New nonprofit seeks to improve Camp Stidwell

SANDPOINT — Acquired by the Sandpoint Kiwanis Club in 1964, Camp Stidwell, located at the southern end of Mirror Lake, has become a mecca for organizations in youth activities as well as adult recreation.

Usage has grown from 1,440 user days four-and-a-half years ago to 4,260 user days in 2017. Therefore, the camp is on course to exceed 5,000 user days this year, said Dick Vail, president of the Sandpoint Kiwanis Club, in a statement. Due to solid bookings, 500 user days have been turned away so far in 2018.

A 501(C)3 IRS status was recently acquired under the name Friends of Stidwell, Inc. This was done to facilitate tax deductible contribution by those currently contributing and those wishing to support the mission statement of “Serving the youth of Bonner County and North Idaho”, of the Sandpoint Kiwanis Club.

To ensure that future generations of Bonner County and North Idaho youth can enjoy the outdoors, the club has immediate plans for improvements, enhancements, and additions. The Friends of Stidwell, are looking to the future with the desire to put a larger portion of the 160 acres site to use. To meet the “usage explosion,” a new wilderness camp is being constructed, Vail said.. This will add to the two popular rustic lakeside group camps, and will develop more of the unused acreage. Several groups in Bonner County have classes that teach wilderness camping and survival techniques to various age youth, and this expansion is perfect for that purpose, Vail said.

Youth have first priority for reservations dates, which is required for using the camps. Example of those groups include Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, Camp Fire, Boys and Girls Clubs, Junior Achievement and similar organizations. After youth reservations are set, Camp Stidwell is then opened for various public gatherings, such as family reunions, weddings, church camping, and more.

“The appeal to Camp Stidwell is privacy, security, and the large space between the camp sites with no need to share space with neighbors,” Vail said in the statement. “Couple all this with 2,000 feet of waterfront, new docks, fishing, the new Shooting Star Day Camp, trails galore and beautiful scenery — all within 15 miles from town — we truly have a jewel right in our backyard”.

For information in joining Kiwanis and helping Friends of Stidwell, email [email protected], visit the club’s facebook page sandpointkiwanis or check it out on the web at sandpointkiwanis.org. To receive an e-newsletter, filled with information and photos, send the club and email address.