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The Outdoor Experience Fund is a nonprofit organization with the desire to make the world a better place by providing a location, tools and specialized programs promoting individual youth and family growth. The Outdoor Experience is based at Camp La Junta. Camp La Junta allows use of their grounds and beautiful, spacious facilities free of charge to The Outdoor Experience Fund's programs. Our focus is to get kids and their families away from the rigors of city life - to excel at exciting activities, appreciate the outdoors, gain independence, self-confidence, an enhanced self-image and positive life skills. Another of our goals is to help children to visualize and reach their own personal peak by providing recreational, therapeutic and social activities in an authentically natural camp setting. During their camp adventure, we provide a full day of the finest programming available. All campers enjoy the wonders of a wide variety of activities at camp including:
The benefits of our camping program are endless! Campers are encouraged to try new experiences in order to gain self-confidence, increase personal independence and learn cooperation. All activities are adapted to each cabin groups needs. All of the Outdoor Experience Fund's programs take place Camp La Junta in Hunt, Texas. Although a traditional summer camp for boys , Camp La Junta's expertise in programming make it the perfect host. Camp La Junta's 200 acres lie nestled between a mile of crystal clear, cypress shaded, Guadalupe riverfront and the scenic rolling hills for which the Texas Hill Country is famous. The beautiful campgrounds are thoughtfully laid out, providing a sense of spaciousness yet convenience. Abundant cypress and oak trees provide a canopy of cooling shade on most of the grounds. Cabins are spacious, newly remodeled and comfortable, and each has full bathroom facilities with plenty of hot water.
OUR MAJOR PROGRAMS: DREAMKAMP: DreamKamp is the best week ever and has been for 12 years. It is an opportunity for deserving Kerr County youth, all fifth and sixth graders, to attend a high quality camp for one week in the summer. These important pre-teen years are vital to ensuring a future of successful decision making. To keep their attention, DreamKampers take part in everything from horseback riding and canoeing to leadership development and creative expression. Daily Bible Studies and motivational speakers address important life lessons including "Character is your Destiny", "Honor your Mother and Father", "Choices have Consequences", "Attitude is Everything", "Don't let society tell you what is valuable or that stuff rules your life", "Love your neighbors as yourself" and "Know where you are going". DreamKamp is an innovative mix of leadership training and Christian Foundations. All DreamKampers attend at no cost to them thanks to the generous support of donations from individuals and many local businesses.
RAYS OF
HOPE: Camp Rays of Hope is a camp for children who have experienced the death of a significant person in their lives. We have been conducting this camp for the past 8 years starting with a day camp and developing into a week long camp. Children who have participated in this camp have experienced such tragedies as death of a parent, sibling, family member or friend by suicide, wartime death, murder or death by illness or accident. Grief is not only an emotional process but also contains physical, cognitive and spiritual aspects. This is why we design a wide variety of activities from arts and crafts to horseback riding to team challenges to address each of these areas. Each day there is a formal small group session by trained and experienced personnel where the children focus on different aspects grief followed by activities to promote fun and learning. The physical activities of the day are designed to further develop the concepts shared in group sessions, including games, challenge courses, and so forth. We also have a professional artist who offers the campers an opportunity to express their grief in a more creative manner. And finally, we have been fortunate to have a professional musician who incorporates the words of the campers into a song to celebrate the life of the person(s) who died.
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