Sgt. Joel A. House Summer Camp Scholarship Fund

03/05/2024

The Sgt. Joel A. House Summer Camp Fund is dissolving its nonprofit status. We will not be accepting scholarship applications for Summer 2024. Thank you to everyone who has been with us these past 15 years.

11/04/2023

Lincoln Walmart presented Paul House with a check for $2,000 for the Sgt Joel House Summer Camp Fund. This donation will help many kids attend summer camp in 2024. Thank you Walmart and manager Paul Specha for your amazing support.

08/21/2023

STaY TuNED. Go to the New England Run for the Fallen page to learn more about this amazing group. They will have better video of today’s ceremony than I took. I’m

08/03/2023

Calling all creative Patriots!
The opportunity you see below is for ALL AGES and from anywhere across the globe.

Get those creative juices flowing and submit your entry for the Patriotic Art Contest being held by House In The Woods Military & Family Retreat in Lee, Maine.

This can be photos, drawing, paintings... you name it!
You can get kids involved, clubs, VSO's and together we can honor our Gold Star Families and our fallen heroes.

Thank you for spreading the word!

Calling all Patriots!🇺🇸
⭐️⭐️ ART CONTEST JUST ANNOUNCED⭐️⭐️

🤩🇺🇸 PLEASE SHARE EVERYWHERE!!
Great conversation starter for students, VFW's, American Legions, Auxillaries, summer programs!!

House In The Woods Military & Family Retreat has just announced an incredible opportunity you won't want to miss!

Share your passion for our country, our heroes and support for our Gold Star Families by taking part in this special opportunity.

Now through September 22nd we encourage you to submit your unique drawing or painting for consideration to be placed on the Lee, Maine Woody Williams Foundation Gold Star Family Memorial currently planned for 2024.

The "Sacrifice" panel of this memorial is designed to represent the Sacrifices made by our Gold Star Families and we could use your help in deciding what image might be best suited for that panel.

Art may be drawing, painting or photograph, keeping in mind they must be able to convert to Black and White. (American Flag may be considered for color).

For all of the details please head over to our website, the link is in the comments below.

Artists will be notified of the results on GOLD STAR FAMILY DAY SEPTEMBER 24, 2023.

“The Woody Williams Foundation will honor, recognize, and serve Gold Star Families and the legacy of their Loved Ones who have paid the ultimate sacrifice.”

At House In The Woods our mission statement is "TOGETHER WE HEAL" which honors and recognizes ALL BRANCHES, ALL ERAS, ACTIVE-DUTY, VETERANS, AND GOLD STAR FAMILIES.

TOGETHER WE HEAL

06/16/2023

Several people donated plants to us after Joel’s death. Non of the flowers we planted made it. But this lilac we planted at camp, Joel’s favorite place in the world. It survived breaking in half a couple winters ago and is now blossoming with glory and the beautiful lilac scent. Just in time for Joel’s brother and sister to come to camp. Just in time for some of Joel’s Army buddies to come to camp.

06/03/2023

The Sgt. Joel A. House Summer Camp Fund is excited to announce the recipients of this year’s summer camp scholarship representing 36 children attending 15 summer camps:

Blueberry Mountain, Weld: Daniel Bickford (Whitefield);
Cavalry Teen Chapel, Orrington: Noah McCarthy (Bradford);
Camp 207, Westbrook: Erika Cole (Westbrook), Lydia Cole (Westbrook);
Camp Natarswi Girl Scout Camp, Millinocket: Macyn Morton (Burlington);
Island Cheer and Tumble, Deer Isle: Lyla Schultz (Sedgwick);
Girl Scouts of Maine Camp Natarswi, Millinocket: Macyn Morton (BurlingtonO:
K.D. Stables, Lee: Adalyn Connelli (Avon);
Lincoln Pony Pals, Lincoln: Stella Martin (Lee), Aurora Savage (Lincoln);
NCA Cheer Camp at Husson, Bangor: Karlee Kroll (Hampden), Caylyn Kroll (Hampden), Brooklyn Brown (Ellsworth), Ella Roberts (Windham), Isabelle Neal (Windham), Abigail Barker (Ellsworth), Sophia Barker (Ellsworth), Ella Colby (Franklin); Molly Smith (Hancock), Kassiti Lewis (Ellsworth), Sophie Villanueva (Windham), Alexus Hamlin (Clinton), Kara Larrabee (Stonington);
Maine Media Camp New England School of Communications, Bangor: April McMillan (Old Town), Peter Stuart (Gorham);
Maine National Guard Youth Camp Bog Brook, Gilead: Kirra Hebert (Bangor);
Maine Summer Youth Music Camp, Orono: Landon Smith (Bangor), Declan Curran;
New England Softball Day Camp, Bangor: Larrea Norris;
UMaine 4-H Camps at Bryant Pond, Bryant Pond: Sierra Gerkin (Lincoln), Joel T. House (Gorham), Brendon Welch (Falmouth), Sawyer Gray (Oxford), Misty Breton (North Monmouth);
UMaine 4-H Camps at Greenland Point, Princeton: Kalyx Campbell (Brewer), Harrison Richardson (Franklin), Sierra Gerkhin (Lincoln)

