About Camp Courageous…

CEO Message

Hello and Welcome! 

Thank you for taking the time to check-out the Camp Courageous Website.  Camp Courageous is very fortunate to have a number of very talented and gifted staff and volunteers who have done an incredible job developing this site. It is constantly changing…so I hope you will check-in often.

As you navigate this website, I hope you can sense the many qualities that make Camp Courageous the exceptional and heartwarming year-round recreational and respite facility for individuals with special needs and their families.  The vision is to continually provide new and exciting opportunities for the campers so they will want to, constantly, come back to see what has changed.  It has taken over 50 years to build the trust Camp Courageous now holds in the eyes of tens-of-thousands of campers, their families, and supporters.  It is a major step to send one’s loved one to a camp, especially when they have disabilities… I know personally how difficult that is, being a grandparent of a camper.

We take our responsibility very seriously, and that is why the staff is made up of only the best of the best.  Camp has super facilities, it is located in an absolutely beautiful location, surrounded by state parkland and the Maquoketa River… but at the heart of Camp Courageous is an exceptional staff that makes the campers stay here one they will remember forever.

We are super excited about the latest and greatest activities coming to Camp Courageous in 2023.  The new all-accessible Miniature Golf course is a great addition al Camp! The zipline, has provided the camper a thrill, they are excited to tell their friends what they have accomplished. The Rotary Music Park focuses on a favorite for all campers, music.  Now they are be able to make their own music.  The Penaluna Tunnel looks like they are going into a cave, but once in, there are opportunities to travel the world, taking selfies of famous locations or the tunnel can be transformed for Halloween or other special times.  And there is the Mainliner Memorial Park where campers can reflect on all those who sacrificed for what we may take for granted…   In 2022 we are excited to finish work on the Papke Multipurpose Field and a new mini-golf course.

You can learn more about the Penaluna Tunnel, Mainliner Memorial Park, or Level 3 Fast EV Charger.

As we continue to grow, each new day brings new opportunities.  After 40+ years, I still cannot wait to start each morning.  Camp Courageous has a long history of wonderful relationships, which makes all of this possible.  If you have been a longtime supporter of Camp, we thank you…we hope you are as proud as we are for how far the Camp has come.  If you are new to Camp Courageous, we welcome you, and hope you too will want to grow with Camp.

We hope this website provides you the same excitement and enthusiasm it has provided each of us.

My heartfelt appreciation to you for taking the time to learn more about Camp Courageous!

All the best of good health and happiness!

Camp Courageous Mission:

Camp Courageous provides exceptional year-round recreational, respite, and travel opportunities for individuals with disabilities and their families. The camp is run primarily on donations, giving all individuals the opportunity to give through gifts of time, materials, financial, and other means that support the camp.

Camp Courageous Vision:

To inspire a world where individuals with disabilities are empowered with courage, to look beyond their current capabilities and explore the world with confidence.

Camp Courageous Values:

Environment:

We will reduce the environmental impact across operations & through services we deliver to campers.

Community Involvement & Development:

We will tackle the issues that impact the campers and contribute positively to local communities.

Diversity, Equity &  Inclusion:

At Camp Courageous we honor the ways people are unique and embrace what brings us together.  Our collective goal is to drive equity, solve challenges, and champion a culture of belonging where everyone feels valued and respected in everything that is Camp Courageous

Wellbeing:

We value the campers & employees & strive to promote a positive culture that enables individuals to feel resilient and successful in their personal & work life.

Operating Practices:

We conduct business in an open, honest & ethical manner & strive to implement best known practices & socially responsible actions.

What Camp Courageous is…

Camp Courageous is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides year-round recreational, respite, and travel opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
Camp Courageous offers a variety of services including weeklong camp sessions, respite weekends, family camp sessions, outdoor experiential sessions, and travel program. The camp operates primarily on donations without government assistance, formal sponsorship, or paid fundraisers. On an annual basis, Camp Courageous serves thousands of individuals with disabilities ranging in age from 1 to 105.