Who We Are

Camp Daniel is an organization dedicated to providing people with disabilities opportunities for personal, social and spiritual growth. Camp Daniel is rooted in its summer camping program that offers people with disabilities access to safe and fun Northwoods camping experiences, where the physical, social, and spiritual needs, that each person’s disability requires, are lovingly met. Through each week of camp, the dedicated staff at Camp Daniel works toward imparting the belief that each of us have value and been given gifts to offer others. Each camper and volunteer participates in a multitude of activities designed to reinforce the concept of our need for each other and the value of our differences.

Throughout the rest of the year, Camp Daniel and its staff oversee many activities that further this concept of a dependent community of people with and without disabilities. Programs such as Special Olympic Teams in Green Bay and Crivitz, Able in Action service projects, dances and retreats all foster social and personal growth. Each week many of those who participate in the other Camp Daniel programs, come together at The Able Church to grow closer to God and each other, while professing the simple truth that God loves us, God made us, and God has a plan for each of our lives.

Building Camp Daniel

In 1996, Camp Daniel, Inc. was formed as a non-profit organization and purchased a former Salvation Army campground on Little Newton Lake in Athelstane, WI. Work began that year to start construction of camp. To date, the majority of the Little Newton Lake Campus has been constructed by volunteer labor, allowing the camp to extend each donation further than otherwise possible. Because of this, Camp Daniel moved at a pace that allowed the construction phases to match the available donations of money, materials and volunteer labor. In 2022 the campus was finished and the 25th year of summer camps were held on the beautiful new all accessible campus. We now host events, programs and guest groups year-round.

Camp Daniel History

Since 1997

Camp Daniel, founded in 1996, is a 501-(c)3 organization located in Athelstane, WI, 75 miles north of Green Bay. The organization is dedicated to serving the disability community of northeast WI and the Upper Peninsula through camps, homes and daily programs.

Camp Daniel was named to memorialize Daniel Piantine, son and brother to the founders. Daniel was born with a rare neuromuscular disease, which caused him to use a wheelchair to move, an iron lung to breathe, and others to help with every daily care needed…

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Our Team

Tony Sr. & Jo Piantine

Cofounders

Tony and Jo co-founded Camp Daniel along with their son Tony and his wife Karol. Tony is Camp Daniel’s Vice-President/Treasurer of the Board and Executive Director. Jo retired as Camp Daniel’s head nurse in 2011 and still oversees the Camp Daniel gift shop along with Tony.

Tony & Karol Piantine

Cofounders

Tony and Karol Piantine co-founded Camp Daniel along with Tony Sr. and Jo Piantine. Tony is the Camp Director and President of the Board. They oversee all the ministry and missionaries at Camp Daniel. They have two children; Annissa Hartwig, who is also on staff, and Anthony, who is a student at Purdue University.

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Annissa & Evan Hartwig

Full-Time Missionary Staff

Annissa and Evan met as counselors in 2011 before they were married in January of 2018. They both have been a part of each Summer Internship Program since it began in 2014 and have lead the program since 2016 along with Ruth Hucek. Upon graduating college and getting married, Annissa and Evan have moved to Camp Daniel as full-time missionaries to follow their passion for camp and disability ministry.

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Ruth Hucek

Full-Time Missionary Staff

Ruth has been coming to camp ever since she was a little girl, when she turned 14 she became a counselor and has not missed a single week of summer camp since. At the age of 18 she participated in the internship program and from age 19 to 23 she was a summer staff member. After graduating college and living in California for a period of time Ruth joined Camp Daniel’s full time staff in January of 2020. She now lives in the Hartley House on campus. Ruth will work in many areas, some including; summer camp programing, scheduling, the internship program, hosting groups, office work and more.

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Dylan & Linnea Stonelake

Full-Time Missionary Staff

Dylan Stonelake joined the camp family as a year-long intern in 2019 and has since stayed on as full-time missionary. Dylan leads Camp Daniel Kitchen, in addition to assistant coaching with Special Olympics teams.

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Janice & Tim Mandich

Full-Time Missionary Staff

Tim and Janice have been missionaries with Camp Daniel since 2010 and Tim also serves as Camp Daniel’s Board Secretary. Tim is the Pastor of the Able Church, our church for people with disabilities in Green Bay. Janice is part of the leadership team at The Able Church while working full-time. In addition to pastoring the Able Church, Tim is Executive Pastor at Living Hope Church in Green Bay.

James Johnson

Full-Time Missionary Staff

James joined the camp crew as a year long intern in September 2024. He works in many areas helping with programming, health center, grounds care, guest groups, Special Olympics and more.

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