Easterseals Wisconsin Camps (Camp Wawbeek & Respite Camp)
Easterseals Wisconsin Camp Wawbeek, 1450 Highway 13, Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965
About
Easterseals Wisconsin Camps (Camp Wawbeek & Respite Camp) offers activities such as arts and crafts, painting, archery, basketball, games and recreation, and nature programs. Campers take part in climbing wall challenges, a high ropes course, zip line, hiking, canoeing, boating, pontoon boat rides, swimming, fishing, campfires, cooking over an open fire, and sleeping out under the stars. The program also includes singing and dancing, dances, field trips, racing through obstacle courses, and exploring attractions in Wisconsin Dells.
• Ages: 7–18 years old
• Schedule: Six-day Youth and Teen sessions in summer, six-day Adult, Young Adult, and Transition sessions, various weekend sessions from September through May, Transitions Camp weekend sessions throughout the school year and summer, and a special 4-day Youth and Teen holiday session between Christmas and New Year’s Eve
Camp Wawbeek began providing services to children and adults with physical disabilities in 1938, and Easterseals Wisconsin has served people with disabilities in Wisconsin since 1926. Easterseals Wisconsin Camps are the longest, continuously running Easterseals camps in the nation, and Camp Wawbeek is the longest continuously operating Easterseals camp in the nation. Easterseals Wisconsin currently serves close to 10,000 children and adults with disabilities and their families each year, and Easterseals Wisconsin is one of the oldest charitable organizations in the state.
Camp Wawbeek serves children and adults age 7 and older, with a goal group ratio of 1:3 and one counselor for every two to three campers. Provided they are able to succeed in a small group setting, campers with physical or mild cognitive disabilities or those who need behavior support can attend Camp Wawbeek. Wisconsin Elks/Easterseals Respite Camp operates year-round, has a goal group ratio of 2:3 or 2:4, and is one of the only programs in Wisconsin that provides overnight, individualized respite care, accepting campers with severe and multiple disabilities who have been turned down by many other programs. Campers with disabilities are free to be themselves and valued for it in an accessible, inclusive, and fun environment, and families and caregivers receive respite while campers attend.
Pioneer Camp is designed for the adventurous-at-heart, includes a journey to a state park, and campers in Pioneer Camp will not be staying in the lodges but camping outside. Transitions Camp is for campers ages 15–25 who are ready to learn about setting goals, caring for themselves independently, work, money, how to cook, and how to work together with peers, and activities at Transitions Camp are intentionally planned to learn something new while also having fun. Veterans Family Camp is a unique camping experience for veterans and their families, is held twice a year, and is free to veterans and their families.
Camp Wawbeek has a registered nurse living on-site, and counselors are trained to meet the individual needs of each camper. At Respite Camp, AmeriCorps members and camp counselors who volunteer for the veterans camp weekends are trained to care for children with disabilities. Christine Fessler serves as Easterseals Wisconsin President & CEO. The mission of Easterseals Wisconsin is to increase independence, maximize opportunities, minimize barriers, and enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities.
One parent notes that AmeriCorps members and camp counselors who volunteer for the veterans camp weekends are trained to care for children with disabilities, which allows the parents to participate in activities like the adults’ dinner and Quilts of Valor ceremony and to relax, knowing their child is in capable hands. Another testimonial states that a Self-Employment Specialist tailored a business plan and broke it into steps so it was not overwhelming, and another camper reports having a business up and running and looking forward to a successful future thanks to Easterseals Wisconsin. Easterseals Wisconsin is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and serves as a model for similar programs nationwide through the FARM Program, which helps farmers return to farming after a disabling accident or illness. Veterans Family Camp is free to veterans and their families, giving them a chance to network and reconnect.
Last updated February 26, 2026.
• Ages: 7–18 years old
• Schedule: Six-day Youth and Teen sessions in summer, six-day Adult, Young Adult, and Transition sessions, various weekend sessions from September through May, Transitions Camp weekend sessions throughout the school year and summer, and a special 4-day Youth and Teen holiday session between Christmas and New Year’s Eve
Camp Wawbeek began providing services to children and adults with physical disabilities in 1938, and Easterseals Wisconsin has served people with disabilities in Wisconsin since 1926. Easterseals Wisconsin Camps are the longest, continuously running Easterseals camps in the nation, and Camp Wawbeek is the longest continuously operating Easterseals camp in the nation. Easterseals Wisconsin currently serves close to 10,000 children and adults with disabilities and their families each year, and Easterseals Wisconsin is one of the oldest charitable organizations in the state.
Camp Wawbeek serves children and adults age 7 and older, with a goal group ratio of 1:3 and one counselor for every two to three campers. Provided they are able to succeed in a small group setting, campers with physical or mild cognitive disabilities or those who need behavior support can attend Camp Wawbeek. Wisconsin Elks/Easterseals Respite Camp operates year-round, has a goal group ratio of 2:3 or 2:4, and is one of the only programs in Wisconsin that provides overnight, individualized respite care, accepting campers with severe and multiple disabilities who have been turned down by many other programs. Campers with disabilities are free to be themselves and valued for it in an accessible, inclusive, and fun environment, and families and caregivers receive respite while campers attend.
Pioneer Camp is designed for the adventurous-at-heart, includes a journey to a state park, and campers in Pioneer Camp will not be staying in the lodges but camping outside. Transitions Camp is for campers ages 15–25 who are ready to learn about setting goals, caring for themselves independently, work, money, how to cook, and how to work together with peers, and activities at Transitions Camp are intentionally planned to learn something new while also having fun. Veterans Family Camp is a unique camping experience for veterans and their families, is held twice a year, and is free to veterans and their families.
Camp Wawbeek has a registered nurse living on-site, and counselors are trained to meet the individual needs of each camper. At Respite Camp, AmeriCorps members and camp counselors who volunteer for the veterans camp weekends are trained to care for children with disabilities. Christine Fessler serves as Easterseals Wisconsin President & CEO. The mission of Easterseals Wisconsin is to increase independence, maximize opportunities, minimize barriers, and enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities.
One parent notes that AmeriCorps members and camp counselors who volunteer for the veterans camp weekends are trained to care for children with disabilities, which allows the parents to participate in activities like the adults’ dinner and Quilts of Valor ceremony and to relax, knowing their child is in capable hands. Another testimonial states that a Self-Employment Specialist tailored a business plan and broke it into steps so it was not overwhelming, and another camper reports having a business up and running and looking forward to a successful future thanks to Easterseals Wisconsin. Easterseals Wisconsin is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and serves as a model for similar programs nationwide through the FARM Program, which helps farmers return to farming after a disabling accident or illness. Veterans Family Camp is free to veterans and their families, giving them a chance to network and reconnect.
Last updated February 26, 2026.
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