SAVE UP TO $1,363!

Trips valid for the 35% off discount (all beginning on June 20th, 2010):

7 Day Outdoor Discovery Program for Ages 11-13–save $313

14 Day Outdoor Discovery Program for Ages 10-12–save $663

14 Day Classic Adventure Program for Ages 11-13–save $663

14 Day Classic Adventure Program for Ages 14-17–save $663

14 Day Go With the Flow Program for Ages 14-17–save $663

28 Day Wilderness Leadership Course for Ages 15-17–SAVE $1,363

This discount offer lasts right until the day the trips go out!  Take advantage of the fact that we need to fill last minute spaces any way we can.  To register for these trips click here. If you prefer to register over the phone feel free to call our toll free number at 800-782-0779.

If you have any questions about the discounts or our summer program in general then you may also call our toll free number or email us.

What are your kids doing this summer?!?!?!

Children today spend an average of 6 hours each day in front of the computer and TV but less than 4 minutes a day in unstructured outdoor play.(CBF)

The effects of videophilia are substantial and include obesity, attention disorders, lack of socialization and poor academic performance. (P&G)

“At no time in human history have children spent less time outdoors.  Attention deficit disorders, obesity and a variety of other physical and emotional ailments can be attributed to a decline in exposure to the out of doors and the natural environment.”
-Craig Whipple, Director of Vermont State Parks

“Obesity in kids is now epidemic in the U.S.  The number of children who are overweight has doubled in the last two to three decades.  Currently one child in five is overweight”. (Word on Health,  “Childhood Obesity on the Rise”:  Torgan, Carol, June 2002)

Studies have shown that people deprived of contact with nature were at greater risk of depression and anxiety.  They also never develop a relationship with the natural environment and they are unable to use it to cope with stress.(C&NN: Derbyshire, David)

Click Here to Read More Shocking Statistics

   Parents don’t let your children fall victim to the couch this summer!  Wilderness Adventure at Eagle Landing (WAEL) is an all-outdoor adventure program that builds character, confidence, self-esteem and leadership through the experience of living in the wilderness and partaking in a variety of outdoor activities: camping, backpacking, teambuilding, high ropes, climbing, canoeing, caving, mountain biking, environmental education and more!  We follow our founder, retired Marine Colonel Gene Nervo’s formula for success, by instilling respect, work ethic, communication and positive attitude into each one of our participants.  To read the amazing things both parents and participants have said about the benefits of our program go to our testimonials page.  If you sign up before May 15th you will recieve 15% off of this popular program.  Click here to see our full list of dates and tuition.

If you have any questions feel free to call toll free at 800-782-0779 or email us anytime!  We hope to see you this summer!

(If the deadline of May 15th has passed and you read this message, please call us to find out current discounts.)

If I asked you if your employer would make it onto a list of the best places to work, would you say yes? If I asked you to describe what makes it so great what would you say? “We get 10% off all merchandise, staff happiness days and 2 weeks paid vacation!”  Now I am not trying to brag or boast (well maybe a little bit), but I DO work for a company that would make it onto that list.  Wilderness Adventure was chosen this year for Outside Magazine’s Top 50 Places to Work, which is a nationwide competition.
When I first saw the contest for the best places to work for 2010, I knew I had to nominate Wilderness Adventure.  In the last 3 years I have been lucky enough to be a year round member of this organization.  I have worked my way up from a group leader, to a director.  In that time I have been able to accomplish many dreams, and do things that I never thought I would be able to do.  As I started the application process all kinds of memories flashed through my mind.  Things I had done and things I wanted to let Outside Magazine know about this place, and why I love it so much.  I thought to all the mountain bike rides, staff happiness days doing the broathalon or at the safari park.  So, I wrote a list and prepared my thoughts. I selected the proper check boxes and finished the online application.  To my surprise there was no section for me to complete personally. When I selected submit I got another message that said the staff would be notified with an email and a pass code to access the online survey. What? Everyone had to take a survey? Well this was not part of the plan at all! Not that I thought that they would not give this place the highest marks they could. But this place had given me so much, would they look at Wilderness as just another job?

