Tamahay Camp for Girls
Tamahay Camp for Girls, 21566 County Road 84, Akeley, MN 56433
About
Tamahay Camp for Girls is a privately owned and operated camp that has been in operation since 1969. The camp accepts only 36 campers per session, and campers live in the out-of-doors, away from the distractions of modern technology and social media.
• Ages: 7–16 years old
Tamahay Camp for Girls was founded in 1969 by four teachers from Kansas—Lois Haskin, Jane Besler, Donella Palmer, and Shirley Malcolm—who cleared the land, built the buildings, and designed the program over several years. The camp was founded with the intent of providing a quality camp experience at an affordable price and is based on the premise that young people enjoy learning, doing, and being self-sufficient with the assurance of adult reinforcement. Camp life at Tamahay gives girls the chance to live and play in a supportive community away from the pressures of everyday life and the distractions of modern technology and social media. Each camper gains confidence as she learns new skills and makes new friends and knows that her contribution to the community is important, and campers learn to work together even as they become independent and self-reliant. The camp accepts only 36 campers per session so that every counselor and administrative staff member can know each camper. The program is described as not a country club for kids and may be the nearest thing to “roughing it” that some campers will ever know, and living in the out-of-doors teaches campers to care for the environment while appreciating and enjoying nature. The camp’s mission is to provide a safe, supportive space for girls, encouraging them to explore nature, learn new skills, and develop self-confidence, and its mission remains the same as in 1969: to help girls discover their true potential and empower them to develop into confident young women. The camp is built on the belief that all young people deserve the opportunity to experience and learn to love nature, and girls can explore new activities in a nonjudgmental atmosphere that encourages adventure and inspires confidence. Former campers have said that Tamahay Camp for Girls is more than a place and gives an inner peace from which campers will draw for the rest of their lives.
The leadership team includes Camp Director Elaine Denne, Program Director Rachel Hoffelt, Assistant Director Naomi Hoffelt, and Administrative Assistant Anne Pavlik. Elaine Denne has a Bachelor’s degree in physical education and spent several years in hospitality management at Big Sky in Montana. Rachel Hoffelt has a Bachelor’s degree in mathematics and a Master’s degree in education with a mathematics emphasis and taught high school math for more than 20 years in Northfield, MN; she is currently a math teacher at Bemidji High School. Naomi Hoffelt has a Bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a Master’s degree in mathematics education and taught outside Chicago, IL, and Baltimore, MD, for 12 years. Anne Pavlik has a Bachelor’s degree in physical education and taught elementary physical education in Walker, MN, for more than 30 years before retiring.
Last updated July 25, 2026.
• Ages: 7–16 years old
Tamahay Camp for Girls was founded in 1969 by four teachers from Kansas—Lois Haskin, Jane Besler, Donella Palmer, and Shirley Malcolm—who cleared the land, built the buildings, and designed the program over several years. The camp was founded with the intent of providing a quality camp experience at an affordable price and is based on the premise that young people enjoy learning, doing, and being self-sufficient with the assurance of adult reinforcement. Camp life at Tamahay gives girls the chance to live and play in a supportive community away from the pressures of everyday life and the distractions of modern technology and social media. Each camper gains confidence as she learns new skills and makes new friends and knows that her contribution to the community is important, and campers learn to work together even as they become independent and self-reliant. The camp accepts only 36 campers per session so that every counselor and administrative staff member can know each camper. The program is described as not a country club for kids and may be the nearest thing to “roughing it” that some campers will ever know, and living in the out-of-doors teaches campers to care for the environment while appreciating and enjoying nature. The camp’s mission is to provide a safe, supportive space for girls, encouraging them to explore nature, learn new skills, and develop self-confidence, and its mission remains the same as in 1969: to help girls discover their true potential and empower them to develop into confident young women. The camp is built on the belief that all young people deserve the opportunity to experience and learn to love nature, and girls can explore new activities in a nonjudgmental atmosphere that encourages adventure and inspires confidence. Former campers have said that Tamahay Camp for Girls is more than a place and gives an inner peace from which campers will draw for the rest of their lives.
The leadership team includes Camp Director Elaine Denne, Program Director Rachel Hoffelt, Assistant Director Naomi Hoffelt, and Administrative Assistant Anne Pavlik. Elaine Denne has a Bachelor’s degree in physical education and spent several years in hospitality management at Big Sky in Montana. Rachel Hoffelt has a Bachelor’s degree in mathematics and a Master’s degree in education with a mathematics emphasis and taught high school math for more than 20 years in Northfield, MN; she is currently a math teacher at Bemidji High School. Naomi Hoffelt has a Bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a Master’s degree in mathematics education and taught outside Chicago, IL, and Baltimore, MD, for 12 years. Anne Pavlik has a Bachelor’s degree in physical education and taught elementary physical education in Walker, MN, for more than 30 years before retiring.
Last updated July 25, 2026.
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