Welcome!
Gator Wilderness Camp School
44930 Farabee Road
Punta Gorda, Florida 33982
(941) 639-7722
Building Relationships...
Problem Solving...Learning Responsibility..."Help Yourself...Help Others."
"I long to dwell in your tent forever and take
refuge in the shelter of your wings.” Psalm 61:4
At Gator Boys Camp we recognize that healthy, growing relationships require hard work and effort from each person involved. Our society today provides few good examples of “healthy”, nurturing relationships. Despite all of the communication technology available today many in our country continue to suffer acutely with profound loneliness.
It is the goal of each member of the staff team to place a high priority on partnering with campers to (1) develop the desire to believe he can experience success and satisfaction in relationships, and (2) the skill set to achieve these hopes and dreams. Campers are challenged to grow in a relationship with Jesus Christ, parents, peers, and others.
Healthy relationships are extremely satisfying and worthwhile bringing “spice and meaning” to life, it is our desire to see this aspiration met in the lives of campers and their families.
Structure:
Structure at camp provides the framework for teaching the right way in contrast to the wrong way of completing daily living requirements. Campers are taught to make their bed and clean their living structure and campsite daily.
Twice weekly the boys have their dirty clothes laundered by staff after which each boy is responsible to fold his clean clothes and place them neatly in his foot locker. Many of the structures around camp concern the “preservation and care” of our natural surroundings.
Lastly, campers are taught the value of transferring the concept of camp structures to important structures of home, school, and the community.
At camp we know that most successes come with a great effort and effective planning. Groups at camp are required to develop long and short term goals in conjunction with their treatment plans. Long term goals may include ideas the group is dreaming about the next several months. For example, a multiple day canoe trip through the Everglades or the drafting of a new tent designed to be built in campsite. To accomplish these goals successfully the group must learn to function as a team as they seek to solve problems that may arise along the way.
Short term goals: Each week the group discusses and writes out a very specific set of plans based upon the group’s needs for the coming week. Specific goals and objectives must co-inside with the group’s long term goals. As a camper participates in this planning process he begins to understand that effective planning goes far beyond an impulsive idea or a “my way first” attitude. Instead good planning is rooted in clear plans with specific targets and goals at the forefront.
When a group learns to internalize the planning process a deep sense of accomplishment and confidence replaces the “cycle of failure” our campers have often experienced in the past.
Open Under New Management
Preparing Gator Camp for Christmas
Campers, staff members and their families enjoyed creating homemade decorations for the Christmas tree in Chuck Wagon on the evening of December 2. Lights were hung; popcorn and cranberries were tasted and strung while sand dollars were decorated. Paper chains were fashioned and hung while beautiful stars and snowflakes were created and found places on windows and the Christmas tree.
