Camp Burt Shurly, Detroit Public Schools’ signature 240-acre camp located in Gregory, Michigan, has received a gift of $100,000 by the Mueller Family, trustees of the Joseph Handleman and the Nommontu Foundations. The donation is in honor of Joseph Handleman, a Detroit native, business man, philanthropist and long-time supporter of the Detroit community.
“Joe Handleman was born into extreme poverty but he became a leading pioneer in merchandising and marketing throughout the western world,” said Joyce Mueller, Josesph Handleman’s daughter. “Yet, my father was a humble, compassionate human being and he always said ‘money is a tool to do good.’ We are honored to support Camp Burt Shurly and the children of Detroit with this gift.”
The unrestricted gift will help support a variety of future improvements to the camp, including modernized bathhouse facilities, the addition of heating to four cabins, a new outdoor learning gazebo, a butterfly garden, a nature pond and more.
“Detroit Public Schools is thankful for the Mueller family, who see the critical role that outdoor experiences have in the instructional landscape we offer our students,” said Alycia Meriweather, Executive Director of the DPS Office of Science. “We are grateful for the improvements that their donation will allow us to make, many of which could not have been considered otherwise. They should know that the camper experience will be greatly enhanced because of their generosity!”
