WARSAW — Three days of events kick off Tuesday morning at the Kosciusko County Fairgrounds as the Sheriff's Office hosts its eighth annual Camp Hero.

The free camp requires pre-registration and more than 300 youths are expected to participate this week.

Many of the events feature the work of law enforcement, firefighters and EMS, and set the stage for physical challenges such as a tug of of war contest and water games to educational sessions on crime scene investigations and the dangers of vaping.

Kosciusko County Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer Doug Light said the activities are educational, challenging and fun.

Camp Hero continues to grow in different ways and much of that has to do with community support. A banner at the entrance of the fairgrounds that salutes sponsors of the camp continues to grow, Light said.

"We have more kids and more activities and you need more staff. We're blessed in this community to have people that are willing to provide us all that," Light said.

The Sheriff's Office relies heavily on other departments and works to improve the programs each year. 

“We kind of combined with DNR, they're going to do some boat rides around Winona, but this year our divers are actually going to get the kids in the water and actually let them kind of experience scuba a little bit," Light said.

The camp continues through Thursday and ends with a graduation ceremony.

To learn more about betting involved next year, contact the sheriff's office.

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WARSAW — Camp Alexander Mack has received a $2.6 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. through its Capital Project Initiative for Residential Youth Camps.

With the support of this matching grant, Camp Alexander Mack will be able to fund the
recently adopted master facility plan focused on increased accessibility. This project will
be a significant step in our mission to provide a sanctuary where all people are
welcomed to connect with God, experience creation, and build Christian community.

Executive director Gene Hollenberg stated, “This grant is transformative for Camp
Mack. In our 101st year, we begin creating a new foundation for the next 100 years. Lilly
Endowment, Inc. is making it possible for us to continue sharing the message of God’s
love and care for all children in a safe and welcoming environment.”

These improvements were made possible by an earlier award provided in December of
2025 by Lilly Endowment Inc. That $1,000,000 grant has been applied to necessary
improvements in camp infrastructure.

The grant is one of 40 implementation grants being awarded through phase 3 of the Lilly
Endowment initiative, which aims to help Indiana residential youth camps improve the
overall camp experience and outcomes for youth through new, enhanced and expanded
facilities integral to quality youth camp programming. The latest grants, which were
competitive, provide partial support for large-scale capital projects.

Camp Alexander Mack is a Christian camp located in Milford, Indiana. It is affiliated with
the Church of the Brethren and includes approximately 240 acres on the northeast
shore of Waubee Lake. The camp provides youth, adult, and family camp and retreat
experiences throughout the year.

The summer camp program is intentionally designed to provide campers with life-changing experiences that lead to the formation of personal faith within a safe Christian community.

Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private foundation created in 1937 by J.K.
Lilly, Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr., through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical
business, Eli Lilly and Company. Although the gifts of stock remain a financial bedrock
of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing
board, staff and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion.

The Endowment funds programs throughout the United States, especially in the field of religion, and maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.

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