A message from the founder
In April of 1990, my wife and I along with the help of our seven children, purchased nearly 500 acres in southwest Virginia where we hoped to start our dream…an all-outdoor wilderness summer youth program. Later that summer, we built the first of our “Base Camp” facilities here in New Castle, Virginia and began working on what would be the foundation of our program: our summer adventure camp.
Our goal was to create a wilderness program for young people that offered both an adventure and a challenge; our vision was to establish an all-outdoor program that, in addition to being fun and exciting, developed positive character and leadership traits – physically, mentally, and morally. Through primitive camping and outdoor adventure activities, the program offers challenges and opportunities that young people seldom experience. The program tests their abilities to work together as a team and care for each other in a rugged outdoor environment. The wilderness experience and the adventure activities help participants build confidence, character, self-esteem, and leadership while developing skills that far exceed any they ever imagined possible.
Every evening groups have a campfire under the stars; every day participants enjoy a different adventure. Whether it’s through rock climbing or caving, canoeing or kayaking, mountain biking or backpacking, or any of our other exciting adventure activities, participants have the experience of a lifetime. In addition to adventure activities, daily classes are presented on outdoor living skills such as fire by friction and cordage making as well as outdoor education topics that include plant identification, map and compass skills, and first aid. Participants return home with increased knowledge, confidence, and enthusiasm, and a greater appreciation for the amenities of life.
Never in our wildest dreams did we anticipate that our program would grow to become one of the premier adventure programs available to young people. We strived to create a program that would offer young people experiences that would help them build character, a strong work ethic, a positive attitude, and strong communication skills to carry with them throughout life. It was our hope that participants would also leave with a heightened sense of respect for themselves, their environment, and the people that surround them. Today we feel confident that we have accomplished our goal as we have now seen thousands of participants come through our programs leaving us with kind words and a sense of assuredness that brings many of them back year after year.
My wife Pat and I are convinced that it is our staff members who are largely responsible for the success of our program. Each year we work hard with our year-round staff to painstakingly seek out and select from the finest of qualified, caring, energetic, and competent leaders and instructors. Our leaders at Wilderness Adventure at Eagle Landing come from around the world each carrying with them a wealth of experience in adventure and outdoor leadership.
As we enter each new season, Pat and I find ourselves indebted to our magnificent staff and to the many participants who have accepted the challenge over the years.
Sincerely,
Gene & Pat
