When:
July 31, 2023 @ 8:00 am – 3:00 pm
2023-07-31T08:00:00-05:00
2023-07-31T15:00:00-05:00
Where:
Welty Environmental Center
1201 Big Hill Court
Beloit
WI 53511
Cost:
See Rate Information Below
Contact:
Aaron Wilson
608-361-1377
Welty's 2023 Summer Camp Registration @ Welty Environmental Center

Welty’s 2023 Summer Camp Registration

June 12-16, 2023

July 31-August 30, 2023

Welty Environmental Center is ready for the 2023 summer camp season! We will be investigating, exploring, building, experimenting, and crafting while learning about wildlife and natural resources around the Stateline area. Bring your bikes, skates, hoverboards, and/or scooters on Wheel Day Fridays to explore trails around Big Hill Park in a new way. Don’t forget to pack extra clothes as we will be getting wet and dirty while structure-building, fishing, swimming, and so much more!

We will spend most of our time outdoors in Big Hill Park, but be ready to take trips to nearby places such as Daluge Farms, Sweet Allyn Park, and Beckman Mill Park. We will also be hearing from guest speakers from organizations such as the International Crane Foundation, Beloit College, and Rock County Conservationists! We would LOVE to have your camper every week, but you can sign up for one week at a time. Please pre-register one week in advance.

Take note of the dates as our summer camp schedule has changed. Keep an eye out for additional camp opportunities during the summer at Welty!

AGE

This camp is for ages 7 to 12 years old. Campers MUST be 7 before the 1st day of the week of camp. No exceptions.

WHEN & WHERE

Dates: June 12-16 and July 31-August 30, 2023

Days: Monday-Friday

Time: 8 AM to 3 PM

Location: Welty Environmental Center, 1201 Big Hill Court, Beloit, WI 53511

RATES

Member: $140/camper/week (8:00 AM-3:00 PM)

Non-Member: $160/camper/week (8:00 AM-3:00 PM)

Extended Camp (3:00-5:00 PM): $20/camper/week 

Family Membership: $45/year

Scholarships are available during registration.

CAMP SCHEDULE

June 12-16, 2023 | Team-building and Leadership Training: Team-building is an important skill for interacting with anyone, not just your teachers, teammates, or family members. Without communication, tosses get intercepted, presentations get passed over, and arguments ensue. Through many games and exercises, campers will learn how to complete tasks as a team and be a good team-player. We will also relate it to how animals and plants interact with each other as a team in their environment.

July 31-August 4, 2023 | Earth and its Spheres: During this week, campers will explore the different facets of the world that aid in supporting life. Campers will conduct experiments to get a first-hand look at how hydrosphere (water), atmosphere (air), pedosphere (earth), and biosphere (living things) interact and take the scientific data they collect to create a small research project to present at the end of the week. All data that campers collect during the week will be reported to NASA. This week, we will also hear from Stephanie Schmidt, a whooping crane biologist from the International Crane Foundation, and visit nearby parks to get our feet wet while exploring water quality!

August 7-11, 2023 | Only in Wisconsin: Wisconsin is America’s Dairyland, but there’s a lot more to this great state some of us call home. Campers will learn more about this state’s unique natural history (e.g., roles of Native Nations, geology, hydrology) and objects (e.g., state fish, state bird, state soil) through activities such as hiking, role playing, and…eating? Yes, eating! During this week, we will tour an active dairy farm in Rock County, getting a closer look at where our milk and dairy products come from and how they are made. We will also try to make our own cheese!

August 14-18, 2023 | Put the A in STEAM: STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) has recently proposed another letter: the A for art. Art is an important component of science that often gets overlooked. Campers will explore art, create art with nature objects, and find beauty and creativity in STEM disciplines. Don’t forget that cooking is an art, and we will learn more about edible foods around Big Hill Park!

August 21-25, 2023 | Camping and Outdoor Basics: Before you go out to enjoy the wilderness, you need to make sure you have the know-how to be safe. Campers will learn the basics of building fires and structures (natural and artificial; i.e., tents and lean-tos) as well as basic first-aid. Campers will also learn how to pack a daypack, knowing the necessities that will keep them safe and taken care of while hiking for the day or backpacking for the weekend. And, of course, we have to learn how to have fun… that means fishing and swimming! Campers will be visiting Beckman Mill Park to learn how to fish (no license purchases necessary), and on Friday, there will be a hot dog campfire cookout for families of campers who attend this week.

August 28-30, 2023* | How to be a Green Pirate: Argh! There’s too much trash, and it causes a lot of problems for our world. Campers will learn about the many R’s that help reduce the amount of trash that is sent to the landfill. Only three R’s, you say? Well, shiver-me-timbers! There are more where that came from: rethink, refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle, refurbish or repair, and ROT! Campers will learn how to apply these behaviors to their lives and practice composting, gardening, and reusing recyclable materials to create structures.

* Apologies. We miscalculated the start of the 2023/24 school year. If you would like to add-on August 31 and September 1st, click here.

CAMP LOGISTICS

Registration is limited to a set number of campers each week based on physical space and staffing. Each camper must be registered separately. Sign-up is for the entire week. Refunds will not be issued due to missed days.

  • If you register your camper for multiple weeks, refunds will be issued only for full weeks:
    • 14 days in advance 100% – a $5.00 processing fee
    • 7 days in advance 50% – a $5.00 processing fee

We will strive to be outside as much as possible. We will only head inside if the weather does not permit us to be outside. 

Lunch and snacks should be packed and are the responsibility of the caregiver. 

Welty is taking specific steps to reduce participant and staff risk of transmission of the COVID-19 virus. If you choose to have a camper participate in this program:

  • Welty strongly recommends that all campers be vaccinated against COVID-19 to ensure the highest safety possible for all campers and staff as well as reduce the possibility of camp closures.
    • CDC recommendation for positive individuals is to quarantine for 5 days. Refunds for missed days will not be issued.
  • If your camper is showing symptoms of illness, they should be kept at home. At any time a camper shows symptoms of illness, campers will be asked a few heath questions and have their temperature taken. They may be sent home. Refunds for missed days will not be issued.
    • Campers will be allowed to return after 24 hours of controlled temperature without medication. A refund for missed days will not be issued. 
    • Campers that take an at-home test, test negative, and do not have a fever, may return to camp sooner.
  • Regarding masks at camp, masks may be worn by anyone involved with camp at anytime. We if a camper was positive for COVID-19 and quarantined for 5 days, we require a mask be worn inside at camp until all symptoms are gone.
  • Wash hands, use sanitizer, sanitizing wipes, sanitizing spray for hands.

After registering, please complete the 2023 Summer Camp Emergency Contact Information. Please note that emergency contact information is due 7 days before the first day of camp. All campers must have medical insurance. 

Register using the form below. If a week is full, please email info@weltycenter.org to be placed on a waiting list.