Camp Moonlight kicks off first year
By Heather Morris Moonlight Community Foundation
MOONLIGHT BASIN – Set to kick off July 29, the inaugural session of Camp Moonlight will host 48 kids, ages 3-15 for three days. Operated by Moonlight Basin, the wilderness-based camp will give kids a chance to unplug from their gadgets and i-distractions and plug into nature.
Campers will have opportunities to ride horses under the shadow of Lone Mountain, channel their inner “Hunger Games” by learning archery, canoe in mountain lakes, fish in local ponds, hike the Jack Creek Preserve, and learn about plant and animal identification. Amid all the fun, the program will teach conservation and awareness. A family barbecue will complete the three days, letting campers show off their new skills to their loved ones.
The Moonlight Community Foundation provided scholarships for approximately 30 percent of the campers, and also donated equipment for use, from canoes to headlamps. Registration for the camp filled in three hours.
Founded in 2011, the foundation is comprised of homeowners and others who love Moonlight. In addition to supporting camp, it has raised money to place interpretive signs on the 2.5-mile public trail that begins at the Moonlight Lodge and wraps around Lower Ulery’s Lake. Currently working under the umbrella of Madison Byways, an existing nonprofit organization, the foundation is also taking steps to form its own nonprofit.
The foundation’s signature event, the Ski Bridges of Madison County Summer Social, will be held on the long bridge just before the Moonlight Lodge on Aug. 4. Open to the public, this year’s party will run from 6-8 p.m. and feature live music, hearty appetizers, beer and wine and a silent auction.
Funds raised will be used to sponsor Camp Moonlight participants for 2014, and to complete additional hiking trail improvements. In case of inclement weather, the event will move to the Moonlight Lodge.
For more information or tickets, call (406) 995-2567, email moonlightcommunity1@gmail.com or visit moonlightcommunityfoundation.org. Find more about camp at moonlightbasin.com/eat-drink-play/camp-moonlight
