A Seminal Moment in Seminole
When camp is up and running, it typically means we’re in the middle of a disaster scrambling to operate as the world around us falls to pieces. But starting today we’re helping run a camp just outside Orlando, Florida that’s been planned months in advance.
It’s part of a burgeoning partnership between Project:Camp and the Seminole County Office of Emergency Management designed to prepare their Central Florida community to meet the needs of children and families during disasters.
The program started last year as part of our preparedness work and developed into a multi-pronged effort to run a camp for children impacted by Hurricane Ian, while also creating a training environment on how to run future camps in the event of another storm or disaster. After several months of initial planning, we brought the YMCA of Central Florida into the fold as well as a local partner well versed in childcare and youth development. The local Red Cross chapter also stepped up to help fund the training, camp, and preparedness program.
In the months leading up the start of camp this week, we’ve worked with our stakeholders in the county to run six trainings on trauma-informed childcare; build out boxes filled with supplies; create a childcare annex within the county’s larger emergency operations plan; and sign memorandums of understanding delineating roles and responsibilities in the event of an emergency.
All of that work culminated at 7am this morning when our first campers arrived at the YMCA’s facility in Oviedo, Florida where a mix of Project:Camp team members and YMCA staff welcomed them. We have 50 campers signed up each day this week, but we expect the program to be the start of something much larger – both in Seminole County and the state of Florida as a whole.
There are so many people to thank who have helped put this pilot project together, but special thanks to Alan Harris and John Lockwood at Seminole County OEM, and Chrissy Hoffman and Kaylesha Webster at the YMCA who have been absolute champions in making this a reality. And of course this couldn’t have happened without the hard work of our own preparedness team, Henry Meier, Jacque Nushi and Jared Morgan. We can’t wait to see where this goes!
With gratitude,
Mikey
Project:Camp Bulletin Board:
We’re over the moon to announce that we’ve hired Madeline McClelland as our Camps Manager! Mad Dog comes to us after a storied career in the camping world where she was most-recently a director at Mountain Camp just outside Lake Tahoe in Nothern California. Madeline is based in Seattle, WA and has previously worked with us as a seasonal camp director, helping us pop up camps in Florida and Hawaii. Having her join the team full time is a dream come true!
Our very own Deputy Director Ozzie Baron had the distinct opportunity to present at the American Camping Association’s annual conference in February. He was joined by ACA National Board Member Elizabeth Bagley, who is also the Managing Director of Project Drawdown. They spoke to a room filled with camping professionals about how camps can get involved in the fight against climate change, and how to help communities respond to climate-related disasters.
