Hi, everyone! My name is Emily Gibson (or Gibbo), and I was a camper at Arbutus from 2006-2012, and a staff member from 2012-2015. I currently work as a consultant with the Michigan Small Business Development Center, and I am completing my Masters degree in Nonprofit Administration at Central Michigan University.

As soon as I returned from the amazing Alumni Celebration in August, I jumped right into my grant writing class. When my professor explained that we would spend the semester working with a real organization to develop a full grant application, I couldn’t think of anyone I would rather work with than Hayo-Went-Ha Camps!

With Amanda’s guidance and collaboration, we determined the ask, and I have been developing a grant narrative focused on securing funds to support the campership program. In today’s increasingly online culture, the need is greater than ever to provide youth with the opportunity to connect with nature and with each other, regardless of economic barriers. While this project is helping me complete my degree, my ultimate goal is to provide my proposal for the organization to use for active grant opportunities.

My time at Arbutus Hayo-Went-Ha inspired me to go back to school for this degree in the first place, and I am so grateful for the chance to relate this inspiration directly to my studies. I know how great of an impact my years at camp made on my own life, and I hope that this project will help a new generation of campers experience the magic! I can’t wait to share my completed work with camp leadership in the coming weeks!