Friday sessions at ANEW

A Natural Education Weekend

The Camp Bayou 'A Natural Education Weekend' is just weeks away with lots of family fun and Florida outdoors information waiting for registered participants.

On Friday, November 11, look forward to either a 'Camping 101' experience or an immersion in 'Arts and Nature'.

Folks who have little to no camping experience but would like to learn, will find a wealth of information and hands-on opportunities throughout the afternoon and evening hours. Friday Camping 101 sessions include:

- Leave No Trace with Jeanene Arrington of Not a Clue Adventures. Find out how to explore the outdoors responsibly in this introduction to this outdoor ethic- Camp Cooking with Lynn Kessel, food columnist at South Shore News. Learn a few basic outdoor cooking methods, tips and recipes that will guide you to better outdoor eating.

- Lost and Found in the Outdoors with Daniel Allen, Florida Master Naturalist Graduate and father of two small children will talk about best practices when enjoying the outdoors with kids.

- Tenting Basics with local Ruskin Boy Scout troop. Learn how to put up a tent and get camping tips from a kid's point of view!

- Camp- Style dinner, evening speaker and night hike with s'mores around the campfire completes the day.

For 10 lucky 'Clueless Campers' (families who have little to no experience with tent camping), the adventure continues overnight with special mentored camping. See event blog and registration for more details and restrictions.

An alternate Friday thread is offered focusing on Art in Nature. Two hour sessions include:

- Creative Writing Workshop with Dr. Diane Alvarez. Create a family poem or poems to remember your Camp Bayou experience! Master Naturalists will help you learn the names of plants on a guided walk with paper and pencil to capture images
- Artistic Reflections with Bruce Fallender. Bring your watercolors, oil paints, charcoal or other mediums, or just sketch on the pads provided to capture a bit of Camp Bayou beauty through a spontaneous creation.

The complete schedule for the weekend, Friday, November 11 through Sunday, November 13, and registration form are available on the blog:http://anaturaleducation.blogspot.com/. Registration forms are also available at Camp Bayou Outdoor Learning Center during regular hours of operation, Thursday- Saturday, 9am-2pm.

This event is part of a Be Out There!-NWF, Get Outdoors Florida!, "Let's GO"- C&N, No Child Left Inside, and Let's Move Outside inspired initiative. Partners in this event include Hillsborough County Community College 's South Shore Campus, West- Central League of Environmental Educators in Florida , Firehouse Cultural Center , and Hillsborough County Parks , Recreation and Conservation Services. Sponsors include Cargill and Publix. Sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities are still available. Contact Dolly at 813-363-5438 or campbayou@gmail.com for more information.

Camp Bayou is neither a campground nor a summer camp. It was an RV park before the County's ELAP program purchased the land but it is now open for day use only, open to the general public. Through volunteers, donations, membership and grants, the RCDF offers pre-scheduled programs to schools, youth groups, adult groups and families plus it's open from Thursday- Saturday from 9am-2pmfor passive recreational pursuits such as wildlife watching, nature photography and trail walks.

The Camp Bayou Outdoor Learning Center is a public- private partnership between the non-profit Ruskin Community Development Foundation, Inc. (RCDF) and Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation. Camp Bayou is located 3 miles south of SR674 at the end of 24th St SE in Ruskin. More information is on the web at http://www.campbayou.org/ or call 813-641-8545.

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