Flash forward…after 4 tense weeks of waiting and corresponding with the Outside Magazine rep Megan.  I stopped at my Mailbox like everyday to pick up my “Bills”.   Inside the box was the usual, Bills, more bills, and then letters telling me how if I sign up for the Visa/amex mega gold platinum super card , the world would be mine with just a swipe. Under all that in an unassuming white envelope was a letter from outside Magazine and the Best Company’s Group. I rip the letter open and wow…….we made it!  We’re above well known companies like NOLS, Patagonia, KEEN, Timberland and about 21 others.  Now I know how the rest of the Wilderness Adventure staff feels about where they work. Thinking back there should not have been any doubt in my mind. This place we call work and home does way more than offer me a place to go get a paycheck.  It offers me a place to be me, and a place to hang out with all of my friends who just so happen to work for the same great place I do!  It’s more than just a job, it is a decision I, and many others like me made a long time ago. We would not settle for less.  I am proud to be a director, employee, friend, alumni and whatever else you want to call me, for Wilderness Adventure.  It looks like the rest of the employees feel the same way.

My name is Dan, I work for Wilderness Adventure at Eagle Landing, and I work for one of the best places in the world.

Check out some of the local coverage we have had about this by going to the Roanoke Outside Website, or click here to become our fan on facebook.

About four years ago Marc Dufour went looking for the perfect location for his Centrifuge road cycling training camp, and he found us.  None of our staff at the time were road cyclists, so we were totally unaware that our facility was smack dab in the middle of the perfect training ground.  The challenging terrain, beautiful scenery, well maintained roads, and an early spring has made our facility an oasis for Canadian cyclists.  They can come to us and ride when they wouldn’t otherwise be able to.  Did I mention that we are really fun to hang out with too?

Throughout their time here, the Canadians have attracted a lot of attention from both motorists and the media.  The Roanoke Times did a piece on the cyclists a couple years back and made this video:  Wheeling in Virginia. The second voice you hear is the head of Centrifuge, Marc Dufour, explaining why cycling is better in  large doses.  Most of the shots you see were filmed at our facility, either on the Main Lodge porch or in front of our Sneaky Cabin.   Click here to view their photo albums of the good times here at Wilderness Adventure that the cyclists have recorded and posted on their site.  If this looks like an amazing experience to you, don’t just dream, you could join them next year and represent Virginia as one of the first bike camp participants.   If you would like to contact Groupe Centrifuge about joining them in the future or just to get more information about what they do click here.

For questions about Wilderness Adventure and our year round programs email us or call toll free 800-782-0779.

Keeping you Posted!

Julia Bradford, Director of Programs

An aspect of the summer youth program that people might not fully appreciate is the beating our gear takes and care we give it to keep it in tip-top shape…. especially our Mountain Bikes. Every time a bike goes out  and comes back it gets a complete tune up to make sure its next user is able to shred the gnar and teach the trail a lesson.

But we here at WA love to have the newest gear and rides possible, so we will be retiring some of our favorites from last season and replacing them with Brand New 2010 Specialized Hardrocks! These shiny, red monsters are smooth as butter and amped to get out on the trail. We kindly thank our friends over at Tangent Outfitters in West Virginia for hooking us up with these sweet rides and we know you guys are going to love them.

And while we are sad to see our faithful old fleet go, we are happy to let you know that they need good homes. All of these bikes are tuned and ready to hit the trails with you!… plus they come with sweet nick-names. So check out our used gear page or give us a call and come pick out your favorite. We’ll even size it up, double check the tuning and let you in on some sweet places to ride. And if you absolutely must have one of our shiny new red ones, we can work that out too….

