One of the most compelling aspects of Camp Tawonga is the exceptional natural beauty that surrounds us in every direction. Whether it’s swimming in the Tuolumne River that runs through Camp, backpacking in Yosemite National Park just a few miles away, or tending to the plants and herbs in Tawonga’s very own organic garden, immersing in the great outdoors is an inevitable and wonderful part of the Tawonga journey – and central to our four-part Mission.
Particularly for kids and staff who are experiencing the magic of Camp Tawonga for the first time (and for veterans as well), there is something very special about being a part of a community that is so connected to our land and history, and that places such a high value on being good stewards of our natural world.
Every bunk in Session II will get to experience our epic wilderness through an overnight backpacking trip in either Yosemite or Stanislaus National Forest, guided by our expertly trained wilderness leaders. Today, the unit of Eilat (5s and 6s) ventured off on their trips! (You can learn about our backpacking destinations in our daily Tawonga Tidbit).
At Camp, so many activities combine community-building with a love and respect for the outdoors, particularly from our Teva (nature) department. Just today, some campers participated in a “Garden Potion” workshop, collecting plants to infuse into an oil to make a natural healing salve.
Wilderness Nature Specialists, Devin Peyton and Erica Schroeder, educated the kids by showing them the various kinds of wild medicinal plants from our garden, such as Comfrey and Plantain. As Devin shared, these workshops are both valuable and meaningful:
“These activities create a feeling of connection with the world, realizing that plants want to heal you.”
We are so lucky to connect to our beautiful natural world here at Tawonga and to be inspired by this essential partnership every day!
Below are some photos from the day so far, and we'll post lots more tonight!
