The motivation to create “Camp Rosenbaum” came from its founder Fred M. Rosenbaum who served as Chairman of the Housing Authority of Portland for many years as well as Brigadier General in the Oregon Air National Guard working in the assignment of Assistant Adjutant General of the State of Oregon.
Fred Rosenbaum's life history is interesting. He left Vienna, Austria in 1938 as a victim of Hitler's Holocaust and was shipped to England on the “Children’s Transport” at the age of 12. He lived as a foster child with various British families who took care of him until he was re-united with his parents in the United States in 1940. The Holocaust, as well as his foster child experience, took away General Rosenbaum’s youth, which created a tremendous desire within him to promote good life experiences for other children in the age group attending our summer camp.
It was in 1968 when Fred Rosenbaum, then a Major in the Oregon Air National Guard came up with a wonderful idea – why couldn’t we bring the kids from the Housing Authority to Camp Rilea so they could have a summer camp? Starting with a $750 budget, a small group of cooks and counselors, a couple of footballs and some Frisbees, 75 boys attended the very first "HAP camp". A second camp was held the following summer but lacking proper financial and personnel resources and the logistical problems were too difficult to continue.
In 1971 General Richard Miller, commander of the Oregon National Guard asked Fred to write an operations plan and revive the children’s camp. Fred identified the kind of support he required and General Miller made sure he got it. With National Guard resources, staff and private donations, HAP Camp flourished under Rosenbaum’s direction to become an annual event for the Housing Authority children. Top leaders took notice of this community service achievement. Governors Tom McCall, Bob Straub, Vic Atiyeh, Neil Goldschmidt, Barbara Roberts and Ted Kulongoski each have given their enthusiastic support and made the time to personally visit the kids during camp.
In 1985, Governor Vic Atiyeh renamed HAP Camp to “Camp Rosenbaum” to reflect the efforts of its founder, now Brigadier General Fred Rosenbaum. Since then, it has evolved into a unique partnership staffed by members of the participating Housing Authorities, the Oregon National Guard and the Portland Police Bureau. The camp has received national acclaim over the years, winning the Freedoms Foundation Award of Valley Forge, National Award of Merit from the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment, Minute Man Mike Award, Specific Activity Award from the US Dept. of Housing & Urban Development, Outstanding Achievement Award from the Assistant Secretary of Defense, and Special Recognition for Outstanding Service from the National Guard Association of the United States.
General Rosenbaum continues to serve the military, the City, the State and the Nation in various activities to show his appreciation for his freedom and the assurance that the wonderful vision of “America” continues.
"The day will come when the impact of Camp Rosenbaum will get the recognition it truly deserves. It will come, I believe from unexpected sources. The elderly woman who wasn’t robbed at midnight because one of the “at risk” kids was inspired by the cops at camp to stay on the right side of the law. The dad who plays ball with his son in their yard, because a camp counselor showed him that belonging to a family is better than belonging to a gang."
- Sandy Snavely
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