Hundreds are banding together to try and save a beloved YMCA campground — now up for sale — from being developed.
What You Need To Know
- The city of Apopka is looking at purchasing Camp Wewa
- The longtime YMCA camp was put up for sale due to budget shortfalls caused by the COVID-19 pandemic
- The city is hosting a fundraiser downtown Saturday
- Related: YMCA Plans to Sell Camp Wewa; Apopka Considers Buying It
But now, there’s new hope that Camp Wewa could stay a campground, as the city of Apopka is poised to buy the land.
Jess Bonner was 7 years old when she went through Wewa’s gates for the first time.
Years of campfire songs and s’mores later, she would become a counselor.
“You never get to have a job like that again, where you’re just facilitating safe fun for amazing kids and you get to sing really loud and get messy, and just not have a care in the world,” said Bonner.
Now, she’s stunned.
“It was really kind of a kick in the gut when I found out that Camp Wewa was gonna be sold,” said Bonner. “It’s really heartbreaking because the place means so much to so many people.”
Apopka Mayor Brian Nelson always knew Camp Wewa was well-loved.
“Obviously, having been a camper there, I have a soft spot in my heart for it," he said. "But nothing would’ve ever prepared me for this kind of enthusiasm for trying to come up with a solution to buying Camp Wewa.”
That enthusiasm poured in through a survey posted to Apopka’s Facebook page, about what the city should do with the grounds if they can come up with the cash.
It exploded with responses.
“We’d had 152,000 people view that, almost 1,000 shares, 5,000 comments … it was just unbelievable,” said Nelson.
The city of Apopka is going after a $1 million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Environmental Protection to seal the deal.
Then, it’s a matter of learning the price tag after appraisal, but Nelson feels confident there’s a win-win-win to be found for Wewa.
“I think we ought to be able to come up with some kind of an arrangement that, you know, fills the needs of the former campers and former counselors, the city of Apopka residents, and something that gets YMCA the cash they need to continue to operate,” he said.
The city is hosting an outdoors fundraiser in downtown Saturday for the cause of buying Camp Wewa.
It will also serve as a sort of reunion for the generations of Camp Wewa campers.
That event will also allow people who don’t feel comfortable coming in person, to join in virtually.