The “Sgt. Joel Fund” was begun in 2007 as a memorial to Joel A. House from Lee who was killed on June 23, 2007 by a roadside bomb in Iraq while on active duty with the 2-8 Cavalry from Fort Hood, TX. Joel loved the guitar, the outdoors, and soccer. His favorite place in the world was his family camp on Silver Lake in Lee. Through this scholarship, Joel’s family and friends hope to encourage Maine kids to reach for their dreams and pursue their passions by choosing a summer camp program that can connect them with mentors, trainers, teachers, coaches, choreographers, directors, etc. that can help them along their journey. Another goal of this scholarship is to encourage kids to have conversations with their families and teachers about the sacrifices made to have the freedom we have in America. Each child is required to write a reflection on the topic “Freedom Isn’t Free” as part of their application.

The scholarship program depends on support from businesses and individuals like you. If you could help sponsor a child this year, please send your donation to 2819 Lee Rd., Lee, ME 04455 or you can find a link to use a credit card on our website at http://sgtjoelhouse.com.
The Sgt. Joel A. House Summer Camp Fund is excited to announce the recipients of this year’s summer camp scholarship representing 36 children attending 15 summer camps:

Blueberry Mountain, Weld: Daniel Bickford (Whitefield);
Cavalry Teen Chapel, Orrington: Noah McCarthy (Bradford);
Camp 207, Westbrook: Erika Cole (Westbrook), Lydia Cole (Westbrook);
Camp Natarswi Girl Scout Camp, Millinocket: Macyn Morton (Burlington);
Island Cheer and Tumble, Deer Isle: Lyla Schultz (Sedgwick);
Girl Scouts of Maine Camp Natarswi, Millinocket: Macyn Morton (BurlingtonO:
K.D. Stables, Lee: Adalyn Connelli (Avon);
Lincoln Pony Pals, Lincoln: Stella Martin (Lee), Aurora Savage (Lincoln);
NCA Cheer Camp at Husson, Bangor: Karlee Kroll (Hampden), Caylyn Kroll (Hampden), Brooklyn Brown (Ellsworth), Ella Roberts (Windham), Isabelle Neal (Windham), Abigail Barker (Ellsworth), Sophia Barker (Ellsworth), Ella Colby (Franklin); Molly Smith (Hancock), Kassiti Lewis (Ellsworth), Sophie Villanueva (Windham), Alexus Hamlin (Clinton), Kara Larrabee (Stonington);
Maine Media Camp New England School of Communications, Bangor: April McMillan (Old Town), Peter Stuart (Gorham);
Maine National Guard Youth Camp Bog Brook, Gilead: Kirra Hebert (Bangor);
Maine Summer Youth Music Camp, Orono: Landon Smith (Bangor), Declan Curran;
New England Softball Day Camp, Bangor: Larrea Norris;
UMaine 4-H Camps at Bryant Pond, Bryant Pond: Sierra Gerkin (Lincoln), Joel T. House (Gorham), Brendon Welch (Falmouth), Sawyer Gray (Oxford), Misty Breton (North Monmouth);
UMaine 4-H Camps at Greenland Point, Princeton: Kalyx Campbell (Brewer), Harrison Richardson (Franklin), Sierra Gerkhin (Lincoln)

SCHOLARSHIPS ANNOUNCED:

05/12/2023

Just a few more days before the May 15 application deadline for this summer’s summer camp season.

Application at sgtjoelhouse.com

03/22/2023

02/20/2023

Mechuwana is the United Methodist Camp of Maine, located on Lower Narrows Pond in Winthrop, Maine.

07/29/2022

Thank you to all the wonderful staff and customers of Foresters who raised over $3000 in a basket raffle. Here is server Ashley with SJH Board of Directors Dee, Joy, and Amanda. Also Cora.