Foundation, Adult Session Help Keep Camp Going -- by Mary Price
from the Aug. 6th, 2004 "Lifestyle" feature on Nature Camp -- by the Lexington News-Gazette and reporter Mary Price

Many adults have fond memories of the summer camp they attended as children. It's not unusual for those old enough to have camping-age children themselves to remember favorite activities there, and perhaps even a counselor or two. But whoever heard of a summer camp with an alumni base strong enough and loyal enough to form its own nonprofit foundation in support of the camp? And whoever heard of adults writing a check and taking vacation time from work to go back to camp themselves? At Nature Camp, both that isn't a fantasy it's reality.

The Nature Camp Foundation was established in 1989 to provide financial support for the camp and ensure its survival well into the future, explained Phillip Coulling, a Lexington native and current president of the foundation. Since that time, it has raised $175,000. The organization had its beginnings in informal reunions of former Nature Campers, many of whom spent a good portion of their summers each year from ages 11 to 17 at the camp near Vesuvius. As the former campers reminisced, they realized that Nature Camp's financial future was uncertain, thanks to changing demographics among the membership of the Virginia Federation of Garden Clubs. The federation began the camp in 1942 and has provided a large portion of its financial support since then. The foundation, which Coulling described as a "de facto alumni organization" although its membership is open to anyone interested in Nature Camp's welfare, now provides both monetary assistance and "sweat equity" support.

The foundation's biggest fund-raiser is Nature Camp Adult Session, which is held in June in even-numbered years and in August in odd-numbered ones. Campers pay $180 for the week-long session, which generally attracts anywhere from 40 to 60 amateur naturalists ranging in age from 8 to 80. The youngest camper, who is still too young to attend a regular session of the camp, has been coming since she was in utero, Coulling noted.

But the foundation's activities aren't limited to fun and games even educational ones. During the third weekends of May and September of each year, foundation members roll up their sleeves and get dirty readying the camp for summer and winter, respectively. According to Coulling, projects on these "service weekends" can be as simple as applying a new coat of paint or as complex as putting in a new water tank. "With the luxury of enough person-power, we can do things that wouldn't get done otherwise," said Coulling