Camp Rokilio
Friends and Alumni Association
Welcome!
The Friends and Alumni of Camp Rokilio Association exists as an organization for staff and camp alumni. Its purpose is to celebrate camp, preserve its history, and ensure it continues to thrive in order to serve generations more of campers.
Camp Rokilio:
A brief History
Camp Ro-ki-li began on the shores of cedar lake in 1924 as a boy scout camp. It was originally a project funded by the rotary, kiwanis, and lions clubs of sheboygan, WIsconsin, with the optimists soon to follow the next year, hence the name: Ro-ki-li-o in honor of the service clubs. Over the next 70 years, Both the boy and girl scouts, along with various other groups enjoyed the camp and all it had to offer, as it continued to expand and grow, with new buildings and campsites being added.
In 1998, the camp took a new direction, and became cub scout world Camp Rokilio with the addition of five new theme buildings and the beginning of a full-time cub scout summer camp program.
Now, Camp Rokilio is utilized year round by countless groups for camping, district and council events, trainings, and more, and has been enjoyed by countless generations of families
Rokilio History Tidbits: 1924 Fire
On Friday May 18, 1924, A fire Nearly destroyed the newly-established Camp Ro-Ki-Li When a rubbish pile burned out of control during the preparations for the Very first camping Season. A local farmer first spotted the blaze and quickly alerted the kiel fire department, who responded to the emergency.
Harold whinfield, scout executive for the Sheboygan council, drove out to camp and stayed well after midnight to ensure the fire was under control. A Carload of scouts also arrived to help battle the flames, and multiple other individuals stayed well through the weekend to ensure the embers didn’t smolder.
Approximately 150 rubbish piles burned, in addition to a few piles of lumber near the newly constructed cabins, but the camp itself sustained no major damage, and the camp welcomed its first campers on June 23, 1924, right on schedule.
Sheboygan Press- May 20, 1924
What’s New
Road Signs Donated
Two Road Signs on XX Now point the way to Camp Rokilio Thanks to a donation from the Sonntag Family in memory of vincent sonntag, a longtjme scouter out at Rokilio
Rokilio Experience
Renovation Updates
Rokilio Experience takes place May 18 this year. This event serves as a preview of the summer camping season, with lots of old and new campers coming out and exploring camp.
Renovations continue at Rokilio as We prepare for the summer camping season. Volunteers have been hard at work cleaning out and installing flooring in the trading post, cleaning off and repainting camp signs, and clearing out and painting John West. A new Cement Pad has been poured outside Lower Baden Powell, and camp continues to be spiffed up with new topsoil, Gravel, and other lanscaping work.
Centennial Planning meeting
The next centennial planning meeting will take place June 10th at 7pm via zoom. all are welcome to attend.
Information needed
We need your help! We are currently looking for staff photos and names of individuals who worked on Camp Rokilio stafff between 1924 and present day. We are missing names and photos for multiple years, and would love to have photos and/or names for all 100 years. We are also looking for pictures of some of the old buildings and campsites that no longer exist on camp property. If you have any photos/names for missing years or buildings, please email rokilioalumni@gmail.com
Staff Photos needed
- 1934
- 1950
- 1951
- 1957
- 1958
- 1975
- 1980
- 1995
- 2000
Staff names needed
- 1976
- 1977
- 1978
- 1985
- 1986
- 1987
- 2003
- 2008
Camp Photos needed
- Lynden Lodge
- Cedar Lodge
- Gladys
- First Aid Hut
- Boathouse Pre-2022
- Upper Kiwanis
- Nature Hut
- Commissioner’s Lodge
- OA Lodge
- Welcome Hut
- Three Oaks Lodge
- Campsites
- Kiwanis
- Rotary
- Guide Rock
- Frontier
- Jaycee
- Rocky Top
- 1934
- 1950
- 1956
- 1957
- 1960
- 1962
- 1965
- 1966
- 1967
- 1973
- 1974
- 1975
UPCOMING EVENTS
Rokilio Work Day
Saturday May 18, 2024
9AM-4PM
Please bring painting clothes/work boots/gloves
Centennial Staff Alumni Reunion
August 17, 2024
2PM Social, 5PM Dinner, fires to follow
$25 per person
Dinner and Centennial patch included
Activities include:
Camp tours, camp history display, social hour, dinner, and campfires
Centennial Open House
August 18, 2024
Open House 8AM-4PM
Free Admission
Public Welcome
Contact Us!
Friends and Alumni of Camp Rokilio
14404 Rokilio Rd,
Kiel WI, 53024
rokilioalumni@gmail.com
