This week, our Site Manager Brian travels to Camp Allen, Texas to present at the UMCRM National Camp & Retreat Leaders’ Gathering. He is teaming up with fellow Site Manager Burt (aka Puck) from Camp Namanu to present on our site-based partnerships. They are sharing how other camps nationwide can develop volunteer-based partnerships to teach trade skills and help maintain camp infrastructure.
The Backstory
As two of the longest-running overnight camps in Oregon, Camp Westwind, and Camp Namanu are recurring characters in each other’s story. We see each other at regional conferences, engage in conversations about best practices, and share new ideas to improve summer camp experiences. Both camps recognize the importance of getting young people outside to explore nature and connect with their community, no matter where that is. In recent years, our respective site managers have collaborated on several projects including lending a helping hand during Stewardship Weekends, supporting our SSC cabin renovations, and joining forces to host volunteers from NCCC AmeriCorps. In the fall, Brian and Burt gave this presentation about their work at our local ACA Cascadia Conference. It was met with rave reviews, and we asked to share these incredible partnerships with a national audience!
Partnership Presentation
Brian and Burt traveled to Texas to share with other leaders in the camp world how they too can build trade-based partnerships. They focused on how these partnerships build skills for young people interested in the trades and how they benefit the site. They highlighted our existing partnerships, how we got these programs running, and the lessons learned along the way.
We believe that we are doing incredible work at Westwind. We are so happy that we get to share this work with the wider camp community. Through our partnerships, we utilize all aspects of our site to connect people to the outdoors. We hope that partnerships like these will grow throughout the country. This is just another way that Westwind is building life-long stewards of place and community.
NCCC AmeriCorp Crossover
The key piece of our partnership with Camp Namanu is hosting NCCC AmeriCorp volunteers. Over the past several years, in the spring and the fall, we have hosted groups of NCCC volunteers. They are part of the larger, AmeriCorps volunteer program which provides volunteer support across the country. Through this partnership, the NCCC crews alternate weeks at Westwind and Camp Namnu, providing vital support to both sites. At Westwind, NCCC volunteers help with site maintenance by clearing trails, removing debris, and building fences. They help ensure that our site is safe and accessible. Recent projects include clearing the High Meadow Trail and building a fence at The Point.
Other Partnerships
In addition to NCCC AmeriCorps, Westwind partners with Sabin-Schellenberg Professional Technical Center (SSC) in an ongoing project to remodel our cabins. This project is improving accessibility, comfort, and energy efficiency to our 13 camper cabins. We have also worked with a local troop of Eagle Scouts to build informational kiosks. You can spot one when you walk to the beach from the lodge. There you can learn about beach safety, and deposit micro trash. These partnerships are a vital piece of conserving our site and achieving our mission. We are so excited that Brian can share our story with the larger camp community.
Stay up-to-date with site maintenance, daily projects, and increaible beach finds through the eyes of Bigfoot. @Bigfoots_Shoes
