| |
Soon after Ruth's husband, Ferdinand, had a stroke, Ruth sold the camp in 1963 to Ben Kerner, a member of
Ruth and Ferdinand's synagogue and owner of the St. Louis Hawks basketball team. Ben bought Chickagami as a
training camp for his basketball players, and sold it to the Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters the next summer.
The Dominican Sisters renamed the site Camp We-Ha-Kee. The camp continues to be an accredited, successful,
multinational camp for girls. We-Ha-Kee prides itself on giving each girl individual attention, with two
counselors for every cabin of eight girls. All activities are taught, so prior knowledge isn't necessary, and
counselors are given training beyond their certified life-saving skills. The camp community is open to girls of
all backgrounds and faiths, focusing on "the human dimensions of acceptance, self-esteem, and
inter-dependence."
|