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Camp Rainbow Gold buys Soldier Mountain Ranch, aims to build Idaho’s first Medical Camp

Posted at 11:42 AM, Apr 08, 2019
and last updated 2019-04-08 13:43:56-04

FAIRFIELD — Camp Rainbow Gold officials announced Monday their purchase of Soldier Mountain Ranch and Resort in Fairfield. The sale follows months of negotiations, according to a news release. The site will eventually serve as a permanent home for Camp Rainbow Gold’s oncology, sibling and family camps.

“We feel confident we have considered every detail, reviewed every inspection report, and carefully taken the time to ensure the right fit,” said Camp rainbow Gold’s Executive Director Elizabeth Lizberg. “We want to thank everyone for the outpouring of support and excitement throughout this process. We’re thrilled for this opportunity to secure the future of Camp Rainbow Gold.”

Camp Rainbow Gold officials said they are now forming a development committee and establishing a master plan for construction and renovation of the property. “We intend to take this one step at a time and be very thoughtful and fiscally responsible throughout the process,” Lizberg stated. “As such, there is not yet an expected move-in date -- and Camp Rainbow Gold will continue to hold camp programs as scheduled at our current leased locations.”

Camp Rainbow Gold provides emotionally empowering experiences to Idaho’s children diagnosed with cancer. However, Amanda Watson, Board President of Camp Rainbow Gold, said they also realize there are other organizations in the area with similar needs for a medically-accommodating camp location.

“Creating an Idaho-based medical camp presents an enormous opportunity for Camp Rainbow Gold and other nonprofits to collaborate,” she said. “We have seen and experienced a growing need for medically-accessible camp facilities. As part of our master plan, we intend to consider other medical-needs camps, bring them to the table in the planning process and make the camp available to other organizations to ensure this camp can have the greatest positive impact on Idaho possible.”

After completion of a master plan, Camp Rainbow Gold will launch their capital campaign called “A New Place Like Home.” The organizations has hired Lonni Leavitt-Barker, a Camp Rainbow Gold family camp participant, long-time volunteer, and former board member, as its campaign manager.

“We are celebrating … and raring to go!” Leavitt-Barker said in a Facebook post. “I'll be heading up the capital campaign to build this camp. This is huge. We will be the first and only medical camp -- a facility that will make it so we no longer have to turn children away, and a facility that will be available for many other medical camps in our same situation to use!”

(photo courtesy: Camp Rainbow Gold)