Help save Camp Wewa
Don’t let the beloved summer camp become just another west Orange County subdivision like the ones already surrounding Wewa.
As much as there is dividing us these days, here’s something Central Florida ought to be united on: Save Camp Wewa!
Don’t let the beloved summer camp become just another west Orange County subdivision like the ones already surrounding Wewa, which seems certain to happen if the Central Florida YMCA sells the 70-acre property to a developer.
The Y says it’s in financial trouble because of the pandemic, so the property is up for sale. Apopka’s mayor, Bryan Nelson, said the nonprofit told him a developer has offered $6.2 million.
That sale mustn’t happen. The region needs to rally around Wewa and save it from the bulldozer.
Central Florida is a young metro area and doesn’t have that many enduring traditions. Camp Wewa is one of them. Bordered by three small lakes, it’s where kids have been going to summer camp for decades.
Through the years, young people have been exposed to the outdoors, some probably for the first time. They had a chance to shoot arrows, paddle a canoe, climb a rock wall, sing around a campfire and make new friends.
For many American kids, camps like Wewa have served as a rite of passage where, in the shade of old oak trees, they’ve learned about accepting responsibility, facing challenges, understanding teamwork and taking a step toward independence and self-reliance.
It’s hard to imagine all of that tradition ending with the outdoor oasis bulldozed, paved and replaced by yet more houses.
Our region has plenty of that. It’s a bit short on life-changing institutions like Wewa.
We’re encouraged to see Apopka’s leaders stepping up and taking the threat seriously, particularly Nelson, himself a Camp Wewa alum.
The City Council voted Wednesday to offer the YMCA $4.2 million for the property. It’s a fair offer, and it’s the most that Apopka can put on the table because that’s the appraised value. The facility also will operate at a loss for a few years.
It’s a big financial commitment for the city, which isn’t fabulously wealthy. But if the bottom line is all that mattered to government, we wouldn’t have any national or state parks.
The city may be able to seek help in the future from private entities.
About 20 years ago Winn-Dixie stepped in with a $1 million donation to help upgrade the Boy Scouts’ sprawling reservation in Lake County, which includes Camp La-NoChe. Winn-Dixie got its name put on a sign for the complex but the deal was worth every nickel.
Those kind of deals are for later. Right now, securing the land is most important.
It says a lot about the Apopka City Council’s willingness to see the bigger picture and preserve Wewa, though it needs to ensure the camp is accessible to everyone, regardless of economic status.
The camp’s alumni — campers and counselors — are making themselves heard as well.
They’ve set up a “Friends of Wewa” Facebook page and a GoFundMe account with a goal of raising $150,000 toward saving the camp.
We wish them well, and urge their fellow Central Floridians to get involved.
The Y’s financial situation is not good. The pandemic forced gyms to close for months, and the Central Florida Y says its overall revenue is down by 50%, or some $30 million.
That’s a huge hit, and it’s trying to stay afloat financially.
But the Y has a stated commitment to “strengthening community.” It would accomplish that by finding a solution that will not just shore up its bottom line but allow Wewa to remain open and operating under Apopka’s stewardship.
We’ve seen too many special places give way to what passes for progress in Florida.
Sand dunes are destroyed for beachside condos. Oak hammocks are uprooted for malls. Longleaf pine forests are felled for industrial parks. Wetlands are filled for neighborhoods.
If we’ve learned anything from so many losses, Central Florida will find a way to deal with this new threat before it’s too late.
Editorials are the opinion of the Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board and are written by one of its members or a designee. The editorial board consists of Opinion Editor Mike Lafferty, Jennifer A. Marcial Ocasio, Jay Reddick and Editor-in-Chief Julie Anderson. Send emails to insight@orlandosentinel.com.