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Wabash Arts Camp marks 34 years of creativity and community in Shenandoah
By LIZ SKILLERN
The Page County Post
The Shenandoah community came alive with color, music, and movement the week of July 21–25 as it welcomed 150 young artists from across the country to the 34th annual Wabash Arts Camp. Held at the Shenandoah National Guard Armory and Sportsman’s Park Depot, the camp drew children in grades three through eight from 26 Iowa communities and 13 states— including as far away as Texas and Arizona—for a weeklong celebration of the visual and performing arts.
Established in 1991 by Phyllis Goldberg, Mary Williams, and Loren Burrichter, the camp has evolved from its modest beginnings in the SWITIG Rose Garden into one of Shenandoah’s most anticipated summer traditions. The camp offers hands-on experiences in a wide range of disciplines, including music, dance, theater, and visual arts, taught by an experienced group of instructors from southwest Iowa, Omaha, and northwest Missouri.
Longtime camp codirector Marla Hart has been
involved with the Wabash Arts Camp since 1993. She was initially invited by her brother-in-law, Keith Hart, and helped with papier mâché projects in Kim Gee’s class. More than 30 years later, she remains a driving force behind the camp’s success.
“I keep coming back to Wabash Arts Camp because it feeds my soul to see the joy in the campers’ faces when they create something new and share their love of the arts with each other,” Hart said. “It has been an easy place to get involved because the camp has been so well run by Kelly Gee.”
For more than a decade, Hart and Kelly Gee codirected the camp, helping it grow and adapt to changing needs. As the camp evolved, so did its facilities. What began in the Rose Garden and nearby park buildings has now found a more permanent home at the Shenandoah National Guard Armory, thanks to the support of the City of Shenandoah.
“We are incredibly grateful to the city for purchasing and maintaining the Armory and designating a room specifically for the camp’s
HEARTS FOR THE ARTS
Kelly Gee raises the ceremonial scissors in celebration during the SCIA
Shenandoah National Guard Armory as the permanent home of Wabash Arts Camp.
Gee honored for decades of dedication
By LIZ SKILLERN
The Page County Post
After more than three decades of leadership, laughter, and creative chaos, Kelly Gee has stepped down as co-director of Shenandoah’s beloved Wabash Arts Camp. The 34th annual camp, held July 21–25, marked her final
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year at the helm of an event that has become a summer staple for hundreds of young artists and their families. The Shenandoah Chamber and Industry Association (SCIA) honored Gee for her more than 30 years of service, saying, “She will be missed, but the camp is in great hands and will continue. The kids were having a fantastic time and their creativity was flowing!”
Gee’s connection to the camp—and the Shenandoah arts scene—runs deep. Though she wasn’t one of the three original founders of Wabash Arts Camp in 1991, she joined in its second
year and quickly became a vital part of its growth and success. Her parents were friends with founders Phyllis Goldberg, Mary Williams, and Loren Burrichter, all members of a local arts community that had been active in Shenandoah since the 1960s. As a child, Gee took art classes upstairs at Rodeo Printers. “It was a big open space,” she recalled, “and teachers like Molly Winegardner would hand
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ribbon cutting, officially marking the
Clarinda Foundation awards more
The Clarinda Foundation Board of Directors last week announced more than $117,000 in 2025 grant funding to 17 local organizations.
Since 1986, Clarinda Foundation has distributed nearly $2 million for numerous community projects through the Clarinda Foundation’s annual grant cycle.
