Each summer our camp hosts several former participants as part of our Leadership Training Program (LTP). This program is designed for the participants who would one day like to lead trips for us. Below is a letter sent to us by a participant that truly summarizes what our program represents and hopes to accomplish with every participant.
I cannot thank you enough for everything this camp has given me.
When I first came here, I was painfully shy. It took me forever to become comfortable with the group and I could barely speak to my leaders. Now, my social skills have improved tremendously thanks to the improved self-confidence that comes with accepting the challenges of WAEL and succeeding. All the success I have had in high school and that I hope to have in college I attribute to the principles I have learned here.
The positive attitude of all the staff makes this a fun, upbeat place to work, a place where obstacles are seen as opportunities to improve and failures are just learning experiences. My work ethic has been tested by being away from home, totally responsible for my own actions, and I feel like I have passed the test. Every day, it is necessary to motivate myself to get up, go to work, and complete every task to the best of my ability. The respect that the rest of the staff has shown the LTPs has increased the respect that I already had for them.
In a community that is founded on respect, it is easy to share ideas, work together, and maintain positive relationships with each other. For me, communication skills have always been the most challenging because I am still fairly shy. However, I feel that meeting and interacting with so many helpful, welcoming people this summer has made me more willing to speak my mind and enter into new social situations. I feel as if I have become a much better person working here and I will strive to apply these values into my life at home. WAEL makes me happier than any other place in the world and I sincerely appreciate the lessons I’ve learned from the LTP program.
Thank you,
Lisa Stuntz
Other Testimonials
“What a great camp!! The staff is wonderful a little older than the average camp making me feel a little safer, with the activities they do. We used this camp before with another child and loved it. They were too old to go again. This year we sent our younger daughter to WAEL and she has not stopped talking about it. We love the camp and will continue to send our children. I do have to add we did inform our children that the camp would be hard and showed them the FAQ section of the web site, they did know that it was a leave no trace camp and would be eating dehydrated food. Needless to say my daughter is already checking for next years camps and she can’t wait until she is old enough for the scuba diving. I love the confidence that both children came home with and the stories of Rock climbing, canoeing, caving and hiking and yes of course the zip line are great. Not many 12 year old girls can say they did all that this summer. Recommended with enthusiasm” – Anonymous
“This is NOT your normal summer camp, and that was perhaps the largest factor in my choosing to attend Wilderness Adventure at Eagle Landing. You will hike. You will sleep on the ground. You will be without a toilet. You will eat dehydrated food. These things are all part of the experience, however, and I would never change them. I cherish the memories of my weeks at WA more than any of my other summer memories. Any time that I am feeling stressed out by life, I always go back to canoeing on the New River. A perfect day, adrift and at peace on the water. I cannot recall a more relaxing and fun experience than WA. Nor can I remember a more satisfying feeling than taking off my boots after an all-day hike, and then sitting by a camp fire, cooking REAL FOOD! Thank you WA, for providing me with priceless memories and lots of new friends.” – Jason Luchs, age 16
“What a great camp. My daughter will be on her way this summer again, making this her 4th year @ WAEL. Confidence, character, life building. This is NOT a cushy summer camp. Given the option to change camps every year, we get a resounding NO WAY. Gene and Pat run an experience with fabulous staff and facilities. Thank you” – Anonymous
Wilderness Adventure has become a summer tradition in our house! Each of our 3 teens has eagerly looked forward to their chance to savor the experience of internally pushing themselves yet in a safe environment with knowledgeable staff. Each year they come home with huge smiles on their confident faces!” – The Orrick Family
“The program I did with WAEL was the best experience of my life… I learned about myself, made lasting friendships, worked hard and was challenged, and most of all, had fun. The rigorous activities were difficult at the time, but now I look back and smile at how great it was. I will never forget the program I did with WAEL.” – Brooke Simone, age 14
“To those who make Wilderness Adventure possible, I was part of a retreat at eagle landing a week ago and just wanted to express my appreciation to the staff for the hard work and energy it took to have the St. Giles youth group. We all had an incredible time, and look
forward to returning soon. From the food and lodging to the incredible activities and experience the entire weekend was a blessing (not to mention the gorgeous landscape). All of the of your staff participants were awesome and really made the trip fun and exciting. Thanks for all you do at wilderness adventure and we all hope to return soon! – Jessie Greene, student participant with year-round group program
