Nowadays there are summer camps of all different kinds for children focusing on everything from cooking to fashion design. Located across the street from Cachuma Lake, Circle V Ranch is offering a more traditional, but nonetheless exciting, summer camp experience for children ages 7 to 13. There will be a free open house tour and barbecue on May 12 from 11 a.m. 3 p.m. for people of all ages.
Applications and “camperships” (scholarships) are now being accepted for 2012 summer camp sessions, all of which last for six days and five nights. There’s also a camp leadership training session for young adults ages 15 to 17.
Campers can enjoy activities such as archery, hiking, swimming learning about nature, painting, photography, various games and sports activities—and don’t forget about campfires, skits, and songs. There is no TV, radio, or Internet access at the camp. Children stay in air-conditioned cabins or traditional canvas tents. Meals are served family-style in the dining lodge.
This year’s summer camp themes and dates are:
Pirate Week, June 27 to July 2
MVP Week, July 6 to 11
Lost in Space Week, July 11 to 16
International Week, July 18 to 23
Medieval Week, July 23 to 28
Carnival Week, July 31 to Aug. 5
Circle V Idol Week, Aug. 5 to 10
Superhero Week, Aug. 11 to 16
“We welcome campers from Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Los Angeles counties. No child is turned away due to lack of funds since we have camperships available,” said camp director Ray Lopez, who started at Circle V as a counselor in 1993. “I just know you’ll want to have your children or grandchildren attend Circle V, then I’ll bet they’ll keep coming back like I did!”
Circle V Ranch Camp was founded by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Council of Los Angeles in 1945, and has been located on 30 acres in the Los Padres National Forest in Santa Barbara County’s Santa Ynez Valley since 1990.
The Circle V Ranch Camp fee is $350 per child, and includes lodging, meals, and activities for six days. Camperships reduce the fee to $60—the remaining $290 is paid by charitable donations—and are available for qualified campers.
For more information, or to fill out an application, call the Society of St. Vincent de Paul main office at (323) 224-6213 or visit svdpla.org/index.php/circlev/contents/camp_applications.
This article appears in Apr 26 – May 3, 2012.