The Clarinda Foundation invited community members to attend a 2025 grant recognition coffee honoring the award recipients on Aug. 7 at the Lied Public Library. This year’s recipients are:
•Nodaway Valley Historical Society for St. Jacob’s AME Church Restoration -
$6,500.00
•New Market Foundation for restoring and developing new walking trails$15,000.00
•Clarinda Chamber of Commerce for new flower planters - $2,000.00
•Clarinda Community School District for upgrades in FCS classrooms - $2,800.00
•Southwest Iowa Families for fencing and leveling out their parking lot - $4,000.00
•Clarinda Police Department for Project Optic Edge - $6,600.00
•City of Coin to paint city hall and add parking$3,500.00
•Page County Fair Board for building a camping site at the fairgrounds - $15,000.00
•St. John’s Noah’s Ark Preschool for playground updates - $13,500.00
•City of Yorktown for the revitalization of their city bandstand - $5,000.00
•City of Shambaugh for planting trees in the city park
- $1,200.00
•Porter’s Lake for restoring the rink floor - $5,000.00
•Clarinda Fire Department for smoke and carbon dioxide alarms - $4,170.00
•New Market Fire Department for purchasing new air packs - $10,000.00
•Clarinda Regional Health Center for remodeling their dining room - $4,003.35
•Iowa Western Community College for strategic equipment upgrades -
$15,000.00
•Grandma’s House Daycare for playground facilities, storage, and cameras$4,000.00
Grant applicants were required to demonstrate a positive, lasting impact to the local public for various types of projects within the community in areas such as arts, culture, humanities, health, human services education, the environment,
public benefit and more.
This year, each applicant also met with the Clarinda Foundation’s grant committee to share supplemental information that may not have been included in the written application.
In addition to the grant awards recognition, guest speaker Jon Baier, retired PCSB Community Bank President shared some inspiring words about
community philanthropy. Baier said, “If you ask where can I find an organization in Clarinda that supports the community and is able to provide funds to support worthy projects, the Clarinda Foundation is the answer.” Baier also provided an update on the much anticipated Schenck’s Lake Park Project, including
See FOUNDATION, Page 5
FROM PAGE 3
the grant received from the Clarinda Foundation for the construction of a dog park. Funding for the Clarinda Foundation’s grant program comes from unrestricted endowment donations, unrestricted non-endowed donations from funds such
as the Share with Clarinda and Book of Honor funds, and gifts from designated and donor advised funds. For information on contributing toward future community betterment projects, contact: The Clarinda Foundation office at 114 E. Washington in Clarinda, call 712-542-4412, or email clarindafoundation@ clarindafoundation.com.
ALL THE COLORS
Longtime instructor Shelley Davison leads her Rainbow Connection class. Davison has taught at the camp for 10 years.
KNOT FOR EVERYONE
Co-director Marla Hart works with students during a macramé class at this year’s Wabash Arts Camp.
FEELING GROOVY
Campers pin their
FROM PAGE 2
use,” Hart said. “It will be known as the Wabash Room. We now have a permanent home where we can store all our supplies—no more hauling from building to building.”
Despite years of changes in staff, locations, and logistics, the camp’s spirit remains strong. “So many people share an appreciation and enthusiasm for our youth and the performing and visual arts that the spirit of the camp is bigger than the people in and behind it each year,” Hart said.
This year marked a major transition, as Kelly Gee, who has served as the camp’s leader since its second year, stepped down to be closer to her grandchildren. Hart will now co-direct the camp with Jennah Hughes, and while they don’t plan major changes, the shift is a significant one.
“Being entrusted with the
future of such a wonderful week-long arts event is both gratifying and scary,” Hart said. “Thankfully, Jennah and I have a fantastic board of directors to help us.”
One of the camp’s most unique elements is its intergenerational involvement. Many of the instructors and helpers are former campers themselves, reflecting the program’s lasting impact. “We see the power of the camp experience when former campers take a week out of their lives to return as helpers—and some even as teachers,” Hart said.
A typical camp day includes rotating sessions in music, visual arts, drama, and movement, with opportunities to explore new mediums and techniques. Whether painting, dancing, performing on stage, or sculpting with clay, campers are immersed in creative expression—and often form lasting friendships in the process. For many families,
THE LAST SUMMER
Celebrating decades of dedication, retiring Wabash Arts Camp instructors Stacey Calfee (17 years, ductogami), Tena Edlin (17 years, theater), Kelly Gee (33 years, director), and Rosie Starks (23 years, dance) gathered for one final summer of creativity and community.
GEE
FROM PAGE 2
you pots of red, blue, and yellow and just let you go. It was real basic, but it was fun.”
That early exposure to creativity sparked a lifelong passion. When Gee returned to Shenandoah in the early 1990s, she learned about the newly launched children’s art camp—then called the “Happy Corner Day Camp.” Despite the quirky name, she instantly knew she wanted to be involved.
