What do we do for a child whose normal is chaos and dysfunction? We reteach normal. The mission of Camp Appalachia is, “To enrich the lives of vulnerable youth in the areas of dynamic character and leadership development, spiritual growth, substance abuse prevention, and social and educational advancement.”
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We are a residential camp located in Scott Depot, West Virginia. We serve West Virginia’s high-risk and marginalized children, many of whom have been directly impacted by the opioid epidemic. We provide trauma-informed services free of charge to our campers and their families, so campers may have an experience of a lifetime. Campers are taught about the hope and peace that is found with Jesus, and they are shown what a life filled with resiliency, making positive choices, and being a person of good character looks like.
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During their time at Camp Appalachia campers get to remember what is like to be a kid. Whether they are mastering our climbing wall, learning to swim, or learning to be part of and contribute to a cohesive group, our campers will conquer fears while having the time of their life! We use activities like hiking, archery, fishing, boating, sports, and other recreational activities to boost confidence, reinforce resiliency, and teach team building and character.
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Camp Appalachia recognizes that for us to make a difference in the life of a child, we must adapt to the ever-changing needs of our kids. 2020 has been a year that no saw coming. This year has crippled social interactions, schools, and activities that children had become accustomed to. Because of Covid 19, Camp Appalachia was unable to host overnight camps for the summer of 2020. However, we knew that our kids still needed us, so we adapted and became specially licensed as a tier three day camp and still provided care and activities for the children of our area. Many precautions were taken, and new policies and procedures implemented to keep our kids and staff safe.
As we look toward the future, we are glad to be positioned as a place that can bring hope and joy to kids who have been disconnected, marginalized, and have not been given the opportunity to let loose and be a child. Since opening in April of 2018, Camp Appalachia has served over 2500 children. With your help, we can continue to provide these amazing activities and programs. Please consider joining our camp family and committing to a one time or monthly financial gift supporting this effort to change our community, one child, at a time. Thank you.
Jared Davis
Camp Director
