For More Information Contact:
Colleen Pillus, Communications Director
(845) 486-2000
Poughkeepsie… As Dutchess County continues its “Restarting Dutchess” efforts, County Executive Marc Molinaro announced registration will open on Monday, June 15th for the Dutchess County Parks Division’s popular Adventure and Survival summer programs for children ages 9-17 at Bowdoin Park in the Town of Poughkeepsie and Wilcox Park in the Town of Milan. Registration will be available through Monday, June 22nd on a first come, first served basis on the Dutchess County Parks website.
The Adventure and Survival sessions will feature hands-on activities such as hiking, starting campfires, finding food and water and other survival skills, tracking, Nerf tag, and building group problem-solving skills, each program’s sessions are held Monday-Thursday from 9:30am to 4pm with early drop-off and late-pick up options available. Sessions cost $175 each and includes a program t-shirt and all equipment. To ensure both participants’ and staff members’ health and safety, participants will be provided a cloth mask for optional use in the case that six-feet social distancing cannot be maintained, all program sessions will be limited to 10 students, and each child will be limited to one session.
County Executive Marcus J. Molinaro said, “Many parents in Dutchess County rely on summer camps and other programs as a form of childcare when school is not in session during the summer months, and we are proud to be able to continue offering our summer programs at our beautiful Bowdoin and Wilcox parks. These unprecedented times have meant kids have spent a lot of time indoors or very restricted in their activity outside. We have modified our summer programs to ensure each student’s health and safety while still giving them the opportunity play, explore, and build essential life skills while instilling a greater appreciation for the natural world around them.”
The Adventure Program and Survival Program, for ages 9-11, will be held July 6th-9th or July 20th-23rd. The Adventure Program, for ages 12-14, will be held July 13th-16th or August 3rd-6th. The Survival Intensive Program, for ages 12-14, will be held August 3rd-6th. These programs will be at Bowdoin Park.
Additional programs include Complete Survival at Wilcox Park for ages 12-14 on July 27th-30th and Living Survival at Bowdoin Park for ages 15-17 on August 10th-13th. These sessions will mimic a real survival situation framed in the context of a story that changes every year. Complete Survival requires students to have participated in Survival Intensive and ends with an optional overnight stay.
Summer program registration is available online or by printing and mailing in the form included with the Summer Program brochure. Send completed forms with payment to Parks Naturalist, Bowdoin Park, 85 Sheafe Road, Wappingers Falls, NY 12590.
To learn more about the programs available at Bowdoin Park as well as other Dutchess County Parks, visit the Parks Division website at dutchessny.gov or call (845) 298-4600.
