Summer camp may be over, but that doesn’t mean Westwind is slowing down. Throughout the fall, Westwind is a bustling place. From Westwind programs and site work to rental groups and volunteer programs, our shores are bursting with energy.
Scroll through and learn about what’s happening at Westwind this fall!
Westwind Programs
Fall Family Camp happens in October (10/11-10/13 & 10/18-10/20) and is a fantastic way to experience Westwind for the first time. The shortened nature of Fall Family Camp means it is a great way to test out Westwind if you are interested in longer camps next summer. It is also a wonderfully unique experience. There are incredible fall rainstorms and stories by the fire with a cup of hot chocolate. The falling leaves provide a beautiful backdrop for hikes, games, and art projects. Each weekend we host the Harvest Festival, a fall-themed carnival with fun and games for the whole family.
Mushroom Camp (11/1-11/3 & 11/-11/10) is an adults-only camp in November for mushroom aficionados, fungi newbies, and everyone in between. At Mushroom Camp, you will learn about the wonderful world of mushrooms through guided forays, workshops, and food tastings. This program is a beautiful blend of people, natural systems, and new experiences. Westwind has been described as a “Mushroom Safari.” Each weekend we discover hundred of species of fungi and they are all laid out in Wilson Lodge for view, learning, and identification.
Fall Rental Groups
Throughout the fall, Westwind is abuzz with rental groups. During the week, we welcome MESD Outdoor School. They run an incredible outdoor education program for sixth-graders in the Portland Metro area. Outdoor School is a program that aligns heavily with our values. They teach about natural systems and give students a hands-on learning experience that fuels learning and growth. We are so happy to welcome back MESD this fall for another season of education, play, and transformational outdoor learning.
On weekends, we welcome a wide variety of mission-aligned rental groups to explore Westwind. These groups range from school trips and non-profit teambuilding weekends to long-standing family gatherings and mindfulness retreats. Our rental groups are amazing as they are unique. Each group brings their community to our shores to learn from nature. The variety of these incredible groups help build a wide and varied Westiwnd community connected by their shared appreciation for the Westwind site.
Volunteer Partners
We are excited to be welcoming back some incredible volunteer partners.
We host volunteers from the AmeriCorps NCCC program. These incredible young people assist our site team with trail maintenance, site safety project, and building work. Not only does this work support our community, it teaches valuable leadership skills that these volunteers take back to their communities and beyond. As we believe at Westwind, people are at their best when they are active participants in their communities (Westwind Values).
Joining us as well are students from Sabin-Schellenberg Professional Technical Center (SSC). Students in the SSC Carpentry program return to continue their incredible work on our cabins. Currently, we have remodeled eight of our thirteen camper cabins and will continue that work this fall. By partnering with SSC, we can provide more comfortable sleeping facilities to our guests. As well, this partnership gives high school students hands-on experiences in the trades that they can use to build their careers.
Site Work
Our site team is as busy as ever throughout the fall. Between regularly scheduled maintenance of our facilities, they work to build long-term solutions that ensure the sustainability of the Westwind site. In recent years, we have emphasized projects that go beyond short-term fixes. Our site team looks to replace and repair systems with long-lasting solutions. Not only does this help secure the success of Westwind for future generations, it also helps us meet our sustainability goals by reducing the number of times we are replacing our site systems.
Fall Weather and Nature
Of course, a fall recap wouldn’t be complete without the incredible wildlife, weather, and foliage we have the privilege of viewing. The fall provides a beautiful view of the cycles of our natural environment. As deciduous plants die off for the fall, fungi are in full bloom and our fauna are restlessly preparing for cooler winter temperatures. As well play, explore, and learn from the world around us, the changes of fall remind us that Westwind is constantly in motion.
