Camp Wright's Staff, and the Camp Wright Committee are excited to announce the renaming and rededication of one of our cabins, and the establishment of the JH Bratton Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Fund for Camp Wright.

For as long as anyone can remember, the oldest cabin for boys at Camp Wright has carried the name JD Post. Campers come up through the ranks hoping to be one of the cool, experienced campers in "Post" as it is affectionately called. Generations of campers have looked up to the confident young men who serve as counselors in this space, imparting adolescent wisdom and guidance, alongside a little mischief and a whole lot of fun.

The long name for JD Post is Jeff Davis Post. While this cabin was named for a local American Legion Chapter honoring a local soldier who served in World War I, the fact that this cabin shared a name with the President of the Confederacy cannot be ignored. Jefferson Davis's name, by nature, excludes some in our community from participation and inclusion in the memories, traditions and relationships this cabin stands for. While Camp Wright does not support exclusion, racism or bigotry of any kind, this cabin name stood in opposition of our values.

In 2020, we took down the cabin sign, leaving the cabin nameless for the winter. The Camp Wright Committee called a Racial Justice Committee to help us address diversity, inclusion, and racial justice specifically as it relates to our community. One action item set before the committee was finding a new name for this old cabin. As the 2021 camping season approached, the cabin stood bare, with no name at all.



This spring, a member of the Camp Wright Community and our Racial Justice Committee stepped forward with a gift, and with a vision. John H Bratton was a support staff member and camp counselor at Camp Wright in the 1980s. John's camp experience was a defining change in his life, one that set him onto a path of positivity and success. He believes many more minorities will have similar inspiring and affirming experiences if only given the opportunity. On May 16th, we celebrated the renaming and blessing of JH Bratton Cabin and the official launch of the Bratton Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Fund for Camp Wright.

During the ceremony, John's friends, family members, former campers, camp directors, and others shared stories of John's influence, his strength, his abounding joy and the ways he creates community as he makes his way through the world.. John says, "without this Camp, and my experiences being a counselor, I don't believe I would be the person I am today. This fund will support diverse kids coming to camp, to have more of those same experiences that I had." Camp Wright has been blessed to call John one of our own.  His name and his legacy will continue to be a blessing to Camp Wright's campers and staff well into the future.

The JH Bratton Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Fund has been established to celebrate the ongoing advancement and inclusion of people of color and members of the LGBTQ+ community, ensuring they always have open arms and open doors at Camp Wright. This fund will be used to support camp scholarships for minority campers who otherwise may not have access to the Camp Wright experience. The fund will be key in supporting Camp Wright's work to support programs, scholarships, and education that advance our mission to offer welcome and connection to all.



Huge thanks are in order for everyone who worked to make the ceremony a special day in Camp Wright history, for those who have prayed for us and with us on this journey, and for all those who have come together to raise over $16,000 for the Bratton DEI Fund!