The Compass
Camptown Updates
Meet our CORE: The Waidners
For Philip Waidner, Camptown was more than just a fun extracurricular activity—it became the foundation for a lifelong passion and career in outdoor recreation. Growing up, Philip was naturally inclined toward backpacking thanks to his background with the Boy Scouts,...
How Team Building Activities Help Foster Personal Growth and Relationships
At Camptown, we’ve always believed that outdoor activities can challenge and inspire young people in ways that traditional classrooms often cannot. Recently, we experienced firsthand just how powerful team-building exercises can be—not only in promoting collaboration...
Blossoming as a Naturalist: Diana’s Camptown Story
At Camptown, we know every child is full of wonder, hope, and curiosities waiting to be discovered. For many, we are their first introduction to the outdoors. Diana’s story is an example of how we cultivate existing passions into deeper purposes. Diana joined...
Introducing Camptown’s New Board Chair: Nate Browning
As Bob completes 10 years of dedicated service to Camptown, we would like to express our appreciation for his unwavering commitment to our mission. This was an expected transition in normal rhythms of board succession, and we are excited to announce Nate Browning as...
Top 10 Mission Moments of 2023
In 2023, your gifts moved mountains for kids in our city…YOU connected more than 5,000 kids to nature, their peers, and themselves. On behalf of the entire Camptown team, THANK YOU. Each year, we are blown away by the way people like YOU show up for our mission and we...
Brent on the Mindfulness Academy Podcast
Camptown's President & Executive Director, Brent Freeman sits down with Mindfulness Academy Podcast's Aimee Morgan to discuss his path to mindfulness, the importance of the outdoors and how teaching kids to understand their feelings can set up their lives for...
Camptown Receives Grant to Expand Program for Justice-Involved Youth
Camptown, Inc. has been awarded a grant in the amount of $143,671 to bring Marion County youth through HopeTrail, a crime reduction program focused on education and mentorship via purposeful recreation. This support is funded through the fourth round of the Elevation...
And how are the children?…Reflections from Camptown’s President & Executive Director
‘Kasserian Ingera’ or “And how are the children?” is the traditional greeting of Maasai tribe warriors of Kenya. The traditional response is, “All the children are well”, meaning that the priorities of protecting the young and powerless are intact. The expression...
Camptown Receives $474,000 from Lilly Endowment Inc.
Camptown has received a $474,000 grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to expand outdoor adventure programming with youth and sustainably build capacity. This sizable gift propels Camptown to serve more children in critical need of purposeful youth development outdoors,...
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