Hopewell Borough Recreation and D&R Greenway Land Trust are hosting a one- night family campout at the St. Michael’s Farm Preserve in Hopewell on June 23.
”We talked about trying new activities this year, and thought it would be fun to do a community campout, along the lines of the ‘Great American Backyard Campout’ organized by the National Wildlife Federation,” remarked HBR committee member Rachel Webster. “We approached D&R Greenway about using the fields at St. Michael’s and they were enthusiastic about it from the start.”
Campers will be asked to pay a small fee, to cover expenses such as portojohns and Walkie Talkies. Any leftover funds will be donated to D&R Greenway.
”We are thrilled to be hosting this community event at St. Michael’s. Our goal has always been to connect people with the land on our preserves, and this event is a perfect opportunity to do just that,” said Leslie Potter, D&R Greenway director of development and Hopewell Borough resident.
The Hopewell Community Campout will take place mainly in and around the area of the Charles Evans Overlook at the St. Michael’s property.
Campers will be required to register in advance. Registration forms with more information are available to download at www.hopewellboro-nj.us.
There will be organized activities, such as: horseshoe toss, sack races, charades, volleyball, trail walks, an owl prowl, and flashlight tag. There will also be plenty of opportunities to enjoy the spectacular sunset at the Overlook, stargazing, card playing, s’mores roasting, campfire songs, fire-fly catching and more!
Members of Hopewell Boy Scout Troop 71 will be on hand to assist families with transporting gear to their campsites from the Aunt Molly Road entrance, setting up tents, as needed. They will also demonstrate sound camping skills such as: low-impact camping, “Leave No Trace” principles, knot-tying and lashing, and first aid and safety.
For new campers, Blue Ridge Mountain Sports in the Princeton Shopping Center will host a one-hour complimentary “Beginning Camper” class for Hopewell Community Campout participants on May 31.
For more information, and to register for the class, contact Scott at BRMS, 609-921-6078 or [email protected]. Children are welcome.
Campers will receive more detailed information about the Campout and a map with their registration confirmation. There will be scheduled arrival and departure times, to help with the flow of traffic on Aunt Molly Road. Off-site parking will be available. Clean drinking water will be provided, as well as a complimentary breakfast Sunday morning.
The Hopewell Community Campout is being planned as “a completely unplugged, back-to-basics, outdoor family event.
”We hope it is successful and becomes an annual Hopewell tradition,” according to Sean Jackson, Hopewell Borough councilman and HCC committee member.