NEW! Winter Weekend at Camp

New for 2006! Hiram House is offering a “Winter Weekend” at camp on Friday and Saturday, January 27 and 28. Enrollment is open to campers who attended during the summer of 2005, boys and girls ages 6 to 11.

Join us for a fun, and hopefully snowy, weekend of exciting and challenging winter activities (weather permitting), including:

Hiking Sledding (bring your own sled) Snow Fort Building Arts & Crafts Archery Challenge/Team Building Camp Songs Nature Study Pioneering Skills Campers will arrive Friday evening at 6 p.m. and depart Saturday evening at 7 p.m. They will receive a snack on Friday night and three hot meals on Saturday.

Campers will sleep in heated cabins with indoor plumbing. Supervision and program activities will be conducted by Hiram House Camp Staff. Campers should have enough clothes for two days at camp. Bring winter boots, extra pair of shoes, pairs of gloves/mittens and socks, a sleeping bag or two blankets. Space is limited so please register early. Enrollment is first come, first served. The Winter Weekend fee is $75 per camper. To register or for more information, please call the camp office at (216) 831-5045.

Children's Guild Gift Benefits Hiram House

The Children's Guild dedicated its 7th annual Golf Classic to benefit Hiram House. The event was held in July at Tanglewood Country Club. In all a total of $7,000 was donated by the Guild to the "Campership Fund" for disadvantaged youth in 2005.

Guild officers and members presented a check to Hiram House Special Events & Fundraising Director Joanne Grundke in October during the group's annual holiday bazaar at Mayfield Country Club.

The Children's Guild, founded in 1935, is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to promote child welfare. The sixty active members comprising the Guild are dedicated to helping children by supporting established agencies and institutions. Our sincere thanks for their support!

Pumpkin Festival 2005 Memories

Cool autumn temperatures and gray and windy skies couldn’t dampen the enthusiasm of thousands of area children and families who turned out for the 34th Hiram House Camp "Pumpkin Festival" this fall. Proceeds from this annual event benefit the Hiram House "Campership Fund" which provides a life-enriching summer camp experience for Northeast Ohio children of all backgrounds.

New this year was a "Build Your Own Scarecrow Contest" with the colorfully decorated entries on display in "Scarecrow Lane" during the festival. Winners were: Blake Anderson & Family, of Solon, Wolf Cub Scout Pack # 309 of Orange, headed by Pack Leader Brian Pflaum, and the Kevin Adelstein Family of Moreland Hills. Each will receive a prize of a free session on the camp’s new 35-ft. Alpine Climbing Wall. The popular indoor "Haunted Hay Maze" remained open at the camp’s "Double H Ranch" the following weekend. Proceeds also benefited the "Campership Fund."

Thanks to the hundreds of volunteers, donors and supporters who helped to make this year’s festival a great success! Some $28,000 was raised to help send children in need to summer camp next season.

Marylyn and Bill Evarts, of Moreland Hills, with grandson Zachery and the Giant Pumpkin Head mascot were all smiles at the Hiram House Pumpkin Festival. The annual event featured food, rides, animals, games, music, entertainment, crafts, and fun for all ages.	Scarecrow by Wolf Cub Scout Pack # 309 of Orange was one of the winning entries in the new "Build Your Own Scarecrow Contest" that were on display at the Pumpkin Festival.
Pumpkin Festival visitors enjoyed the music of J.A.M. Here, Steve Johnston and Mary Zehe of the Johnston Academy of Music perform at the frontier fort. They and fellow J.A.M. artists played around the camp throughout the day.	"Welcome Alumni!" reception was held at the Pumpkin Festival for former Hiram House staff members and campers to kick-off the new Alumni Association. The camp plans to hold an alumni event each year. Guests attending were able to reunite and reminisce with their old friends and colleagues at camp. Contact the camp office to join the Alumni Association.
The "Big Bad Wolf" (Sara Freeman) and the "Wicked Witch" (Diana Dusek) greeted visitors at the indoor "Haunted Hay Maze". Both are volunteers who design, set up and staff this popular attraction each year.	Fox TV News Channel 8’s own Kenny Crumpton brought his live morning TV show to Hiram House to preview Pumpkin Festival attractions. Here, Betsy Chen demonstrates Pioneer Cooking of fresh, hot cornbread and biscuits prepared in Dutch Ovens over firepit.

Register Now for Summer Camp 2006!

Enrollment is now open for Summer Day Camp, Junior Day Camp, Resident Camp, and Summer Riding & Adventure Camp at Hiram House.

One and two-week sessions are offered for each of the following camps:

Summer Day Camp, for boys and girls ages 6 to 11, starts June 19 to August 4.

Summer Junior Day Camp, for boys and girls, ages 5 & 6, begins June 19 to August 4.

Summer Resident Camp (overnight), for boys and girls, ages 6 to 13, begins June 19 to August 4.

A weekly session on the climbing wall and horseback riding are included in both Register Now for Summer Camp 2006! the Summer Day and Resident Camps.

Last year’s new Summer Riding & Adventure Camp was a hit with campers and parents. It will be offered again this season.

Summer Riding & Adventure Camp, for boys and girls ages 6 to 14, will be held during one-week sessions on August 7 to 11 and August 14 to 18.

In addition to daily horseback riding lessons, campers enjoy a different activity each day, including climbing wall, challenge, archery, creek hikes, and canoeing.

Registrations are accepted on a firstcome, first served basis and space is limited. Please call (216) 831-5045 to register or for more information.

Join the Fun - Sign up Today for Summer Camp 2006!

"UnBenefit" Aids Riding Program

Thanks to all those who participated in the "UnBenefit" for Hiram House 2005!

Proceeds from the "UnBenefit" helped support the 2005 Hiram House Horseback Riding Program for disadvantaged youth at the camp's "Double H Ranch".

Congratulations to grand prize winner Paul Palumbo. He and a guest enjoyed "Game Night on the Town", which included a deluxe room for two at the Hilton Garden Inn-Cleveland Downtown, plus breakfast for two, and tickets to the Cleveland Indians vs. Detroit Tigers baseball game at Jacobs Field, diamond box seating. The grand prize was donated by Harvey and Harriet Schach.

Watch the spring issue of the newsletter for details about next year's benefit event!

"Fresh Air Camp" Frolics at Hiram House