Veterans facility gets sizable donation
An anonymous donor has given $150,000 to the Camp Ponderosa Veterans Retreat and Learning Center in the Swan Valley, with the goal of inspiring other benefactors to consider financially supporting the new facility for veterans.
“She could see the vision, and all the potential,” Linda Erickson said about the generous donor.
Erickson, along with her husband Allen Erickson are the founders of the facility being created at the former Swan River Correctional Training Center site near Condon.
The Ericksons, who started the Northwest Montana Veterans Stand Down and Food Pantry a number of years ago and continue to operate it, have been working for months to fix up buildings at the former boot camp so they can be used in a variety of way for veterans. Their dream is to have a live-in treatment facility in which veterans can receive counseling and group therapy, among other services, in a restorative setting.
The need for services geared to veterans is high, she pointed out. In the Kalispell area alone, there are almost 6,000 veterans enrolled in VA Health Services.
Linda said the anonymous donation will, among other things, be used to get a new heating system in one of the administration buildings where Camp Ponderosa will have offices and some sleeping quarters for veterans.
“We still need heating systems in the buildings, and a commercial dishwasher,” she said. “The next focus is to get hot water going, with winter coming. We have water to the administration building, but hot water in the kitchen will have to be [heated with] propane.”
Among the plans is developing a public-use campground that could generate income for the operational costs of Camp Ponderosa. But, Linda said, just getting an electrical box at that site is $10,000.
The Ericksons held an open house at Camp Ponderosa last weekend and were impressed by the community response.
“It’s absolutely phenomenal what’s going on out there,” she said. “Swan Valley people have offered assistance. So have people who worked [at the boot camp] before.”
She said the open house allowed the public to see for themselves what needs to be done to get the infrastructure for the facility upgraded.
The facility has been empty since 2006 when it was last used as a rehabilitative youth camp by a private Colorado company. The property is owned by the state of Montana, and the Northwest Montana Veterans Stand Down and food Pantry is leasing the buildings and facilities, located on school trust land, for $19,000 a year.
News Editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.