Starting Outdoor Adventure Day Camp - Need some help...

[BrentD22]

As some may alread know I work for a Boys & Girls Club as a Teen Center Director. This summer we are starting our first Outdoor Adventure Day Camp. I know most of what I plan on doing, but I am still searching some other ideas. Here are some of my needs. If you can help reply! It will be appreciated by not only me, but the many teens that will take part in the program.

- A huge need is a qualified couselor pref. with life guard cert and with some outdoor skills.
- Activity ideas while out in the field.
- A organization that does low-rope high and/or high rope team building activities for groups.
- A organization that does low cost Outdoor Education Classes during the summer. I used to use a camp called HFY Horizons for Youth, but it has closed. A group would go there and they would have all sorts of little field studies for the kids. It was dirt cheap too, only $2 per student or something. Cost is important!
- Raft, canoe, funyak, kayak rental places that are really cheap in Massachusetts.
- There will also be a Aquatic theme and a Sports Theme if you have any other suggestions for those it would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks
~Brent

 

[Tom Rankin]

As some may alread know I work for a Boys & Girls Club as a Teen Center Director. This summer we are starting our first Outdoor Adventure Day Camp. I know most of what I plan on doing, but I am still searching some other ideas. Here are some of my needs.

Contact Pete Hogan on this board for the ropes stuff. Mention what you are doing, and he may have other leads.

Activity ideas:

- Have Pete Fish come and talk about back woods safety.

- Trip to the Adirondack Museum

- The Albany Museum has sections on primitive living in NYS

- Bag some peaks!

 

[Stan]

Here are some of my needs.
- Activity ideas while out in the field.
- A organization that does low-rope high and/or high rope team building activities for groups.
- A organization that does low cost Outdoor Education Classes during the summer. I used to use a camp called HFY Horizons for Youth, but it has closed. A group would go there and they would have all sorts of little field studies for the kids. It was dirt cheap too, only $2 per student or something. Cost is important!
- Raft, canoe, funyak, kayak rental places that are really cheap in Massachusetts.

Wachuset is reasonably convenient to MetroWest and a good hike to check the interest, endurance and equipment of your participants. Maybe you'll hook some of them on to greater hiking aspirations and Monadnock and the Whites are daytrip opportunities.

"low cost" equates with "closed" and "really cheap" equates with unprofessional, inadequately equipped and probably soon to be "closed". I'd suggest engage the participants in fundraising to help pay for their favorite activities. IMHO this would be a lot healthier for their character development than an expectation that these fun things are an entitlement.

One professional organization that can probably help you is Outdoor Explorations. They have programs for people with disabilities as well as youth programs, have strong fundraising skills and connections, and can network you with some of the providers you seek.

Charles River Canoe and Kayak, located on the Charles in Newton, also operates out of Lake Cochichuate and has training and trips that may be of interest. They also operate a snowshoe and cross country ski center at the public golf course in Weston. Perhaps they'd discount deeply for a group such as yours.

The work you do is commendable, best wishes.