Tent, sweet tent: Tips for a happy family camping trip

Always being cooped up indoors, under fluorescent lights, wired to gadgets and computers, and breathing A/C-supplied air can be somewhat fatiguing. For a change of pace, it can be fun to go camping with the family and experience fresh air, open spaces, and starry skies. Still, fun as the idea is, it can be rather overwhelming for beginners.

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But making a memorable happy camping trip doesn't need to be complicated as long as it's planned out carefully. For starters, it's best to book a campsite way ahead of time, especially if it's around long weekends or holidays, as they tend to fill up early. Involving all members of the family in choosing the camping location and as well as the stops along the way can ensure that each one has an activity to look forward to during the trip.

Before heading out it's imperative to have an accomplished checklist of things to bring such as tents, an ice chest, a first aid kit, headlamps, clothes, and sleeping bags, among others. To keep things organized, everything can be placed in plastic storage bins, so they're not strewn about in the car or campsite. Also, taking along a few garbage bags for trash or wet clothes can prove very useful.

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Food is a given, and it's imperative to make sure that all allergies and preferences are given attention to, to avoid any health or sharing problems along the way. Aside from food to eat on the campsite, keep some snacks and water for the drive and hikes.

Each task should be divided among family members to make the process quicker and easier to make sure that the trip is fun for everyone. Additionally, everyone should agree with activities beforehand. Some members might want "me time," and that should be okay as long as there's also time to spend with each other, especially mealtimes.

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Camping is great for bonding with the family and de-stressing between work and school. Spending time together and learning about each other away from home, school, and work may deepen the relationships. At the very least, it can be an interesting experience, being under the clear skies and within nature.

And, of course, no family outing is complete without a few photographs, so make sure there's at least one camera along on the trip!  

Dayna Hardin is glad she gets to experience the great outdoors often as owner of Lake of the Woods Camp in Decatur, Michigan. Visit this website to learn more about the perfect place for children to spend their summers communing with nature.

SCOPE Midwest event hosts over 320 local supporter

Annual Benefit Raises Camp Scholarships For Children In Need

May 4, 2015, Glencoe, IL – SCOPE Midwest, Summer Camp Opportunities Promote Education, held its Annual Benefit Dinner “All You Need is Camp” on Friday, April 24th at Viper Alley in Lincolnshire, IL.

The event was co-chaired by Dayna Hardin (Glencoe resident) and Dana Kite (Highland Park resident) who are the directors at Lake of the Woods and Greenwoods Camps. Other committee members included local camp owners/directors from Camp Marimeta, Tamarak Day Camp, Camp Birch Trail, Finish Strong Athletics and Camp Ojibwa.


Committee members Traci Capp, Tracey Sachs, Dayna Hardin and Dana Kite |
Photo courtesy of Spot My Photo

The event raised over $130,000 to help send low-income, Chicago area public school children to not-for-profit overnight camps throughout the Midwest this summer.

“Camp is one of the greatest gifts of childhood, providing youth and teens with a foundation for life and the opportunity to further develop skills that they will need to succeed in the 21st century”. We are fortunate to have supporters who share our passion and belief that every child, regardless of their socio-economic background, deserves a quality summer camp experience. Since 2007, we have provided funding to over 1300 children and will continue to open the door to summer camp for as many youth as possible,” says SCOPE Midwest Board Chair, Dayna Hardin.

Over 320 guests attended the event that featured cocktails, dinner, live music by Robbie Gold, and silent auction. Dennis Rosen, Owner/Director of Camp Ojibwa and Highland Park resident, was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to youth and the summer camp profession. Also honored at the dinner was Mawi Asgedom, recipient of the Advocate for Youth Award, presented annually at the dinner. Oprah Winfrey called her television interview with Mawi “one of her top twenty moments”.

SCOPE Midwest believes summer camp is part of the year-round education continuum, supplementing academic curriculum through active learning. Children living in poverty experience 2.5 years of summer learning loss by third grade compared with their middle to upper class peers. With funds raised from events and individual contributions throughout the year, they can help bridge the education gap in the Chicagoland area by affording more children in need with the documented benefits of high quality summer camp experiences.

About SCOPE:

SCOPE’s mission is to provide children in need the edge to succeed in life through the summer camp experience. This is accomplished by funding camp scholarships at nonprofit, resident camps where children will benefit from a positive, safe and healthy environment led by excellent adult role models, who will help them develop their full potential. The national organization, founded in 1991, has provided camp scholarships for more than 25,000 children from low-income communities in the New York metropolitan area, the Midwest and Southeast regions of the U.S. Each year, hundreds of children receive the benefits of summer camp through SCOPE from funds raised from foundation and corporate partners, individual gifts and fundraising events.

Dayna Hardin is the director and owner of Lake of the Woods Camp, an outdoor recreation facility that teaches young campers the value of friendship, concern for others, self-reliance, courage, and discipline. Visit this website to know more about the camp’s services.