“When I saw the flyer, my heart just leapt out of my chest,” she said. “It was so cool. I even lied about my daughter’s age so she could attend that first year.”
There were just 38 children at the inaugural camp, and the day was long—8 a.m. to 5 p.m.—with four two-hour classes and lunches prepared by “friendly church ladies,” Gee joked. By the second year, camp enrollment had nearly doubled. Gee was directing a local theater production when Phyllis Goldberg approached her during intermission and said, “If you can handle nearly 40 kids here, we need you to come and direct our camp.”
And she never looked back.
Over the years, Gee and her fellow leaders worked through countless logistical and creative challenges— from scheduling classes before the days of spreadsheets to balancing the class offerings between visual arts, dance, music, and theater. “Our first scheduling
system involved laying out sheets of paper on a dining room table and moving buckeyes around to track choices,” Gee laughed.
She fondly recalled the excitement and energy that came with problem-solving alongside fellow creatives like Molly Winegardner, Phyllis Goldberg, Keith Hart, and others. “It was a creative challenge and endeavor,” she said. “We didn’t know how to run an arts camp, but we figured it out.”
One of the most rewarding aspects of her decades of work has been seeing former campers return as helpers, teachers—and even as parents and grandparents of new campers. “It’s amazing,” Gee said. “So many kids I watched grow up are now bringing their own children. That kind of longevity speaks volumes about what this camp means to people.”
Gee has guided the camp through many changes, including shrinking class sizes to 12-13 students, increasing the variety of offerings, and making the schedule more ageappropriate. And, she added, they also “got better food” along the way.
Now, with her grandchildren living in Des Moines, Gee has purchased a home there and plans to spend more time with her family. But she’s not leaving Wabash Arts Camp entirely—she still plans to bring her grandchildren to participate each summer.
The future of the camp is in good hands with longtime co-director Marla Hart and
new co-director Jennah Hughes. Gee said she is confident in their leadership and is especially excited about recent developments, such as the City of Shenandoah acquiring the National Guard Armory and designating it as the camp’s permanent home.
“Having a guaranteed location every year is a huge relief,” Gee said. “We used to be at the mercy of the Guard’s schedule in Des Moines. Now, we’re one campus, with a room to store our supplies and facilities that bring all the teachers together under one roof.” Community support, Gee emphasized, has been a cornerstone of the camp’s continued success. “The tuition is ridiculously low for what the kids receive,” she said, citing the $130 fee for the first child and $80 for each sibling. That includes all supplies, lunch, snacks, 45 minutes of swimming, and scholarships from the Everly Brothers and Hockenberry Foundation.
“The community has always come through,” she said. “Whenever we needed help—mirrors, donations, supplies—someone was there to say, ‘I can help with that.’ It’s just been so gratifying.”
As Gee steps back from her leadership role, the camp she helped shape for more than 30 years continues to thrive—thanks to the joyful creativity of the children, the dedication of its volunteers and teachers, and the enduring legacy of a woman whose heart was always in the art.
camp week has become a time of reunion. Former Shenandoah residents bring their children back to town for the experience, while grandparents host visiting grandchildren. “Some attendees have never been more than 70 miles from Shenandoah,” Hart said. “Having kids share what life is like where they live adds another layer of richness to our campers’ experience.”
Looking to the future, organizers hope to expand accessibility and offerings. Online registration and class ranking may be introduced, and now that the camp has a designated room in the Armory, there is talk of possibly adding adult classes to the program.
To stay up to date on next year’s camp—scheduled for July 19–26—follow Wabash Arts Camp on Facebook.
As Hart and Hughes take the reins, the Wabash Arts Camp remains a powerful example of what can happen when community, creativity, and tradition come together.
PAGE COUNTY POST PHOTO/LIZ SKILLERN
PAGE COUNTY POST PHOTO/LIZ SKILLERN
freshly dyed creations to the clothesline in a tie-dye class led by Adrianna Holmes, a 2018 Shenandoah High School graduate and former camper
Clarinda: 1200 S. 16th Street | Shenandoah: 500 S. Fremont Street | Red Oak: 1605 N. Broadway Street