by Heather Graf
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The school year has officially come to a close, and that means Monday marks the start of a summer tradition - summer camps, now taking place across Middle Tennessee.
Camp Widjiwagan will play host to several thousand campers, from first graders all the way up to high schoolers, between now and August.
The camp sits on the banks of Percy Priest Lake, and offers canoeing, an alpine climbing tower, a splash park, sports, and much more.
The group that arrived on Monday included 400 day campers and 140 overnight campers.
Many of them are also the children of military moms and dads, who are currently serving our country, and whose kids get to attend summer camp, for free, through a program called Operation Purple Camp.
For every camper, the goal during their two weeks at Widjiwagan is to build confidence, create character, and make new friends.
Counselors say they see it happen, year after year.
"Meeting everybody. That's what I really like," said camper Tyler Owen. "It's called Camp Widjiwagan, which means true friends. So I really enjoy meeting people."
To see and hear that reaction on the very first day of camp, counselors say, is always a good sign.
About 20% of the kids at Camp Widjiwagan are there on scholarships. So even if summer camp seems like it's out of your family's reach, there are options to make it more affordable.
To learn more, click here: http://campwidji.org/.
email: hgraf@newschannel5.com
