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 outdoor area has beautiful waterfront areas as well as a picnic/campfire area and nature/hiking trails.  Day and overnight options are available.



Butzel Conference Center specializes in meeting the needs of the small to medium-sized group; from 24 people at single occupancy to 48 people at double occupancy for overnight stays, and up to 100 people for day events. Butzel is located just outside of the city, but our surrounding private wooded acreage and private lakes make you feel miles from the ordinary.Butzel can provide your next corporate event with the right mix of business and pleasure. We offer multiple meeting areas inside and out, team building exercises, and audio-visual equipment.