2025 Annual Appeal
Remember digging holes at the beach as a kid? This past summer at camp we watched as campers of all ages combined their efforts to dig a gigantic pit in the adventure playground. All summer long, they collaborated to create elaborate pulley structures, and intricate systems to share the load and the tools. The pit is over 5 ft deep and at least 6 ft wide. From the start, the project captured imaginations, defied grown-up expectations, and brought our community together in ways I could never have predicted. Their work is the play that Stomping Ground is all about.
Last year you helped raise half a million dollars to build a new bathhouse and 4 new cabins. This project reflects your belief in kids, in imagination, and in community. Your grassroots support provided the funding to build more spots for future campers and invest in state of the art infrastructure to meet our growing program needs. We now have the capacity to welcome more kids to a space that reflects their ideas and values their comfort.
Our focus is always kids. Specifically kids who may not have had the opportunity to dig random holes at the beach with 200 of their new friends. Friends that are different from each other, who can teach each other about what it means to look out at the world from where they stand.
Now with more space and improved facilities, we can dive head first towards our scholarship goals. Last summer over 50% of our campers were supported by scholarship initiatives. This is critical in a year defined by cuts, divisive mandates and rollbacks. By removing financial barriers, we weave equity, justice and inclusion into our community.
You helped create a camp that empowers kids to develop confidence, resilience, and empathy—all leading to this pivotal moment. Now we are ready to play. Let’s bring more kids together where they can navigate differences, forge connections, and collaborate to envision a world that is both humbly curious and deeply interconnected.
Today when I walk past the giant hole in the woods, it is a symbol of hope. It is about finding common ground, defying odds and defining our future. Let’s give them the opportunity to learn to play together.
We hope you’ll consider making a donation to help us support scholarships and provide an example of the kind of empathy and action our world needs right now.
With humble curiosity,
Laura Kriegel, MSW
Executive Director
