had less than 50 kids who attended, and this year’s camp will have over 7,000.
Estes said, “With the state of the condition of kids in this day and age, we see the camp as really an important part of the development of young people in a world where they are hyper-connected to devices, hyper-connected to the influence of culture. Having a place where they can disconnect from those devices and be poured into by a staff of incredible college students and grow their faith, that kind of thing we think is really, really important.”
Estes said the new development will enable them to attract another 3,000 kids to come to Cleveland.
