Getting kids outdoors and into nature
♦ No electronics are allowed in the popular kids summer camp.
Getting kids outdoors — and off their electronics — is one of the driving forces behind Kids vs. Wild Camp which has become one of the most popular in the department’s summer repertoire.
Tammy Bryant got the idea for the camp after attending a Georgia Recreation and Parks conference on Jekyll Island about a decade ago.
“I went to a class that was about a sheriff’s department down in South Georgia that started a summer kids camp. When I got back I contacted our sheriff’s office to see if they would be willing to sponsor a camp and they said sure,” Bryant said.
Jimmy Allred, the K9 officer in the sheriff’s office, has served as the lead liaison to the camp each year.
Bryant worked with leadership of the Floyd County Wildlife Association to use the camp which has a sprawling 250-plus acre property off Hwy. 100 north right at the Floyd-Chattooga line and the summer camp has been a hit year after year.
The camp started out with two sessions of 20 campers each, but has grown to 30 each session now.
“We are right at our max for every session,” Bryant said. “This is popular I think because kids are just ready to get outside.”
Anthony Rutledge, 8, said he wanted to come after getting reports from a brother about how much fun it was.
“I thought it would be fun for me, too,” Anthony said.
Joseph Edelkind, 10, said he had been coming for several years.
“It was really exciting how we get to do so many fun things,” Joseph said. He said fishing was probably his favorite activity because he really likes the water.
After a program Monday morning on the importance of preserving and protecting nature and the environment, along with information about some of the critters they might find in our area, the crew went on a nature hike armed with garbage bags to pack out anything careless campers may have left behind.
After lunch, the kids had a special program with Emergency Management Director Tim Herrington about how his office uses drones.
Other activities during the week include archery, canoeing and boating, outdoor cooking, fire safety, nature crafts, wildlife identification, first aid and much more. The next session is scheduled for July 16-20. Call 706-291-0766 to get on a wait list for the July camp in the event of cancellations.