boardwalk trail through a grassy meadow
Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, Wellfleet

Wellfleet Bay Camp Concludes Summer of More Opportunity, Friendship, and Discovery

August 21, 2023

Wellfleet Bay’s nature day camp hosted over 400 campers this summer, more than 25% of them local children. Camp Director Morgan Peck says the best news is that all year-round Cape residents received tuition discounts of at least $200 per camper thanks to a new sliding scale system.

“The sliding scale for camp tuition allowed us to make camp a reality for more families,” Morgan notes, “including local families, some of whom assumed they couldn’t afford to send their kids to our camp.” 

She says she looks forward to making more people aware of the sliding scale tuition so that more families will be able to register early for camp next year and take advantage of the larger discounts.

Three Wellfleet Bay camp kids sitting on a log

Happy Campers

Morgan says many parents reported that their children returned home every day having learned something new and were eager to teach their parents! She adds the many new friendships formed is the most gratifying.

“We had kids who discovered they were from the same state and so they’ll be able to maintain contact through the rest of the year,” Morgan notes.

Raccoons seen eating through a window
Handwritten raccoon adventure story reading "Once upon a time there were four raccoons...They climbed a tree. They were feeling hot."

Memorable Camp Experiences

Morgan reports that for older campers the annual “Shark Week”, in partnership with Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, was a hit. The week included a seal cruise and a visit to the AWS Shark Center in Chatham where kids were able to view and experience exhibits (such as the inside of a shark cage) and even dissect a dogfish, a small shark species.

A younger camp group likely won’t forget the warm summer morning they watched raccoons take over the bird feeders at the sanctuary. The experience led to the kids creating their own illustrated story about the animals.

Experiences in nature, both planned and unplanned, were highlights cited by most parents who said their children loved spending so much time outdoors, away from screens, and becoming confident, knowledgeable naturalists. One parent reported her daughter had such a good camp experience that she asked to spend the entire next summer with Wellfleet Bay!

Kids to Camp Fund Creates Happy Summer Memories

These once-in-a-lifetime, unforgettable summer memories were possible thanks to our sliding scale payment options, funded by generous donors like you. Ensure more kids can experience the nature of Wellfleet Bay next summer by donating today.

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