Your friendly bike barn manager,

Chris(Topher)

SPRING BREAK 2010 DATES:

Ages 10-12:  March 21st-27th; March 28th-April 3rd; April 4th-10th

Ages 13+: March 21st-27th; March 28th-April 3rd; April 4th-10th

7 DAY TUITION:  $650

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER ONLINE

Our one week spring break trips run very similarly to our Classic Adventure and Outdoor Discovery summer programs.  The only thing that is really different is the price.  While our one week summer programs are going for $895 at full price in 2010, our spring break trips are only $650.  That is a savings of $245 for the exact same program.

Don’t just waste your spring break by sitting around and watching TV all day, come have an adventure with us.  As with all of our programs you will get to camp out for the whole week, learn some back country cooking, and make a bunch of new friends.  We will hike in the George Washington and Jefferson National forest, do our 50′ Climbing Wall and Rappel Tower, our High Ropes Adventure Trail, and finish off the week on our 900′ zip line.  Other possible activities will be rock climbing on real rock, mountain biking, canoeing on the mighty Craig, fire by friction, shelter building, and other outdoor living skills.  These activities are based on your age, weather, and staffing availability.

Make 2010 spring break the best one  yet and come play outside with us!  If you have any questions feel free to call us at 800-782-0779 or email us anytime.

]]> http://www.wilderness-adventure.com/2010/spring-break-spring-break-spring-break/feed/ 0 http://www.wilderness-adventure.com/2010/10-discount-extension/ http://www.wilderness-adventure.com/2010/10-discount-extension/#comments Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:49:24 +0000 Julia Bradford http://www.wilderness-adventure.com/?p=1141 Good news everyone!  We had many potential participants miss our 10% discount that ended March 1st, and we understand that times are still tight.  We want to continue giving  back to our customers and therefore we are extending the 10% discount offer.  Here is the savings laid out for all our trips:

• One Week Programs:  Savings of $90, bring tuition to $805.
• Two Week Programs:  Savings of $190, brings tuition to $1705.
• Month Long Program:  Savings of $390, brings tuition to $3,505.

Don’t forget our refer-a-friend program either.  Some of our participants have come to camp for free and even had up to $200 of spending money in our camp store by referring their friends.  After you are sold on our program, sell your friends and we will give you $100/friend. This offer is unlimited!

Maybe your not sold on us yet.  Check out what other people have to say about us on our testimonials page. Also feel free to contact us to speak with one of our trip leaders or to request a full reference list.  You can call former participants and there parents from all over the country and here their Wilderness Adventure story.

Also stay posted because we are going to be adding trips throughout the summer to accomodate everyone’s available summer dates.  If you have any date suggestions that you would be interested we would love to hear your suggestions.  Email us and we will give it our best shot to open a trip for your child.

I know that many people going into interviews these days are probably a little worried about finding jobs in such a tight market.  It might be helpful to know what we are looking for in an employee and how you can present yourself as a useful member of any customer service related company.

Tip #1: If you are interested in any sort of seasonal employment I recommend you start applying early and looking early, at least 6 months early, chances are employers have already started hiring.

Tip #2: Experience working with people; when I am interviewing a candidate I rarely focus on their technical skills.  First and foremost from an employer in the outdoor industry’s perspective is; “Do you like working with people?” I can teach you all of the hard skills for the job; and many times it is actually easier to teach people that have never done this type of work before because they don’t think they know it all.  If you have great people & communication skills then often times you are a more valuable asset then someone with tons of experience with poor communication skills.

Tip #3: How excited are you about the job?  A lot of times I talk with people that don’t seem that interested in the job, sure you have applied, but if you don’t seem that enthusiastic it makes me wonder.  Ask questions, think of questions before the interview that way you are not put on the spot.  Read through the web-page and jot down notes from there, I love hearing “while I was looking at the web-page I found…”.  It shows that you are curious and care enough about the company to do a little research.  When an employer is explaining what type of work you are doing, explain to them why this is the perfect fit for you, enthusiasm and a positive mind frame goes a long way.

