Heritage Center Gears Up For Spring Campfire
The American West Heritage Center, a nonprofit organization devoted to celebrating and preserving the area’s heritage in Wellsville, Utah, presents is Spring Campfire May 21, 2010 from 5 – 9 pm. The campfire program itself begins at 7:30 pm and features music, storytelling, and traditional campfire activities for all ages. From 5 – 7:30, the Heritage Center’s Camp Rendezvous will be open for games, activities and competitions. Dinner will also be available at low cost for participants. The event is FREE to the public and all are invited to attend. Folks attending should bring blankets and/or camp chairs to sit on for the event. For special needs or questions about the event, please contact Chris Schultz (435) 764-7355 or email him at cschultz@awhc.org .
The Spring Campfire kicks off the official grand opening of Camp Rendezvous, a place for youth conferences, girls camps, reunions, and other large groups. Camp Rendezvous is a group campsite with stunning views of the Wellsville Mountains along with activities and access to the Heritage Center’s nature trail area and award-winning living history activities. Because it is below a bluff, the site seems isolated and steeped in nature. Additionally, Camp staff are available to help with pioneer and frontier themed teamwork and leadership activities, catering, entertainment, Bridgerland Games pioneer sports, and other programming.
“We’ve spent considerable time and energy getting Camp Rendezvous ready,” explained David Sidwell, Program Director at the Heritage Center. “We’re so excited that we have such a lovely site so accessible to so many people looking for nice places to bring their groups. We hope this campfire will set the tone for the fun things that take place here.”
The Spring Campfire itself, which takes place on the stage in the heart of Camp Rendezvous at 7:30 pm, will appeal to those wanting a traditional campfire program. Group singing, storytelling, and other entertainment forms the lineup of entertainment at the campfire. Musician Mike Young, long associated with the Heritage Center as a blacksmith, has taken the initiative to form a special band to perform at the event. Olan Mikkelsen, a volunteer living history mountain man at the Heritage Center, will also tell some stories. Program Director David Sidwell, a favorite storyteller from the area, will act as emcee for the event. Participants should bring their own camp chairs or blankets to sit on.
Activities before the event begin at 5 pm and include games that use the area’s natural beauty as well as installed features such as horse shoes, panning for gold, pioneer games, and traditional pioneer sports and activities. Tours of Camp Rendezvous and its facilities will also be given throughout the evening.
A special s’mores making contest will also take place before the campfire program begins. Participants should be prepared to toast the perfect marshmallow and make gourmet s’mores for the judges. Bring your own marshmallow roasting stick, if desired, or find one on-site.
“There will be plenty to do for all ages before the campfire program starts,” claimed Chris Schultz, the event coordinator. “We have so much to offer as a basic part of Camp Rendezvous, and we want to show off how much fun a large group can have down here.”
When asked if there were room available in 2010 for large groups, the answer was affirmative. “We do have several large groups already reserved for this year for youth conferences and the like, but we still have room for more,” explained Chris Schultz. For more information about Camp Rendezvous or the Spring Campfire, please contact Chris Schultz (435) 764-7355 or email him at cschultz@awhc.org .