Center Activities and Updates- July 2016

Education Update

Summer Camps in Full Swing

The Center has a record 288 kids signed up for summer camp this year–an almost 20% increase over 2015! We’ve got a fantastic staff and slate of camps, including Nature Girls, Dino-Tastic, Birds in Your Backyard, and three sessions of the ever-popular Fishing and Fort Building.

One story from camp this year is that of a particular 9 year-old boy. His first time camping out overnight, during our “Wild Child Camper Training,” turned out to be too much for him, and he went home around 10pm. Two weeks later, he signed up for a second overnight. All week, our staff and his parents kept up a conversation in the background about strategies and points of encouragement. At the front end, the counselors worked with all the campers on what to expect, coping strategies, and the fun parts of sleeping under the stars. Success! According to his mother, he “had a great time and can’t wait for his next overnight!” We even heard that the next day he set up the family tent himself and had his own campout in the basement, even trying to get his younger sister, also a frequent camper at the Center, to join him.

Restoration Update

We have broken ground on the new Veteran’s Garden! This garden is a partnership with Veteran’s Upward Bound, a Federal education program created specifically to serve the needs of veterans.

This garden will be home to many wonderful native species such as Asters, Currants, Sweet Grass and Silver Buffaloberry. Thank you Nature Girls campers for helping make this project a reality!