About Eagle Island: Eagle Island, Inc. incorporated in April of 2011 for the purpose of acquiring Eagle Island, a 30-acre island on Upper Saranac Lake, National Historic Landmark, Adirondack Great Camp, and former Girl Scout Camp. The group is comprised of dedicated professionals, including women who were former Eagle Island campers, counselors, and staff from every decade starting in 1938. The GS camp, originally gifted to the scouts by Henry Graves Jr., closed in 2009. EI purchased Eagle Island in Nov. 2015 with funds given by an anonymous donor. EI’s mission is: To inspire and empower girls and young women to be confident, collaborative, and courageous. EI’s vision is: To provide an environmentally responsible island camp experience for youth, with an emphasis on girls and young women, while preserving Eagle Island’s natural and historic character. Eagle Island, Inc. aims to develop leadership and team-building skills through premier programming to help young people succeed in today’s global landscape. EI continues to work toward reopening of resident camping at Eagle Island. The summer of 2017 was EI’s second summer of ownership. Major construction repairs were completed on the historic Boathouse roof and log work, and other smaller projects were also done by contractors. Over 100 volunteers continued to clean, paint, and do carpentry work. A large portion of the work accomplished during 2017 involved preparation for major projects planned for the summer of 2018, including structural rehabilitation work on a number of buildings, as well as new water and septic systems. The Cloudsplitter Foundation’s 2019 award was specific to the Water and Septic Project.
- Grant Name: Eagle Island Restoration
- Project Size: $2,500,000
- Grant Amount: (1) $20,000, 2016; (2) $25,000, 2017; (3) $10,000, 2018; (4) $10,000, 2019
- Strategic Value: We have made four awards based on the historical nature of the island and the plans to return it to its prior status as a functioning camp.
- Project Status: The camp opened in 2019 to a small group to test the facilities. There is much more work to be done but the project is on track.