For Parents

What is RAW Camp?

RAW Camp is Rising Appalachian Warriors Summer Day Camp. We are a 501c3 focused on teaching children and the community that Appalachia is home to an absolute wealth of opportunities for outdoor play and healthy lifestyles. Using a sustainable agriculture farm as the backdrop for all that we do, RAW Camp operates each day with no electricity or running water in our main program areas. This unplugged environment is ideal for building a child's connection to nature, their own inner drive to learn and explore, and sense of adventure. Hosted entirely outside, campers enjoy activities structured around native flora and fauna, nutrition, adventure education, and incorporating movement and play into healthy and sustainable lifestyles. At the end of each week, parents often tell us that they've noticed significant growth in their child's confidence, integrity, and connection to the outdoors.

Typical Day of Camp

Specific activities are determined by the theme of the week, but three morning activity rotations are generally split into environmental education, sustainable practices, movement and play.

Our hands on approach to education means that an activity which may sound dull such as sustainable practices means a child will learn to dig clay from the ground with their own two hands, make crafts such as bowls or art using collected rainwater to soften the clay, and then build the kiln their crafts are later fired in. During environmental education activities children can expect to splash through a creek overturning rocks on a salamander hunt, or net insects to drop into a terrarium for later identification and study. Older campers have built trails on the farm, including a serviceable foot bridge, run first aid scenarios, and more.

During afternoon activities kids may take an extended dip in the pond on a hot day, or take a ride down our giant slip and slide. Other times there is guided meditation on the hilltop, or self defense classes. Almost all camps include boffer swords on Friday which entails building foam padded swords for games centered around movement and play.

Each week of camp has specific goals and objectives related to the theme, but the basic outline provided below describes the scheduling:

  • Check in

  • Morning Game

  • Activity Rotation 1

  • Snack (provided by RAW)

  • Activity Rotation 2

  • Activity Rotation 3

  • Lunch

  • 30 minute rest period

  • 1 hour free swim

  • Afternoon Rotation A

  • Afternoon Rotation B

  • Free play during pickup

Swimming and Water Activities

We have a main swimming pond on the property. There is a certified lifeguard on duty for all water activities, and we do a swim check at the beginning of each week to ensure that your child's ability is safe for free swim in the ponds. We provide a wrist band at the beginning of the week to campers who our lifeguard feels comfortable letting swim without a life jacket. We provide and individually fit each camper that either we require or requests a life jacket during swim times. If you have a life jacket for your child that you would like to send along, we would be happy to accommodate them so long as the jacket is USCG approved for the activity.

Drop Off / Pickup

  • Camp drop off is between 8:30 and 9am.

  • Pick-up is from 3:00 tp 3:30pm each day.

  • Aftercare from 3:30-5:15 can be selected during registration.

Check In does not require parent signature. However, this is an excellent time to meet the staff and let us know about any issues or complications we might expect for the day. If you suspect that somebody not on the approved pickup list is picking up your child, this is also a good time to let us know.


Lunch

Each day you will need to send your child to camp with a packed lunch. We will provide an additional morning snack, but don't forget lunch. While allergies and dietary restrictions should have been indicated in the registration form, if you have any further concerns please feel free to bring them up when you drop off your child on the first day of camp. Prior to each week of camp we will send an email detailing any restricted lunch items due to other camper allergies.

At camp, cutlery is provided, so there is no need to send your child with disposable plastic items. At the end of each meal the waste, compost, and recycling will be weighed out as part of an ongoing zero waste project.

Packing List

Packing Checklist

We will be outside most of the day rain or shine: under a pavilion, in the woods, in the pond, or in the games field. Please send your child in clothing appropriate for outdoor activity. We suggest on the average day to wear:

  • Hiking/outdoor shoes (not flip flops though strapped sandals are fine).

  • Pants or shorts

  • A hat to keep off the sun

  • Simple T-shirt

Please, also bring and leave with us at the farm for the week:

  • swimming suit and towel

  • rain coat or poncho

  • rain boots or old shoes that can get wet

  • a full change of clothes, pants, shorts, underwear, socks, long and short sleeved shirt

  • jacket or hoody (in case it is cold in the morning)

  • water bottle

  • sunscreen

  • insect repellent

Sunscreen is a must. We will have some sunscreen on hand, but each child having their own bottle will go a long way in preventing sun burn. We encourage campers at every activity transition to reapply, as well as before free swim. It can certainly help if you apply sunscreen before your child even arrives at camp.

Water bottles. We have a 10 gallon jug that gets refilled as soon as it empties. If campers have their own water bottle to keep on their person, it can help us keep them hydrated and cut down on water used to clean cups.

Extras if you wish: There will be some down-time after lunch for campers to hang-out and play or enjoy peace and quiet.

  • Journal

  • Binoculars

  • Camera

  • Book

  • Card Games

Upon check-in on the first day, you can take your child and their belongings to drop them off on the front porch of the farmhouse.

There are cubbies in our program area that is down a large hill. Your child may choose to store large items like rain boots or changes of clothes throughout the week.

Video Games/Cellphones

Please no video games or cell phones. Children can leave cell phones in the farmhouse and check messages before pick-up. If you need to reach your child, please call Weston, he will have his cellphone on his person and gets service at the farm (740-856-6299).

Contact Information

Executive Director

Weston Lombard

westonlombard@risingappalachia.org

740.856.6299

For concerns about camp programming, specific daily care for your child, medications or dietary concerns, please contact Weston

Directions to the Farm

PLEASE DRIVE SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY ON LIARS CORNER RD. THERE ARE PORTIONS OF THE ROAD TO CAMP THAT ARE NOT WIDE ENOUGH TO ACCOMMODATE TWO VEHICLES IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS, NEIGHBORS HAVE CHILDREN AND PETS, AND THE ROAD IS STEEP AND NARROW, SO PLEASE DON'T RUSH.

13262 Liars Corner Rd, Millfield, OH 45761 (GPS will get you here)

From Athens:

Take Columbus Rd or US 33 to St Rt 550 towards Amesville. After only a mile on 550, you will pass Performance Signs on your left. Take the next road to the left, Alderman Rd (Directly opposite the 550 park and pavilion). Follow Alderman for a few hundred yards and turn right at the first road. This is our road, Liars Corner. Follow Liars Corner for 1.4 miles up the big hill, down a little, up again, and around the corner. You will then see our hoop house/greenhouse on the right. Park in front of the hoop house and walk past the barn to our front yard. Call if you get lost (740-856-6299).


From the North:

Take 33 East to the 682/13 exit. The exit is on the left just after a sign for "Chauncey". After crossing the highway off the exit, approach the stop sign and go straight/left (not right) through the stop sign. Continue through Chauncey and stay straight past the Marathon Station (682 becomes 13). Less than a mile past the Marathon you will see the Dog Shelter on the right and then Job and Family Services. Turn left onto Sand Ridge Rd immediately across from Job and Family Services. You will see the sheriff's depot on the corner of Sand Ridge Rd. Follow Sand Ridge to the very top of the ridge and turn right onto Liars Corner Rd (First road to the right). Follow Liars Corner for 0.7 miles and look for a gravel parking lot on the left-hand side then our log cabin immediately after. Park in the parking lot or our driveway.