Ozark Wilderness Boys Camp was founded to help boys who are experiencing emotional and behavioral trouble gain the skills they need for daily living and conflict resolution. It is a place for families who are seeking help for their son and don’t know where else to turn.
The program consists of outdoor group-living sessions where personal growth and character building are maximized. Between these sessions are scheduled home-visits where each camper can practice (in his home environment) utilizing the skills he has been learning at the Camp. Family involvement is key and the long-term goal is to reunite each camper with his family.
The camp structure and program are based on a model of camping developed by Campbell Loughmiller in the 1940's and 1950's and described in detail in his book Wilderness Road. This model is a year-round residential program for boys who are struggling at home or in school.
The camp property is laid out with a central area where the main camp buildings are located. From there, footpaths lead to several campsites. Each campsite is like a woodland village with post-and-beam frame tents constructed by its dwellers.
A group of up to 10 boys and two counselors live in each campsite. They eat most of their meals and interact with the rest of the camp community at a central building called the Chuckwagon. The outer regions of the property offer ample space for exploration, woodcraft, and firewood gathering.
The outdoor setting provides an ideal environment for boys to learn and explore. The camp lifestyle and upkeep of campsites require responsibility from each boy, and in turn, they find ownership in their campsite and value in hard work. Relationships are central, and with the help of their group and counselors, boys can learn to work through their problems toward behavioral, emotional, and spiritual wholeness.
Education is woven into the fabric of daily camp life. Weekly planning, letter writing, essays, journaling, and public speaking provide a strong base for English and Language Arts. Math is incorporated through building projects, weekly menu planning and budgeting, and management of a personal checkbook. Through guided studies, planned activities, and sharing times each boy is immersed in opportunities with Science, History, Bible, Physical Education, Music, and various Arts.
The vision for Ozark Wilderness Boys Camp was born in the hearts of staff members from Allegany Boys Camp and several families in the Midwest who interacted with Allegany Boys Camp. The property was purchased in 2022 through contributions from generous individuals, businesses, and churches. The Camp opened for enrollment in 2024.
Goals:
By setting achievable goals, step by step, a boy attains levels of personal growth that he once thought were out of his reach.
Structure:
Through a scheduled life with daily disciplines and an emphasis on cleanliness, physical order lays the groundwork for emotional and spiritual order.
Relationships:
Pursuing the greatest commands of love for God and our neighbor, we believe that relationships are of highest importance.
Problem Solving:
Facing problems when they occur and deliberately working through them to a solution makes freedom a part of daily life.
Meet our Board of Directors and Pastoral Advisory Committee that oversees and gives council for the direction and goals of the camp and staff.
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