Base Camp
Is Coming to Bozeman
After years of requests from Bozeman families to bring their camps to town, Wilderness Adventures of Jackson, Wyoming, answered the call. Base Camp Bozeman 2020 features field games, nature discovery, arts and crafts and, of course, loads of fun!
To share their adventure programming with younger children, Wilderness Adventures started Base Camp as a day camp for kindergarten through sixth graders and a few middle school counselors-in-training. Like all Wilderness Adventures’ programs, Base Camp infuses the core values of community, leadership and the natural world. Catherine Holland, co-director/owner, and also a mother of four, says, “The best part is seeing the grit on the kids’ faces at the end of the day. They are dirty, grinning from ear-to-ear and ready to pass out on the couch. Even if it’s raining, they are still outside doing mudslides!”
According to Catherine, the staff are key, “Parents are always asking, ‘Where do you get your staff?’ Most are returning because they love it. They connect with the kids.” Base Camp Director, Willy Ross, has years of camp experience and is in his third year as Director. “He’s very organized, has lots of enthusiasm and a camp energy that is infectious!” Catherine shares. “My husband [co-director/owner, Tom Holland] has the same camp spirit and they are brainstorming all the time. They really have a pulse on the best new camp secrets.”
The camp experience has been Tom’s career focus. As former Teton Valley Ranch Executive Director and CEO of the American Camp Association, he knows what works. A typical day includes community building through songs and stories, joining the campers’ “houses” for activities and specialized choices such as building birdhouses or fly-tying. Later in the day everyone regroups for fun competition tied to the theme of the week. “Projects are worked on throughout the week,” Catherine explains. “Each day progresses to a final community ceremony with all the families. Kids will put on a show or performance or share a skill that they learned.”
One camper’s mom raved, “Linnea did many different summer camps and liked Base Camp by far the best. She built a connection to the counselors and still talks about the activities and culture. Willy was fantastic!”
There’s also a bit of the unexpected. “One of the most fun parts of the camp are villains creating mischief,” Catherine shares. “They may come and take all the snacks! We embrace the spirit of adventure!”
Base Camp Bozeman will be held at the Lindley Center, June 22-26 and August 10-14. Find out more at www.wildernessadventures.com/about-base-camp/
