The Fresh Air Society was created as a committee of the United Jewish Charities by Miss Blanche Hart and Miss Ida Koppel. Miss Hart and Miss Koppel saw the need to provide recreational activities in the out-of-doors to immigrant women and children. To fulfill this dream, they began taking groups of mothers and children to Belle Isle. Carrying baskets piled high with food, they climbed aboard a chartered trolley for a day in the "fresh air."

After visiting Camp Wise in Cleveland, Ohio, Miss Blanche Hart was convinced of the need to create a real resident camp experience. In 1904, an old house in Kingston, Ontario, was rented for $50.00. This camp opened for two weeks to a group of 25 women and children. Unfortunately, the water supply ran out and put an end to their experiment.

The women were undaunted by such problems, and even more convinced of finding a resident site. In 1908, another house was purchased in Roseville, Michigan. This house accommodated 50 guests. The guests cooked, did house work, and took care of the grounds and boats. The counselors of the time were called "chaperones."

The Fresh Air Society was created as a committee of the United Jewish Charities by Miss Blanche Hart and Miss Ida Koppel. Miss Hart and Miss Koppel saw the need to provide recreational activities in the out-of-doors to immigrant women and children. To fulfill this dream, they began taking groups of mothers and children to Belle Isle. Carrying baskets piled high with food, they climbed aboard a chartered trolley for a day in the "fresh air."



After visiting Camp Wise in Cleveland, Ohio, Miss Blanche Hart was convinced of the need to create a real resident camp experience. In 1904, an old house in Kingston, Ontario, was rented for $50.00. This camp opened for two weeks to a group of 25 women and children. Unfortunately, the water supply ran out and put an end to their experiment.



The women were undaunted by such problems, and even more convinced of finding a resident site. In 1908, another house was purchased in Roseville, Michigan. This house accommodated 50 guests. The guests cooked, did house work, and took care of the grounds and boats. The counselors of the time were called "chaperones."



A more permanent setting for the camp was found at Venice Beach on Lake St. Clair, about four miles away from Mt.Clemens. Miss Blanche Hart was able to raise $10,000.00 to purchase this site. After its renovation, this new Fresh Air Camp at Venice Beach accommodated 200 participants and opened in 1912. Due to the increasing number of children who needed to be served, the spaces set aside for mothers were eventually eliminated. Under the leadership of Miss Hart, Mrs. Edith Heavenrich, Mrs. Henry Wineman, and many others, the Fresh Air Camp served thousands of children between the years 1912-1925. By the early twenties, however, the routing of highways past the camp entrance and the pollution of the lake made it necessary to look for a new site.



In 1925, Mr. and Mrs. Edwin M. Rosenthal donated 80 acres of land near Brighton that was to become the nucleus of the new campsite. Further purchases brought the camp up to 200 acres that consisted of the familiar dormitory buildings, recreation hall, and dining hall.



In 1927, the year that Fresh Air Camp at Brighton opened, the Fresh Air Society became one of the incorporating member agencies of the Jewish Welfare Federation.



In 1929, a radical change occurred when the Fresh Air Society decided, "gentlemen should be included on the board in addition to the ladies." The first male member of the board was Samuel Gilbert.



The Depression changed the financial structure of camp. Those children whose parents could not pay the full fee were still accepted, and full-fee applicants were registered only in numbers sufficient to balance the budget. This practice continues today.Carol Eppstein was camp director until 1936, when Irwin Shaw, who ran camp for many years, succeeded her.



In 1939, the Jewish Welfare Federation bought additional land around Blaine Lake, where a senior unit for boys was built across the lake-Senior Side.Things were going well, but wartime was coming.



Restrictions during World War II challenged the camp administration, with food, gas and tire rationing and a shortage of medical personnel, as well as a younger, inexperienced staff. Every serviceman's child who wanted to come to camp was given the opportunity. In addition, Irwin Shaw had to leave camp and serve in the U.S. Navy.After the War, Detroit's population expanded and even larger camping facilities became an urgent need.