Small Business Institute Consultation Project for Pretty Lake Vacation Camp
Abstract
Pretty Lake Vacation Camp, Inc. (PLVC) was established almost seventy
years ago in Texas Township for the purpose of providing fresh-air camping
experiences for children in the Kalamazoo area. Through the years, both
Kiwanis and Junior League have become joint sponsors of the Camp, giving
both financial and programmatic support. PLVC has relied solely on
contributions and fund-raising for financial survival. In the last few years,
this has not been sufficient to meet the needs of the summer camp, and PLVC
has operated in the red. The result of these net losses is a decrease in PLVC's
investment funds.
The on-site facilities which make up PLVC have been there for over
sixty years, and it is now time to build again. This process of reconstruction
begins in September 1994 and is supported by a $2.5 million capital campaign.
The new facilities are such that the Camp will use them to operate a for-profit
retreat/ conference center in the Fall, Winter, and Spring. This for-profit
facility will be relied upon to earn enough revenue to support the summer
camp as well as its own operations. Therefore, the main objectives of this
project are to establish a marketing strategy and a viable sales forecast/ income
projection for the new retreat I conference center.