Camp Creative "No Child Left Inside!" Arts & Expedition Programs Click Here to View Camp Creative Brochure Click here to view 2008 Camp Schedule    2008 Registration opening in the fall of 2007 FAQ What Is Camp Creative? An Oregon based charitable Summer Camp (with many traditional camp activities) expanding to a year-round Outdoor Program including writer's workshops, residencies, Everyman Olympics, retreats and special events. Our emphasis is on the arts (especially literary) and safe, exciting project themed expeditions: Bicycling - road and mountain Bike trip camping expeditions will be our primary way of exploring. In addition, we'll have hiking and backpacking trips, horseback pack trips, canoe, sea kayaking, rafting and sailing programs. Operated under American Camping Association standards. Where is it based? While 100-150 of our campers will be on expeditions at any given time, we are working with area farms, retreat centers and state parks to provide quality programs at these locations during our first season. We are actively shopping for a permanent reclaimable site (our mission is to distrub no pristine land) in Oregon Gorge, Oregon. This site will become our permanent home and base of operations for our programs beginning in 2008. Who is it for? Our programs at full capacity will be for 250 kids, 7-18 yrs, with separate adult programs and full family sessions. Everyone, really, who wants a project based recreational experience is invited to attend. We'll offer sliding scale tuitions and scholarships. 30 percent of our participants will receive scholarship assistance. We will attract a diverse ethnic and socio-economic population from the NW with a portion of our camper slots available to kids/adults/families through out the United States. What is the Project Based Approach to Recreation and Experiential Learning? On top of having fun, building friendships, being in the moment and learning new skills, we want campers to have a project based approach to life. Project Based Education takes one theme and explores it from many angles - an inclusive approach to something. Each Cabin Group and Expedition Team will have a common set of daily activities: sports, meal prep, campfire, words on wheels mentorship's, swimming etc. Additionally, they will choose from a menu of PROJECTS related to where they are going or what they are doing that week. They will explore one project ( Natural homebuilding, Wildlife, boat building, or bike touring the covered Bridges of Clark County) from various angles: historic, environmental, scientific, economic, social, folkloric, etc. - while using various skills and mediums that appeal and interest each individual camper - photography, drawing, block printmaking, video, poetry, journalism, cooking, etc. Example: while bicycle touring through 15 covered bridges in Clark County during a five day bike camp expedition -the project might be to create a presentation of each bridge using a variety of media from different perspectives - digital images, video etc. one camper might discover why the bridges were built in the first place and do an illustrated display of this, another might interview locals for stories about the bridges, another camper would find out what different bridges were made out of, why and how this related to the economics, ecology of the area, the technology of the era, - expressing this in a tactile display of art that incorporates these materials. Another camper documents the wildlife found at or around each bridge. The overriding goal is to explore and learn how our world is connected and our sustainable place in it. Each cabin group/team will present these projects completed or ongoing - back in camp at an end of the week festival. These projects will be open ended so that future teams can build on them and the program creates a well of knowledge, perspective and expressions of talent and models for learning that are hands-on, alive and fun. Camp Creative's project based approach will actually feel like an adventure of a high order rather than days of study and work. We'll have a sense of exploration, whimsy and fun in every activity we dive into. What Will Camp Cost? Camp will be divided into one and two week sessions (6 days per session) with in camp sessions costing less than our trip camp - project based expeditions. In camp fees will range between $350-$500 per week. Expeditions $500- $750. This will include all food, equipment, lodging, special events, and take home creations and projects. Expedition fees will cover all of the above plus NW transportation fees during sessions. Some expeditions to other parts of the country will have additional travel fees. Two week sessions will range between $700-$900 in camp, $900-$1400 for expeditions. 2008 Camp Schedule Dates, Locations, Prices June-July 2008 Session 1 June TBD (Sauvie Island) Kids $495 Session 2 June TBD (Columbia Gorge Loop) Kids $495 Session 3 June TBD (Columbia Gorge Loop) Family Camp Kids 3-8 $250, Kids 9-17 $395 Adults $495 Session 4 TBD (Olympic NP Washington) Family Camp Kids 3-8 $250, Kids 9-17 $395 Adults $495 Will there be scholarships and sliding scale fees? We will offer a significant number of camper scholarships and a sliding scale fee based on need. Camp Creative is not a program for need based campers only. It will be a diverse mix of ethnic and socio-economic populations.  Who is organizing Camp Creative? Joe "Metal Cowboy" Kurmaskie is the founder and director of Camp Creative. Author of two bestselling story collections and the recently released book "Momentum Is Your Friend", Joe has been a newspaper editor, book reviewer, travel writer and world traveler by bicycle. In his other life, Joe has directed nonprofit organizations and summer camps. With two decades of experience in this field, including Camp Thunderbird in Florida, Bearskin Meadow Diabetes Camp in California, Camp Oakes, Camp Courageous and a four year stint as the executive director of MRAC: a New Mexico arts council, he brings a wealth of specialized training and expertise, channeling his energies and skills into creating an American Camping Association accredited program in Oregon. When not writing books, a nationally syndicated column, or articles for Backpacker, Men's Journal, Details or Bicycling magazine, Joe teaches writing programs through Literary Arts Inc. and Community of Writers (COW) He Also tours the country with his one man performances. He is putting together an advisory board of educators, community leaders and artists to help make Camp Creative a success. Support Staff include bicycle tour guides, genius grant nutritionists, professional writers and artists, biologists, recreation specialists, doctors and teachers. How can I sign my child/my family/myself up for camp? We are beginning the application process now for four, one week sessions of expeditions during the Summer of 2008 registration opening in the fall of 2007. The antidote to X-box carpal tunnel in ten year old's and ten year old's at heart. An Arts and Expedition Day and Overnight Summer Camp in the Columbia River Gorge expanding to a year-round Outdoor Expedition School. Full sessions and trip programs - Summer 2008. Camp Creative 2820 N Willamette Blvd Portland, Oregon 97217  503-239-6985 Email Joe about Camp Creative