- Mountain Meadow Ranch
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Mountain Meadow Ranch, (MMR), is a family-owned three-week summer camp for boys and girls aged 7–17, located near Susanville, California, USA, on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada, 75 miles northwest of Reno, Nevada. It boasts one of the highest return rates of any camp,[citation needed] averaging about 70% campers returning the next year.[1]
Contents
History
Originally a hunting camp for the indigenous Maidu Native Americans, in 1902 the ranch came under the ownership of wealthy hunter George Wingfield, who first homesteaded the area. The ranch was called "Meadowbrook" at this time, and had two small "lakes" nearby named "Lake George" (right next to the big house) and "Lake Jean", after George Wingfield's children. After going through several changes, Mountain Meadow Ranch was founded as an all-boys summer camp in 1956 by professional football player Jack Ellena Sr. and his wife Jacquie Ellena when they acquired it shortly after Jack graduated from UCLA. At the insistence of sisters, the camp opened to girls in the early 1960s, and it has been open to both sexes ever since.[1]
Activities
Mountain Meadow offers a wide range of activities, including:[2]
- Equestrianism
- Mountain biking
- BMX biking
- Riflery
- Archery
- Tennis
- Drama
- Ceramics
- Arts and crafts
- Photography
- Swimming
- Sailing
- Canoeing
- Fishing
- Fencing
- Campfires
- Basketball
- Baseball
- Association football
- American football
- Lake sports
- Water skiing
- Wakeboarding
- Kneeboarding
- Tubing
- Adventure and challenge activities
- High ropes course
- Low ropes course
- Backpacking trips
Staff and directors
The ranch is owned by Jack "Chip" Ellena Jr. and wife Jody Ellena, who have been running the camp as head directors since 1993. Co-directors are Chris Rauen and Chuck and Cascia Smith. The staff and counselors at Mountain Meadow are typically between the ages of 19-24 and most have completed at least one year of college.[1]
Philosophy
Mountain Meadow states its philosophy is to provide a fun, safe environment for children to enjoy their summers, offering new experiences and allowing development of new social and physical skills.[3]
Camp family
While Mountain Meadow offers range of high-quality activities, the directors assert it is the sense of camp family that keeps campers coming back year after year. Described as a "home away from home" by many returners, Mountain Meadow aims to be a place where one can forget one's insecurities and be oneself.[3]
Áj Ypékanbe
A Maidu saying meaning "serve all", the principles of Aj Ypekanbe (ajsh-ip-ay-kan-bee) were introduced in the summer of 2005 by co-directors Chuck and Cascia to target the "core ideal of the Mountain Meadow Camp Family". It aims to help campers and staff alike to grow as individuals and improve their character traits, enhancing the camp experience as a whole. The six core characteristics are:[3]
- Inclusiveness
- Listening
- Empathy
- Encouragement
- Stewardship
- Service
References
- ^ a b c Mountain Meadow Ranch - About Us
- ^ Mountain Meadow Ranch - A Typical Day
- ^ a b c Mountain Meadow Ranch - Philosophy
External links
Summer camps in the U.S. state of California Cazadero Performing Arts Camp (Cazadero) | Camp Cherry Valley (Santa Catalina Island) | Camp Chesebrough (Santa Cruz Mountains) | Calvin Crest (Oakhurst) | Camp Galileo (San Francisco Bay Area) | Camp Gilboa (Los Angeles) | Camp Hi-Sierra (Longbarn) | Camp Pendleton (Oceanside) | Camp Quest (El Sobrante) | Camp Ramah (Ojai) | Camp Tawonga (Groveland-Big Oak Flat) | Campus by the Sea (Santa Catalina Island) | Mountain Meadow Ranch (Susanville) | Stanford Sierra Camp (Fallen Leaf) | The Painted Turtle (Lake Hughes) | Angel Island State Park | Lake Del Valle Regional Park
Categories:- Summer camps in California
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