Camp Newaygo renames building in Jane’s honor

At their recent Alumni Reunion Weekend, the staff and Advisory Board of Camp Newaygo honored long-time Camp Newaygo CEO, Jane Vitek, by renaming the Health and Leadership Lodge (HALL) The Jane Vitek Health and Leadership Lodge. Jane took over as Camp Newaygo’s Executive Director in 2002, after a 25-year career with Fremont Public Schools, and later moved into the role of Camp CEO.

In her tenure at Camp Newaygo, Vitek oversaw and spearheaded major improvements including – the expansion and winterization of the year-round Program Director’s on-campus home in 2004; the renovation and winterization of Lang Lodge, and expansion of year-round community programming in 2009; the purchase of additional lakefront property for Day Camp use and a Director’s residence at Cassidy Point in 2015; the expansion and winterization of the Peggie Stone Center for the Arts in 2016; the addition of the brand new Health and Leadership Lodge, which now bears her name, allowing for expanded nursing care and independent recovery rooms in 2018; construction of Outdoor Adventure Pods for summer campers and adventure-based rental groups in 2022; and the establishment of financial reserve and endowment funds, also in 2022. She has also overseen the largest growth in Camp Newaygo’s use, both as a Girls’ Overnight Camp, and Co-Ed Day Camp, and as a community asset, in its 96-year history.

As Jalisa Danhof, current Camp Newaygo Director said; “The Camp Advisory Board felt, given Jane’s many years of service and significant impact, and the lead role she took in raising the funds and leading the charge for the new HALL construction, naming the building in her honor was very appropriate.” All of us at TrueNorth wholeheartedly agree!