Tip #4: Sell yourself and the experiences that you have had.  Anything you have done in a similar field when shown in the right light can be a plus for you.  If you have substituted, served tables, coached sports or worked at an ice cream stand, I am sure you have some great stories to tell, personalize it and sell it.  Don’t get me wrong, past experiences in the field are a very big plus in the hiring process, however showing you have strong work ethics and would do what it takes to get the job done is a big selling point.

Last big selling point for me would be love and appreciation for this line of work.  If you love being outside, and respect the environment and people you work, you make yourself a very good candidate.

To sum it up real quick:
1.    If you are planning on working a seasonal job this summer start looking now, and start applying.
2.    While selling yourself to the employer, make sure you show that you are really personable and have great communication skills.
3.    Ask questions, sound interested, be enthusiastic and always have a positive attitude and mind frame.
4.    Share your work experiences, personalize the stories and apply them to the job you are looking for.  Work ethic is a very important thing in the job market these days, we are hiring less and trying to be more efficient, why are you the employee I want.
5.    I want people working for me that love what they do.  If you can show me that you respect the work and the program, I want you here sharing that love with the people you work for and work with.

Though there are many other points and suggestions when it comes to applying and interviewing, these are a few that I am looking.  Stay positive and go get yourself a fun seasonal job for the Summer of 2010.  I got my summer position after college in 2005, and now I am the Director of Operations.  You never know where a seasonal position can lead you.

Other good websites for outdoor employment:

Outdoor Education Professional’s Resource

Outdoor Industry Job Publication

Short Term and Seasonal Job Site

Outdoor Adventure Professional Network

Patrick Boas,  a.k.a. “The Office Dandy”
Director of Operations

Just a quick note on who we are:

WAEL is…well, a lot of things. Essentially, we’re a group comprised of fun loving, hardworking and talented outdoor professionals…and its our lifestyles that shape the place we work.

Throughout the year, we operate as an outdoor adventure and conference center. Most of the activities we do here consists of rockclimbing, rappelling, kayaking, mountain biking, high and low ropes, caving, canoeing, sea kayaking, group development/teamwork and our famous 900′ zipline. When the weather gets too cold – although we adhere to the “rain, sun or snow” adventure philosophy, most people come here for school events, business meetings, reunions and full- to small-scale gatherings or parties.
During the summer months, in addition to our year round program, we offer outdoor adventure experiences to youth ages 10 up to 18. These trips are expeditious in nature and are designed to provide opportunities for discovery in many facets of life. Please checkout our official website at wilderness-adventure.com.

So, what’s in the new? To start off, I’m excited to announce that WAEL is a proud sponsor of the “No Child Left Inside” movement. “No Child Left Inside” is a coalition founded on the simple goal of “finding new ways to encourage kids to experience nature and learn about the environment,” as well as reminding us that life has lot more to offer than TV, computers and video games. Check out their website, it may answer your questions on how to get your kid outside more!

Another recent addition to the WAEL programming is the new “Family Adventure” program. This basically opens up our doors for anyone wanting to come for just a single adventure for themselves or the family, without the obligations of group size and associated costs. Bring the family for a Saturday afternoon on our high ropes adventure course, a fun mountain bike ride, or even a ride on our 900′ zipline! Reservations required, please contact us in advance – the earlier the better.

If you’ve ever used the phrase or had the thought “when I was young, I never wanted to be inside…” then you might want to see just how much our society has changed “since you were young” by going here and reading some of the interesting statistics on the youth of today and the trends that are developing.

Lastly, I’d like to let you know that WAEL is now on Facebook! We made this page for our participants in hopes of staying connected with each other after their experiences at WAEL – and to develop new relationships with others that have been through our programs as well. Add us, get in touch and stay informed! (You have to have a Facebook account to view and join. It’s FREE!)

Join us again (subscribe!) in a couple days to read more on who we are and what’s happening in the world of WAEL.

Truc