(Courtesy photo/Green Wildlife Sanctuary)
By ALBERT VILLEGAS
Special to the NEWS
The first Kids’ Outdoor Odyssey Summer Camp will run from Monday, July 7, through Friday, July 11, and slots are filling up quickly.
The camp provides children ages 7 through 13 (and volunteers ages 14 and older) with an opportunity to see parrots and tortoises up close, many of which have names and come in various species and sizes.
“We have birds whose ages range from two years to more than 40 years old,” said Jenna Serrano, the camp’s organizer.
Exploration and geography are integral to the camp, which features a range of outdoor activities.
Documenting campers’ experiences is vital, so photography will be an essential part of their activities, allowing them to create a scrapbook.
Since the camp is being held at Green Wildlife Sanctuary, located at 31981 Oyama Rd, San Benito, activities such as cataloging and gardening are included.
Campers are allowed to feed the tortoises, parrots, and a monkey.
The camp serves as both a fun and memorable event and an educational tool.
When Serrano was asked how important it is for the young campers to be educated about the green life and care for the Earth they live in, she said the following: “Kids must understand the value of the environment to preserve it. If they don’t value it, wildlife will not survive. Whether for the simple appreciation of life itself or to provide a diverse diet for humans to assimilate the vast variety of nutrients our bodies depend on to remain healthy, we rely on wildlife for our survival.”
The sanctuary, a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization, is home to threatened and endangered species of parrots and tortoises.
As many of them are acclimated to technology as part of their schooling, Serrano welcomes the correlation between nature and advancements in technology.
“Being in nature, around plants and animals, has a positive impact on our health and mental wellbeing. If kids are not exposed to nature and animals, we have to ask ourselves where the future of this planet is headed,” Serrano said. “As we become more dependent on technology, we need to remember there is a real world all around us, that we should be using technology to preserve and learn from, not to escape from and forget about.”
Among some camp facts are:
* Staff members are experienced educators and trained in first aid and CPR.
* The camp staff maintain strict safety guidelines, conduct regular drills, and ensures constant supervision.
* Camp begins with social activities, moves to physical activities, then to creative activities, and concludes with a learning and wrap-up session.
* Parents and/or guardians are updated through their child’s daily agenda, Polaroid photos, and a scrapbook photo that they will keep throughout the week.
* Meals are not provided.
The camp, which accommodates a maximum of 10 people, costs $300 per person and runs from 9 a.m. to noon. If demand warrants it, a second summer camp could be planned this month at Green Wildlife Sanctuary.
For more information, visit the sanctuary’s Facebook page or call Serrano at (972) 971-5366.
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